I decided to write a little bit of back story on the one shot I posted. Enjoy ♡

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The sound of alarm didn't wake up taemin. He didn't even try to snooze it. He was sleep deprived as any other final year student. The pile of sheets he worked on the last night scattered around the table. He wasn't a neat freak. But there was an order for everything to him. Pencils on the right side along with pens, colors, stick it notes. While on the other side,  his books. The walls were filled with todo lists of important things he needed to remember.

A knock was heard on his door but he didn't flinch. Nothing in this world could wake him up now as he barely slept for one hour. But his phone rang, waking up the male in the process. 

" What jongin? Why are you calling me this early?"

" Are you sleeping? Taemin, open the door. There is only half an hour for the lecture to start" jongin warned from the other side.

Taemin cut the call and started gathering the project he completed. He didn't have much time to get ready. So he put on whatever he could get hold of. He looked pretty decent even when he didn't pay much attention to the way he dressed up. The number of stares and the secret letters he got from time to time was proof of his looks and popularity.But that doesn't matter to him. 

He put on his cologne as he was skipping the bath. He carefully threw everything he needed for the day in his bag and ran out to find his best friend jongin waiting for him at the door. He took his best friend's hands and ran towards the main building. 

Much to their advantage, the professor came 5 minute later than usual. They managed to get inside even before that. If they were even a second late, then they wouldn't be able to submit their assignment, they worked on for weeks. Final year wasn't really good for both of them. There was so much to study, so many assignments.

Friday nights weren't filled with booze and girls. It was for sleeping off the whole week's tiredness . Taemin wasn't really fond of going out but this lifestyle wasn't what he planned when he got admission at college. Turns out, getting good grades required more sacrifices than he thought. At first, he did go out for a few dates. But as the days went by, it became hard for him to even sleep. 

" Lee Taemin, if you are going to doze off during my class, I suggest you go back to your dorm" The professor scolded. 

Taemin bowed and said his apology and decided to focus on the lecture for now. Nothing in the class was unfamiliar to him. He already learned it last Friday. He was always one step ahead of everything. It gave him a sense of certainty and a great percentage of his confidence came from that. If it's something he isn't familiar with, then that confused him. That's the reason why he decided to do his homework and research well, prior to any situation. 

The classes passed by like that without even letting anyone have any free time. The workload was a lot and on top of that, they had to prepare for the interviews. It was really hard but for a secure future, they needed to focus on it now. No matter how much they wanted it, at times it felt like he was working too much. So once in a while, he escaped the whole tension and anxiety about the future by going to his favorite Cafe. That was his guilty pleasure. That was the only happiness he allowed himself to recharge and to relax from any long days. For him, that's the time it felt like he was living like a normal man in his early 20s.

Ten minutes walk from the campus was all it took for taemin to have his little getaway. As always, he put on his headphones, playing upbeat songs. Walking through the shades while the small breeze brushed through his lean body made him already feel so light. As he passed by the corner, the Cafe came into his vision and he rushed towards his destination. 

The bells rang as he walked inside. The familiar scent welcomed him and he breathed properly taking in everything. He walked towards the counter to order his usual iced Americano. 

" Iced Americano right?" the girl asked him, smiling. 

" Yes the usual. Can you also give me chocolate pastry? ``Taemin said. 

" Long week huh?" 

" It's been pretty bad," he replied. 

" It's clearly showing. Take a seat. I will bring it to you." 

" Thanks Gia" 

Gia is the only person taemin talked to other than his best friend and professors. The first time he saw her was her first day at Cafe. Her first customer was also taemin. But the poor girl made a mistake. She was trembling. But taemin assured her that it's okay. That's the day he started drinking Americano because that's what she gave him instead of the hot chocolate he ordered.

They both became friends shortly after. Not like other girls, Gia wasn't all over him. She felt like a little sister. The fact that he could talk to someone so comfortably was really refreshing and she didn't seem to mind that too. 

Sometime after 10 minutes, Gia brought his iced Americano with chocolate pastry. 

" Hey Taemin?" 

" Yes?" 

" Do you think the person who is sitting there is a little weird?" Gia asked, pointing towards the opposite direction. 

" Who? Why?" 

" He's been here for an hour and he already finished his coffee but the way he is hiding himself is concerning. Do you think he is a thief or something? "gia asked again.

" I don't think so. Which time are you living gia? Don't judge someone like that. ``Taemin replied smiling. 

"So you won't help me? Can you atleast keep an eye on him?"

" What? Me? No way. You know I can't do that. "taemin replied. 

" Is this how you are going to act when I ask you for help for the first time? " she pulled her saddest face as a last resort to which taemin gave in. 

Taemin tried his best to not make it obvious but he clearly failed as he saw the man hiding looked straight back at him. He wanted to hide. So he suddenly focused all his senses in the pastry he ordered. He does not like chocolate that much but it strangely felt good whenever he ate it after such a long week. Too much sweet isn't good for your health. He also knows that. Not that he is concerned about his physique. He already had a pretty well built body without even trying so hard for it.

Even though he tried to not pay any attention to the stranger, oblivious to him, the other was already approaching him. But he stopped in his tracks when he heard the news. So he turned his head towards the screen like everyone else including taemin. 

The most desirable, talented and as termed by vogue, the iest man alive, actor Choi minho yet again surprised us with his new project with marvel 

There were murmurs in the Cafe. Everyone's attention was on the screen so no one actually saw the disappointment on the strangers face. 

The news was full of it. So the stranger went back to his seat but his phone rang. 

" Where the hell are you?" 

" I'm outside. Why?" 

" Did you see the news?" 

" Yes just now. Choi minho must be so happy to have this big project. Huh? " he said. 

" So it's true that you didn't know about this?" the other person on the call asked.

" What do you think I will be doing in a Cafe at this time if I knew this was going to happen kibum?" he asked. 

"Minho calm down. Let's talk to the agency. But more than anything, you need to come home now. There might be press looking for you. You can't go MIA now. Come now. Let's discuss. Okay?" kibum said knowing his best friend a little too well. 

" Okay. I will come" with that, the call ended. 

Choi minho, as anyone who has an internet connection will know, is one of the best actors in the country. He had everything. Movies, dramas, endorsements. Name anything, he had everything lining up one after the other. But somewhere in the lane, he lost control of his career. Initially when his agency decided things for him, it didn't feel so bad. Because he was so new to the scene. He needed guidance. But now, even he has no idea about his schedule. What's the difference between him and the general public if he is also getting to know about his own schedules through news?

No matter how much he tried to understand, nothing made any sense. His only resort was his best friend and designer kibum. He is the only one who understood him behind this mask of popularity and fame. He loved this life but he wished if people could see the real him too. Acting is his passion but he didn't know that he had to do it in his real life too. He was so afraid seeing how blurry the lines between his professional and personal life was getting. 

Minho found this cafe when he was walking aimlessly, tired of his work. He put on a mask and hat as his disguise. A really simple black t-shirt and blue jeans made him look like a normal person but still with his nicely built body, it was impossible to get rid of the stares. Settling in the corner seat at the cafe, the whole environment gave him a really beautiful feeling. It was new but a much needed one. 

For minho, nothing really stood out. Everything was painted in gray. His mind was full and restless when he felt two eyes on him. He wasn't unfamiliar with that feeling but something about this particular stare made him look back. He was done with being stared at. But when he looked back, he was left with an unusual pair of eyes, that wasn't looking at him in fake admiration but doubt. He saw how the other person looked down as if he didn't just catch him staring.

It would have been a different day if not for the news and the call that came after. So he hurried out after paying his bills. 

After a while taemin was done with his Americano and the pastry. He stayed there for another half an hour. As he didn't have any more reason to stay there anymore, he decided to go back to his life.

" Hey gia, I'm going. See you next time" taemin told her. 

" Oh wait. I almost forgot. The strange man left a note for you. I'm really sorry for the trouble. If it's anything, let me handle it" she said worriedly. 

" No it's okay. It's just a note from someone I don't know. Don't worry, it's me who decided to stare at him. Go and finish your work. See you soon"

Taemin didn't open the small note. He put it safely inside his bag. The note was long forgotten the moment he entered the campus again. He has lots to do and so little time. So he went straight to the library. 

Assignments were a lot. He needed to prepare for the coming week. So he took out the books he needed and started studying. After 3 more hours of studying, his eyelids felt heavy. So he went back to his room. 

On the way, he picked up his dinner for the night with a can of beer. After freshening up, he had his dinner and was going to sleep, but then he remembered the note he received. So he suddenly checked his bag and took out the note. He was skeptical at first. Maybe he should just throw it out. But he still wanted to read it. So that's what he did.

"Don't you know that staring at someone isn't decent? And when you are caught doing it, shouldn't you atleast give an explanation? But I think the chocolate pastry was more interesting than me. 

See you around - M"

Taemin admits that he was wrong. But why did the note implied that it's not going to be the only time their path will cross? But the probability of their meeting was so little when they had no common grounds. They didn't even know each other's name. But fate decided to interfere in their life, for the good or bad? Nobody knows. But it was really the starting of a major shift in their respective lives. And a change was what they both needed to not live like a robot and to start being like a human.

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Hey all, I didn't thought that I will write this story again. But since two days, I wanted to write a prequel of sorts for the one shot I posted. I don't even know if I will continue this fic. But if I get enough responses, who knows? May be I will write more. 

I'm a newbie writer ( I don't even know if I can be called one). But hehe. So if there are any suggestions, please do comment. Thanks ♡