Taemin's POV

It's really difficult to get away from the past, specially when it's just walking around you all the time. Here I am, walking in the same school with my girlfriend and yet I still have not sorted out the mess that was Krystal and our past. But tonight, I will try and fix everything. Specially now that the whole world knows about me and Minzy, Krystal should too.

To: Krystal
Hi! I'll see you in the park near the school later, around 4PM?
Message sent.

I kept my phone right after sending that message. I feel weird, it seems like I'm cheating on Minzy with what I am doing. But come to think of it, I ain't doing anything wrong. Whatever, I need to fix this as soon as possible.

1 Message Received
From: ~Minkkiah ^_^
Where are you? I'm hungry. Jjong is waiting for us at the canteen.

From: Minniiieee ~~^^
Jjong?

From: ~Minkkiah ^_^
Jonghyun. Se7en-oppa's brother.

From: Minniiieee ~~^^
Oh. See you in a few. I'll meet you in the canteen.

From: ~Minkkiah ^_^
Okaaaaaaaay.^^

From: Krystal
In the park? Okay. 4PM. See you! *hug*

I got surprised by the last message I read, it was from Krystal. I stopped for a while and contemplated whether to reply to her or just let it pass. After a few seconds, I chose the latter and started walking to the canteen.

She was already there, seated in our favorite booth with Dara-noona, Wooyoung-oppa and the new boy, Jonghyun. Oh and who's that beside Jonghyun? Lee Donghae Sajangnim? Boyah ige.

“Taemin-ah! Here!” Jonghyun waved to me. This boy doesn't seem to get it, I am in a relationship with the girl he's seated beside with. I want to whack his head just like how Wooyoung-hyung does, and bury deep in his malfunctioning brain that Minzy is mine, and that he needs to stay away.

But then again, he's probably just looking for friends since he's new in Seoul. Ugh. I don't know. I'll let it pass and see what happens in the next few days. And besides, I don't need negative points from Daesung-hyung. I'm still on zero anyways.

“Annyeong.” I sat on the other side of Minzy. “Annyeong haseyo Sajangnim.”

Donghae-sajangnim smiled back at me and went back to eating.

“So Hyung, who's your best dancer here?” Jonghyun asked Donghae-sajangnim as if he was just continuing an interrupted conversation.
“I have two, both in this table. Taemin and Minzy.”

“Woooow. Seriously Minzy? But the duck Minzy I know doesn't look like it. Hahaha.” Jonghyun teases Minzy.

“Duck Minzy?” I asked Jonghyun with an annoyed tone.

“Yah!” Minzy said while a hand landed on Jonghyun's arm with a smack.

“Okay okay, I'll keep quiet now. Sorry.” Jonghyun told Minzy and bowed while giggling.

“Minkkiah.” I looked at Minzy.

“It's nothing. Don't worry.” Minzy reassured me.

The bell rang and all of us went back to our separate classes. Minzy and Dara walked with Wooyoung-hyung to their class, I walked to mine on a separate path, while Jonghyun went back to the Donghae-sajangnim's office.

There are five million things running on my mind right now. Krystal and our soon-to-be conversation, Jonghyun and “duck” Minzy, Jonghyun enrolling in our school, Jonghyun getting closer to my Minzy, Jonghyun, Jonghyun and some more Jonghyun. I am starting to get irritated with this guy. I have never felt so insecure. He's not even good-looking, and I doubt he can beat me in dancing. But there really is something about him that pisses me off. Of course I can't let it show. Jonghyun is like the inevitable circumstance that just mushroomed in my life.

Four o'clock came and Minzy was standing outside of my studio, waiting for me to go home.

“Hi! Ready to go?” Minzy asked.

“Uh Minkkiah, I can't go yet.”

“Waeyo?”

“I have to fix something first.”

“Okay, I'll wait for you.”

“Aniyo, I think you have to go first today.”

“Waeyo?”

“I'm talking to Krystal today. We're meeting in a while.”

“Oh.”

“Hi Minzy! Hi Taemin! Are you guys going home already?” Jonghyun popped out of thin air.

YOU PUNK! PERFECT TIMING YOU GOT THERE. He is really quite annoying.

“I'm about to go home. Taemin isn't yet though.” Minzy answered Jonghyun without even looking at me.

“Oh really? Can I go with you? I'm headed home too, to your place I mean.” Jonghyun asked Minzy. “If that's okay with you, Taemin.”

“Oh okay. Sure you can. No problem with me.” I had to answer him with a smile, or else Minzy will sense something.

I saw Minzy fumble through her keypads and press call.

“Oppa! Jonghyun and I are headed home already. Taemin can't drop me off since he needs to do something important. Can you pick us up?”

My heart felt stingy the moment Minzy said I had to do something important. I seriously feel like I am committing a crime.

“Ne oppa! We'll meet you at the cafe near the school then. Oh. Ne. Gumawo.”

And she ended the call, then faced Jonghyun.

“Daesung-oppa is with Se7en-oppa right now at the cafe near the school, they want to meet up and have dinner. Let's go?” Minzy told the annoying kid. “Bye Taemin, we'll go ahead.”

And then she walked away, with a confused Jonghyun closely tailing behind her.

I walked to the park, still thinking of what just happened between Minzy and I and all the things I have to say to Krystal. Oh this is gonna be hard.

And then I saw her, seated on one of the swings, smile beaming at me.

“Hi.” she said.

“Hello,” as I took the vacant swing beside her.

For some 2 minutes, it was plain silence. Until she started crying.

“Uljima.” I whispered.

“I'm sorry Taemin.”

“I'm sorry too, Krystal. But I just want to clear things up. I already have Minzy now, and I love her with all that I am, and I can't bear seeing her get affected by your presence just because we have a messy past.”

“I was young, all I ever thought of was going to America and spending time with my unnie. I never thought it would have this much of an impact on you. I thought you weren't going to take everything seriously.” She said in between sobs.

“You're so unfair! Do you know that? You can't just get into a relationship and think that the other person isn't taking things seriously just because you aren't. You have no idea what pain I went through when you left me.” I was trying really hard to keep the anger in.

“That's why I came back! I came back for you Taemin. I wanted to make everything right.” She was already facing me now, tears running down her face. The old Taemin, Krystal's Taemin, would wipe her tears away and make her stop while hugging her. But I'm not the old Taemin anymore. I'm no longer Krystal's Taemin, I'm Minzy's now.

“I want you back Taemin. I want my Taemin again. I want you, all to myself, no sharing with whoever.” She continued. “I cannot bear to see you with Minzy. I am in serious pain whenever you are with her. Taemin you are mine, and I will not give us up.”

“No Krystal, I WAS yours. But everything's different now. You left and didn't contact me in any form, nor did I get any explanation about your sudden disappearance. And you expect me to stay loyal? You expect to come back to the old Taemin, who only knew no one but you? Who loved no one but you? I'm not stupid Krystal. And I know you aren't too. So don't ask for the impossible. I'm no longer the Taemin who will catch the stars for you. I have changed. And so did you.”

“No Taemin.....”

“Krystal, listen. I loved you. I really did. I loved you up to the point where I couldn't breathe anymore. And when you left me, you set me free. If you love me, you will not leash me up again. I love Minzy now, and she loves me too. And I don't want to continue hurting her just because I have not settled everything with you. This is the first and last time I'm telling you this, Krystal. We are over. We ended when you left. There's nothing in me for you anymore. Please understand.”

“Taemin, I'm sorry.”

“Me too. Please stop now Krystal. You are a strong girl, and there are other men for you out there. Just not me. Not anymore.”

She was just crying. I finally told her everything I had kept for the longest time.