"Oh, you're in here." said Soo Ni as she entered the practice room. "Yah, are you even listening Taemin?"

Taemin's head popped out from his bag that he was rummaging through before she came in. "Soo Ni ah." he smiled cutely.

Soo Ni diverted her eyes elsewhere and dropped her bag on the floor, plopping down right beside it. " thought we agreed on no formality." Taemin pouted. "But Soo Ni ah, aren't we-"

Soo Ni knew where he was headed and interjected quickly. "Can we practice the routine? That's why I came here."

Soo Ni and Taemin were paired up to perform a duet on Music Bank for a special. A heavy dance number that required long hours in the practice room.

Taemin nodded and got up, patting his pants free of dust. He scooted over to the CD player and switched the repackaged Hello CD he was dancing to earlier to a burned CD of their dance mix.

"We have to get some practice in before I get picked up by manager oppa." the side of Taemin's lip pulled down and his heart twinged with a little sadness. Oppa, a word she hasn't said -to him at least.

It didn't matter that she was slightly older, afterall, they were together -werent they?

Taemin pouted at Soo Ni. She caught his eyes and snapped her fingers to get his attention. "Hello? What's with the face?" Taemin shook his head, disappointed. "Ani."

"One, two-three, four."

"Five, six, seven~ eight."

"And one-and-two-and three~ four, five."

"Six, seven, eight!"

The rest of the practice went on with the two counting the steps, no other words exchanged between them.

Through no words were said, Taemin's eyes were asking quiet questions. His eyes that were locked on Soo Ni throughout the whole time.

Sad eyes.

A few time through the routine Soo Ni couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. Her eyes wandered the mirror and caught sight of Taemin's gaze on her.

Soo Ni waited until the steps were finished. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Taemin dropped his gaze. "Soo Ni ah..."

"Taemin, don't keep things bottled up. It may hinder our performance and we can't let it bother us."

Taemin sighed and dug through his bag. "I just...thought..." Soo Ni crossed her arms across her chest, waiting. He sighed again. "I thought after all this we were, you know, together?" the light blush on his cheeks wasn't missed.

He said it. Taemin brought up the subject Soo Ni wanted to avoid most.

"W-what made you think that?" Soo Ni stuttered. Taemin looked up at her with big, innocent eyes. "Well, we already kissed...hyung-deul even told me couples do that."

But that was once.twice.

Soo Ni stood their awkwardly, unable to say anything. Taemin continued. "And I even asked you to hang out with me last time. Doesn't that count for anything?" he asked quietly. "You don't even call me oppa."
"You act like nothing's between us."
"Please, tell me why you're pushing me away?"

Taemin calmed his barrage of attacks to take a breath. His eyes were still on Soo Ni who couldn't look away from his now pleading eyes.

It hurt her more than anything to be asked those questions. Even more so that she wanted to say she was wrong and to tell him the truth.

Soo Ni decided to lie.

"I already s-said we wouldn't use honourifics-"

"That's not the point!" Taemin cried out. He was frustrated and Soo Ni could tell. "Tell me why you only treat me as a friend! Don't try to evade my questions because I really want to know."

Soo Ni frowned, she had never experienced Taemin raising his voice at her.
"For one, we aren't together at all! What gave you that idea? The kiss? That was...a spur of the moment thing." Soo Ni's voice was rising.
"Yes, you did ask me to hang out -just that. It wasn't a date. If it was, you should have asked me to date you not to hang out."
"And you never said you liked me anyway." she whispered, her eyes downcast.

Taemin's mouth was agape and eyes wide. He neither had heard her yell at him before. He opened and closed his mouth debating whether to reply. It was too much to take in.

How much could a heart take?

Taemin bit his lips. His brows furrowed together. "Is...that so?"
His heart hurt hearing those words. He tried, really tried and she couldn't see that.
Taemin shook his head, his blonde fringe swaying to the side to reveal dark eyes.

"So after all that you wanted me to confess?" he scoffed, making Soo Ni look at him. "You don't know how much of a burden I've been carrying because I worried about you."

Stab. Right to Soo Ni's heart. She clutched her fists tightly.

Taemin stood up and stepped up to Soo Ni. He shoved the bag in her hands.
"And I put so much effort for this." he sneered.

It hurt him too, to act like this.

Taemin turned and headed to the door. "I'll be going first."

Soo Ni's gaze was still on the door that Taemin left through only minutes ago. What had she done?

She gripped the bag and dared a look inside. Her hand pulled out a porcelain doll. It was coloured with vibrant sharpie in words and smaller images.

What really caught Soo Ni's eyes were the hearts drawn on the chest. Right beside it in the same red colour was her name.

Soo Ni hiccupped, her eyes becoming watery. She broke down in seconds and had to drop to her knees on the wood floor. Holding onto the doll tightly she cried.

What had I done?

I'll update the next part soon~ ^^