Soft lips came to caress his and the sensation rose pleasant goose-bumps on his skin. He hesitated, but slowly parted his lips, wanting to feel more of the sweet kiss he was being granted. But just as suddenly as his lips had been claimed, they were freed. The now missing caress, leaving him awaiting for more as the wind came to caress his face and the warmness of those secure arms left him.

 

He opened his eyes to look at his lover, wondering why he had suddenly pulled him out of his dream-like moment.

 

The man smiled at him, his eyes shining.

 

“Come Taeminnie,” he said. “I'll show you something.”

 

Before the twenty year-old could respond, his lover had already grabbed his hand and was pulling him to the sand of the now desert beach. The young man struggled to keep up with the athletic man as they ran to who knows where.

 

“Where are we going?” Taemin asked.

 

“Surprise.” the man replied, shooting him another smile.

 

And they kept running.

 

It was fun actually, Taemin felt like this moment could last hours without neither getting tired. He wanted to follow the man wherever he went and believe whatever he said. He wanted to be with him, only the both of them and enjoy each other's presence. He wanted to feel the man closer to him, his arms, his lips, his breath against his skin just like how he had always dreamed, but such thing had always been impossible for him.

Yet, even knowing he could probably never have the chance to get what he wanted, there he was, smiling like a fool, following that man he barely knew and ready to do whatever he could to be with him. Taemin could only look at the man's back, his strong and tall frame seemingly able to protect him for the world out there, from whatever danger could try to harm him. His heart was beating fast and his mouth was dry, he wanted nothing more but that man and then he could be live happily ever after.

 

Suddenly, the man stopped running and in his thoughtful stupor, Taemin bumped into his lover's back a little squeak leaving his lips and his body being jerked back.

However, before he could realise what was happening, these strong arms he had come to love, sneaked around his waist and held him up against a warm chest.

 

His breath got caught in throat as he could only look the fabric of the white shirt of his loved-one, a blush coming up to his cheeks. Would he ever get used to these butterflies that acted up in his stomach every time his lover held him like this? He didn't know, but one thing was for sure, he loved that sensation.

 

“Are you okay?” the man asked, looking down at him.

 

“Y-yeah.” he stuttered, half-heartedly pushing himself out of his lover's arms. “Why did you stop?”

 

He mustered enough courage to look up at the elder, only to meet with his caring, love-filled gaze.

 

“We're near, so you need to close your eyes.”

 

“What?” Taemin asked, raising a confused eye-brow.

 

“Close your eyes Tae,” the man said. “I'll guide you.”

 

“But-”

 

“No buts.” his lover cut him off. “Come on.”

 

Taemin sighed, but did as he was told biting at his lower lip. He wondered what the elder was preparing for him, but didn't push further, knowing he would discover soon enough.

 

He suddenly felt the man stepping aside, his big hand coming up to the level his eyes as he felt the man's other hand hold him by the waist and his reassuring presence in his back.

 

Slowly, they started walking again, the man carefully guiding Taemin.

 

After much struggle as the man helped Taemin climb whatever obstacles they had to over-come to arrive at their destination, Taemin felt the ground beneath his feet had become harder.

 

“Hm...are we there yet?” he asked.

 

“Just a little more,” the man said. “be careful, you might slip.”

 

Taemin frowned, but didn't say anything, as he followed the man's instructions. He couldn't explain how or even why he trusted that man so blindly; but he was sure his lover would never do anything to harm him.

 

“Now...” the man stopped walking.

 

Taemin felt the hand leave his face and a chilli wind came to caress his face, a little shiver running down his spine.

 

“...you can open your eyes.”

 

And he did.

 

The scenery that stood before him made his heart waver. They stood at the top of a high rock and the sea extended itself before them, the moon-light shining on the surface of the water and the loud crashes of the waves breaking against the rock creating for them, in Taemin's opinion, the perfect place for a romantic date.

 

“This is...this is beautiful.” he whispered.

 

His lover back-hugged him, nuzzling his nose on the crook of his neck, making Taemin shiver once more.

 

“I'm glad you like it.” he said, against the younger's skin. “Look at your right.”

 

And once again, the young man did as he was told, he eyes growing bigger as they drank in the words written in the sand of the beach with pink light-stick. Tears swelled in his eyes.

 

“I....” he started, but found himself unable to continue.

 

The elder let go of him and turned him around, his hands coming up to cup the younger's face.

 

“Happy birthday, love.” he said as he planted one more kiss on the younger's lips.

 

“Oppa?” a voice came to interrupt the moment.

 

Taemin's lips lost the contact with the soft lips for the second time that night. His eyes fluttered open and he found himself once again sitting in the warm sand on an empty beach, as the sky slowly turned darker.

Instantly, a disappointed pout formed on his lips and his eye-brows formed a little frown. Of course he could have only been fantasising again, how would his nameless lover do these things for him otherwise?

 

Time to face reality again, he thought to himself, heaving a defeated sigh.

 

“Oppa, are you okay?”

 

Taemin finally noticed the girl standing before him. He cleared his throat and got up from the ground, dusting himself off.

 

“Y-yeah,” he said. “What you're doing here, Jinri?”

 

The girl bit at her lower lip.

 

“Well... I was... I was...”

 

“You were following me again, weren't you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

 

“No!” she denied.

 

Taemin rose an eye-brow at her and she looked at the ground.

 

“I...uh...yes...” she admitted.

 

The young man sighed.

 

“I told you to stop doing this, didn't I? Jinri, you know I don't have these kind of feelings for you.”

 

“But oppa...”

 

Taemin gave her a stern look and she pouted.

 

“Fine...I just...” she suddenly took a little box from her hand bag and handed it to him. “I wanted to give you this. Happy birthday.”

 

Taemin looked surprised at the wrapped box.

 

“Come on,” Jinri shook her hand. “take it, don't worry I won't assume you are accepting my confession or anything.”

 

“I...thank you.” he said as he took the box from her hands.

 

Jinri smiled. “Open it.”

 

Taemin bit the inside of his cheek and opened the small gift she gave him. Inside the box, stood a little sculpture of a girl holding a heart in her hands, where the words “To My Special Someone” were engraved.

 

“This isn't much...” Jinri said shyly. “but I did it myself...so...well...”

 

Taemin smiled.

 

“It's beautiful Jinri, thank you.”

 

The girl blushed, but nodded happily.

 

Taemin closed the box and looked around him.

 

“Come on,” he said. “I'll walk you home, it's getting dark.”

 

“Really?” the girl asked.

 

“Yeah, but don't go thinking silly things.” he told her, already making his way to the side-walk.

 

“Promise!” the girl said.

 

Taemin shook his head and they started walking. About fifteen minutes later, they were standing in front of the girl's house's door.

 

“Thank you, oppa.” she said.

 

“You-”

 

The door opened and a young man appeared his eyes full of worry. As Taemin's eyes lay on his face, his heart skipped a beat.

 

“Jinri!” the man said. “Where were you? I was getting worried.”

 

“Sorry oppa,” the girl said. “I was with Taemin oppa at the beach.”

 

The man looked from the girl to Taemin and as their eyes meet each other, Taemin swallowed thickly.

 

“Taemin oppa,” Jinri called, pulling him out of his trance. “this is Minho, my older brother.”

 

The man of his dreams, his nameless lover stood before him and Taemin could barely believe his eyes.

 

But now, the stranger he kept on dreaming about had a name...

 

Minho...