Do You Love Me Like The Way I Love You? || SF9

Episode 22: Neverland

Chani's POV
Chani is at the playground next to Jung Middle School, waiting for his best friend Kwon Taemin to show up. He turned his phone back on, checking the time. Rubbing his hands together and breathing on them, he shivered in the dark.

"What's taking him so long?" I whispered to myself as I sat there on a swing. I looked all around me, hoping for at least one single hint that my friend was near, for it was already dark out. Sighing, I checked my phone again. "Taemin, hurry up!" I exclaimed, realizing that my phone now placed the time at exactly 9 PM.

Kakao Talk Message Alert

I glimpsed down at my coat pocket and took out my phone. "Must be Taemin..." As my voice trailed off, I read the text.

Yo! 😎 Chanhee, ya there at the playground, bro?

Yeah

On my way... 🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️

Suddenly, as I stared back up from my phone, Youngja-ssi appeared before me. "Come here often?" she asked me followed by a giggle. She sat there on the swing next to me.

"Youngja-ssi!" I exclaimed, my face brimming a blush pink. I obviously had no idea that she would be at my and Taemin's usual hangout place. And upon seeing her, my mind flashed back to when I was sick with a cold.

Flashback

Roughly, I pushed my lips up against Youngja-ssi's. I don't know exactly why I did it, but I did and she just so happened to kiss me back. Temptation arose within me; I wanted to act upon my (what I believe is called) "manly instinct." The two of us nearly did it, but then Inseong hyung walked in on us.

Flashback end

"Are you thinking about that time?" Youngja-ssi stated followed with a rather nervous type of laugh. "Yeah, that time was pretty awkward, wasn't it?" Awkwardly, I nodded. Suddenly, I heard panting beside me on my left.

"Yah! Kang Chanhee!" It was Taemin. "I thought you said it would just be the two of us?!" He glared over at Youngja-ssi, his hands on his hips. "Remember, Saturdays are just for us..."

"Taemin, I don't understand what's so wrong with having Youngja-ssi here..." My voice trailed off as I stood up to face Taemin. "Stop giving her that dirty look!" I knew that he didn't necessarily like the fact that Youngja-ssi somehow dropped in on our little meeting, but he could at least be a little considerate of her.

"You're just saying that because you like her!" Taemin shouted. "I'm sick of this!"

"Sick of what?! That I like Youngja-ssi?"

"Yes!" Taemin's eyes were starting to tear up.

"Why? What's so wrong with liking her?!"

"Everything! Everything is wrong with you liking her!"

"What do you mean?" I returned back to my more calmer voice as I looked at my best friend with a curious yet confused expression. "Don't tell me..." I released a little chuckle. "Taemin, do you have a thing for me?" I laughed some more. "That's not true, right?" Looking over at him, I waited for the laughter. But, he just looked at me with tears eyes. I knew then that Taemin did indeed like me. "What?! You can't possibly like me, Taemin!"

"And so? What if I do?" Taemin lifted his head and looked at me, his eyes still filled with tears. "Chanhee, is it wrong? Is it wrong for me to love you?" He grabbed me by the shirt collar. "Tell me, is it?" This time, streams of tears were beginning to trail down his face. I didn't know what to say. So instead, I just roughly removed his hands from my collar and looked away.

In that moment, Taemin's body began to drop. "Taemin?" I stated as I grabbed him by the arm. "Taemin!" Putting my arms around him to catch him from falling, I watched as he looked up at me and smiled.

"Thank you..." His voice was faint.

"Taemin, pabo, what are you thanking me for?" I said, tears beginning to fall from my eyes.

"Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you that because of you, I discovered my true self. Thank you that I was able to love someone like you," With each breath between words, Taemin was starting to drift off. His voice was getting fainter and fainter, and then, he smiled. He breathed once more, then there was nothing.

"Taemin?!" I screamed. "Youngja-ssi, please call an ambulance!"

"Already on it!" Youngja-ssi yelled back in response. She talked to the person on the other end of the line, "Yes, he appears to be unconscious. Where? We're at the playground in front of Jung Middle School. Please come quick!"

This is all my fault!

I'm the one who wanted to meet up with Taemin and yet I focused all of my attention to Youngja-ssi.

I'm such a bad friend...

Taemin, please tell me this is all a joke.

Please, I don't want my best friend to die!