It was one of those days, those beautiful, sunny days when the whole world seemed to smile along. When every movement seems synonymous to love and when every sound is naught but laughter. It was a day just like that one, thirteen years ago, that had changed Taemin’s fate. Taemin lay back on the greenness of the beautiful grass surrounding him, caring not for the quizzical looks directed to him by the ever-so-busy passers-by. He lay back fully and gently, feeling the playful grass gently tickle the back of his neck, while the dewdrops intermingled with his long, silky, sprawled hair. The sun played upon his childish features, highlighting the hidden maturity in them while accentuating their ethereal beauty. He kicked off his trainers and socks and rested his feet in the soft, green grass. And in the hustle and bustle of his normal life, he felt like he had visited playschool again.

          It seemed as though their playschool teacher was shepherding their love, their need to be together. Because every new game that was played had Taemin partnered up with Minho. Taemin stared pleasantly with his wide, beautiful, wet eyes at Minho and gave an uncertain smile. “I’m Taemin. What’s your name?” He said happily in a sing-song fashion, holding out his round, gloved, four-year-old palm. He had just learnt that grown-ups liked to shake hands a lot, so he had immediately decided to try it out. Minho looked back at him hesitantly. His black, innocent eyes seemed to widen themselves even more. He ogled at Taemin for an instant then seemingly making up his mind, turned away with a pout. “I won’t tell.” Minho looked away and said, his four-year-old self filled with resolution.

“B-but, wae?” Taemin’s eyes’ shined with steadily forming tears. “I-I didn’t do anything bad. I’m a good boy. I am sorry!” He bit his bottom lip and began to wail.

“You are too pretty.” Minho said sulkily. “I won’t talk to you.”

“I-I...” But, Minho had gone, stomping angrily on his cushiony shoes that lit up and sang with his movement. He went a little further away and sat decidedly in the deserted sandbox. Most of the other children were playing elsewhere and Minho wasn’t one for company. He liked being with himself and his friend, Jonghyun. He liked being alone. After all, he wasn’t completely alone; he had his best friend Jonghyun with him! And he wasn’t going to share Jonghyun with anyone.

          Jonghyun was Minho’s imaginary friend. Well, imaginary to most people, but to the four-year-old, he was as real as you and me. He had had Minho’s back since the past two years and was his staunch supporter. Jonghyun was a little cocky though, and thought a little too much of himself sometimes, but he loved Minho nonetheless. “Yah, Jonghyunnie, this is very boring.” Minho whined, scooping up sand and patting it down. “Then go play with the others!” Jonghyun advised wisely in Minho’s mind, taking a seat beside Minho in the box. “Shan’t!” Minho shook his head forcefully. “They are very mean!” He added, even though he knew that wasn’t the truth. But, his darling friend could read through him. “Minho, you know they are nice.” Jonghyun said, blowing sand into Minho’s face. Minho laughed before taking a handful of sand and throwing it on Jonghyun. They threw, they ducked, they spluttered and laughed and Minho rolled on the sand, his sides aching with laughter.

“Can I play too?” A tentative voice called out.

Minho looked up irritably as he spotted that same boy – Lee Taemin. Hadn’t he felt hurt the first time? “No,” Minho said rudely, “I want to play alone.” But beside him, Jonghyun seemed to be advising him to agree. “It’ll be fun!” Jonghyun whispered in Minho’s ears.

“Please?” Taemin asked, his shining eyes staring at Minho beseechingly. “Then you can introduce me to your friend and I can introduce you to mine!”

“Y-You know I have a friend?” Minho asked, his chubby face filled with surprise.

“Yes!” Taemin sang happily. “I have a friend too. His name is Key. See, here he is.” Taemin said, patting a cloud of air beside him. “He likes you.” Taemin declared.

Minho paused for a second, his young brain carefully weighing the matters. Somebody who could see Jonghyun couldn’t be as bad as that. Finally, making up his mind, he held out his own round hand, “My name is Minho.” He stated as Taemin gripped his palm happily.

“I’m Taemin!” The other boy sang, “And this is Key. Key, say hi.” He ordered the air beside him.

“He is Jonghyun.” Minho said, motioning to his own clump of air, “He is very short.” Minho declared proudly.

          And that was that. They were acquainted and qualified as best friends. Taemin made his way to Minho, carefully stepping over the sand and sat beside him. He timidly threw a little sand at Minho, apprehensive as to what his reaction would be. But, Minho didn’t mind. He happily threw a little back at Taemin, thus sealing their friendship. Ah, the beauty and innocence of childhood relationships! Taemin and Minho became staunch pals, so much so, that the two of them seemingly forgot about their own imaginary friends. They raced each other; Minho always won and Taemin always cried. But, the routine of their lives was never monotonous because they had each other to look at. And each day it was as though they found out something new about themselves and something new about life.

          It was a bright spring day. It had to be. Spring is the season of love, of birds and flowers, of joys and promises. It was a field day at Playschool. Armed with their water bottles hung around their necks and their backpacks strapped firmly onto their backs, the children set out on their first ever adventure. Taemin and Minho scaled the expanse together, hand in hand, as they took their first ever step into the world outside of their home and playschool.

“This is going to be so much fun!” Taemin said, his shining brown eyes reflecting Minho’s face.

“Yes!” Minho nodded, his heart too full for words.

        And they were lead into the world outside – A park. Oh, the beauty they saw! The flight of the birds, the odour of the sweet-smelling grass, the vastness of the park, the benches, the people, the solitariness; it was all magnanimous!

         Taemin dragged Minho by the wrist across it all and finally stopped in the middle of a vast sea of grass. To Taemin and Minho, it was ceaseless; an ocean of perpetual greenery. Taemin swung himself around in the epicentre of the grass, as the blades of the grass reached up to his waist. Minho laughed and dropped down on his back, pulling Taemin with him. Their bodies flattened the grass beneath them as they lay there breathless and laughing. The grass seemed to be egging them on to laugh by tickling them repeatedly. They lay there, completely surrounded by an ocean of grass, hidden from public scrutiny. And they were happy.

         Perhaps, it was the absence of a chaperone or the urge to try out something never done before. But whatever it was, Minho suddenly got to his feet again and stared unblinkingly at Taemin. Taemin got up too, frightened by Minho’s suddenly movement. “Something happened?” He asked, his questioning eyes boring deep into Minho.

          Minho shook his head and waited a bit. He gazed at Taemin for a bit, his eyes widening with every passing moment. Taemin seemed to freeze beneath the gaze. He faltered a little, and then stood straight, letting himself be glanced at by Minho. Then, Minho attempted. He didn’t know what he was doing; he was merely following his instinct. He confusedly went closer to Taemin and innocently positioned his face directly in front of Taemin’s. Taemin’s visage turned puzzled as did Minho’s. But, neither of them flinched or turned away. Staring, more fiercely this time, Minho suddenly pressed his own pink lips onto Taemin’s. Taemin’s eyes opened as wide as they could, before his eyelids pressed down together. They stayed like that for a few seconds, then almost in synchronization, pulled apart.

          They looked at each other, once more as though each was seeing the other in a different light. Taemin then broke into an uncertain smile, not unlike the one he had first graced Minho with on their first encounter. Minho smiled back and held out his hand. Taemin placed his palm on top of Minho’s soft one and sealed their love. “I love you.” Minho told Taemin happily, as he clasped Taemin’s hand in his. “I love you too!” Taemin sang back, the lilt in his voice gladdening Minho.

And the two of them shared their first kiss. Together.

         Days of love frolic by and before you know it, the passing transitory pleasure flutters away. One year of love had bonded Taemin and Minho together. But, the moment of parting had arrived. Taemin had to leave for China, as his father now worked there. There seemed to be nothing that could be done. Taemin didn’t throw a tantrum or cry. In fact, he didn’t completely understand the gravity of the situation. He was just happy that he would visit a new place. He walked up to Minho on their last day together and said, “Minho! I’m going to a far, far away place!”

Minho’s shoulders slumped, “You’re leaving me?”

“No, I’m not. I’m just going away. I will come back.” Taemin reassured him.

“Promise?” Minho asked, a ray of hope lightening his depression.

“Yes, promise!” Taemin nodded. They intertwined their little pink fingers together and preserved the promise for posterity.

“B-but, how will I recognize you when you come back?” Minho asked worriedly. “You’ll look different!”

“But, I will be able to recognize you.” Taemin said confidently and Minho believed him.

           Taemin set out to China the very next day, while Minho promised to remember him always. Taemin kept the promise close to his heart. He never forgot about Minho, even years after the incident occurred. To him, it was a childhood promise that was meant to be fulfilled.

            Taemin smiled as he came to the end of the reminiscence he had so often recollected. He could never let it go. He still remembered every fraction of Minho’s four-year-old face with such perfection that it was almost astounding to his own self. “You were a very cute kid, Minho.” Taemin chuckled quietly. “I wonder how you look now. I’m sure you’ll look just as fine.” Taemin got onto his feet and stretched with a contented sigh. He had come back. He had come back to amass the reassurance of their promise. He had come back to see his Minho.

             Never once did a doubt cloud his mind. Never once did he worry whether Minho would remember him or not, be the same or not. It didn’t seem to bother him that he knew next to nothing about the person he was searching for, because, he clung on to that childhood promise. “I’ll recognize you, Minho. Then, we can start our lives together.” Taemin let these thoughts drift across his mind. He sat down on the grass again and pulled his trainers back onto his feet. He had to go search for his love; his first kisser.

“I kissed you thirteen years ago. I wonder how you taste now.”

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I say it again, I'm terrible with fluff and if you're reading this right now without wanting to throw something at my face, then I love you. 
This is a re-upload actually, so maybe someone of you lot might have already read it. But, read it again and throw some criticism at me 'kay? I need it. Fluff is not my strong point. It's not even my weak point, it's non-existent! XD CRITICIZE THIS. I COMMAND YOU TO.