on the first day of the new year, i caught a lot of people's attention due to my new, improved looks, but there was only one person i wanted attention from, and it was bang chan.

so i sighed up for the school's swim team. and due to me practising swimming at the beach with hyunjin during summer, i got in.

now i was one step closer to seeing chan grin at me, one step closer to seeing his teeth up close.

chan was the vice captain, and he actually acknowledged me when our gazes met.

"...min...minho?" he sounded like he couldn't believe it was me.

i quickly nodded. my heart skipped a beat when he grinned, and it totally didn't help that he was shirtless at that moment.

he ran a hand through his locks. "you look...different."

"a good different?" i smiled, loving that his dimpled smile was directed at me and at me alone.

chan nodded, displaying a thumbs up. "mhm."

i wanted to hold him, kiss him, have his teeth at right under my fingertips.

"wanna hang out after school?" i blurted, biting my lip.

i remembered hyunjin's words about my appearance, words that reassured me of how attractive i actually was.

i peered up under my eyelashes at chan again, glad that the area was fully empty.

"uhm," chan shrugged, looking unsure. "...o-okay?"

"okay," i replied, unable to hide my giggle.

you always told me to act with reason, never to overreact or be downright emotional, mother, but right now, i wanted to embrace all the emotions i was feeling.

- lee minho, 16