Taemin wasn’t sick but he let his mom call him in sick the next day. He pretended to be asleep when his friends came to check on him, bringing his bag. He pretended to be asleep when they came the next morning as well. He watched Jinki’s car drive away from his window, feeling guilty about it… but he just couldn’t do it. He had told them nothing and now he was in no shape to tell them anything. He was piecing himself together, piecing his heart together, not wanting to crash again, not wanting to fall apart when he would finally tell them. When he would see Minho in class or in the hallways next.

His mom was insisting on calling him in sick another day but Taemin said he was alright, he felt alright, maybe not entirely but just enough, he hoped it was enough… the strength and courage he had gathered over the last day, to be able to just go on as usual. To be able to break the news of his heartbreak when asked, to be able to endure his heart twisting whenever he passed places embedded with certain memories, to be able to withstand one heartbreak over another when passing by a certain person.

He hadn’t had the patience to wear his contacts or set his hair so he wore glasses and a cap, forgetting to grab his breakfast from the table before he left and got into Jinki’s car. Somehow neither Jinki nor Jonghyun probed much except for asking about his health. He leaned his head against the window, unable to focus on their conversation, unable to focus on the song playing on the stereo.

His heart was getting heavier with every step he took towards the classroom and the knot forming eased slightly when he found the seats devoid of the one he was so apprehensive of facing… yet, when he took his seat, he couldn’t suppress the feeling of how much he still wanted to see him.

Minho was not in the next class nor in any that followed. He wasn’t on the soccer field or in the hallways, and Taemin didn’t know why but he felt disheartened despite having expected that not seeing him was the best for his heart. They had headed to the cafeteria for lunch and the announcement for the farewell dance was being made by the broadcast club, followed by the usual information they shared about school activities.

"This year’s farewell is themed! Seniors, your votes will decide the theme, and voting has been extended! Check your school email or head on to the school’s website…"

“What did you vote for?” Jinki asked both of them as they sat down with their lunch trays. 

“I didn’t vote yet.” Jonghyun hummed, switching on his phone to look at the poll, “Disney, Masquerade, Superheroes, Celebrities–” Jonghyun smiled, “Retro Romance, now that’s interesting.” 

There was a loud screech coming from the speakers and both Jonghyun and Taemin flinched at the shrill sound. 

“Ugh… what was that?” 

Taemin was still shaking off the high-pitched noise from his senses when someone’s voice started to spill out of the speakers.

“Sorry about that, it’s my first time hijacking a broadcast,” There was a nervous chuckle, the voice was purposely breathy, too close to the speaker, probably to obscure the identity, “Good afternoon and just consider this a rogue continuation of the Stranger in Love segment from Valentine’s Day and me… just a stranger. A stranger reading his own confession letter.” 

The crowd was abuzz as they tried guessing the male voice which was slightly choppy over the speakers but Taemin knew who it belonged to, he could recognize it in a heartbeat, no matter the little distortions. 

“This was not how it was supposed to happen, I had such different plans. But things don’t always happen according to your plans… but they still find a way to happen. One way or another. We have all heard about how people are sometimes in the wrong places at the wrong times, but today I’ve realized that we are always in the right place and at the right time, it just doesn’t make sense to us until later. Almost three years ago, I thought I was in the wrong place and the wrong time when I unintentionally overheard a conversation. Someone had asked… What if someone confessed with a song? What song would it be?”

There was a pause and Taemin’s heartbeat quickened, his eyes wide as he looked at Jonghyun who had pursed his lips.

“The one I love said… The person’s favourite song or the first song you ever listen to or dance to together.” Breath was overcasting the line more now, “When I sat down preparing for this yesterday, thinking back to what his favourite song could be… there were too many, he’s precious like that– he seems to be enjoying a different one every other day and he looks so lively, so beautiful as if all of those were his favourite songs and maybe they are and I love each of them too–”  There was breathing clogging the speakers again as the person caught his breath before continuing, “...so I settled for the first song we listened to together. See? I was in the right place and the right time only for today to happen.”

There was clicking and the whole cafeteria was cheering in anticipation as a song started playing through the speakers– the karaoke version of the song because the person behind the mic was the one who started singing… and Taemin felt overwhelmed; his heart was blaring in his ears as he followed that shaky voice.

Sometimes I wonder how I'd ever make it through
Through this world without having you
I just wouldn't have a clue

It was so offkey, offbeat, the voice breaking in nervousness, in embarrassment, and people started groaning, laughing, and booing. B