He was a combination of heartbreaks and "I love you's." He was her first date, first dance and first kiss; her Mr. Chu and first love.

The conclusion of their virtual marriage was an ending and a new beginning; a transition from reel to real. Despite the ominous storm, their love blossomed like snowdrops blooming in winter. It was blissful and innocent, unnerving yet exciting.

Like most first loves, they loved each other fiercely. However, their love was bittersweet. The difficulty of their situation and their lack of experience, as well as their hectic schedules, the glaring lenses of the cameras, and the undeserved hate received by the idea of them being together forcefully tore them apart. The separation was gradual that they failed to notice the warning signs. The day-to-day phone calls and sugary messages became less and less until one day, they found themselves back to square one, back to being strangers again.

* * *

She was the epitome of beauty and grace. She was his muse, the fairy that brought color to his monotonic life; his Juliette and first love.

Being in love, staying in love, and nurturing that love did not come with a guidebook. Since it was their first time dealing with that unfamiliar feeling called love, the beginnings of their relationship were clumsy and awkward, coupled by inevitable fights and sincere apologies.

Selene 6.23 Prologue

In the presence of thousands of adoring fans, Taemin’s heart felt numb despite all the outpouring love proclamations. What could he do? His stubborn heart chose to ignore an ocean of admirers and was yearning for someone else instead. It was longing for that person's love. It wanted her and her only.

He sat unmoving as he looked at the huge screen displaying six women dressed in white. They were all smiling as they form a giant heart using their arms. His heart skipped a beat when his eyes landed on the smiling woman on the left. Aware of the presence of cameras, he pressed his lips together to suppress a smile. Over the years, she had grown into a chic and classy lady. Gone was the shy and timid Naeun. Standing before the crowd was a woman b with confidence.

Tenderness and sadness was evident in his eyes as he lamented over the distance separating them. It had been more than a year since he last held her in his arms. If only he was more mature and understanding back then; if only he had loved and treasured her better, then things would not be as the way they were now.

Last year had been a very difficult year for him. He had lost two important people in his life: Naeun and a treasured friend whom he considered a brother. The pain was still there, but he will be okay, eventually.

After waving at the crowd, the women on stage were still smiling as they quietly exited the stage. Simultaneously, he turned to the person on his left and murmured a few words.

“Be careful there are eyes watching,” Minho warned, patting his back.

He grinned and gave his hyung a confident look before making his way backstage. Years of experience had taught him how to spot the sneaky cameras and how to evade them. Like a thief in the dark, he expertly played a game of hide and seek with the cameras.

As soon as he stepped backstage, a staff member holding an audio equipment ran past him. The backstage hallway was almost empty so it was not difficult for him to find a group of women walking towards a dressing room. He easily spotted her walking behind her friends as she giggled with them. The empty hallway was filled with a chorus of laughter as Eunji tells a funny and interesting story.

Like a stalker, he silently followed behind.

If there was something positive that came out from the pain of last year, it must be him learning to be more expressive, as well as learning to strive for happiness. She was that happiness. This time, he would work to keep her and would never let go.

With determined strides, he picked up his pace and caught her arm before she was able to pass the door. He felt her instantly tense up before she instinctively looked back with a glare, ready to engage against whoever was behind her.

“O-Oppa?”

He smiled inwardly when he felt her relax under his touch. Her sharp gaze softened for a split second before the softness was quickly blinked it away. She was now looking at her with unreadable emotions.

He ignored the curious looks of her friends and focused his attention on her. “Let’s talk,” he said.

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