Taemin...Stay With Me

14. Because You're You

Side by side with him, Taemin and I walked together to the parking lot. He said he was taking me somewhere special and then we would go on a part 2 of the date later. I was so happy that all of this was happening. How did all of this good luck come my way? I honestly thought when I first met Taemin I would never see him around school; that our meet in the rain would be the first and the last. I thought I liked him for no reason. And now we're going on a date. This escalated so quickly that I can't even pinpoint the exact moment it all started going well. I was snapped out of my thoughts when Taemin stopped at his red car. He opened the door for me and I went inside. I watched as he walked around the car to the drivers side. When he opened his door, he leaned down and just smiled at me for a moment.
"Mwo?" I asked blushing a bit.
He didn't answer me but just continued to smile and got in the car. I took a deep breath and smiled to myself shyly. Was this really happening? Was I going to possibly...date Taemin? Would this lead to something more than what we had? As I thought this Taemin started driving and he held out his hand to me.
"What? What are you doing?" I chuckled.
"Your hand." He said.
"Yes. I have one as well Taemin."
He chuckled at me and took my hand in his own. I wanted him to do that.
"That's better." He said softly.
"Oppa?"
"Mm?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go on." He said giving a smile and my hand a squeeze.
"How come you did all this? Playing as a masked pianist for weeks without telling me?"
I was really wondering why he came up with this. What was the purpose?
"I wanted to do something with you. Just for you and me." Was his answer.
"How come?"
"Joaheyo." He said looking me in the eyes.
I started back at him when suddenly I remembered we were driving so I pushed his face toward the road.
"Yah! Don't look at me when your driving you Baka!" I said calling him an idiot in Japanese.
"You know you're in Korea now right?" He laughed.
"Yah! So? Ya know Minho said the same thing to me once. You know I'm from Japan." I complained.
"Kawaii." He smiled.
I'm done. My life. I cannot breath. Taemin called ME cute! *crosses arms and falls out of plane not thinking about life anymore* if I die now I would be so happy!!

Taemin took me to a beautiful empty park a few minutes away from the school. There were big trees, green grass, and park benches everywhere. It was so pretty that I was speechless.
"Wah...Oppa...this is..."
"Do you like it Ari?" He asked me.
"Like it? It's too amazing to just 'like' it! I love this so much! I've never even seen this park." I said looking around like a child at the candy store.
"I'm glad you like it. Now to pick a bench and I'll be right there. Arasso?"
"Mwo? Eodie ga?"
"To the car to get the food."
"You brought food for me?" I asked smiling.
"Go sit." He smiled and waved his hand.
"Aishh...arasso Oppa." I smiled as cute as I could and headed off to select a picnic table.
I couldn't be more happy with this place. It was so big and the Spring air was so clean. I found a clean table just like he asked. It was made of carefully sanded wood, not a piece out of place. There was absolutely no chance of getting a splinter. That's how perfect it was. I sat down and waited patiently for Taemin to come back. Suddenly my phone beeped and I looked down at the message. It was Jonghyun.
"Ari! How's your date with Taeminnie? He's being an innocent child right? Let me know if he does anything wrong!"
I laughed at his text and responded.
"Taeminnie? And it's going great! We're gonna eat together soon. And don't worry I'll call you immediately if he does something wrong. Ok Oppa?"
"Have fun children!" He texted back.
I smiled and tucked my phone back into my back pocket.
After a minute or two I felt a pair of manly hands over my eyes. They felt very familiar on my face. I smiled and took his hands away from my eyes. I turned and saw Taemin with a bright smile.
"Annyeong!" He waved with both hands.
I laughed and rolled my eyes at him.
He placed a basket filled with items onto the table. I really wanna inspect that basket. Like I'm starving and I feel like devouring everything. But this is a date so I can't act like an animal. Sucks. I hate life. If I can't eat how I like what is the point? Nothing that's what. As I was thinking stupid thoughts Taemin started unpacking everything. He prepared lunch boxes for me filled with amazing food.
"Wow! This looks so great! Gomawo!!" I thanked gratefully.
"He opened all the boxes and in one I saw a heart made from rice and my name spelled with small cut up pieces of vegetables in the middle. His Japanese writing was so well.
"Taemin Oppa...you worked so hard huh?"
"Yeah. But to be honest I had Key help me."
"Help you or do it for you?" I asked.
He stayed silent and his face showed a bit of embarrassment.
"So it was Key?"
"...mmm...Yeah." He confessed.
I laughed full heartedly. It was funny but it was really sweet.
"But I did write your name by myself!" He defended himself.
"Well the fact that it was your idea to make this for me, thank you very much."
At that moment I wanted to kiss his cheek to thank him. But I was to scared to. Ugh! Why can't I do it! Just do it Ari! Do it!
"Let's eat okay?"
"Ah, yeah okay!" I agreed.
Dammit I hate myself.

As we ate I was really impressed with the food. As always Key Oppa cooks very well. I wanted to eat it all in one bite! But I had to contain the animal inside me since I was on a date. As I was eating I was wondering about something.
"Taemin Oppa?"
"Hm?" He mumbled eating his beloved meat.
"Can I ask you...how come you like me?"
I couldn't hold that question back anymore. In the car he said he liked me. But since when? Why? I'm not the prettiest. I'm not the smartest. I'm not that interesting. What is it about lil ol' me that he likes?
"Ari..." He began.
"Why would you ask suck a dumb question?"
I was shocked at his response.
"H-huh?"
"Did you think there would be a special reason? A reason like 'because you're beautiful' or 'because you're a great friend'? Those things are true but they're not the reason I like you." He said seriously while looking me in the eyes.
"T-then...why?" I asked nervously.
"Because you're Ari. A normal girl from Japan. You are you. That's why." He smiled and kissed my forehead. That's an answer I've never heard before. "Because you're you." Guys don't usually say that nowadays. The main reason Taemin is attracted to me isn't because of my physical appearance which I feared, but because I'm me.
"How long have you liked me?" I suddenly asked not meaning to.
"I actually started to like you while I was dating Yewon."
"MWO!?"
NO. WAY. You heard that Yewon!!??? I have won this battle!!
"When you started coming over the dorm more and more I couldn't help myself. You were so pure and cute." He said smiling.
"And when you told me you'd always be there for me no matter what...I think at that moment...that was when I started to like you. To know that you would always be there for me was a good feeling since at that time I knew I was being cheated on." He confessed.
"Oppa."
I hugged Taemin tightly.
"I meant every word of what I said. I'll always be by your side. But you have to promise me one thing."
I said into his chest.
"What's that?"
I pulled together my courage and looked up at him.
"Taemin... Stay with me."
Taemin smiled and nodded.
"I'll stay with you until the end of time."