If there was one person in the whole world that could make your heart race, it was Lee Taemin. The boy was sweet and gentle – but devilish at times.

Ever since the two of you had been kids, the two of you were almost inseparable and somewhere along the way, he was able to make your heart flutter.

Of course, he doesn’t know this. He doesn’t know that he has this sort of effect on you.

However, when the two of you had entered high school, Taemin suddenly changed in appearance. He was no longer the cute boy that you once knew. He had grown to be quite attractive and all the girls in your grade fawned over him.

When you tried to get near him, other girls would get in the way. Sometimes, you couldn't even do the things you promised Taemin you would, because a couple of girls would threaten you for getting too close with him. That kind of jealousy didn't affect you though. As long as you were still with Taemin, you were happy. It was your first wish to be with Taemin all the time, forever.

Taemin, on the hand, seemed to change a bit. Although, at first, he disliked all that unnecessary attention, but soon, you found him distancing himself from you. The time the two of you had together slowly decreased day by day, until, it was at zero.

The popularity had gotten to him and he had come to forget you. You had found yourself outside of Taemin’s life – uninvolved, isolated, forgotten – but even then, he was still that one person that could make your heart skip a beat. Forgetting a love was indeed as hard as other people said if not harder.

It was the first time you felt truly alone.

Some nights, you found yourself thinking of him again and again – his face, his words, his smile, his everything.

Nevertheless, you were fine with the current situation. You were okay that he didn’t remember you. It’s not as if he liked you before anyways. The Lee Taemin would never go out with a girl like you.

You were plain and average, so you were satisfied just by watching him from a distance – But life always arranges these satisfactions to fade away.

That day, you had decided to take the bus home. Without realizing it, Taemin had boarded the bus also, taking the seat in front of you. Gazing at the back of his head, you pulled up the scarf around your neck to cover your lips which couldn’t help but smile.

It was a good feeling, being so near to the one you liked, but the feeling immediately disappeared as Taemin spoke his first words to you in a long time.

“Could you be any more obvious?” Taemin mumbled without turning around, “Kim Jisoo.”

Your eyes widened as he spoke your name, “How did you – “

“I can feel a creepy vibe coming from behind me,” he replied nonchalantly, “The same kind of vibe that I got from you when we started high school.”

Did he really just call the happiness that derived from your affectionate feelings toward him creepy? You knew he had changed, but you didn’t know that even his attitude towards you had too.

Even more so, you were unaware that his manners had also begun to dissipate and become evanescent.

“Lee Taemin,” the smile fell from your face, “That’s enough.”

“Don’t tell me what to say or do,” he replied instantaneously.

You couldn’t believe your ears. It was one thing to change, but he didn’t have to say things like this. Since he was someone you actually cared deeply about, his words only stung you – crushing your feelings with each syllable.

You wanted to speak out to him, but at the same time, you didn’t want to worsen the way he thought of you.

It was hard to understand why you had to fall for someone like him. It was hard to understand why he had to change. It was hard to understand why your heart chose a boy who didn’t like you back. It was hard to understand a lot of things and it only made you suffer – not being to understand.

You recalled the times the two of you had been together. The times where he would hold your hand as you crossed the street or when you felt cold. He would smile at you and tell you that everything would be okay and kiss your forehead. The times when the two of you hung around the ice cream shop because he liked to see you smile as you ate.

That Taemin was the one you loved, but did that Taemin exist anymore?

Hurting, you managed to utter in a voice that was barely audible, “Why did you have to change?”

“It’s none of your business,” was his immediate reply as he heard those words come from you.

You wondered if he could hear your heart shattering at the moment. His words were so harsh. He was really no longer the Taemin you knew. Your eyes watered as you tilted your head back, holding your tears as long as you could.

You weren’t going to cry for him. You didn’t want him to see you weak. Your brain continued to tell you to stop loving him, but your heart stuck to him like glue.

This feeling of being stuck halfway was like what it felt like burning in Hell. You would admit that many things hurt in the world, but these non-physical pains were the absolute worst.

As you slowly looked downwards to use your scarf to wipe those tears of yours away, something caught your eyes – or rather, someone.

Was there always a little boy sitting by Taemin?