2nd Chapter – “Stronger.”

Soundtrack: "Creating Love" by 4Minute

Minho widened his eyes unwillingly as he listened to Jonghyun breaking down totally, breathing unsteadily and crying a river. Realisation hit him as his eyes wandered from your cell phone to the lifeless body of yours. Suddenly, he remembered each action of his- baking the sixth cake in a row and finally finishing an eatable one, asking you to join him eating, waiting for you to open the door, knocking at it and calling for you as he listened to that stupid whiskey bottle shattering into hundreds of tiny splinters…

A small smile appeared on his lips as his thoughts trailed back to the day he had talked to you all alone for the first time. You had been so childish, so annoying and yet... so cute and carefree. How he longed for simply going back to that moment...

[Flashback]

"Minho, aren't you overdoing it? You shouldn't run yourself to death!" You smiled at him, out of oxygen from following him along the park. "You're incredibly fast for a middle school student already, so just have a break!"

Minho sighed heavily, shook his head and increased his speed. You followed him around since he started jogging and seemed to not understand that he wanted to be alone. Would he ever be able to spend a day without seeing you? "Come on, Minnie... let's sit down on a bench and talk!" At the sound of Minnie, a picture of you pouting came to his mind, distracting him and making him smile secretly. Instead of slowing down, he started running away from you, knowing that you would chase after him.

I love you, I think this feeling is love

Without you, I can't smile

Knowing that you're my love, my heart keeps changing it's mind

Beeing honest with his feelings, he had developed an interest in you since he attended the entrance exam for your current middle school together with you- and that meant secretly admiring you for already two years. Though his friends didn't understand why he felt comfortable when beeing around you, a totally strange and annoying girl- it was okay as long as he knew he liked you for who you were. As his goal was in sight, he smiled brightly and turned around, only to see you... nowhere.

"Y...yah, where are you? Hey, _____!" Minho made his way back, seeing you sitting on a bench, a familar guy kneeling down in front of you. Preventing a pout, he approached the two of you, finally recognizing the boy as one of his friends. "Jae... what a coincidence. What are you doing here?" Though it wasn't difficult to see how uneasy Minho felt, you didn't seem to notice it. Don't tell me that she's to captivated by this idiot... Aish!, he thought, watching the way you blushed as Jae touched your knee... wait a sec! He did what?! "Oh oh oh, your prince arrived a little bit late, ne, Princess?", Jae laughed, a huge grin atached to his face. At this side your eyes widened on their own, your blush increasing heavily. "J-Jaejoong, he is not-" "Aish, stop calling her a princess... and why are you still touching her knee? Let go of her, immediately!" Even if the last part had been hissed through his teeth, Jae stood up and gave Minho a strange look, secretly handed him a plaster. "I see, the prince is jealous. Your Highness, I may leave the two of you alone to give you some privacy... Princess, don't stumble again." With that, he showed you one of his most angelic smiles and kissed your forehead. "YAH, YOU LITTLE-" Just in time, Jae escaped from Minho's strong grip and took his leave.

Your budy in jogging sighed heavily, releaved to be alone with you again. Noticing that you shifted nervously, he kneeled down and took a look at the tiny in his eyes huge scratch. "H...hey, does it hurt? I mean, I'm sorry for running ahead and leaving you alone, I just... Hey, are you listening? _____?" "N-ne, I was. I was, really!" You raised your hands, waving his nervousness aside and hiding the fact that you hadn't listened to him at all. "I... I was just..." Suddenly you covered your face, finally noticing your burning cheeks. Minho looked at you, slightly hurt. Somehow he knew that you still thought of Jaejoong talking to you, touching you and... kissing you. If he ever had the chance to do so, he would beat his friend to death. Seriously. Trying to put this theme aside, he held up the plaster, stuttering madly while speaking. "Um... m-m-may I-I?"

Slowly, your hands sank back to your knees, revealing your tomato-like face. As you saw Minho blushing like crazy and avoiding your gaze, you slightly giggled and nodded. "Hmhm, go ahead, Prince Minho! If you're able to put on the plaster perfectly, a kiss awaits you!" Hearing this, Minho stared at you, his eyes bearing a strange glitter. So he gave his best at patching you up with care and tenderness.

What is it like to really love? Is it sweet?

How would it be to kiss in a dark alley?

Would the sky become white? Would I hear the bells?

Afterwards, the two of you stood up and you bent your leg, noticing that the pain decreased slowly. "Good work, Prince! Here's your reward!" Minho already closed his eyes, waiting for your lips to meet his, as he felt something small beeing put in his hand. Opening his eyes, he saw a tiny piece of paper in his hands.... "Wait, a kiss?" The student would have slapped himself, if you hadn't stood infront of him. Innocent as you were, you had given him a cherry-flavoured "Kiss" chewing gum. "Yes, it's my favourite flavour! ...Don't you like it? I also got some apple-fla-" "No no no, it's okay! I like it!" Minho laughed, slightly embarrassed. He just hoped that you would never find out what kind of "kiss" he had expected. "Sh... shall we start going back? I'm sure about it becoming dark, soon..." You took a look at your watch, nodding slowly. "Hmhm, you're right... What a shame." With that, you took his hand and the two of you headed back home.

Your companion was nearly too happy to bear it. His heartbeat increased steadily since you had taken his hand and he was sure about beeing the happiest guy on earth. Holding hands with you, wandering through the park together, listening to you singing your favourite song... He wished for doing that everyday. And even if he hadn't been the one to rescue you today, he would shape up and watch over you so that you, the girl he recognised his feelings for as a sweet, yet sincere love today,  would feel sound and safe while spending your future with him.

[End Of Flashback]

Minho laughed silently, not able to bear the foolishness of his. Because of you, he had become a true "master of sports", beeing perfect in nearly each to that subject related activit. He had even built his body to look more attractiv, but it seemed that even after moving into your apartement, you never even glanced at him once while thinking of him as a man with needs and feelings related to you. But he could have beared that, he even had been okay with you rooting for Jonghyun the whole time, understanding and helping you instead of approaching you. Maybe he should have taken you out on a date once or twice a week, so that you could have forgotten about your love life and start over...

No, that would have been the wrong way, Minho thought, shaking his head and sighing again. If he only had been stronger! Maybe he would have been able to kick that stupid door open and to rescue you in time. Yet all he could do for you, was to call the ambulance and search for a second key to your room.

"Minho? YAH, MINHO! Where the hell are you? HEY, answer me!" Onew's voice woke the sports student up, sending him back to reality immediately. "Just tell us where the two of you are, we'll come there right a- YAH, KIM JONGHYUN! LEAVE THAT DRIVING WHEEL ALONE!" Absent, Minho listened to the argument of those two, not even getting the content of their quarrel.

He slowly pressed the button to end the call, letting your cell phone fall to the ground with a tiny noise, as he saw someone handing him a tissue. Minho lifted his head, looking straight into So Eun’s eyes, which looked all red and swollen. He remembered her entering the apartment, trying to hold back the tears as she rushed in to rescue you. “S-So Eun, I’m so-“ “Dry your tears, Minho. We’ll arrive soon”, she smiled, patting his head and handing him your phone, and got back to work as Minho shook his head and removed his tears. Yes, he was in pain, but what had he done to So Eun, your best friend since kindergarten, and Key, your older brother? As he got back to his sences, he looked at your cell phone and searched for Key’s number. Someone had to tell him to come here as soon as possible, and even if it was his own fault- Minho knew that someone had to tell your brother about this.