Do I still Love You?
A New Kind of LoveA while later, I was at the mall with Nicole and Woohyun once again. Nicole didn't tell anyone about Minho (thank GOD) but this luckily help me forget about him for a while. Jonghyun hyung was with us as well. He often visited me in Paris, so I wasn't entirely lonely over there.
He wrapped his brawny arm around my neck and pulled my head down. "It's so good to have you back, Key." He playfully remarked.
I pretended to choke from his tight grasp. "Help- CAN'T BREATHE~"
We all laughed and Hyung released me.
"Oh yea Woohyun!" I recalled. "You never told me you were signed under SM. You're gonna be a singer too!?"
Woo chuckled and shook his head. "I'm gonna be a singer, but I'm under Woollim. SM 'bought' the company so in a way I'm labeled under them."
"Ohhh. Are you working with Jonghyun?"
"Yea. Our concert is coming up. You should come see it."
"I'll be sure to mark it in my calendar."
Nicole stayed quiet. She fiddled with the straw in her drink. Unfortunately a while back, her third album didn't do so well, so she left the music industry and came to KKB. She worked with me in France.
"Aww, look who's all glum." I widened my eyes and poked her cheeks.
She clenched her teeth playfully. "Shut up you bastard."
I cackled loudly. "Don't be bitter Nicole. The music industry didn't appreciate you. You're better off in fashion anyway."
A smile spread across her face. "Just eat your food."
We all laughed and chatted about old times that night. It was definitely enjoyable because we were all together again.
***MINHO***
My wife, Yuri, and I walked hand in hand to the toy store in the mall. Yoogeun's birthday was coming up and we were still deciding what to get for him.
"He likes Power Rangers." I reminded. "We should get him those new PR-themed pajamas."
"But he'll grow out of those soon. He growing up really fast. How about those Power Ranger action figures?"
We searched all throughout the aisles to find something good for him. We didn't know whether we should buy multiple toys for Yoogeun or just one so we wouldn't spoil him too much. And we had trouble deciding whether to get him Power Rangers or Star Wars. In the midst of it all, I got a phone call. I looked at my phone screen and saw it was Taemin. I hadn't spoken to him in weeks, so I was surprised that he called.
I excused myself and stood outside the store to answer the call. "Hello? Taemin? How have you been? What's going on?"
"Hey Minho. Sorry it's been a while. I've been busy. With the concert and all."
Taemin still worked as a choreographer at SM, but now he also worked as a part-time pianist and piano teacher, which took up more of his time. He's been so busy lately rehearsing for one of SM's concerts that it's been almost impossible to chat with him.
"Hey, just curious," He said, "Have you talked to Soo Jung lately?"
Soo Jung was his wife, but from what I've heard lately, they've been having problems or something. "No I haven't. She's in New York isn't she? Why you ask?"
"I dunno. Honestly, maybe I'm overthinking it all but I think we've been drifting. We haven't talked comfortably in a while. And she's not answering my calls. I had a feeling that-"
I didn't pay attention after that because at that moment something -- correction: someone -- in the mall caught my eye. A familiar face. A familiar posture. A familiar name not heard of for a long time immediately crossed my mind.
Key. Kim Kibum. My Kim Kibum.
My eyes went straight to him. I do believe it's highly possible that I imagined his presence from
time to time, but this would be the first time I "imagined" him with that hairstyle. And that color. And that build. And those clothes.
He was simply walking on the other side of the mall. I blinked. I blinked again. It couldn't have been him. But it sure as Hell seemed like it.
"Hello? Minho? Are you there?"
In an instant Taemin left my thoughts and I was on my feet. I couldn't lost sight of this person who was forcibly ripped from my life and whom I couldn't bear to lose again.
He didn't look over at me. He remained in his own world, strolling wherever he was going. I tried to keep up, but I kept bumping into passersby. He kept getting farther and father away as the distance between us only increased. It felt like I was losing him all over again. I couldn't call out to him because I still wasn't sure it was really him. But at the same time, that face was impossible to mistake for someone else.
I didn't have a clear plan in mind. The only thing on my mind at that moment was to look into his sparkling eyes once again.
And just like that, he was gone. I bumped into some other customer and within a second, I lost sight of that familiar face. I stood there as the other shoppers passed around all sides. I couldn't believe it. After no contact for God knows how long, Key shows up again only for him to disappear once more.
Suddenly, Taemin's screaming passed through my ears.
"Minho!?" Taemin screamed from my phone. "I hear you moving! What's going on?"
I realized I'd forgotten to hang up. "Huh? Oh nothing." I sighed. "Taemin, have you seen Key lately?"
There was a long silence between us. "Key?" He said after a moment or so. "Uhh no I haven't seen him. Why do you ask?"
Taemin had not seen Key yet? Peculiar. Then what I saw was probably made up. But he looked so different than what I remembered.
"Nothing, Taemin. It's nothing. I gotta go." I quickly hung up and exhaled loudly.
Perhaps I didn't see him today. But why would I think of him now?
I made my way back to the toy store where Yuri was waiting.
"Minho! Where were you? You vanished out of thin air!"
"Umm it's nothing like that. I- Taemin was here and I went over for a quick chat. Nothing crazy or anything." I awkwardly chuckled.
She smiled. "Well come on back in. We still have to decide what to get for our Yoogeun." She looped her arm in mine and dragged me toward the aisles. "I was thinking we should settle for the action figures."
A Week later.
I don't know what to do now. I fear for my life. I fear that I will do something terrible and unforgivable or irreversible.
I haven't stopped thinking about Key for the past few days. Ever since that one occasion where I might have seen him, he's been occupying my mind. Now when I work he shows up and I can never tell if I'm imagining or not.
I'll be doing paperwork in the office and he'll just show up in a skin-tight tuxedo, sitting on the desk across the room with crossed legs. Or when I'm driving he'll show up in the passenger's seat, raising his hand to my hair. How I miss his warm touch...
I mean, I know he's not actually there, but I don't know what it means. After ten years or so, I thought I'd gotten over him and had managed to make a stable family life in his absence. I thought I'd been able to piece a stable life back together, but now everything will be jeopardized because he reappeared.
I told Yuri I would spend the night at Taemin's, which I did from time to time anyway. I made my way over to the local bar to drench my issues. And unsurprisingly, Key easily showed up in my inebriate vision.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN VIEWERS! :D FYI this chapter may be extended cuz idk if the next chapter should be its own or if i should combine it with this. I'll let u guys know.
anyway offtopic but f(x) is my fave girl group so PLEASE BUY F(X)'s 4 WALLS ALBUM!!! IT'S SO GOOD SHOW SUPPORT FOR SHINEE'S SISTER GROUP!!
lol hope u enjoyed this update :) and sry if the spacing is inconsistent. i typed some of the story on this website and the rest on a separate document and copy and pasted. idk how to make it all consistent lol :/
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