There are two types of pain. Those that will make you strong and those that only make you suffer.

For the past years without her, Taemin chose the pain that ensures suffering. His days spent without the 2NE1 member--without one of his closest friends, pulled his insides into a twisted knot. Sure, he had found happiness and his life flipped around when a certain APink member entered the scene, but there continued to be a twinge in his stomach, a throb in his heart that longed for Minzy. She brought him peace, and peace was what he needed to finally achieve.

Taemin’s talk with Kai had released a chamber of secrets held within, of the devil that he once knew--of what he once was. It was much needed, the spill of emotions. She still cares for him. The idea of it was one that Taemin never even dared to imagine at times after what he had done to her, of what he had failed to do. But hearing those words of comfort from Kai finally gave Taemin the courage to reach out. That maybe these years of pain that made him suffer could finally turn into the previous, one that would make him stronger.

That night the dancer pulled out his cellphone. With steady, yet determined fingers he entered the digits he never failed to memorize, as if it were his own. Minzy had not changed her contact information unlike him. And he was grateful more than ever for that fact. Sitting in the darkened corner of the room he closed his eyes listening to the deathening dial tone on the other end, waiting for a voice to answer--waiting for his friend.

“Hello?”

Taemin’s eyes fluttered open and he wondered if he was in a daze, was he really going to do this?

“Hello? ...Minzy-ah...” his voice hitched an obvious croak to his usual smooth tone. He was terrified that she would hang up right then and there. And when there was silence for more than a minute, he was certain that it was over.

“Taemin?” it was barely audible, but he heard it nonetheless, of the gentle calling of her voice that gave him comfort whenever he was down.

“I know I have no right to ask, but can you do me a favour?

Taemin could hear her heavy breathing. He could feel the hesitancy by her shallow exhales and the only thing he could hope for is that maybe Minzy would still see something positive in him so that she would listen.

“I’ sorry,” It was the set of words that he knew could never quite make up for the past.

“There’s too much of a history Taemin…”

“And I’ll try to explain things, to clear the air...:”

It was a conversation that lasted for hours. A conversation that covered years of alienation that the two kept. Of the secrets that Taemin so desperately wanted to spill to his friend, but at the same time fought to keep hidden from her. She finally caught a glimpse of the turmoil of his life that was now getting settled, that was now free from the pressure and anxiety of the company’s hold. Minzy could picture her friend, the friend she shared coffee with. Of his genuine eyes and soft voice. And she only wished that the pain he had suffered be returned as gained strength.

Taemin did most of the talking. Which was understandable, considering the shock the girl must have experienced when he finally decided to contact her. But throughout it all, it didn’t feel like a one way call. Despite the silence on the other end, he knew that she was there. It was this unique vibe of her presence that Minzy never failed to emit that gave the male dancer peace.

There were changes to the both of them. Changes that are hard to ignore as maturity takes over and preferences slide another way. However, time could not erase the human they both were deep down. And so everything was still the same.

He missed this. He missed them.

And so did she.

“And now about that favour…” He started. “If  you go to our cafe, the one on the corner of the block and visit the exact same spot where I stubbornly told you that we should cut ties…”

Taemin was careful with his words, making sure to not spike any negativity after the two had finally seemed to get back on track.

“Mhmm…” She simply listened on.

“Remember where we sat that day? By the darkened area with the single stools?”

“I remember…”

“If you look closely at the countertop, I left something there…maybe one day when it doesn’t hurt you too much to revisit the place, you can check it out….”

He didn’t know that Minzy was one step ahead, that during all this time, she was already there.

Inscribed in the very edge were letters.

“HBDM?” she quietly whispered.

“It was your birthday then wasn’t it? I scribbled a little greeting for you back then.”

HBDM...Happy birthday Minzy.

That one day when she was certain he had forgotten, she was proven wrong. He remembered...or rather, he never once forgot.  

“You destroyed property on my behalf?” She let out a wistful small laugh.

“Because I couldn’t say it to your face...especially after I had decided to not get you involved with my mess anymore…. And I’m sorry I made you cry.”

She shook her head as she bit her bottom lip. He was never the that she had made him up to be. Taemin was never the same person that spoke such ruthless comments. He was protecting her. Yes, it was in an unconventional way that could have been handled differently, but that didn’t matter anymore.

“Maybe perhaps, if it’s not a bother, you’d like to be friends again. Like we once were.”

“Like we have always been.” Minzy reassured, a soft smile poking through as she confirmed that time has passed, but their friendship never ended, but rather it was on pause.

~~~~~

Ever since his fateful run in with the YG artist, Kai had changed. s like Chen and Baekhyun grew suspicious of his rather delicate side that poked through his usual manly exterior. His experimental phase of eating healthy salads with grilled fish rather than his go to favourite fried chicken and ramen rose questions, but were always kept at the back of the members’ minds. But there was one thing that’s for certain that just couldn’t go unnoticed. Kai was growing less and less enticed with the opposite . When his eyes would usually sparkle at the sound of a female voice’s higher tone prepping to spill his charms, he was now very distant. Besides the courteous greeting, he had no concerns for saying anything more. And while the dancer was always quite disint