Thunder rumbled in the raven black sky that hovered above South Korea's capital, Seoul.  The autumn wind coursed through the streets, whipping  brittle leaves off of trees, yellow clovers scattered along the curbs.  However, a certain Lee Taemin was oblivious to the miserable weather.  He was riding a taxi back to the dorm when it started to lightly drizzle, harmless rain splattered across the passenger's window.  With his head on the head-rest, SHINee's Taemin stared out the window, a distracted look on his face. There was a dream-like twinkle inhabited in his eyes, emitting warmth and adoration underneath the dim light in the taxi.  Nothing could burst the happy bubble he was in; he was floating away above the clouds towards the beautiful sunlight, towards heaven to the angels- no, the Angel.
His Angel.


"I love you."  A shade of pink coloured the cheeks of a nineteen year-old girl, her eyes continued to stare blankly in front of her.  It was 8 hours ago that she had said this to her boyfriend which she had been going out with for the past 6 months.  She met him at a club where her friend dragged her along so she wouldn't be a larry if there were no men asking for her number.  Compared to her friend, Myeong Shin Mi was a no-one.  Of course, she had her fair share of good-looks passed down from her mother but it was her friend who every man wanted to hold a conversation with, and that's understandable.  How could anyone like a girl who was blind?  No-one could ever be interested in a girl like that; she was dysfunctional, she was a damaged good, she was no good.  The best relationship she had with any male was a friendship, until 6 months ago when SHINee's Lee Taemin began talking to her.
Lee Taemin had experienced bad relationships because all they ever wanted was money, widen their networks in celebrity-land, or just dug around.  SHINee's maknae wanted a serious relationship, someone he could trust, confide in, someone there for him when he needed her.  But every girl he met had failed him completely.  Then, one day, after a private gig in a club, he met a girl standing by herself by the bar, looking around awkwardly for some distraction.  He went over and struck a conversation with her, finding himself enjoying the female company of a nineteen year-old.  Little did he know that he would fall deeply in love and found himself wondering if the relationship was one-sided on his part.  Gosh, she was beautiful and she didn't realise it.  Just being with her made him wanted and needed; in a way, they shared a world together only beknown to them.  It was nice to meet someone he wasn't interested in his status, his money or his fame for that matter; Myeong Shin Mi made him open his eyes and appreciate the everyday life, the life she could never enjoy.  She would ask him to describe to her the night sky, a dog that passed them by, the sunset in the city, or if he's smiling or frowning at her.  The omnipresent impassive expression on her face masks her emotions and Taemin wished that one day he could see a smile creased on her ivory visage.
"I-I-I'm sorry," stammering, she tucked a wisp of hair from her face, "I-I don't know wh-what came o-over me.  Oh Gosh, I feel so stupid..."
She could imagine the shock on Taemin's face, the obvious surprise at the words uttered from .  Why would she say that?  Did she actually believe anyone could love a blind mouse?  Why would they?  She was an ugly sight to behold, a sorry sight, if anyone talked to her was because that person took pity.
"Look, I-"
"Really?"  Taemin asks, his voice lowered into a whisper.  "Do you really mean it?"  He reached out for her hand and slowly brought it up.
She said nothing, only pursed her lips.  She was afraid; she didn't want to say anymore than what had been said.
"Did you know," Taemin continued, his lips grazed her slim fingers, "how long I've been waiting for you to say those three little words?"
Her heart was thumping loudly beneath her ribcage, her pulse accelerated overtime.
"Did you know," she felt his hands cupping her face, his fingers traced her temples and his warmth breath tickled the tip of her nose, "that for the last 6 months, I've been in love with you?"
Breath was caught in .  For the first time in her life, she wanted to see the happiness expressed on her lover's face, not just through his voice.  She wanted to know what he looked like, even though he was described to her by many people as gorgeous, sweet, cute, the perfect guy.
"I wish I could see how you look right now," she murmured, a surge of sadness welled in her blind eyes, "I love you."
Suddenly, his lips were upon hers; the compassion, the love, the yearning for her only deepened the kiss.  It was then that she realised there was a reason to smile in her pathetic life.
But that was 8 hours ago.


Lee Taemin lightly touched his lips where Myeong Shin Mi's had been.  He played the scene in his mind of this afternoon when his girlfriend told him the words he wanted to hear the most.
I love you.
Funny how such simple words can easily make anyone the happiest person in the world.  He could still feel her supple lips on his, cautious at first, but eventually answered with love.  They had both wanted each other, and it really was true love.
Too bad.  Good things always come to an end.
Too soon.
A girl was walking in the rain, her black locks were wet and dishevelled by the pouring rain.  She was wearing the outfit from this afternoon; a denim skirt and a white shirt, wearing heals.  The rain had soaked through her shirt and handbag which was slung over her shoulder.  The street lamps illuminated the soft features of Shin Mi's face as she kept poking her stick from side to side, making sure there was no-one to bump into.  Taemin had seen her, his hand waved at the driver to stop the car.
"Driver, could you stop please?"
"But we have 5 minutes until we're there."
"Stop now.  Could you wait for me at the side?"
"Sure."
Clicking the door open, Taemin was instantly greeted by the cold rain.
"Shin Mi!"  He called out, running over to the familiar figure.  "ah-Mi! hold up!"
Muddy water dashed on his jeans, flooding his Converse.

I could hear someone calling my name, water splashing below as I heard hurried footsteps approaching me.
"What are you doing out here?  You're wet!"
A pair of hands, larger than mine, slipped on my shoulders and pulled me close.  It was so cold in this awful night and I found myself in oppa's arms.  He held me tightly and I wished, I wished with all my heart, that I could stay in them and be forever with Taemin.
But that wasn't going to happen.
Nothing good was ever allowed in my life.
I was actually on my way to Taemin oppa's flat.  I had to meet him for something important, something which would deeply affect him and I.
"Oppa..."  I started.
"Come, let's talk in the car.  I was on my way home-"
"No, we must talk now."
"Can't it wait until we're in the dry?"
"No.  Now."  It was because of the rain; it hid everything, it concealed the hurt which would come in a couple of seconds.  "I can't see you anymore."  There.  I've said it, it's out in the open.
I could hear the prickly silence between us as Taemin digested what I had said.
"Shin Mi, what is this?"
"You and I.  It must stop.  It can't happen."
"I don't understand..."
"It's over," I tried to say calmly, but the cold was making me shiver, "this relationship is over."
It was like an invisible knife had impaled my heart and there was a hairline crack which had formed in the middle, slowly spread its spider-web cracks across the surface.  I couldn't stand it anymore.  My hands had balled into fists and I began to walk away.
"Is this some joke?"  Taemin asked quietly.
I stopped.  "No, it's not a joke..."
"No, you're wrong!"  I heard him strode over and turned me around so I was facing him.  "You're wrong!  You're playing a cruel joke on me."
It was 8 hours ago that I had met with Taemin, and it was 5 hours ago that his manager had found and talked to me.  He said I had to break up with Taemin otherwise his career would be over.  Why?  His performance was lacking for the past months.  The manager admitted his knowledge of us secretly together and never said a word to anyone.  He said that Taemin wasn't giving his 110% on his singing like he used to.  I was the problem.  I always was a thorn to someone's side, the blip in someone's plan.
"No, I'm not."
"Don't you remember this afternoon?"  His voice wavered.  "The lunch and what happened after?"
"Nothing happened."
"You said you loved me."  He suddenly gripped me by the collar, his hot breath in my face.  "Don't you remember?"
"No, I-"
"LIES!  We kissed, dammit!  Someone knows about us, don't they?  Tell me!  Who is it?"
"No-one, I-"
"Stop lying to me!  I know someone is onto us."
"It's your manager."  I said quietly.
"I knew it.  Why is he interfering with my personal life?"
"Because you're not giving 100% to your singing.  I'm distracting you Taemin..."
"No, you're not."  He protested.  "I'm going to talk to him.  Don't try and stop me."
"No, we've already talked it out."
"What?"
"I agreed," my voice was feeble, "we made an agreement that we won't see each other anymore."
Silence.  It was all I could do to not burst out crying.  I have disappointed him, and it was a relief to not see the sadness printed on his face.
"But I love you."  He croaked.  "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
The rain continued to beat against my face, mixing with the tears.  It was already quite dark in Seoul, but for me I felt as if I was swallowed by a dark abyss.  Even though I knew Taemin was standing in front, I have never felt so alone in my life; not even when my friends stopped calling me, not that day when I found out I couldn't see anymore.
"When you said you loved me," his voice was barely audible, "was that a lie?"
No, Taemin.  I love you so much; you're my flicker of hope in this never-ending tunnel of darkness.
I need you.
I want you.
I love you.
"I'm sorry."
Tears stung my eyes, flowing down my cheeks.  Could he see through it?  The lies spewing from my dirty mouth.  A hammer slammed into my heart and there were definite jaggered cracks splitting across the middle.
Turning away, I started to walk from Taemin.  I wanted to hurry away so I could cry where nobody would see me.  I didn't want to hurt Taemin anymore, neither of us; I would never recover from this.  Lee Taemin was the first to love me as I was, and it killed to know I was letting go the best thing that ever happened to me.
"Shin Mi," I stopped, "during our 6 months have you ever loved me?"
The sound of Taemin's laughter, the smile I felt on his face with my hands, the times we spent together; every waking moment I spent with him was a blessing.  Many, many times I knew I had fallen for Taemin.  Despite the rare occasions of his hissy fits or his silly tantrums when he was hungry; from that time when he pinched my nose and laughed, when he kissed my hand and I felt a smile before he lifted it off his face, the genuine affection he had for me.  Those were life's beautiful pleasure which I was forever barred.
"Goodbye, Taemin-ssi.”