Under the blooming cherry blossom, he saw him sitting calmly. Sunlight hitting his whole face, creating thousands of sparkles in his eyes He was smiling a little- so little that it almost can’t be called a smile, but that smile was brighter than the sunlight. He was not crying, but he can see the dark expression hidden in his eyes –so dark – darker than the moonless sky.
 

Under that blooming cherry blossom.......

 

May 25, 2008 –Spring

It was unusual for him to walk to school, but it was such a waste to miss the beautiful morning and the blissful breeze. He took his usual shortcut – his steps were faster than usual. He doesn't want to be late. He doesn't have a plan to be scolded by Mr. Bad Morning. So unfortunate of him to have a short tempered teacher on his first subject.

He reached the small hill behind their school. It was an attraction in their town because of the one and only cherry blossom tree that was planted on the top of the hill. It was already blooming – the tree that symbolized the beauty of spring. But it was not the cherry blossom that caught his attention – it never really caught his attention.
Instead, it was a boy who was standing under that tree. It was the first time he saw him. Maybe someone who was new in their town. He stared at him. Yeah, new face in their town. He was about to take his eyes away from the boy when he suddenly looked at him. And their eyes met.

" Minho! You're so lucky! Mr. Bad morning is late.” His not-really-a-friend Jonghyun jumped into him when he entered the classroom.
“I can tell.” He answered. He already knew that their lovable teacher was late because all the students were having a disco party and it can be heard outside their classroom and maybe from other class – or maybe not.
“This is your third time being late. What happened?” He followed him to his seat.
Third time, huh? Even he was not aware of that, he wondered how Jonghyun did.
He was supposed to be in the school five minutes earlier. Since that's how he calculated it, but because for some reason he can't manage to take off his eyes from that boy’s eyes and they stared at each other for – he doesn't know how long – he was sure that that was the reason why he was late. It was that boy’s fault.

“So?” Jonghyun asked when he didn’t answer.
“I just ran some errands.” He finally answered. He took off his cap and sat lazily in his seat.

“Oh yeah Minho, we have a new student coming today.”
“What? Did you turn to be our council president now for you to know that?”
“Nope. Onew told me. You know that we are friends. He tells me everything.”
“Friends? Right.” He smirked. He wanted Jonghyun to leave him alone, but it was a rude way to say that bluntly. He took his earphone from his bag, hoping that he can get the signal that he wanted him gone.
“But he didn't tell if it’s a girl or a boy, but I hope it's a girl.” He continued to talk to him.

Oh, how he wished he can just talk to someone else. Someone who was interested in talking to him.
“You always wish everything to be a girl.”
“Well, I’m a guy. Is there something I should wish for?
“Maybe a high grade for you to graduate?” He thought, but that was a rude word and he doesn’t want to be rude. “Whatever you say.”
 

Yeah, they have a new student and it didn't even surprise him to see the boy he saw under that cherry blossom. But compared to his look under that tree, his face now was expressionless.

“Go ahead, introduce yourself.”
“I'm Lee Taemin, 16 years old. I'll be in your care.” He introduced himself in the dullest voice he had ever heard.
“Is that all you wanted to say Mr. Lee?”
“No one is listening, so I don't think if it’s necessary for me to stand up here any longer.”
He heard some of his classmates gasped. Who wouldn't? That boy – Taemin – was the first one to talk like that to Mr. Bad Morning.
He, with his classmates was already prepared to hear some lecture, deadly words of lectures, maybe, from their teacher but it didn't happen. Instead, he asked Taemin to take his seat so that they can start the class.

And he sat beside him.
 

First period ended, but the new boy – Taemin – didn’t speak a word. Well expect those times that he had to introduce himself to other teachers. Then the school hours ended. Taemin didn't speak to anyone.
 

Days passed, but the boy beside him remained silent. He kept staring outside the window, with or without the teacher. He wondered if he was even listening to their lectures, sure he was – in his most unique way – because he managed to answer the question from Mr. Bad Morning when they were having a verbal quiz. The thing he hated the most about Mr. Bad Morning was that kind of quiz, when you have to stand in the middle of your classroom and answer all his question. Why not just a written quiz so that they can have time to think of an answer.
 

They don't have a teacher for their second period. He was too lazy to go out and to play with his ever talkative-not-really-friend Jonghyun. He just can't handle his loudness. It hurt his ears and brain and every living cell in his body.
He plugged his earphone in his ears and enjoyed the music. It was already in the third track when he noticed that Taemin was moving closer to him. Closer. Closer. Until his shoulder hit his shoulder. He turned his head and his lips landed on Taemin's forehead.

He was expecting a shocked expression from the other, but it didn’t appear in his face. Instead, he moved away from him calmly.

“What are you doing?” He asked the boy when he sat properly in his seat.
“What are you doing?” The other answered or should he say – questioned.
So this is his kind of conversation. Threw another question as an answer. He thought.
“It was an accident. I didn't know that you’re that close.”
“I like –”
Oh hell no. He didn’t want to hear any confession. Especially from him. “I’m sorry to disappoint you but, I don't li—”
“—your music. I like the song that you’re listening.” He finished his sentence.
“--ke sharing my earphone.” Great. Now he even embarrassed himself from this new boy.
After that, he gave him an indifferent look before he looked outside. Again.
 

“Hey Minho. I heard that Taemin tried to get close to you?”
“For someone who’s so small like you, you sure have a big ears.” They were currently on their way home and he doesn't remember how he ended up being with Jonghyun. Their way home was different from the last time he checked.

“It was a big news in the school. That guy never talked to anyone. We understand that he’s new, but he should make an effort to fit in.”

“Why should he. As I can tell he wanted to be alone.” That was right. Because Taemin never showed any interest of being close to anyone.

“But he tried to get close to you.”

“He like m—”

“Oh my Goddess of height!? Really? Is he gay? Must be. Maybe that’s why he never tried to communicate to anyone. He just wants you”

“You know what I learned today? Don’t cut someone when they’re in the middle of talking. You will end up being embarrassed.”

“What?”

He sighed. “He liked the music that I was listening to.”

“Mu—” Jonghyun laughed loudly that the birds in the tree flew away. “And you believe that?”

“Should I not?”

“You should not. That’s only an excuse. Taemin might like you.”

“That fast? It was only a week since he transferred. And he’s a guy.”

“He’s a gay Minho. Trust me. Straight guys can tell if a man is a gay or not.”

“Wow. Did you gain some persona reading power in your gym?” He smirked.

Jonghyun shook his head and turned his eyes to him. “Taemin is gay. I’m sure.”

Gay or not, he was sure that Taemin only liked his music. He was not interested to him.

He didn’t move closer to him when he plugged his earphone and started to listen to music, but instead he kept on looking-staring at him.

He was not assuming, he felt his gaze hitting his face. And it made him uncomfortable. He took off his earphone. “Let me say this. Your stare is making me uncomfortable.” He said without looking at the boy. Taemin didn’t respond, he remained looking – staring. He decided to face him. “Look –”

His head was tilted towards his direction, but his gaze passed right through him. He was not looking or staring at him. He was looking at something else.

He waved his hands in front of Taemin’s face to get his attention. And he succeeded. He caught his eyes – that dull eyes.

“What?” He asked him.

“What are you looking at?”

“Why?”

Is it wise to continue talking to him? I don’t think he has a good communication skill.  He thought. Taemin was looking at him and waiting for his answer even though he was the first one who ask. “Nothing. Just stop looking at my direction. It’s making me uncomfortable.” He decided not to continue to talk to him.

“I’m reading.”

He heard him say when he was about to plug his earphone back. “What.”

Taemin didn’t answer. Again. He kept his eyes in his direction because he was reading. He followed his gaze and found out that he was looking at the comic book of one of their classmates.

“You can read that? Wow. You must have a good eyesight.” He stood up a little to peek at the comic, but he can’t read one single word. Should he go to eye doctor and get an eyeglasses? He was not aware that he had a bad eyesight.

“You’re blocking.” Taemin shoved him back to his chair.

He looked at the boy beside him with a disbelieved expression. Did he just shove him away? Yes, he did.

When he arrived in their classroom, Taemin was already sitting in his own chair. His gaze was outside.

Good, he’s here. He thought.

He knew that Taemin was the first one to arrive in their classroom and that’s why he planned to get there earlier than his usual time.

“Here.” He placed the paper bag on Taemin’s desk.

“What is this?” He asked him.

“Open it.”

And he did what he told him. He saw that his eyes sparkled after opening the bag. “My mom was about to throw that away, but I thought that it’s such a waste. Then for some reason I remembered you.” He hanged his bag behind his chair. He peeked at his watch. There’s still time – a lot of time – before their class start. He took out his earphone.

“Class will start in thirty minutes. Read while you're waiting” He said when he noticed that Taemin stayed looking at the comic books in the bag.

He looked at him with a bright smile in his eyes. “Thank you.”

He doesn’t know, but looking at his smile brought a smile to his lips as well. Was smile really contagious? “I just don’t want you to look at my direction, again, when Eunhyun bring his comic book again.”

“Manga.”

“What?”

“It’s called manga. Not comic book.” Taemin said while smile still plastered on his face.

He shook his head. “I don’t really care what it’s called.”

“Thank you again.”

He nodded his head. Are they becoming friends now? Looked they were. “Here.” He passed him one of his earphones. “It’s much enjoyable to read while listening to music.”

“I know.” Taemin took the earphone and plugged it in his ears. “It’s the same song.”

He knew that he was referring to the song that he – they – listened the other day. “It’s my favorite.”

“It is now my favorite too.” Taemin was started reading.

He was looking at how he read and it made him smile. He was like a kid who’s so immersed in their own comic – manga – world. “Cute.” He mumbled before he bent in his head on his desk. Maybe he can have a short nap before the school started. Beside he woke up earlier – so much earlier – than his usual wake up time. A short nap will sustain his lose sleep hours.

….under that cherry blossom tree….he stopped waiting.