"T-taemin?! ...wait...but you're..." As neared, your heartbeat started racing and you had to remind yourself to breathe. 

"WHAT DID YOU GUYS DO TO HER?!" Taemin was looking past you at the two guys that were still seated for some reason. His fists were clenched and his eyes were ablaze with anger. 

"Yah! Taemin!" You grabbed his arm and tugged him away from them. "They're...not the ones to blame..." 

The two guys held onto their seats, intimidated by Taemin's fierce demeanor, but relaxed slightly when you defended them, trying to play it cool. Taemin was tense under your grip, and he still hadn't looked you in the eye. Was this really...real? The arm you were grasping right now; it was him, right?

"Then who am I supposed to punch?" You couldn't help but smile. Taemin? Punching someone? You pulled Taemin closer and threw your arms around his neck, relieved when you felt him hug you back. A happy tear slipped down your cheek and your smile seemed as if it would never disappear. The two guys snuck away, slightly grossed out by the embrace, but you didn't really care. "Y-yah! _____! I can't breathe!"

You loosened your grip, but neither of you let go. He his thumb under your eye, wiping away your tear, and stuck his tongue out at you, making you poke his stomach as a reflex. "Yah..."

"'YAH'?! That's all you can say?! TAEMIN!" You playfully shoved him and he wiggled his forefinger at you, as if to silently yell 'Oh no you didn't'. Laughing, you chased him down the street, away from the crowd (which was still distracted by Onew's sangtae) and the two of you found yourselves in an empty park minutes later. 

"Aigoo~" Taemin fell to the grass, overexaggerating his tiredness. You bent down next to him, wondering how he came back so suddenly. You wanted to ask him what happened, but didn't want to ruin the moment. You watched Taemin's eyes wander to the set of swings, slide, and sandbox, but yet he hadn't looked at you. It was...weird.

You sat down, bringing your knees to your chest, and began picking at the grass. The sun was warm, but not too hot, and a slight breeze ruffled your hair. The silence was somehow comforting, relaxing you to the point where your eyelids started feeling heavy. You smiled at the thought of a nap, but became startled at the sound of your stomach grumbling.

"...BAHAHAHAHA!" Taemin rolled over, laughing and clutching his stomach. "_____! Let's go eat!"

He got up and brushed off his pants, holding his hand out to help you up. The two of you began walking, your hands still intertwined. 

"Shut up!" Taemin had been poking fun at your stomach the whole walk over, even resorting to making strange grunting noises that were supposed to sound like it. The sun was setting, and the two of you had found a small hole-in-the-wall cafe that served awkwardly romantic candlelit dinners. "This place is so...cheesy..."

"But I'm hungry, too!" Taemin pulled you in after him, earning knowing glances from the waitress that had seated you. She placed a menu in front of you, pointing out a 'couple' menu, and winked before leaving you. You rolled your eyes, but Taemin was already engrossed in the various food items. You heard him grumble something about the price of steak and decided you would take a look, too. 

"Uhh. These are kind of...pricey..." You scrunched your nose at the number of zeros after each dish and closed the menu. "Let's get McDonalds or something?"

"Nope!" Taemin beckoned the waitress over and pointed at something on the menu, denying you the chance to see what it was. "I already ordered! Mehrong~"

"If you say so!" You fiddled with your thumbs, looking all around the place before looking back at Taemin. "So...how did you...no, wait...what happ-"

"_____..." Taemin stared at you straight in the eye, his gaze intense, yet still clouded with a hint of hesitation. "I have something to tell you...well, I think I've been meaning to tell you for a while, but...uhh...how do I say this? I think..."

"Here is your food~ Enjoy!" The waitress set two plates on your table, as well as two sets of utensils, and a small jug of water. You thanked her, and thanked the dimmed lights for hiding your face. Was Taemin...confessing?

"Aww, she ruined it! Now I have to start over..." Taemin pouted, pouring drinks for the two of you and studied his glass for a few seconds before looking back into your eyes. "_____, I think I like you."