“Take care here okay?” YiBum said. “De.” TaeMin and MinHo replied. She went inside her room and lay down the bed. Moments later TaeMin got up from watching TV and went to the room. MinHo decided not to follow. “Hey.” TaeMin said. “Huh? Oh, hey.” AeLin said upon seeing him. “Are you okay?” he said. “Yeah I am. How many times do you guys have to ask me that?” She replied. TaeMin sat beside her. “Ya. We’re just worried.” He said. She didn’t reply. “It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow.” He said. “Valentine’s day?” she said. “You’re free tomorrow right?” “Hm.” She replied. “I was hoping if you could come with me.” He said.

            “With you? Where? On a date?” AeLin said. “No, not a date. I just wanted someone to hang-out with me. Can you?” “Hm, sure. Why not.” AeLin said. “Okay then. You’ll be sleeping here right?” “De. I guess I am.” She said. The next day they woke up at 6 am. SHINee and AeLin showered up and ate. They were all ready to go to what they are supposed to do. “AeLin! Where are you?” TaeMin called from the living room. He was sitting down at the couch watching TV. “Coming!” she said then she got out of the room. TaeMin looked at her and was amazed.

            She was dressed rather unusual today. The AeLin they know wears cargo shorts, t-shirts, and sneakers whenever she dresses casually. Today, she’s wearing a girly-girl sleeveless top and pants and still had sneakers. Her hair was still tied up as usual. It was that once that she’ll be seen with untied hair and she didn’t want that incident to happen anymore.

            “Wow…” TaeMin said upon seeing her. “Ah! You dressed differently today. Where are you going?” Onew said when he saw the girl. TaeMin stood up and went to her. “Aha! You two are going on a date!” Key said. MinHo’s ear picked up from the kitchen hearing those words. He stood up from the chair then went to the living room. “Date? No. Not a chance!” AeLin said. “Yeah, not a chance!” TaeMin said. “Then where are you guys going?” JongHyun said. “Hm, somewhere you can’t follow us to.” TaeMin said. “Ahh…they really are going on a date.” Key said.

            “No, really. MinHo hyung…” TaeMin looked at MinHo hyung and seemed like he was asking permission. TaeMin has told AeLin that he already forgot his feelings for her and MinHo knows this as well. “TaeMin, just take care of her.” MinHo said. Then they were off! The whole morning they went loitering around the streets of Seoul. Many fans who saw them fussed over the two. They took pictures of the two. TaeMin kept holding onto AeLin’s hand when they tried to run away from the fans. This was sure to cause a rumour.

            Then at lunch they ate at one restaurant in the city. After wandering around a bit more they went on a small trip to a place by the sea. “Chocolates!” Key said. The other SHINee members were in their dorm with nothing to do. They were busy looking for a place where they can put the chocolates the fans gave them for Valentine’s Day. MinHo and JongHyun were on the couch. Key was on the floor and well Onew was looking around.  “Key, don’t eat too much or else you’ll get fatter.” Onew said.

            “I wonder where AeLin and TaeMin are right now…” JongHyun said and he was clearly bored. “MinHo, why did you let them go?” Key said. “Hyung. It’s not that I’m giving up. I know all about what happened to AeLin in the Philippines, the one with the guy named Ray in it. NichKhun hyung told me that he already told you guys.” MinHo said. “Well, yeah we also know.” Onew said. “AeLin is hurt. Her mother died, and her first love is coming to haunt her. When that incident happened in the Philippines NichKhun hyung told her to call someone. Then she calls TaeMin. In the Philippines she always kept talking about TaeMin. And now that her mother is gone all that can make her happy is TaeMin. I accepted the fact that TaeMin will always make her happy.” MinHo said.

            “MinHo…” Key went to him. “Hyung. I’m losing over the magnae.” MinHo looked up to Key and smiled to him with tears on his eyes. “MinHo ah…” Key hugged him. JongHyun and Onew were surprised. “This is the 1^st time I saw MinHo cry.” JongHyun said. “Me too. It makes me want to cry too.” Onew said then he went to Key and MinHo. “Don’t cry anymore.” Key said. Then the doorbell rang. “Who could it be?” JongHyun went to the door to answer it. “Now stop crying MinHo. It’s going to be alright.” Onew said. “Hyung!” JongHyun said. “Who is it?” Key got up and went to the door.

            They were surprised to see who was at the door. “ShinYe?” Key said. “Oppa, is TaeMin oppa here?” Han ShinYe was a friend of TaeMin’s. She was actually the person who TaeMin was crushing on in their earlier trainee days. When SHINee debuted, TaeMin confessed to ShinYe but ShinYe knew it would be difficult so TaeMin decided not to ask her out. “What are you doing here?” Key said. “I was hoping I could talk with TaeMin oppa and give him this.” ShinYe handed him over a box of chocolates. “Well, we’re sorry but TaeMin isn’t here yet.” JongHyun said.

            “Oh…is that so. Anyways, can you please give that to him at least? Thank you, goodbye.” She smiled then she went away. Key closed the door and both of them went back to the living room. “Who was that hyung?” MinHo asked. “It was Han ShinYe.” Key replied. “ShinYe? The one TaeMin was crushing on?” Onew said. “De, that ShinYe.” JongHyun replied. “She was looking for TaeMin and wanted to give him this.” Key said and let them see the box of chocolates. “Well, better put that aside. And don’t eat it. I know you want to.” Onew said. Key put it aside and they continue on to what they were doing. 

            It was almost sun down. “This is so beautiful.” She sighed. The red-orange sky was a very breath-taking sight and the sun setting down was just perfect. “How did you even know this place?” AeLin said. “Hm well…I did a little researching.” TaeMin replied. They went to this restaurant. The restaurant was new and was a month old. They said it was owned by a Filipino entrepreneur. TaeMin and AeLin ate. They were talking and talking and MinHo was right. TaeMin really did make AeLin smile again. “Haha, I missed that laugh of yours.” TaeMin said. “Hm? What do you mean?” AeLin said.

            “Ever since you came back from the Philippines and after your parents…well…you know…you haven’t been smiling really often.” TaeMin said. AeLin just grinned. “It’s been a year AeLin, Loosen up. It’s time to let go.” TaeMin said. Then AeLin got her phone out to read a message that she received moments before. “AeLin, do you mind if I ask why you got so angry at me when I hid that key chain of yours.” TaeMin said. AeLin paused and looked at him. She took a deep breath and started. “Okay, I’m going all out.” AeLin said.

            “This was given to me by a guy named Ray Tan who I was crushing on for more than 2 years. The week before we were about to leave for Korea I figured I would confess to him so I did and the next thing I knew he was also felt the same for me…” then she explained further. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” TaeMin said. “Hm. Nah, it’s alright.” Then AeLin went to that gloomy face again. “AeLin, you’re still hiding something. Tell me all about it.” TaeMin held her hand. AeLin raised her head and looked at his smiling dorky face.

            “I didn’t know that I would be meeting Ray when I came back in Tacloban…” she told him almost everything of what happened in the Philippines. She told him all about the incident that happened but she didn’t tell her that Ray did that because he was hurt that the girl he loved had her lips stolen by another boy. “He tried to kiss you? On the lips?” TaeMin said. “De.” She replied kinda embarrassed. “But I don’t understand. If you loved him so much then why are you scared of meeting him now? Why did you refuse his love when you were there?” TaeMin said.

            AeLin was cornered. She just looked at TaeMin. “Is it…because of me?” he said in a sudden serious voice. Then she looked surprised. “Hey, I was only joking.” TaeMin said. “No…” AeLin said and seemed to be looking at what was behind TaeMin. TaeMin looked to where she was looking at. Then he saw a man who was going through all the tables. “Ah, that must be the owner of the restaurant.” TaeMin said and looked at AeLin who was still shocked. “What’s wrong?” TaeMin said. “Th-that’s him. That’s Ray.” AeLin answered. “He knows Korean?” TaeMin said. “No, but I guess he learned it.” AeLin replied then she covered her face.

            Then soon Ray went to their table. He was speaking Korean. “Annyeong hasaeyo, how might this couple be enjoying the food in the day of hearts?” Ray looked at TaeMin and greeted him with a smiled. TaeMin just smiled back. “He seems familiar.” Ray thought and Ray looked at AeLin who was nodding and covering her face. “AeLin?” Ray said. She was surprised. “How?” she thought. Then, slowly, AeLin revaeled herself. “Ray…” she said. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.” Ray said. “You didn’t tell me you’re here and how you speak Korean already.” AeLin replied. “I learned the language and here I am and started a business here in Korea.” Ray said.

            Then he got his eyes on TaeMin. “Who is this?” Ray said. “Hm…” she couldn’t answer. TaeMin looked at her. “She’s scared…” he thought. “I’m her boyfriend.” He replied. “What?!” Ray said. “What?!” AeLin added. TaeMin looked at AeLin ans smiled. “My name is -” “TaeMin?” Ray said. “Hm, de. Have we met?” TaeMin said. “No, certainly not.” Ray said and looked at TaeMin. “Oh, look at the time. Come on AeLin, we still have a recording to do.” TaeMin said. TaeMin grabbed AeLin’s arm and they left. Ray was there standing shocked.

            “TaeMin, what did you do that for?!” AeLin said. “What? It was just a joke.” TaeMin said. The two were still outside the glass door of the restaurant. “A joke? TaeMin, Ray will take that seriously! Aish…and what’s more there were fans there who heard.” she said. Then TaeMin pulled her close to him. “But what if I tell you that I’m serious.” He looked into her eyes. She was surprised. She felt her heart beat faster. This is the feeling she had when the two of them kissed; the feeling she has when TaeMin looks at her seriously; the feeling she had when thinking of TaeMin the night of the incident at the Philippines.

            She blushed. Then TaeMin let go of her then walked. “Wait for me!” AeLin got back to her senses and followed him. They rode back to their SHINee’s dorm as it got darker.