Taemin bowed, stood up and placed the flowers out front of the headstones. He could no longer stay here to many memories came flooding, the ones he had trouble reliving the ones that he swore to avenge. Taemin practically ran back down the path, fists clenched so tight his knuckles, turned white. It wasn’t his favourite past time coming to his parents grave site, but he much as he didn’t like it he owed everything to his parents, and his brother Heechul, who saved him that night. Mindlessly walking down the path and not paying any attention to any other people who were coming down the path, Taemin hit something solid, sending the object and him straight down the ground. Taemin groaned as he pushed his upper body of the ground, to get off the person as quick as he could. Looking at the man who appeared to be not much older than Taemin stood up offering the man his hand. After dusting himself off Taemin began.

‘Mianhe, I’m so sorry I didn’t see you.’ Taemin apologised to the stranger only now peering amazingly upwards to the eyes of the stranger.

‘It’s alright, its stressful coming here. I know that pain all too well.’ Taemin couldn’t take his eyes off the stranger something about him was so similar. The man seemed confused, worry lines appearing on his forehead.

‘I’m sorry, but is there something on my face?’ He the man asked, snapping Taemin out of his gaze.

‘Do I know you from somewhere?’ was all Taemin said continuing to stare at the familiar face of the stranger. Suddenly realisation hit him, his eyes widened. Taemin hadn’t met many people since his parents died, in school he never made friends he kept low and studied, even at the orphanage that he was sent to he refused to interact with anyone. Except for the people in his Taekwondo, Aikido or Jujitsu classes, even then he was always conscious. Taemin’s fists unclenched, as he had them unknowingly clenched yet again.

‘Mi-Min-Minho?’ was the only sound that came from his mouth. He mentally slapped himself for not recognising the frog-like eyes sooner, the ones that never seemed to disappear in his dreams. The eyes of his first crush. Minho chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

‘Now you’ve got me asking, but do I know you from somewhere?’ Minho asked slightly confused. Taemin took note of how long ago the last time that he saw this man but he thought that he’d try and explain anyway, on the odd chance that he would be remembered in at least someone’s memory.

‘Look, I don’t expect you to remember me it was all way too long ago. But I was in your Year 2 class...’ Taemin was going to continue when Minho cut him off his facial expressions contorted to resemble deep concentration.

‘... The last time I saw you I asked you to be friends.’ Minho looked at Taemin.

‘Taemin, Lee Taemin is your name if I’m not mistaken.’ Taemin couldn’t believe that Minho had remembered him. It had brought him great joy, but Taemin refused to show it, as what happened that night began to replay in his head yet again for the thousandth time that day. He bowed his head his dessert blonde bangs shading his eyes.

‘Hey, are you alright?’ but Taemin didn’t answer, this time he ran down the path, leading him anywhere his feet would take him as long as he could get away from everything, as tears broke free from Taemin’s eyes, he couldn’t show weaknesses to anyone, especially Minho. Taemin had a habit of doing this, but Minho ran after him his athletic build not failing him in the slightest, he ran faster just being able to get close enough to Taemin to turn him around. Taemin’s head still hanging low, Minho lifted up his chin to look him in the eyes and scold him for running away so suddenly, but before he could even look at his eyes, he noticed the wetness that had appeared on Taemin’s cheeks. Without further ado, Minho pulled him into a hug, Taemin had changed so much since he last saw him, or at least from the school boy that Minho once knew, polished up, long blonde hair, black vest, and red skinny jeans with boots, he looked so masculine. Taemin tried to push him away, but Minho was too strong, inwardly cursing himself for barely having any muscle Taemin stood there, why was Minho even hugging him.

‘It’s okay Taemin-ah.’ Minho tried to comfort him in the most normal of ways, but that only got Taemin even more pissed off than he already was.

‘No, it’s not. Don’t even pretend to think that’s okay Minho, you know nothing about me, you don’t even know what I’ve been through, no one even came looking for me...’ Taemin looked up at Minho, how could he even pretend that everything was okay everything that he’s ever loved was taken away.

‘Mianhe, Taemin, I should be more careful with what I say.’ Minho bowed, knowing that he should have kept his mouth shut, but his mind trailed off, what had happened to Taemin that day, why hadn’t he returned to school the next day, why was he never heard from again.

‘Taemin-ah I don’t mean to intrude but what happened to you?’ Minho asked out of pure curiosity.

‘Why do you care?’ Taemin shouted in Minho’s face. Minho was shocked, but Minho couldn’t have him leaving again. Not after he lost his first crush, he may have only been 7 but the pain was unbearable. Minho tensed.

‘I care because I’m your friend Taemin, from that day I vowed to take care of you but you never returned.’ Minho furrowed his eyebrows.

‘Wow Taeminnie, you take care of your new friend okay!’ Heechul words resounded through Taemin’s skull. He helplessly looked at Minho, realising just how cut off he’d become. How having no friends had affected him, where you only have yourself to believe in. Words failed Taemin at that moment, he fell to his knees, and he looked up at Minho. Minho softened, he hadn’t looked into Taemin’s eyes just enough to realise just how hollow they actually were.

‘Taemin-ah, why didn’t you return?’ was Minho’s question it seemed simple enough to answer, but something about telling the story not just reliving it, hit close to home. What if Minho thought Taemin could’ve done more to save his family. Would he turn his back on him because he was weak, mentally and physically? Taemin looked at Minho; did the man next to him really care what happened to him all that time ago? Taemin didn’t know all he saw in his own eyes was weakness, was that what everyone else saw too? Taemin didn’t know the answer to that question, but he wondered if Minho could.

‘Minho, do you really care? Do you honestly want to know why I never returned to school?’ Taemin stared into Minho’s eyes they appeared to warm, so inviting, he wished his own were like that.

‘Taemin-ah I care more than you realise... I just want to know why I never got to see you again.’ Was all Minho said, but reeling in the back of Taemin head all he heard was, he won’t accept you you’re too broken, he doesn’t care, Taemin’s only question was, will he think I’m weak?