Chapter 1 - The Beginning 

Minho couldn’t believe his eyes. He was looking at the boy he thought was only his figment of imagination. The boy he so wished would be real and not his non-existent love-crush. The boy stared at him with smile after he introduced himself to Minho. But his mind was on overdrive and he couldn’t produce any words from his throat for what felt like hours. He was frozen to the ground but eventually after an endlessly long awhile uttered the words the boy has been waiting for.

“Ch-Choi Minho. Nice to meet you.” He stuttered, but quickly composed himself. He didn’t want to make bad impression on the boy but he was convinced he already pretty much did so.

≈

When Minho was six years old, he dreamed of the boy for the first time but he only saw him as some kid. He started to make him his friend though when he once saw him fall and scrape his knees.

The boy was obviously in pain but tried not to show it. Minho was curious as to why the little boy would try to hide his emotions. He didn’t really know much at the age but he was certain of one thing. He wanted to protect the boy, who seemed to be a little younger than him.

Minho got up from his spot under the old tree he admired for his long life and made his way over to the boy. He still sat on the ground he had fallen, his head hung down.

“Hello, are you alright?” asked Minho the little boy. The boy raised his head although slowly as if he was afraid he would be punished for his clumsiness. He looked at Minho with big, teary eyes and small smile on his lips as the little boy recognized the one he had been looking at from afar.

“H-hi, y-yes, I a-am.” He answered shyly and not honestly. Minho could tell this boy was lying and pretending to be okay when honestly he was not.

“I don’t believe you. Come to my house, my mom will treat you.” The boy looked at him and slightly panicked before he tried to get up. That wasn’t the best move because the moment he tried to stand on his legs he collapsed again from the pain in his bleeding knees.

“I-I’m a-alright. I don’t need it.” He tried to make Minho let him be but he wouldn’t have any of this and picked the boy up. The boy struggled but gave up when Minho didn’t budge.

The boys arrived at Minho’s house shortly and after his mom saw what was up, she immediately told Minho to sit the boy on the sofa in the living room and she went to get the first aid-kit.

...

After the treatment, they were left alone in the room. Minho’s mother left to get ingredients for the dinner and the rest were still at work – his dad and hyung.

“By the way, what is your name? I forgot to ask.” Minho looked at the boy, whose name he still didn’t know, and awaited his reply.

“My n-name is Taemin. W-what’s yours?” he replied albeit shyly, his cheeks glowing bright red. He looked to the ground feeling embarrassed.

“I’m Minho.” He answered Taemin with a smile. He was glad to know the name of the boy he dreamed for close to a month already. Minho looked at the boy, still with reddish cheeks, and thought about how it was such an adorable sight, making him smile involuntarily.

“How old are you?”

“F-four.” Taemin was caught off-guard with this question but replied nonetheless.

“In that case, I’m your hyung. Call me that from now on, ok?” Taemin, looking at Minho with disbelief and only nodded mutely. Minho, not knowing why he would be in such disbelief over such a thing, smiled in response.

......

At the age of twelve was when Minho found himself awaiting the nights and with them his dreams of the boy called Taemin. He was so real to him but unreal at the same time. He despised mornings because they tore him from the dreams and so also from Taemin, with whom he became the best of friends. On the other hand he loved nights while they lasted.

It was in one of the dreams of Taemin, which were honestly each and every night that he found out something about him. He finally understood why he didn’t break into sobs the time they first officially met in his dreams. He was so enraged he thought he would explode but Taemin calmed him down a little. He tried to be calm around Taemin but when he wasn’t dreaming of him he was sad and angry, not only at Taemin’s parents but with himself, too. He couldn’t do anything to help him and even if he could, what could he do in a dream? Taemin wasn’t even real so why was he so angry and sad, anyway?

‘It was one beautiful day, dream, when he and Taemin were going around the town. They always did so when the dream was about Taemin in a shop or somewhere like that.

Today, Minho wanted to ask Taemin where he lived because he wanted to meet his parents and look into his room. Maybe he could even sleep over before he was disturbed from his sweet, sweet dream of his best friend.

“Tae, what about going to your house? I really want to see your room and meet your parents.” Minho asked, hopeful tone in his voice. Taemin was at his house pretty much all the time he dreamed but he didn’t mind in the slightest, no, on the other hand he was glad they could make so much memories in his room. Because when he was awake he didn’t miss him as much as he would. Just imagining what they did in the dream was enough for him to grow smile on his lips.

“U-um, do you have to?” Taemin was obviously anxious about it but Minho didn’t really give it much thoughts. He assumed that Taemin was shy about his room or parents so he nodded determined.

“…O-ok.” Taemin answered after slight pondering, thinking about if his parents had work today. After he remembered them to have today more hours than normally, he complied.

...

Taemin’s house wasn’t so far away from where they were so the walk was pretty short. The house was b