The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart. - Helen Keller.

Those inspiring words resounded within Taemin as he traced the scribbling on the wall gently at the roof top. He willed the strength of the words to sip into his DNA, attempting his hardest to believe those words as his self confidence was shaky at best. Since he was a child, he has always been the average 4 eyes nerd accompanied with braces and had a wardrobe that transcended over time, he mused humorously.  Physical looks aside, he was resigned to the infallible truth that he was socially awkward, unable to express himself until it’s too late and his tendency to commit a social faux pas was abnormally high. Was it any wonder his favorite story of all time was “The Ugly Duckling”?

The rooftop has always been his hideout whenever he felt he needed all the air he can get, needing to escape from the claustrophobic feeling that threatened to encompass him from time to time, surrounded by all those people. Sometimes, it didn’t matter even if they were nice; he just had to get away. All in all, he preferred to be invisible and anonymous.

On a sudden whim, Taemin took out his marker, and scribbled down another quote,

“When love and skill work together, expect a masterpiece.” - John Ruskin

Satisfied, a child like giggle escaped Taemin’s lips, feeling as if he committed something mischievous. He hurriedly took his bag pack and rushed to his class.

“Haisssh!” Key hyung whined, scratching his carefully made up head in frustration at the math’s equations. Taemin refrained himself from saying it was the most basic of his syllables in fear of being beaten to death by this particularly violent virago. Key Hyung was his neighbor and a final year student, making him 2 years older than Taemin. Key hyung was so interested in fashion that he forgot the little fact that he needed to pass Mathematics, even if it didn’t have anything to do with fashion, in order to be eligible to pursue his dreams. His worried parents pleaded to Taemin’s parents to allow him to tutor their son Key as Taemin’s IQ was above the average.

“Yah! How do I solve this?” Key asked finally, his pretty face crunched up in frustration.

“Hyung, you have to…” He trailed out as he spotted Minho approaching them. He waved a friendly hi with confidence exuding flawlessly from him. Taemin felt himself stiffen up, like he always did whenever Minho was in his peripheral view. A very normal typical reaction, to a very beautiful specimen, Taemin repeated to himself, deliberately relaxing his muscles.

Minho was one of Key’s best friends, the high school star with great, the g being a capital “G”, looks, great personality, great athletic skills and to top it off, had an intelligent mind. God must have been in a real good mood the day god decided to create Minho hyung. Taemin’s overactive imagination always conjured Minho as a demigod, lost in the world of ordinary mortals, with Taemin probably being the lowest in the social hierarchy. He smiled at his own fanciful thoughts.

“What’s this?” Minho asked, scanning the equations.

“What does it look like to you?” Key countered, crossing both his arms. Mathematics always drove him crazy.

“Woah, you are definitely a smart , Taeminnie unlike this hyung here.” Minho pointed at Key, teasing the shy youngster, wanting to see him smile. Minho always wondered why the boy always looked solemn and silent in front of him when he saw him laughing with his other friends, especially Onew. And speaking of the devil, Onew walked over with his usual laid back steps, not caring about his surroundings, his mind beyond the norm.

“Why are you guys gathered here at the library for?” Onew whispered. Taemin felt a big genuine smile appear on his face looking at his favorite hyung. In many ways, Onew and he were kindred spirits as they both had trouble fitting in. Onew made Taemin feel less lonely in this world.

“I am supposed to be teaching Key hyung.” Taemin whispered back looking away from Minho, breaking into a smile flashed with braces. “Yah!” Key smacked Taemin’s head, hard.

“Ouch!” Taemin cried out, rubbing his head.

“Why don’t you advertise it to the world?” Key muttered. Beside him, Minho felt an irrational overwhelming urge to tie Taemin, and to make him look at him. Only him. He shook his head to clear the dark destructive thoughts.

“You look like you have just seen a ghost.” Key observed Minho, whose face became suddenly pale.

“Oh..where?” Onew searched for the ghost. His life has been pretty uneventful for some time now. Meeting a ghost should solve his boredom.

“Nah…” Minho just mumbled off.

“To get the full value of joy, you must have someone to divide it with”. - Mark Twain.

Taemin read the anonymous reply, enjoying the mystery of their game. He didn’t feel foolish, which surprised him. It has been over a week since Taemin and the mysterious stranger started exchanging quotes. It could be anyone from their 600 something students. He loved this strange exhilarating feeling, together with a sense of buoyant freedom after a long time.  He quickly wrote,

“Never think that God’s delays are God’s denials. Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius.” - Georges-Louis Leclere De Buffon

“Did our young Taeminnie finally get himself a girlfriend?” Jonghyun asked suddenly during their lunch hour.

Taemin choked on his half swallowed food, blushing furiously. Onew thumped Taemin’s back while Key glowered at that impetuous Dino. Sometimes, this guy could really be an inconsiderate jerk.

“Why did you have to go and ask him that for?” Key scolded as he was aware of Taemin’s social phobia and knew it was hard for him to even get a decent date. Jonghyun’s question was equivalent to adding salt to the wound.

“Yah! Stop looking at me like I kicked a puppy or something. What is wrong with Taemin having a girlfriend? I just noticed he looked more cheerful this few days since ..hmmm….like never..” he finished lamely.

“Who’s got a girlfriend?” Minho asked, hearing parts of their conversation, as he slid to the empty chair, opposite Taemin.

“Our little Taemin.” Jonghyun beamed proudly.

Minho dropped his chopsticks with a clatter, losing control. Taemin had a girlfriend? He never anticipated this.

“I d-don’t ha-have one hyung…you are mistaken..” Taemin stuttered, feeling all eyes on him. His throat seemed to shrink, closing up his words. He cleared his throat loudly, pushed his glasses in. He lifted his eyes slowly to find Minho hyung’s gaze focused solely on him.

“You don’t?” He asked with urgency, much to his friends’ bewildered surprise.

Taemin shook his head, finding it slightly odd that Minho cared for his answer.

“Minho-ah, you have so many girls after you, one lesser girl would not make a difference. Give Taemin his chance.” Jonghyun spoke easily, munching on his food.

Avoiding Minho, as he felt nervous for no reason, Taemin quickly finished his food, and withdrew himself. He went to the usual roof top.

“Haisshhh…” He sighed aloud, stretching himself. He looked at the blue sky, his mind blank except for the image of an intense pair of eyes that captivated him. He is not for you, he reminded himself. Just out of habit, Taemin wondered to their quote wall, as he has come to think the wall as such, knowing there will not be a reply as he wrote it right before classes started in the morning but was astonished to read one nevertheless. Either this person entered their class late or would have just been here. He immediately searched the rooftop but nobody else was there.

“Life is either daring adventure or nothing.” - Helen Keller

P/s: I want to meet you.

Stunned, Taemin reread it back, his hand reaching for his collar in an effort to calm him self down. His heart thudded, facing utter confusion. How could he have feelings for this stranger when he had them for Minho as well? Hating himself for his own inability to even love, he scribbled.

Dance as though no one is watching you,
Love as though you have never been hurt before,
Sing as though no one can hear you,
Live as though heaven is on earth. - Souza.

P/S: I am sorry I can’t. Let’s end it here. Have a good life. ^_^

Minho raised an eye brow, the only sign of annoyance when he read Taemin’s reply. He refused to be discouraged.  He has always watched Taemin from the moment Key introduced him to the group. His sweet shy unpretentious self taking a strong grip on Minho’s heart. He didn’t approach Taemin directly as he would have liked to because the mere presence of him seemed to always intimidate him. Thus, he came up with the idea of opening Taemin up slowly, to draw him out of his shell. Admittedly, he might have been a little hasty to demand a meeting so soon, but listening to the earlier conversation about Taemin having a girl friend inwardly alarmed him. No way in hell was he going to let anybody to just take Taemin away from him, no sir, not without a fight.

The next morning, Taemin hurriedly ran up the stairs, torn between reading and not reading. He lost a good night of sleep for someone he never met.

“Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.” Leonardo Da Vinci

P/S: I am not giving up.

He immediately wrote as well, his hands shaking.

I am sorry, I think I love another.

For the first time, Minho understood the real meaning of heartbreak as he read through Taemin’s familiar handwriting. He smiled to himself, tears falling. There was no reason to fight when Taemin him self gave his heart to another.

The things that hurt us teach us.

Can I know who?

Taemin debated the pro’s and con’s of writing Minho’s name out. In his favor, he was anonymous(there were so many students, so he was not in danger of being found out), not in his favor, opening himself to a stranger. After a long while, he decided to write quickly before he changed his mind.

CHOI MINHO

The world stopped spinning on it’s axis when Minho read his own name. To think he was burning of jealousy of his own self. He let out deep breaths of relief, his happiness escalating. He thanked every universal power that made this possible and just sat down. His legs were shaking too much for him to stand.

Taemin stumbled upon Minho at the rooftop. He was sitting down with his back against his quotes wall, legs stretched. Taemin started to feel the panic rising. Please don’t let him read the wall. Not him.

Minho almost laughed out looking at Taemin, as shock made him stare at Minho with his eyes wide, mouth hanging open. This was the first time Minho saw Taemin’s unguarded expression.

“Hyung…what are you doing here?” He asked cautiously, preparing to leave the place as fast as he could.

“I came to get some air, but I found something interesting.”

“I-Interesting?” He hated stuttering.

“Someone loves me. They wrote it here.” Minho said pointing to the wall, as he suddenly stood up. Taemin instinctively took a step back, his heart beating a thousand beat.

Taemin started taking shallow deep breaths. There was nobody else here but them. He was not sure whether it made the situation better or worse.

“I should get going.” Taemin tried his great escape, but Minho blocked him.

“I love thee, I love but thee
With a love that shall not die
Till the sun grows cold
And the stars grow old.”

Minho recited, holding Taemin’s shoulders in a strong grip.

“Writen by William Shakespeare. It was me, I was your correspondent.” Minho’s husky voice and sure grip subsiding Taemin’s fear a degree or two. Taemin only managed to blink , his eyes enhanced by his spectacles. He may have looked calm but underneath, he was writhing of strong emotions that threatened to veer towards the extreme.

“Why?” He asked, unable to believe, but wanting this to be desperately true.

“Because you make me want to give my self to you. Because I am quite literally crazy about everything you do. How else could I have found your rooftop or your love for poems?”

“I love you Taemin, hell, how could I not?  Can I kiss you now?”

Taemin almost fainted. Did he have to ask?  He blinked once, too shy to say yes. Minho smiled, correctly interpreting and kissed him slowly, waiting for Taemin to get used to it.

 Their gentle kiss preceded to a more passionate one as Taemin hugged Minho tighter, letting his true emotions out, mastering his courage to allow him self to open up to someone for the very first time.

8 years later….

“I’ll never forgive you for corrupting my dongsaeng. He was such an innocent boy. ” Key reminded Minho, as the others laughed, Taemin still blushing as an adult. It was an ongoing thing between Key and Minho, as Minho took Taemin right under Key’s eagle eyes.

“My greatest achievement.” Minho smiled tenderly, looking over Taemin, sitting across him.

“Yah! Stop that look right there. Do it when you both are alone would you? Key keeps haranguing me about why don’t I look at him the same way? As if anyone could to someone who keeps beating you up” Jonghyun muttered in playful frustration.

“Taemin-ah, you have grown to be such a good person. We may not say this often, but we are proud of you.” Onew commented staring at his once lost looking dongsaeng. He didn’t mention he grew beautiful as well. He was sure that will make Taemin uncomfortable. In certain ways, he was still the same.

Taemin looked at his group of close friends, feeling warmth wash over him, and knew HE made it possible for the person he is now, trying to stare at Minho inconspicuously.  His faith and his patience never faltered in believing the lost insecure boy had something more to give. Hanging in there when Taemin was too scared of the intensity and passion of their relationship. Holding his hand and guiding him through the last 8 years. The love of his life, Choi Minho.