Phone Stalker
Pay Phone Romance
It was just another casual walk down the street; like normal--and as always, the only phone booth on the entire street continued to ring. Whenever it rang though, no one went in to the booth and answered it. The person phoning all the time must either be trying to phone someone back or pull a prank. Yes, maybe this is why many people avoided the payphone whenever the phone’s ring echoed throughout the area. As cold as winter is, the temperature wasn’t enough to stop the teenager from looking at the phone whenever it rang. It was odd enough that no one answered it, ever, and it was even more odd that it continued to ring, as if the fact that no one wanted to answer it wasn’t enough to tell the caller to give up already.
Taemin’s curiosity had risen since the first time he noticed the phone. No mind was paid to it at first; for he’s a busy college student who needs to focus on his studies and do well. Today, however, was almost like the icing on the cake, and for once, he was going to be dive in to something that, when thinking of the end result, he had no control over. Anyone could be on the other end of the line when he picks it up; a e, a police officer, a doctor or even a criminal.
No one would know though unless they pick it up.
As nonchalant as possible, Taemin speed walked over to the booth and quickly entered it, wanting no attention to be drawn as he did this. Stepping out of the circle--the circle being full of those who ignored the phone--was as risky as eating chocolate pudding while wearing white clothing. Fortunately, entering the booth turned out to be a successful and smooth process. The moment he picked up the cold phone was the moment he realised that in his mind, he hadn’t pieced together an idea of what the person on the other end might look like. He wasn’t prepared at all, and that’s why his voice came out quieter than intended when he spoke.
“Um, hi?” Taemin nervously greeted.
“Hello, beautiful.” A deep voice greeted back.
A ert. The person definitely sounded like a ert! In less than five seconds, the guy was already flirting! “Huh? Oh, I think you have you wrong person.” Came the polite decline.
“What makes you think that?” The manly voice asked.
“Well, um…” Taemin didn’t want to rudely deny the compliment, but he had to explain himself. Saying thank you would only make it look like he was interested in the flirting game. “You called me beautiful as if you’ve been waiting to greet your wife or something.”
“Actually, I’ve been waiting to talk to you for a while.”
“Seriously? But you don’t even know me!”
A chuckle was heard and it had the ability to send shivers up Taemin’s body and make his stomach do summersaults. “You’re name is Lee Taemin and you’re a freshman who’s currently training to be a professional dancer. You’re only seventeen years old yet you’re at the top of your class with continuous A+ grades. And you also have an adorably cute love for banana milk.” The voice spoke in one confident take.
Taemin had every right to feel afraid right now. “I see, you’re a stalker.” He blatantly stated.
“More like an admirer.” The guy corrected, as if that made everything okay.
“Well, Mr. Admirer, can you please creep out someone else?” Taemin insisted.
“I can’t do that.”
Silence and confusion came, followed by the gentle click clacking of a pair of black heels. “Well…bye then.” Taemin said, about to hand up.
“Wait, let’s talk some more.” The guy suggested.
“I don’t know you.” Taemin said with a small pout.
“That didn’t stop you from picking up this phone.”
“Then I must get going because it’s kind of late.” Truthfully, if it wasn’t for his curiosity then the young student would already be at home; drinking a bottle of banana milk and reading his light hearted manga.
“Late enough for you to leave school but not late enough for you to walk home alone when anyone can easily molest you?” The guy questioned.
“Okay then, I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Why not?
“Because I don’t know you!” Taemin repeated, tired of relaying the important fact.
The guy on the other end was having none of the excuses. “That’s precisely the purpose of this conversation; to get to know each other.” He speculated.
Taemin knew he had been caught. His persistence--like the guy on the over end was holding on to-didn’t leave. “You could be a seventy year old man for all I know.” He told him. “Where’s your shame for flirting with a teenager?”
The guy laughed. “I’m only twenty-four, Taemin-ah.” He said.
“Like that matters! And stop using my name like we’re acquaintances because we’re not!” Taemin shouted. “We’re strangers to each other, you and I, alright?!”
“Alright, princess.”
Taemin glared at an invisible space through the window of the payphone, his anger and annoyance evident to himself. “…The did you just call me?!” He hissed. It was bad enough that he was constantly mistaken for a female but now some old guy was hitting on him, disgusting!
“Take it easy, I’m only teasing you!” The guy lightly defended.
“Well, tease another person then!”
“Teasing is only worth doing if it’s to the person I’m interested in.”
Taemin scoffed. “Is that so?”
“Indeed.”
“Well, I’ve had enough teasing for one day and I’m sure the police will be wanting you back in your jail cell by now, ert-ahjussi.” Taemin mocked with a small smirk. “I’ll be going now, bye!”
“I’ll speak to you tomorrow then.” The guy replied.
“Excuse me?”
“You’ll deny it now, but knowing you,” It was noted that he spoke as if he had known the other for a long time. “You’ll pick up the phone again when it rings.”
“No, I won’t!” Taemin protested, although he wasn’t sure. “You can’t guarantee what I’ll do next time!”
“Oh There’ll be a ‘next time’ then?” The guy coyly asked.
“NO, THERE ISN’T GOING TO BE A NEXT TIME!”
“Trust me, there will be. You’re too curious to not pick up the phone.”
“Well now that I know you’ll be on the other end, I think I can restrain myself.” Taemin confidently challenged.
“But you won’t know it’s me. I’m not the only person who rings this payphone you know.” The guy had a point and he was right, to Taemin’s dismay. “And a ringing phone has to be answered. You’re curiosity will eat you out until you answer it, you won’t sleep without--”
“Alright, what do you want?!” Taemin impatiently asked.
“To talk.” The guy said.
“We’re already talking!”
“About a different topic, I mean.”
Taemin stuck out his bottom lip in thought and slumped himself against one corner of the booth. “Okay, what do you want to talk about?”
“About you.”
“You know enough about me already.” Taemin dismissed. “Why don’t you tell me about yourself?”
“Alright, fine.” The guy surprisingly agreed. “My name is Choi Minho and I’m in my fourth and last year of university.”
That name sounded like it belonged to a gentleman; a person who didn’t flirt with random teenage boys for a living. “University?” Taemin repeated in thought.
“Yeah, why?”
“Nothing,” Taemin scratched his nose as he allowed his eyes to wander off in to the outside. “I guess you’re not completely old then.”
“Thanks?” Minho chuckled. “See, I told you!”
“So what then? You’re just a twenty-four year old guy who enjoys talking to teenage boys?” Taemin tried in confusion. “That’s a weird or hobby you have. Your prison cell must welcome you a lot.”
“No, that’s not it. I notice that you pass this phone booth a lot, but I have no open chances of meeting you normally since we attend different schools and have nothing to do with each other social wise.” Minho explained. “Therefore, I’ve had to ring this payphone many times until you answered just so I could talk to you, and I now have.”
“Why me though?” Taemin asked.
“Why is the sky such a peaceful blue? Why is the sunset such a passionate scene? What makes man and woman year for each other, while wallowing in their unintentional shame are those of us with similar hearts, similar thoughts and similar preferences? A man, as in love as he may be, will always be human so long as his heart beats. After all, to live for love is a true romantic experience.”
Not catching flies but just unexpectedly surprised, Taemin placed a hand over his gaping mouth as he tried to get his vocal cords to work. “Woo Ji Mung-sunbae’s poem of sinful romance!” Taemin shout out in disbelief. “You know it?!”
“Yes, it’s one of my favourites.” Minho admitted, happy that he had successfully impressed, or just surprised, the apple of his eye.
Taemin suddenly brightened up after hearing that the person on the other end also favourites the same poem as himself. “It’s a favourite of mine too! I think it’s inspirational and--Yah! Are you just copying me?!”
“No, I really like the poem.”
“Then you’re…?” Taemin didn’t really need to finish the conversation, did he? The person had more or less just confessed what he is.
“Gay?” Minho offered, reading Taemin’s mind. “Yes, I am. Why else would I target a male like yourself?”
Taemin blinked at the awkward use of the word ‘target’. “Well, I’m as straight as a ruler.” He claimed.
“Rulers can bend,” Minho pointed out. “And no, you’re not.
“How the do you know?!”
This is where Minho took pride in his stal--admiring. “One of my friends is a classmate of yours who just so happened to overhear your comment about how handsome you find your school’s representative.”
“…Damn it!” Taemin cursed whoever this so called ‘friend’ was and wondered where he/she got the nerve to spread his comments around like the plague! In doing so, his homoual preference had been openly leaked to a stranger!
“I was also told about how you find older men hot.” Minho grinned.
“I NEVER SAID THAT, LIAR!” Taemin immediately protested while fighting a burning blush on his face that came from having his preference revealed and his mind toyed with.
“Well, do you?”
Taemin bit his lip as he actually gave the question a little thought. “….It depends on the guy and whether he’s himself; charming, mature etc.”
“I’m all of those things.”
“An then?”
Minho chuckled. “Well that wasn’t very nice.” He scolded playfully.
“Who are you to talk, Mr. Tease?” Taemin lightly scoffed.
“Touché.”
Taemin smiled, feeling better knowing that he had finally said something right. This Choi Minho guy--whoever he is--actually seems tolerable now. “Listen, I don’t do this often, but because I’m so curious, I’ll allow myself to admit something I’ve been wanting to know since this conversation started.” He confessed.
“What is it?” Minho wondered.
Another blush took over the young teen’s face and for someone who answered a ringing phone with no idea who would be on the other end, it was strange that he was embarrassed to speak more. “Well, um…Are you hot?” He asked.
“Well, this sweater I’m wearing is--”
“Very funny, you know what I mean!”
Minho laughed at the impatient exclaim. “Yes, I’m very hot. A lot of girls, and a few guys, chase after me nearly every other day whenever I’m brave enough to step out of my apartment.” He truthfully answered.
“Oh, poor you.” Taemin mused.
“Jealous?”
“Don’t flatter yourself, ahjussi!”
This time, they laughed together, and neither could independently remember the last time anyone made them laugh this much over nothing.
“You’re cute, Taemin-ah.” Minho complimented without formalities. “Is it okay if we meet face to face?”
The fear came rushing back. “W-Why? We’re fine talking, aren’t we?” Taemin asked.
“Neh, but this all will have been pointless if I don’t meet you in the end.” Minho said, reminding them both of the reason he called in the first place. “Aren’t you curious to see just how hot I am?”
Taemin bit his lip and thought about it. In all honestly, Minho was making complete sense. But making each other laugh wasn’t exactly an invitation to meet up. For all Taemin knew--which wasn’t much--Minho could just be a very good liar and he could’ve have made up everything he said just to get in to some innocent teenage boys’ pants.
“I swear to you, I’m not a ert or a e or anyone dangerous like that.” Minho once again claimed.
Minho is also a mind reader, and that was almost a good enough for Taemin to say yes to. “Okay then, let’s meet!” Taemin said.
“Excellent. Wait there, Taemin.”
Taemin muttered a ‘huh’ but before he could question whether the male knew where he was or not, the line went dead and the dial tone dully droned on. All of the outside sounds filled his ears as he stepped out of the booth after an un-estimated amount of time, and all he could do was wait. It struck him that he knew nothing about Minho’s appearance other than the fact that he’s hot, but what kind of hot did he mean? There are different levels of hotness and each person sees them in their own way. Is Minho cute hot or hot hot? Is he y hot or ordinary hot?
Stepping out the phone booth placed Taemin on the pavement again, where he stood silently swinging back and forth on his tiptopes while turning his head left to right every now and then, looking for any male that would have a ‘Choi Minho’ feel about them. He had been told to wait but how far or close does Minho even live from this street anyway? Ten minutes? Fifteen? An hour? Many more unasked questions continued to swim around his head, and then a hand was placed on his shoulder a longer with a warm breath beside his right ear.
“I didn’t keep you waiting too long, did I?” Came the familiar voice.
Taemin would’ve jumped, but the shiver he was graced with again kept him firmly on the ground. Bravely, he turned himself around and did what he could to prepare himself for a hotness he wasn’t sure he could replicate on his own. It was obvious how unprepared he was in the end when his mouth practically reached the pavement and his eyes doubled in size.
Minho truly wasn’t joking when he said he was hot. Somehow though, he managed to leave out the fact that he was also tall; very tall. Anyone sane enough would drool over him and find him attractive. Taemin could feel his legs shake as if they were just about ready to buckle underneath him, but he skilfully avoided making a spectacle of himself and regained his composure.
Minho chuckled at the noticeable shivering. “So, I was thinking that we could get some coffee and--”
“Idiot, you didn’t even say goodbye before you hung up!” Taemin instantly scolded, almost covering his mouth straight after he spoke.
“Oops, looks like I have another thing to make up for now then.” Minho chuckled with a rub to his neck.
“Yeah, you do.” Taemin coldly agreed with folded arms. “Anyway, there’s something you still haven’t explained yet. I want to know how you know that I always walk by this payphone.”
“Oh, well that’s easy.” Minho began, turning his vision to a tall building not far from where the two of them are stood. “My apartment is in that tall building over there, and I look out the window a lot whenever. It has a great view of the city and this phone booth, including the people who pass it. I saw you once and couldn’t get you out of my mind, and I’ve been watching you ever since.”
“That’s…creepy.” Taemin cringed.
“Shall I add this to the list of things I need to make up for?”
“I would,” Taemin nodded. “Unless you want to end up in jail?”
Minho rolled his eyes but in an amusing way. “What shall we do now that we’ve met each other? Or rather, how can I make up for my rudeness?” He asked.
“Buy me coffee.” Taemin said.
“Since when do you drink coffee?”
“Since you offering means I won’t have to pay.” Taemin replied as he began to walk passed the man, in the direction of the nearest coffee shop. “You paid for the phone call so I figured why not pay for this as well?”
Minho moved to walk beside him. “And will I be paying for every date we have from now on?” He asked.
“We’ll see, ahjussi.” Taemin smiled, curiously leaving his definite yes or no answer as a blank that could voluntarily be filled in by the other. “I just might feel spontaneous from time to time like I did today when I picked up the phone.”
Minho eyed him weirdly. “I thought you picked it up because you were curious?”
“Well, I thought you were a erted old man.”
“…Touché.”
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A/N: I was going to use a name for the representative of Tae-ah’s school, but I couldn’t think of anyone so I left it blank :/
The ending could've gone a lot better in my opinion, but it's so lame! Oh well xD
PS. I made up the ‘poem’ and the name of the poet, so don’t try and search for it .-. xD
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