Chapter 3

His father attacked him with question as he returned home, but Minho smoothly avoided them, answering as simple as possible.

“It was fine Dad, but I’ve got homework to do” and then he disappeared into his room, leaving his father confused behind.

Daehwan wasn’t sure what he would have liked Minho to say, but he had expected more than just fine.

And Minho was far from doing any homework…. Or anything at all. All he did was lying on his bed, starring at the ceiling as if it would have had the answer to all questions in the world.

Later he somehow managed to drag himself downstairs for dinner.

“You know, I was kind of expecting you to seem a bit more excited about your first school day… maybe even tell me more about it? After all you’ve always wished to go to school.” His father questioned him again.

“There wasn’t much to tell. I had classes and went home after” Minho shrugged whilst eating a spoon of soup.

Daehwan sighed.

The rest of the dinner was for once quiet. Daehwan could sense that Minho didn’t want to talk about school anymore, for whatever reason, and it made him nervous about what could have happened, but he did let it go.

Minho continued doing what he had done before dinner… absolutely nothing, lying on his bed once more, starring at the ceiling.

But one thing kept running through his mind.

Should I go?

Minho turned. He couldn’t lie still.

All those years, every year and every day he had went to his house, but for the first time he felt unsure about going.

Besides it did rain outside… but that was just him trying to find an excuse. It had never bothered him before.

Minho groaned frustrated, ce more, and with a load thud he fell off the bed, resulting another groan from him.

“Screw it” He lifted himself of the floor and opened the window.

He didn’t bother to take on a jacket, he would get wet anyway.

With practice, he jumped out and landed in the soggy grass of the garden, stood up and went off.

He had hardly been outside for a few seconds and he was already soaked, the water running down his hair making it fall into his eyes.

He made his way around the house, through the hole in the bush that after all those years almost had grown close, but Minho managed to squeeze himself through. He went down the street, a few blocks, and then followed the treelines surrounding his house. He crouched under the tree he always waited at. It did barely protect him from the rain, but it didn’t matter now. He sat and waited.

He had waited many nights just to have glimpse at him, but he didn’t always show up, no lights coming from the window. Would this be one of those nights again?

Minho didn’t notice his eyes slowly falling shut, letting the sleepiness wash over him. He could barely keep his head up. He finally gave up and made himself comfortable against the tree.

For how long he slept? – he had no idea, but the sound of a door closing nearby made him snatch out of his sleep. Minho was sure that it was far after midnight, his body beginning to shake from the coldness of sitting for hours in the rain.

His eyes went up to the window, where the lights just . There he was.

Minho sighed.

Taemin.

He wandered restless through his room, looking quite unhappy. Minho didn’t know why, but it made all his senses go on high alert, almost preparing himself to jump through the window to come to the rescue.

What a ridiculous idea…

Minho made a small jump, not expecting Taemin to lash out, hitting his table lamp resulting in it falling to the floor. Damn, something must have pissed him off… and it pissed Minho off too.

“Eh?” Minho was confusing himself, realising how ridiculous it would sound to be mad at something or someone he didn’t know anything about. He couldn’t help it, seeing Taemin like that made his blood boil.

He clasped his hands in front of his eyes as a sudden pain shot through them.

Holding his one hand in front of his eyes, he knew that the rash movement he had made could have exposed him, Minho supported his other hand on the wet ground to lift himself off from the tree, trying to get away unnoticed.

He wanted to look back one more time, before disappearing, but it resulted in a sharp yelp from Minho, who almost fell in surprise.

Taemin’s brown orbs where looking back at him!

Minho was as if lightning had hit him. He couldn’t move, he didn’t blink, not dropping the eye contact. Stupid!

How should he explain himself? … Hey Taemin, I just felt like going for a walk past your house in the middle of the night to look at you through your window… no way that would normal.

Taemin kept staring back, realising Minho from the seemingly magic spell that kept him, by blinking his eyes. A small smirk was forming on his lips, before he turned away from the window.

And oh boy – Minho did run. Coughing, gasping for breath, he ran down the street, passing the blocks, once more slipping through the hole in the bush, fighting his way over the slippery lawn before reaching his window.

With what almost sounded like an asthma attack from the fast running, he slipped inside, soaking the floor with his drenched clothes.

He slid down at the end of his bed, hiding his head in his knees. He was shaking.

It had been so real… Taemin had seen him!

Minho groaned.

What was Taemin going to think? What explanation should he give?

Your mom has planted nice flowers in the garden, just felt like visiting them in the middle of the night. Minho groaned once more. He felt like screaming.

How could he go there unnoticed all those years and suddenly be exposed?

***

He didn’t know for how long he sat in his self-pity, but judging by the lake that had been formed on the floor caused by his wet clothes, quit a long time.

He stripped down to his underwear, dragged himself into bed, pulling the blanket over himself and disappeared into a seemingly safety.

But it wasn’t like he got much sleep, tossing around all night, which was one of the reasons to why his alarm had the fate of dying once it went off.

Minho threw it across the room, disappearing under the blanket once more.   

The sleep didn’t last long as his Dad ripped the door open, almost military style, and shouted, “Get up! Now, you’re going to be late! And what have you done to the floor? You’ve had a pool party in here?”.

Minho groaned. “No… I’ll be up in five, just give me a second”. He didn’t feel like arguing with his Dad today, so he would have to listen.

“You better or I’ll have to drag your out”

With all the willpower Minho had, he dragged the covers off and sat up.

He drove a hand through his hair, sighing loudly.

Eyes went to the still halfway open window.

Only the low banging of it being pushed into the frame by the wind made Minho get into action.

The first steps were met by a soggy floor, almost making him glide all the way to the bathroom.

Well, Dad didn’t joke.

He dragged himself into the shower, relaxing as the warm water streamed over him.

How was it that he had gotten what he wished for, but now everything seemed to turn against him? First school day went like having made himself unpopular the first day. Just the thought of the guys in the car made Minho clench his fits.

Who the do they think they are?

Actually, Minho really would have liked to know what their problem was. Why did he have to keep away from them, especially Taemin? – not that it did matter now, cause of his huge mistake last night, which gave him another worry… how was he going to survive and explain himself today?

He placed his head against the cold tiles of the shower wall.

It all made him feel uneasy, everything was chaos.

Anger seemed to have consumed him more often. But why was he feeling angry all the time?

Angry because of anger? – Minho suppressed a laugh at the thought.

***

Somehow Minho had managed breakfast without having to explain the pool of water that consumed his floor, but not without getting a side-eye from his dad, who was working with filling his plate with eggs.

At least he could avoid any trouble in first part of the day, but now standing in front of the school gates he wasn’t sure if he would manage the rest.

His mission? Stay as invisible as possible, which resulted in coming in a black hoodie that should have the effect of covering his distinctive muscular shape and hide his face.

“Heyyyyy!”

He heard footsteps nearing from behind.

“Are you deaf Minho? I have tried to call you half the way to school!” a hand made contact with his shoulder.

…Obviously, the outfit didn’t have the effect he had hoped for.

“I didn’t know you lived close by, we could have walked together! But noooo mister “I don’t hear you” made me run after him all the way” Kibum explained while catching his breath, making weird dramatic hand gestures.

Minho couldn’t suppress a chuckle.

“Well drama queen, how about you get better stamina so you can catch up?”

“Excuse me?” Kibum gave him a light slap to the chest. “How about you react to my shouts so I don’t have to start running from the beginning?”

Minho played along, rubbing the spot where Kibum’s fist has hit him.

“I’ll make sure I hear you next time” giving him a reassuring smile.

“You better” the feline almost growled back.

As they made their way towards the entrance Minho abruptly stopped, grabbing Kibum’s sleeve pulling him with him.

“What the Minho?! You wish to choke me too now?” he questioned whilst trying to see what Minho wanted to avoid.

A group of five people made their way inside. Kibum just barely got a glimpse of Taemin disappearing into the hallway.

“Are we playing hide and seek now?” Kibum gave Minho a question look, raising his eyebrows.

Minho plainly answered, “Just following your advice”.

He made his way towards the entrance, leaving Kibum to catch up.

“And which one of my marvellous advices are you talking about?”

Minho turned around, raising his arms while nudging his shoulders recklessly.

“Avoid Taemin”

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Enjoy.