“What?” Key burst out laughing and Jonghyun playfully glared at him.

“I’m serious,” he said to the other guys.

“Ah, I support you, hyung,” Taemin said, smiling.

“You’re just bored,” Onew remarked at Jonghyun. “But, fine, we got your back.”

He turned to Minho, who kept silent all the time Jonghyun was telling them about his plan to join the drama club and audition for the part of the Phantom.

Minho held Jonghyun’s gaze for a moment before blurting out, “Can I audition, too?”

The other boys groaned in unison.

“Aw, the love struck boy…” Jonghyun teased.

“Yah, Minho-ah, for what part? Do you think there’s a character in that musical who raps?” Key chuckled.

“Maybe you can audition for the mute boy, hyung,” Taemin offered.

Key whacked the younger boy’s head. “What are you talking about? There’s no mute boy in that play, idiot.”

Jonghyun grinned at Minho and slapped his back. “Maybe you can audition for the tree.”

The others guffawed as Minho glared at them.

“Oh, give him a break,” Onew said. “Don’t you think Minho can sing?”

“Duh, of course he can,” Key said, rolling his eyes. “He can perfectly sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and the Three Little Bears.”

“Yah!” Minho stood up and started towards Key but the smaller guy already scrambled to his feet and began running away.

Minho chased Key and Key didn’t run farther, knowing Minho would still catch him. Instead, Key hid behind Jonghyun’s back.

“Don’t listen to him, Minho-ah,” Jonghyun said, referring to Key, although he himself tried to stifle his snigger.

“Yah, you guys, you should all be there to support Minho and I on the auditions, okay?” Jonghyun told the others.

Key peeked at Jonghyun from behind so that he could stare at the older guy’s face. “You’re serious, then?”

Jonghyun smiled cockily. “The girls might just love my acting and singing, man.”

Onew grinned and shook his head. “Tch, I knew it.”

“As for Minho…” Jonghyun looked at Minho and laughed.

Minho’s ears went red with embarrassment.

“You don’t have to say it, hyung,” Taemin interjected. “We know why Minho hyung wants to audition so badly.”

Key sighed. “You’re so screwed, Minho-ah. You’d subject yourself to utter humiliation just to get close to her? You deserve an award,” he chuckled, then ducked when Minho playfully aimed a fist on him.

“All right, all right! I’ll be there and I’ll support you,” Key yelled, hiding on Jonghyun’s back once again.

…………………………

Sunyoung had been in cloud nine for days. Contrary to what she had expected, Jonghyun didn’t treat her the same way as he does before the next day.

She put her chin on her palms and smiled dreamily, recalling that time they went out of the grocery store after she bought eggs.

Jonghyun had insisted on walking her home, telling her that he wanted to talk more to her. And even though he mainly asked her about the play and the auditions, Sunyoung was never happier. She got to spend more time with him and she got to talk to him more.

He talked about how he had always loved music and singing ever since he was young, and finally, she talked about her dreams of becoming a singer one day.

She never told anyone that, afraid that they would just laugh at her and tell her to just give up her dream because she’s not good-looking and talented enough.

And even with Jonghyun, as soon as the words were out of , she wished she could take it back. She was so embarrassed when she blurted it out.

But she was amazed of what Jonghyun had said next.

“I wish you all the luck, then, Sunyoung-ssi. I’m sure you could reach what you dream of.  And please don’t forget me when you’re famous, huh?” he lightly pinched her arm and she had blushed.

She couldn’t believe he was telling her that.

“But then maybe I’d get to be famous someday, too,” he grinned rather cockily at her.

Sunyoung let out a smile. “But you’re already famous. At least in school,” she giggled. “Yah, don’t forget me too once you’re famous, okay?”

She dared to look up at him and she was overwhelmed when she discovered that he was looking at her with a smile on his face.

“I won’t forget you, Sunyoung-ssi. You can count on that,” he said, looking like he meant every bit of it.

And though Sunyoung knew he means differently about saying that he wouldn’t forget her, she wanted to think that he also means he would always think about her.

“Miss Park?”

She blinked as her teacher’s voice broke into her thoughts.

“N-neh, Mrs. Hwang?” she asked, flustered.

“If you were just listening I wouldn’t repeat my question once again,” the teacher said sternly, putting her hands on her hips.

The class murmured and some sniggered and Sunyoung blushed even more.

“Mianheyo,” she stood up and bowed.

The teacher just sighed and called on a different student to answer her question. Sunyoung sat back down, still feeling a bit embarrassed and flustered and for the rest of the day she tried to concentrate on her classes and not think about Kim Jonghyun.

………………………………

“Aish, hyung, hurry up!” Jonghyun hissed, pulling Onew into the theater.

Minho had already gone ahead of them, while Key and Taemin were following behind Onew.

As soon as the five boys entered the theater, the thirty something people occupying the two front rows of the seats all turned to their direction.

“Oh my gosh, it’s SHINee!” a girl squealed.

They all froze, a bit apprehensive that the whole female population of the drama club would rush up to them. Well, maybe with the exception of Krystal Jung, who had just turned to check out what the fuss was about and then swung her head back toward the stage.

Thankfully the other girls were still all seated, their eyes trained on the boys.

A girl squealed once again.

Another one shushed the girl.

And murmurs and giggles ensued.

“I am so happy to see you here, boys,” Mrs. Seo gushed, adjusting her spectacles and beaming at them when they went near the front row of the seats. The drama club adviser was just too glad, thinking that with some of the SHINee boys in her production, a lot of students would come to see the play and it would be a hit.

Jonghyun’s eyes immediately scanned the crowd of seated students for Sunyoung. He spotted her sitting beside Krystal and looking right at him.

The moment their eyes met he smiled and waved at her.

She smiled and waved back cheerfully. Then she pumped her fist in the air and mouthed, ‘Hwaiting.’

He grinned wider and mouthed ‘hwaiting’ back while returning her gesture.

Taemin nudged him. “Hyung, is she your newest girlfriend? Wasn’t she Onew hyung’s date during the Valentine Ball?”

He gave Taemin a look which silenced the younger boy. “Don’t think of Sunyoung that way, Taemin-ah. We’re just friends.”

Taemin pouted sulkily and put his arms across his chest. “I didn’t say anything bad, did I?” he asked himself.

Jonghyun ignored Taemin and looked to Sunyoung’s direction once again. He poked Minho’s shoulder, trying to grab the taller boy’s attention.

“Over there,” he said to Minho in a low voice, pointing to where Sunyoung and Krystal were seated. “Come on.”

Minho and the others followed Jonghyun as he proceeded toward the corner of the row.

“Oh, oppa,” Sunyoung greeted. She had been calling Jonghyun that since they had gotten closer after that day and she had liked it so much.

Sunyoung stood up from her seat and moved to the side. “You may take my seat, Minho-ssi.”

Krystal turned to Sunyoung and glared at her.

Minho shyly sat down on the seat that Sunyoung has just vacated, so that he was now seated between Krystal and Sunyoung.

Jonghyun went to the seat beside Sunyoung while Onew, Key and Taemin occupied nearest the three seats on the second row.

As Jonghyun took his seat, he discreetly gave Sunyoung a thumbs-up sign and she giggled.

“Are you ready for your auditions, Sunyoung-ah?” he whispered to Sunyoung.

She nodded. “As ready as you are, oppa.”

He smiled, pleased to see that she seemed confident today. “Good. We are going to get the part.”

She smiled back at him. “Yes.”

“Oh by the way,” Jonghyun said a little more loudly. “Do you know that Minho is also auditioning?”

Minho went red.

It wasn’t news to Sunyoung who had already been told by Jonghyun all about it.

But Krystal turned curious eyes to Minho. “Really?”

Minho cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably on his seat. “Yes.”

Krystal frowned. “You don’t seem like the type to get interested in things like these.”

“Well, you’re right, Krystal, but he’s interested on getting closer to you, that’s why,” Jonghyun said casually, earning a glare from Minho.

Krystal blushed at his words and looked down at her lap.

“What?” he asked the younger boy. “I’m just telling the truth.”

Minho would have said something but Mrs. Seo chose that time to clear over the microphone.

“Welcome, everyone, to the auditions for our play this school year. Our play this year would be full of music, mystery and romance. It would be the Phantom of the Opera!”

The members of the drama club clapped and cheered.

Sunyoung glanced nervously at the back, noticing that the theater is gradually being filled with students. Even an actual play for the past years hasn’t attracted this much audience. She knew that it was all because of SHINee’s presence.

“Don’t worry. You’re going to be awesome. Just do what I told you and imagine yourself all alone while singing, ahrasso?” Jonghyun held and squeezed Sunyoung’s hand and she might just have died with the gesture.

It was heartwarming and reassuring.

The audition for the parts began. The boys beside and behind her would at times criticize the one performing, other times, especially when the one auditioning was terrible, they would discreetly chuckle.

“What part would you be auditioning for, Minho-ssi?” Sunyoung whispered to Minho.

Minho looked flustered once again. “I don’t know. Maybe I won’t audition anymore. I honestly can’t sing that well as the others.”

“Hey, hyung, I know, you could just volunteer to work backstage. You know, making and moving the props?” Taemin offered.

Minho thought about it for a while. “Maybe.”

“Yah, Taemin was just kidding,” Key snickered.

Minho looked back at the two boys and glared.

“Aw, that’s so touching, Minho-ssi,” Sunyoung gushed. “You would do anything just to be close to my friend Krystal.”

“Isn’t he crazy? All he talks about is her,” Key said, talking as if Krystal wasn’t there and that she could hear them perfectly.

Minho blushed but he didn’t say anything.

But Krystal did. “Yah, you guys, stop it!” she snapped, her face red. “You’re so noisy and I’m listening to that girl singing up there.”

“Aish, Krystal, don’t be so dense, you’re breaking Minho’s heart,” Jonghyun teased.

“That’s it, I’m leaving,” Krystal huffed, standing up. Without looking back she went to the opposite side of the stage, taking a seat next to a small girl.

“Now what? You just annoyed her,” Minho growled at his friends, his face redder than ever.

Sunyoung patted Minho’s back. “Don’t worry, I’ll call her and make her come back here.”

“No, Sunyoung-ssi, please don’t bother anymore. Krystal hates me and there’s no point in rubbing myself to someone who doesn’t want me,” Minho stood up. “I’ll be waiting outside, hyung,” he said to Jonghyun before he turned to leave.

Sunyoung watched Minho walk away with a sad and worried face. She would really have to talk to Krystal about it, but then, what is she going to say? Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Mrs. Seo calling her name.

“Your turn, Sunyoung-ah,” Jonghyun whispered. “Good luck.”

Suddenly she could feel butterflies in her stomach and a lump forming at the back of and she felt like she could hardly breathe as she made her way onstage.

She felt like crying. How is she going to sing properly when she’s feeling like this?

This is actually a repost of the lost chapter. It's a good thing I always save my work in Word before posting it in AFF, otherwise it would be too bad to start all over again and it wouldn't be the same as the lost chapter.

I'm busier than before so I guess I'd have to choose only one of the ffs I have to update at the moment and I chose this one so that I'd be able to update faster. Despite that though, my updates would still be slower than you might expect so I hope you'd bear with me. Thank you. :)