Taemin...Stay With Me

41. Unexpected Call

  For the past few days it's been raining heavily. I looked out the window and it was covered with water droplets that slid down every couple of seconds creating a puddle at the bottom. You know what's funny? I met Namjoon and Taemin in the rain and it was like the situation was the same..
***
"Hey."
I jumped at the voice and looked up seeing a gentle baby face. This guy is so young looking. So cute.
"H-hi..." I greeted timidly.
"Are you stuck out here?" He asked me.
"Yeah I'm waiting for the rain to stop so I can walk home."
He let out a small laugh.
"Well you'll be here for a while if you wait. It's supposed to rain 'til morning."
I sighed and mentally screamed at myself for not even checking the weather in the first place.
"I can take you home." He smiled at me.
His smile was perfect and radiating. Wow he was cute.
"Is that really okay?"
"Of course! C'mon." He held out his arm for me.
I looked at him confused. What did he want me to do?
"C'mon I don't bite." He smiled.
I walked towards him and his outstretched wrapped around my shoulder to keep me under the umbrella with him. I felt my face burning in embarrassment being this close to a cute boy.
"Where do you live?"
"A few blocks away."
And with that we started walking to my apartment.

Along our walk we made pleasant conversation with each other. It turns out we go to the same college. It's weird since I've never seen him around. But then again it is a big campus so of course I wouldn't see him. We talked about our favorite classes and what we like to do after school. I learned that he loves to dance in his free time with his friends. I smiled at that since it was one thing I had in common with him. Eventually the sad part came when we reached my apartment complex. I wanted to stay longer with him and talk to him. He seemed so nice.
"Thank you so much for this." I bowed politely.
"No problem. By the way what's your name?" He asked me.
I smiled at him and answered, "Ari."
"My name is Taemin."
Taemin...a name I can't forget.
"I hope to see you around at school someday." He smiled at me.
"Me too. Thanks again Taemin." I smiled and walked into my apartment.
***
It was the same for Namjoon. I was stuck in the rain and he shared his umbrella with me and walked me home. It's crazy huh? But what did all this mean? It has to mean something right? I sighed and laid down on the bed waiting for some kind of explaination to hit me. Suddenly my phone rang. I looked at the screen.
Why was he calling me?
I couldn't up the courage to press the green button to accept his call. What should I do? What was the reason? On the inside something told me to press the answer button. So I did...
"Taemin?"
I was shocked, scared, angry, upset, and so many more emotions that drove me insane. I was so confused.
"Ari. I need to know something." he said without greeting me at all.
"Why are you calling me?" I aksed with a bit of anger mixed with confusion in my tone.
"I have questions and concerns. I have things I've been needing to tell you..." he told me.
I didn't say anything for a while and just tried to breath normally hoping he didn't hear me gasping for air.
"What do you need to say?" I asked biting my lower lip.
"If you're struggling like I am, can we make things a little bit easier?"
What was he talking about. I mean I had an idea of what he meant but I wasn't so sure if I was right or not. He still struggling? He doesn't hate me yet? I don't want him to struggle because of me. I want him to be happy. I made the mistake of not stopping Minho when I should have. Now he thinks I'm a cheater. But he still thinks of me according to Key Oppa.
"Taemin ah... Can I just tell you that what you saw wasn't what happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"When you walked in on me and Minho I was trying to get him off me because I knew it would hurt you if you saw us like that."
He was silent for a moment.
"Because of what I've been through..it's hard for me to believe that Ari. The last person who cheated on me told me the same thing but then confessed that she lied about what she said. I have a hard time trusting you." he explained.
I felt myself start to cry. I didn't know any other way to explain what happened. And he just basically said that no matter what I saw about it he can't trust me.
"So what did you mean 'Can we make things easier?'?" I asked referring to what he said earlier.
"What I mean is that I should forget about you. But it's not easy since..."
He stopped talking. I sat at the edge of the bed waiting for him to say something.
"Since what?" I encouraged him to speak.
"It's not easy to forget you since I still love you." he confessed.
No. He can't love me anymore. It obvious that loving me only causes him more pain and struggling. I need him to hate me. I need him to forget all about me. The same goes for me. It's the only way to let go. But first...
"I love you too Taemin."
I had to tell him for the last time.
"Ari, where did the promises we made together go?"
"I don't know..."
"I want to forget you so bad." he said sounding like his voice is cracking.
"Taemin. Hate me."
"...What?"
"I'm with someone. I like him a lot."
"Ari..."
"I like being with him and I really hope he asks me out soon."
I needed to make him hate me. I need to say all I can to make him hate me. But little did Taemin know, I was crying on the other end while saying all this.
"Ari...you really are the worst." He said.

"I'm sorry. But hate me. Hate me so you can move on and smile. Forget me so you can forget the pain."
I heard him let out a sigh and he sniffed a few times. He sounded like he was really suffering.
"Taemin. I'll remember you."
"This might be the last time we say goodbye." he said to me.
"But before we say goodnight, I don't wanna be with you. But I love you. It's funny huh?" he slightly chuckled.
"Please be happy Taemin ssi." I changed the suffix of his name.
"I hate you..."
"Goodnight Taemin ssi..."
I hung up before he could hear me cry...
***
Taemin POV:
She did that on purpose. She wants me to hate her. But's its so hard. I lied. I don't hate her. For now I'll just have to stay with Naeun hoping that I'll get over her soon. The only reason I'm going out with Naeun is because I want to get over Ari. I sighed and threw my phone on the bed. How long will this take?