One Sided Love

Since when had he been so tall, she wonders.

Eyes traveling along his long and lean form, she no longer sees the small, lanky, feminine, and awkward boy she once knew. He's different now. Age and constant workouts filling his once skinny frame and the reality of the world he lives in, now evident in his handsome, now matured face.

His change was rather good.

While she, on the other hand, hadn't really changed for the better. Her tomboyish style still held strong roots within her everyday life, and if anything, she hadn't changed at all.

"Amber, are you okay?" A familiar voice asks, worry evident within the tone.

Amber slowly looks up to the f(x) maknae and gives a small reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm good princess. Just zoning out." She lies. She's not really okay, but she doesn't really want to talk about it either. Krystal's brows furrow in disbelief, but she doesn't press the matter any longer, knowing that it's best to leave her tomboyish member to her own quiet thoughts

"Alrighty then, but...we'll be going to rehearsal with the boys soon, get ready for when you're called on stage, okay?" The youngest orders firmly, but Amber only gives a slight wave and nod.

"Hmph, stupid Llama!" She huffs, stomping away to someone more willing to give her the attention she needs.

The tomboy chuckles at her maknae's temper tantrum, but quiets down once more to father her thoughts. She's not been in the best of moods llately, her usual loud and impulsive self gone and replaced with a rather somber and calm Amber Liu. She's been more tired lately, mentally and physically.

All because she was in love.

In love with someone who didn't feel the same way.

"Amber." A rather masculine voice calls out to her. She jumps, surprised at his sudden appearance, but smiles to her partner. "Hey Minho-Oppa, Is it time?" She questions with a tired smile. His warm eyes comfort her, relieving her from her depressing thoughts.

"Yeah, you silly Llama, It's been time to go for the last two minutes, people got worried when you didn't reply. So hurry up and let's go." He chides, ruffling her hair gently in the process. Amber scowls, but apologizes kindly to the panicked staff who had been looking for her and makes her way up to the center stage with the taller male.

The stage is dark and empty, the bright lights illuminating very little for her. The empty seats are awaiting the hundreds of fans that would come in and fill the seats to see the idols and singers they admire and love so very much.

Amber stands back to back with Minho and closes her eyes. She breathes in, mind focusing on her job and what she's meant to do. She tries her best to forget the thing called love and only thinks of the words she needs to sing. Minho starts, his voice filling the empty music, reminding Amber that she needs to focus.

"Here we go, come with me"

She doesn't want to focus though.

"There's a world out there that we should see"

But she does, eyes watering, and she starts.

"Take my hand, close your eyes"

She hates this song. Because it's wrong.

"With you right here, I'm a rocketeer."

Because she's not with the one she wants to be with.

They continue the song, until it switches over to the other members and their own respective songs and before they know it, it's over. They all make the ending pose they practiced on and Amber glances at the man who holds her heart, only to turn the other way and bite back tears.

It just isn't fair.

Why is love so difficult?

-

Minho looks at the tomboy and sighs. It was obvious that she was hurting and he couldn't stand to see that.

"Amber. Great job out there little fella." He grins, ruffling her hair once more to make her focus only on him.

Just for a little while, only on him.

She looks up and grins gratefully for her sunbae's random act of kindness.  "What's up Mr. Flaming Charisma?" She asks toothily, trying to to fluff his hair in revenge. 

"Can't reach shortie, remember?" He teases and chuckles at her cute scowl. She pouts and punches his shoulder playfully, before focusing on the other idols performing.

His heart hurt. Looking at her sunken form, he thinks back to when he started to notice her change in attitude. When her bright, sparkling eyes began to lose their twinkle. When her smile stopped being genuine.

All because she was in love.

He knew who she was in love with as well. And it hurt so much. Knowing that the one he admired, the woman he held strong feelings for, was in love with his very best friend. His closest friend.

And there was nothing he could do, because he knew his friend was in love with the same woman as well.

Patting her head with much affection and the only amount he could possibly give, he sighs.

It just isn't fair.

Why is love so difficult?

-

Since when had she become so feminine, he wonders.

But he knows, he knows that she's always been that way. She's always been beautiful, yet different, small, yet strong. She's always lived in a different world from him. A world that that he couldn't seem to place himself in.

He grew up awkwardly, often being mistaken for a female or passing off as one. Amber was labeled as his opposite, but he was smitten with her from the start. He just couldn't express himself as properly as Key or Jonghyun. Be as kind to her as Onew and Minho. He could only speak politely and distance himself from her in fear of embarrassing himself.

He stares at the pair, his heart heavy and his mind irritated. 

"Don't they look so cute?" One of the females behind him says. Krystal, he thinks.

"Definitely." Another squeals. Luna maybe.

"Right? Taemin, what do you think?" Krystal questions, with a bashful smile and blush. After the last rehearsal where he gave her a kiss, she still felt shy, even though the producer told them that it was just an act for the public, it still made her warm inside just thinking about it.

"Mhm. Yeah, cute." He replies as if he could care less. But he does care. He cares so much that his mind is jumbled and he feels like breaking down. Because it hurts knowing that his best friend loves the same woman as him. That the woman he loves hardly even acknowledges him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Minho touching her head again. The older man is too familiar towards her. Even if they're close. Even if they're friends.

He's too close for comfort. 

Taemin tears his sight away from the two and he bites his lip.

It just isn't fair.

Why is love so difficult?

Do you guys know Lee Hi? I'm becoming such a big fan of her, she's such a cutie pie. I got the title from her song on her album, but the entire story wasn't really based off the lyrics.

Do you ever feel like some pairings are like, so impossibly hard to write about? Seriously, I at Myungber and Krisber and Minber. It's just really hard to get their characters down for me. Blah.

Anyways, I hope you liked this oneshot.

Thank you as always - Rhiean