It is the summer of 2004, Taeyeon is fifteen and Leeteuk is sixteen.

“Well. There you are. Do you know how difficult it is to find you in this huge school?” Leeteuk whisper-shouted, sitting down beside me in the library. He probably didn’t expect to see me there in the children’s section.

“Um… Hello to you too.” I replied, not looking up from the carpeted flooring. It wasn’t – I admit – the most comfortable position to be in, but I had nowhere else to sit.

“Sorry… What’s bugging you?” He asked. I shook my head, replying bluntly, “Nothing is; you’re just over-reacting.”

“Yeah right, if I was over-reacting, pigs can fly.” Leeteuk smiled. “Spill.” He was such a girl sometimes. “Okay. You got me. I’m bummed.” I finally admitted reluctantly. I didn’t want him to worry though. He looked at me expectantly, as though he really wanted me to confide in him.

“You know Onew right? Lee Jinki from Math class?” I asked, hesitant of my words.

“Yeah… Onew, why?” He returned with another question.

“He confessed to me today.” I said bluntly, finally happy that I got it off my chest. “And that worries you because…?” His voice dropped almost an octave, but I didn’t know the reason.

“Because even though I love him as a friend and all, I don’t feel that way, like he’s the one. The one, like, the perfect guy. It’s… I… it’s complicated.” I couldn’t phrase it right, making it sound like some phony pick-up line. He thought about it, and he creased his eyebrows again. If not for the seriousness of the situation I would have cracked up.

“Well… Then why is it bothering you? If he likes you, and you don’t, reject him then. I believe you have rejected loads of people haven’t you? I don’t have to list them out, right?”

“I know, but Onew was really earnest about it, I feel bad for letting him down. I don’t know why I’m feeling this anyway.” I muttered, trailing off at the last few words.

Leeteuk looked at me intently, and the intensity alone of his eyes probably could have killed me right there.

“If,” he said, “he really wants you, then he should come get you. And if you think he isn’t the one, find another one. Some day, a guy will come along, trolling possibly, and decide that today will be your lucky day, and he’ll be the right one."

“When do you think mine will come along? I’ve been waiting for a long time… A very, very long time.” I sighed, pulling my knees close to my chest.

“You know, there’s been something I wanted, for a very, very long time, to do. But I don’t know if I should do it. Especially if it’s here.” He gulped. There was nobody in this section of the library, probably because it was on the fifth floor and nobody bothered to climb all the way up here for picture books.

“Well, what is it?” I asked, looking up from my knees, frowning. “Time’s a’ ticking, Leeteuk.” I hurried him.

“Some things can’t be rushed you know.” He advised.

“You know, if some things aren’t rushed then I wouldn’t have time for other things like –”

He kissed me.

Leeteuk kissed me on the lips. The motion was quick, but it was as if the time slowed to a stop for me, and I could see him turning his body to face me and cup my face into his hands, looking at me for a brief moment with his eyes filled with anxiety and a little hesitancy before deciding that it was time for our lips to meet for the very first time. It was at that moment, that second, that I could feel my heart beating hard against my chest, my mind was spinning, my fingers were tingling, adrenaline was pumping through my veins. I couldn’t control myself.

How long had I wanted him? I never seemed to realize because from the moment we met until now I had never wanted to kiss him with such passion. How long had I been waiting for this? I never seemed to realize because from the moment we met until now I had never sat next to him with a bated breath, with an expectation that he would kiss me.

When he decided that it was enough, and weirdly enough I felt satisfied too, we detached ourselves from each other, almost automatically. My heart stopped for yet another moment, and I’m sure he did too, because for the first time, I felt nervous looking at him. I couldn’t describe the feelings I had just then.

People say that kisses were designed by God to be used when words become superfluous. I finally understood what they meant by that. My first instinct was to check if anyone saw it, but I, somehow, stopped myself from doing it.

He kissed me. That was my first thought. I think I finally found my Prince Charming. That was my second thought.

“I’m sorry… Was that –” “No, it was absolutely perfect.” I finished his sentence for him; it was amazing how we coordinated so perfectly.

He stole my first kiss. I took his. We were even. But it didn’t end there. Of course it didn’t. It was just the beginning