It was amazing how Taemin came to know quite a lot about Minho’s life from the short conversations they had in every chance they got. Like how Minho worked as editor for a well-known sport magazine, not very surprising for Taemin because he knew how much Minho loved sports. Or how Minho used to live with his brother and how he decided to move out because his brother was getting married a week after Minho moved. And every other little things they shared about their works and daily life. Minho even blabbered so much about how he completely fell in love with the ramen sold at new, small Japanese restaurant at the corner of the street, which Taemin tried a few days later. After that, Taemin decided they still shared the same taste in food.

The awkwardness slowly melted after Minho acted normal around Taemin. Minho never failed to greeted Taemin happily every time they met, he even sometimes ran after Taemin when he saw the shorter male’s back waiting for elevator so they could walk to the parking lot together.

And it took less than a month for Taemin to get used to these routines.

Despite that, they never had contact other than the bumps here and there, because, according to Taemin, they were just mere friendly neighbors.

Never had Taemin imagined, on the 34th days Minho moved in, he would be the person who knocked the door first.

Minho looked taken aback seeing Taemin in front of his door on a bright Saturday’s morning, looked a little too adorable messy, with his puffy face and disheveled hair, like he was just up from sleep.

Well, he was.

Taemin just woke up that morning, feeling ty because he didn’t understand why Wonshik, his boss-slash-best friend who owned the dance school he worked at, decided to hold a meeting on weekend. So Taemin sulkily walked towards his bathroom, drowning his wishful thinking to just go back to bed and sleep in, only to find out that no water came out from his shower. Or from every other water’s source in his apartment unit.

So here he was, smiling sheepishly at his neighbor, clutching his toothbrush and clean clothes to his chest.

“Taemin? What—can I help you?”

“Minho, I’m so so so sorry, but I had this important meeting, which I cannot skip because this meeting is about the showcase I am responsible of, but it seems life hates me so much because I wake up and find out the water is not running in my unit, and I have tried to call the apartment management, but they said the plumber can only come at afternoon, which is very but it is weekend and no one is supposed to work at weekend, but well I myself should go to work, so…” Taemin took a deep breath, a little blush crept on his cheeks when he realized he was rambling, something he always did when he was nervous, before he continued shyly, “…can I use your bathroom, Minho?”

Minho blinked a few times, a little overwhelmed by Taemin’s flood of words. But when he understood the situation, he chuckled. “Of course, Taemin. You can use my bathroom. Come in.”

Taemin shyly entered house, followed Minho who showed him the way to the bathroom. Taemin noticed that Minho’s house was a little bigger than Taemin’s. It had two bedrooms and spacious living room with much bigger TV than Taemin had, completed with games consoles, while Taemin’s house just had one bedroom. Even Minho’s bathroom was bigger than Taemin’s. Taemin was surprised that two units faced each other could be this different in size.

“I hope I didn’t use all of the warm water.” Minho checked the water coming from the shower, and frowned when the cold water hit his hand.

“It’s fine,” Taemin quickly said. “I don’t really mind. The weather is too hot lately anyway.”

Minho chuckled. He started to make way out of bathroom. “You’re right. The summer is killing people, seriously.”

“Feel free to use anything, Tae,” Minho said, his hand reached for the door knob to close it.

Delicious smell of breakfast hit Taemin’s nose as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered. Minho, who was busy setting the food on the table, instantly looked up at Taemin when he heard the door opened.

“Do you want to join me for breakfast?”

Taemin shook his head. “No, no. It’s okay, I’ll just grab some on the way to the dance school.”

“Oh, are you in a rush?”

Taemin glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, still around one hour till the meeting and it only took 15 minutes to go there. “Not really, but…” he scratched his head shyly. “I already bothered you too much in the morning.”

Minho laughed. “Why with the shyness? We’re neighbors and friends. It’s fine. Come here. I made a lot and it’s nice to have a company.”

Taemin didn’t know if this was really fine, but he took a seat in front of Minho anyway. He was awed seeing the warm rice, kimchi soup and some side dishes. It had been a long time that he had a decent breakfast like this. He usually just made some toasts or grabbed some sandwich on the way to work, the simple and instant breakfast style he picked as habit from the time he lived in London.

“Sorry, is it too traditional?” Minho asked when he felt Taemin stared at the food too long.

Taemin shook his head, feeling shy again. “No, no. It’s just very nice because the only food I can make is toast and ramyeon.”

Taemin honestly missed this kind of breakfast. His parents had moved to Jeju to spend their retired time when he went back to Seoul two years ago, so he had lived alone for a very long time, since he went to college. And he actually missed eating breakfast with someone. So, he ate with warm and happy feelings filling his heart.

“This showcase you talked about…” Minho started. “Will you perform as well?”

“No, but my students will. It is an annual event of our dance school. We usually get a lot of new students after the showcase.”

“Oh,” Minho looked a little disappointed. “I thought I can see you perform again.”

“I have stopped performing since I got injured two years ago. I can still dance, but it’s not the same anymore, so…yeah.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Tae.”

Minho immediately looked sad and felt bad, but Taemin quickly waved his hand with a bright smile.

“It’s okay, really. I honestly had thought of retiring at that time, around one or two years later. And I missed home so much. But I got injured so my retirement just got pushed forward, I guess. And teaching is very fun, too.”

“Is that why you left London and moved back here?”

Taemin was taken aback by the fact Minho knew he went to London, though he tried not to show it. But Minho realized it, so he explained, “Taesun hyung told me. And I went there once for work and saw your show’s banner. It’s a pity I missed it because I needed to go back to Seoul on schedule. Your dance is always beautiful.”

Taemin grew bashful by the praise. “Thank you.”

There was an awkward silence after that, but Minho quickly broke it.

“When will the plumber come?”

“Afternoon but I told them I will call later because I don’t know what time I will be home. Ugh, this is so frustrating, how will I live without water?”

“Just tell them to come. I will wait and keep an eye for you,” Minho offered kindly. Before Taemin could reject, he continued, “I don’t have anything to do anyway. And it’s just in front of my house, Tae. Very close.”

Taemin wondered for a while. He really shouldn’t get use bothering his neighbor like this, but he decided it was emergency. The meeting would end late, he knew it. They were on the initial stage of preparing and the discussion of the concepts would be dragged on and on, because Wonshik was just as perfectionist as Taemin.

“Fine,” Taemin finally agreed. “I’ll write you down my passcode…” Taemin trailed, looking for a paper.

“Oh, I have papers and pen over there,” Minho pointed to the small coffee table beside the couch.

Taemin got up and made way to the table.

He was writing down the passcode, when Minho called out, “Write down your number too, I’ll call you in case there’s something you need to know.”

Taemin nodded. Inside, he felt weird on how natural this was, giving his passcode and number to Minho. But he quickly shrugged it, feeling he was just overthinking.

Taemin finished writing and was about to take the paper when he spotted a nice, expensive-looking invitation between the spread of papers and letters on the table. Well, curiosity kills the cat, he took the invitation and his eyes widened when he read the name craved on the invitation. He quickly put it back and tried hard to compose his face as he went back to join Minho.

“This is not your birthday,” Minho blurted out when he read the passcode. “You used to use your birthday for every password because you easily forget,” Minho chuckled.

“It’s my niece’s birthday,” Taemin grinned.

“Taesun hyung has a daughter?” Minho was surprised. Taemin nodded. He remembered his brother, Taesun, used to hate Minho a little because he felt Minho stole his baby brother, but soon they became quite close due to their love on soccer.

 “What’s wrong?” Minho asked when he saw Taemin grew silent and looked troubled.

Taemin contemplated for a while, but he was really, really curious, so he hesitantly said, “I saw an invitation on the table. Engagement invitation.”

Minho quickly understood. “Ah, you saw Song Yi’s invitation? She will be engaged at the end of the month. In French. I heard her boyfriend ran a big company there.”

“Will you come?”

“Are you kidding me?” Minho laughed. “It’s in French! Too far away. I will just come to the wedding.”

“You know that’s not what I mean,” Taemin whined.

“Not what—oh,” realization hit Minho. “It’s fine, Tae. I confessed to her a little while after we entered college, and she rejected me, saying we’re better off as best friends. Serve me right, right?” Minho joked, but his smile fell when he saw Taemin didn’t smile as well.

Taemin felt kind of bad. He was the one who pushed Minho towards his feeling, and it got Minho a rejection. Taemin remembered how broken he was when he broke up with Minho, though he only knew Minho less than two years. How tattered Minho felt at that time, when he had loved Song Yi for all of his life?

But Taemin quickly flashed a grin towards Minho, because he saw how Minho had looked worried by Taemin’s silence. “That’s true. Serve you right,” he joked back, earning a chuckle, a relief one, from Minho.

At that time, a thought came into Taemin’s mind. What if, what if at that time Taemin held onto Minho? What if he ignored all of the signs? Would it save Minho from heartbreak? Would it save Taemin from heartbreak? Would they, ten years later, converse and eat breakfast together like this? Not as friends, but as a couple.

Taemin shook off the thought as soon as it came. He decided that there was no use of thinking the ‘what if’.

So, he just smiled as he continued his breakfast.

What’s in the past should stay in the past.

Sorry for the short update.

It is supposed to be a VERY long chapter full of fluffiness, but my study is sooo hectic right now, so I decide to just update whatever I can write first, and continue later in next chapter.

Thank you so much for my subbies and the comments! It made my day!

Random question: Do you watch SuperM?

I watch only for Taemin at first, but I kind of like them now. Baekhyun is funny, Kai and Lucas are another Tom & Jerry couple, Ten and Mark are sooo adorable, but I kind of having mixed feelings towards Taeyong because of his bullying scandal.

And I have funny-slash-sad stories about SuperM.

I watched SuperM Yoo Hee Yeol's Sketchbook on TV one day, and my sister said, "They were on TV yesterday, that SuperM. I know, you like them because of that guy who look like Taemin, right?"

And I was like, "He doesn't look like Taemin. He is Taemin."

And she was like, "WHY? Does he join because SHINee has disbanded?!" so I went on and on explaining the SuperM concept.

Weeks later, I watched SuperM As We Wish on TV. My aunt came and she commented, "Hey, isn't that Taemin?"

I don't know how to paraphrase it in English, so in short, she implied Taemin goes into a new group because SHINee has disbanded (because it had been a long time with no news about SHINee).

So I explained to her that the rest of SHINee were serving military.

Funny thing is...I think I successfully doctrined my family to the point they recognize SHINee, eventhough they haven't seen them on TV for a long time.

Sad thing is...they thought SHINee has disbanded.

Okay, it's time give back MY Minho so we can have SHINee's comeback soon! (before more people think they disband)

Sorry for my rambling.

Please drop me comments!

XOXO