Taemin strode with his thin, long legs straight onto the streets. He was unmindful of the traffic, the abuses directed at him, the cars that were coerced into stalling. It all never bothered him. Taemin was naive in so many ways; sometimes, it was like he had never grown up. Taemin had never embraced the act of growing up. He couldn’t feel the same eagerness most others felt when they realised they were closer to youth, closer to be grown-up. To Taemin, childhood was still the most beautiful phase of his life, and his adamant mind wouldn’t let go of that notion. Perhaps, it was that incident that had kept him so closely bonded with his childhood. Incidents shape our lives, but sometimes they stall our natural changes. Taemin had blossomed into a handsome, gorgeous adolescent. But, his heart remained enraptured by the lures of childhood.

               The sun shone resolutely on his arched back, as though protecting Taemin with a cloak of radiance. The light was beautiful and welcoming, but the heat penetrated deep into his pale skin, creating in him an urge to just drop everything and plunge into the cool sanctity of pale blue waters. He walked a little ahead, mentally rebuking humanity for making all things artificial with not a single tree or a pond to provide respite from the aching routine drab greyness. His eyes searched in vain for something cool, something beautiful that would interlock perfectly with the naturalness of the sun and the flirtatious ways of the wind. And he spotted the next best thing to a pond – A fountain.

               Taemin, that childish darling, believed in Fate like none other. He believed in it all; fate, destiny. And maybe that’s why fate believed in him too. Most would call it a co-incidence, but Taemin would know it was the work of fate because just as he began his journey to the cool, gushing waters, he saw that manifestation, that being. He saw someone he couldn’t overlook. It was an individual with a sheen of brown, wavy hair that swept across his visage, almost theatrical in its motions. He was tall in stature and powerful from the looks of it. He seemed strong, athletic and nothing short of the manifestation of a perfect human being. Somehow, when Taemin gazed at that being, all his childishness was forgotten. Suddenly, there was an urge in him; an awakening of his masculine side. He stared at that powerful being as he scaled the expanse before him with his long, potent stride. Taemin had never felt more uneasy or strange in his life before. From the tips of Taemin’s eyes, a sudden maturity seem to shine. He could do nothing but gawk at that being with all his heart.

               Perhaps Fate had planned out a cheesy movie encounter for its darling, Taemin. Because just as a delicate tinge of pink had begun creeping up his burning neck, a violent hand shoved him backwards. It was ridiculous, to say the very least, because he landed headfirst into the annoying fountain that did nothing to break his fall, but shower him with water. As he sat, startled, inside the fountain, with dripping clothes and a grazed elbow, he was conscious of some hollering taking place before him.

“What did you do to that poor kid, Onew? Save your clumsiness for yourself! Don’t inflict it on others!” The rest of the conversation evaded his senses, because the richness of the voice tortured him. It was a deep, husky voice that spelt out mischief and amusement at every stance while retaining the inherent maturity it showed. It was alluring and Taemin had never felt more delusional in his life. His head felt like a foggy mass of nothingness as the voice filled his brain. He supposed this was how he would have felt, had he been drunk. But of course, Taemin didn’t drink; he just hazarded the guess.

          And then, it almost seemed as though Fate was enjoying a little joke on its own. That ethereal being with the rich voice, suddenly materialised before Taemin’s startled eyes. Taemin still lay there dripping and embarrassed; not the best way to meet a second-old crush. Stooping downward, sweeping the lovely strands of hair from his tanned face, the being knelt before Taemin. Stretching out a hand, the Godly manifestation offered to get Taemin on his feet. Taemin accepted the hand in a daze and noticed the long, slender, dextrous fingers that interlocked his powerfully, helping him upwards. He seemed to be saying something, but the only thing that registered itself in Taemin’s mind was that he had encountered a divinity. He gaped and gawked, as well as he could without seeming too obvious and muttered an indistinct thank you.

“Oh, it’s quite alright! Onew’s always like that, don’t mind. He’ll kill himself or someone with his clumsiness one day!” It was that rich, smooth voice again that seemed to flirt with his sensation of hearing. The voice caressed his ears and spoke to him in a way that was unimaginable. Taemin wished he had a voice to match that of the God’s before him.

“Are you okay?” The being asked, and Taemin realising he had to answer, nodded pleasantly, “Oh, I’m fine.” He said, in a manner he hoped was casual.

“So, what’s your name?”

“Taemin. How abou--”

“You great oaf, come back here this instant!” A shout erupted through the air, bursting like an explosive over Taemin’s delightful daydream which involved this being, his own self and quite a lot more.

“I’m sorry!” The divine appearance before him said apologetically, “I really must be going. I’ll see you later then, uh, Taemin!” And before Taemin’s b eyes, the being that had him allured cruised away on his perfect legs. Taemin took the liberty to stare wholesomely one last time at the being that had brought about a change in him. It was cruel of Fate, in a way. Because, just as he had begun his search for his childhood love, he felt his heart being captured away by a new sort of feeling, by a man whose name he didn’t know. It seemed as though Destiny was provided a sort of brew of a story for Taemin somewhere along the lines of Cinderella and cheesy B-grade flicks and Taemin didn’t mind.

            As Taemin walked away, dripping wet and shivering slightly, he was aware of a slight feeling of shame. It was almost as though he had involuntarily cheated on his childhood love by gaping at another being. Taemin shook off the feelings and began his search from scratch. In all honesty, he had nothing to go on from. He knew not his love’s address, school or even last name. It was only the name ‘Minho’ that resounded in his ears and a childhood mirage that accompanied it. He had decided to come back to Seoul out of a burst of impulsiveness. He had, indeed, nowhere to go in Seoul. He had just hopped off the plane and began his search for his childhood love. He had deposited his bag of bare essentials somewhere near the airport. He didn’t care, as long as he had a clean collar to adorn his neck. A clean, wet collar wasn’t too bad either. He could manage.

              In some ways, Taemin’s childish impulsiveness was endearing, his naiveté disarming. But, somehow, it seemed hard to accept his ways. His casual catching of a plane and flying straight down to a new destination where he knew not one, had no place to live; but had come in surety of a childish promise seemed ridiculous to the last degree to most people. Taemin was unique in that way. He believed promises; he believed them all too readily. He didn’t find anything strange in doing the oddest things and he believed not in planning ahead. He was Destiny’s Child and he lived the present without worrying about the future.

                Taemin decided that the best place to begin was from the playschool where he had first encountered his brown-eyed lover. Fortunately, Taemin had a memory that spanned right back to his very first step. Taemin couldn’t forget his memories; he wasn’t the type to forget easily. On the contrary, he could remember every single incident and every shy face encountered by him even a decade ago. Walking confidently down the streets, paying no heed to the honking and hollering, and stopping not once to ask for directions, Taemin came up to a little cottage situated on the outskirts of the city. It was surrounded by lush greenery and to Taemin, looked exactly the way he had left it. A chattering of joyful voices could be heard from inside and Taemin’s face lit up involuntarily. He knocked and finding the door open, pushed it and strode straight in.

             There he saw his smiling pet of a teacher who used to make him feel all at home. He watched the brilliant, smiling faces before her that stared at the teacher with rapt attention. Taemin ran his fingers across the paintings and alphabets etched on the wall, remembering clearly each one. Each picture seemed to awaken a new memory and each picture awoke the acute yearning in him to see Minho. He walked a little closer, then nervously placing his hands behind his back, he said respectfully, “Good morning, Ma’am.” The lady turned her head towards him and started a little, then smiled back rather vaguely, “Hello there, darling. You are...?”

“I’m Taemin, Ma’am. I used to come here some years back.”

“Ah, yes, Taemin. I think I recollect you.” This was, of course, blatant lying, but the lady knew better than to upset a student of hers, especially one of those few who’d come back to see her even after embracing adulthood. “How are you, darling?” She asked sweetly, peering short-sightedly at Taemin.

“I’m very good, Ma’am. I’ve just come back from China. Actually, there’s something I’d like to ask you. There was this boy in my batch – Minho – perhaps, you remember him? Do you know where he lives, his school, or anything that might take me to him?” Taemin asked hesitatingly.

          The lady smiled; people who came back to see her, more often than not, came about for some reason of their own. She frowned a little in deep conversation and asked, “Was he a Choi?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t really know; but possibly.” Taemin replied apologetically.

“Well, there’s only one Minho I can recollect at the moment; a charming young boy too. Such beautiful eyes! Perhaps, he’s the one you’re looking for?” She ventured.

“Possibly; where can I find him?” Taemin questioned.

“Well, Seoul High’s your best bet. I hear he’s sporty; perhaps, you’ll find him on the grounds?” She said tentatively.

             Taemin flashed her a huge smile and thanked her wholeheartedly. He didn’t seem to spot the vagueness of the situation, or the fact that he had nothing to go on about. To him, it seemed like a wonderful lead. Taemin was an incurable optimist.

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