Taemin's POV

Jonghyun gave me a suspicious stare. "What is it, maknae? Spit it out," he demanded with a frown.

But I just looked at him as if I didn't know what he was talking about. He put on his intimidating glare but I continued to play innocent.

Heh, who was he trying to scare? Did he think that after his fearful display of rage yesterday morning I would now be cowering in fear just from him glaring at me?

Admittedly, yesterday I had indeed been a little scared; I mean I had never seen hyung like that! I hadn't been joking, when I had said that he looked like he was about to kill someone!

But yesterday, I still hadn't known who had called him or who "that person" referred to! And why exactly Jonghyun had been this furious!

But now I knew.

I turned away and bit my lip to stop myself from breaking out into a huge grin.

Hehehe, hyung is in loo~hovee~!

Though, at first I didn't believe Hyo Rin when she told me. I mean hyung in love?! With his attitude towards women?! Ridiculous!

But then I had remembered the talk show. How Jonghyun had recognised Ha Neul's voice instantly and how he went to find her as soon as the show was over. And I had remembered the amusement park. Hyung's expression as he had watched Ha Neul after he had doused her with a cap full of cold water. How the two had stayed "missing" even after Onew had sent the message and their awkwardness after showing up again. The fact, that hyung had ordered her a plate of shrimps and had even threatened to them himself just to make her eat.

Actually, there had been enough evidence but I had just been too blind to notice them. But thank the lord I now had an informant in the other camp!

And according to her there was a lot more "evidence" to come. Because apparently Ha Neul was coming to Tokyo!

I glanced at Jonghyun, who by now had given up on glaring at me, and smirked. And our lover-boy hasn't got a clue, kekeke!

Of course, I hadn't breathed a word about Ha Neul arriving today! Like Hyo Rin had impressed upon me when she had called. (We had exchanged numbers that day after the amusement park.)

I'd really got to hand it to that girl, by the way. The plan she had come up with was ingenious! She even got me as the two idiots’ Amor and told me to make sure that the arrow would really hit home this time! Hence the call this morning.

Though, I doubted I'd be even needed. By the way he'd been acting ever since we had arrived in Japan he would gladly welcome her in his arms when she came!

Or maybe not. Who knew what kind of stupidity he would do this time. Because despite his image of being the ‘Playboy of SHINee’ I always thought that he was bad at handling women. I mean real women and not just those Barbies that he treated more like toys than actual human beings. Well, I suppose he was just lacking in experience. Because as far as I knew the only ‘real’ women he knew were his sister and his brother’s wife. Of course, there were also the women working at SMent or fellow idols. But they probably fell either under the co-worker category or the Barbie category. So the only ones left were just those two and they were family. Moreover, his noona had a very boyish style and behaviour so she didn’t really require ‘woman treatment’ either.

So, that left effectively no experience material at all.

Ah, wait. That was not exactly true, though.

Because actually there was one more girl… But even today I couldn’t really tell whether hyung saw her in the family or Barbie category. Or if she was actually the only girl he really saw as a woman. But it didn’t really matter; because no matter how he saw her he had to treat her nicely anyway.

Well, and maybe it was just me who couldn’t make up my mind about that category thingy. Because I still didn’t want to accept that she was a . I sighed. But that was another story.

I looked over to Jonghyun again. Sometimes I really felt sorry for the guy; his family situation certainly wasn’t a desirable one! A mother that couldn’t settle for a single man, a father who couldn’t cope with that and siblings that were so busy managing the family business after they had ‘lost’ both of their parents that he had to call himself lucky if he got to see them at least once a month. And even if they got to see each other they usually didn’t have a lot of time.

Take just now for example. Because Jonghyun’s older brother had been in the area by coincidence, he had decided to stop by for a moment since they hadn’t seen each other in more than a month. But because he had a meeting with a client right after he only had had time to ask how Jonghyun was doing and if everything was alright. Jonghyun had answered that he was fine – what a liar – and then his hyung already left again.

That’s why I was really happy about the news from Hyo Rin! And if hyung really liked Ha Neul – it was just so unbelievable – then I would support them until the end! Because, like her best friend, Ha Neul was a truly nice girl and hyung deserved her! He may seem a little hot-blooded and unapproachable at first but if you get to know him better you’ll soon find out that he’s actually a warm-hearted and caring person.

“Oy, maknae! You’re supposed to be our lead dancer! What the hell are you doing?! Stop sleepwalking on the stage!” Jonghyun’s reproach finally tore me from my thoughts.

Okay, maybe I ought to take the last thing back; that person just loved to lose his temper!

Though I had to admit that he wasn’t actually wrong. We were rehearsing right now and I really should be concentrating on my dancing instead of dwelling on my thoughts!

“Come on, Jonghyun. Don’t be so strict.” Onew still defended me. Thank you, hyung! “Everyone has times when they have other things bothering them, right?” Onew continued and gave Jonghyun a meaningful look that clearly referred to yesterday morning. “Besides, we’re still only dry-rehearsing.”

Ah, yes. The heaven-sent problem with the technical equipment! The explanation we had received went as follows: Thanks to the recent switch to the new software in our company its transfer protocol wasn’t compatible with the software on the equipment here at the Tokyo Dome anymore. Result: The music wouldn’t play.

Hence they had ordered the one responsible for the software – aka Ha Neul’s uncle – to come and fix it.

That’s how everyone thought the situation to be.

Except I, of course. Because I knew that instead of Ha Neul’s uncle – tadam-tadam, wait for it – Ha Neul would come herself!

I had to suppress my grin again. God, I couldn’t wait to see Jonghyun’s expression when he’d find out! I felt all giddy just from anticipating it! So, where on earth was that girl?! According to Hyo Rin Ha Neul should have been here since 15 minutes already!

And miraculously it seemed that the heavens had heard me. For right then, our manager called out to us, saying that the technical support had finally arrived and that we should use the time to go eat something while they fix the problem.

Yahoo~! Finally! I almost did celebratory dance right then and there. I hadn’t noticed but I was actually really hungry!

But then I backpedalled. Wait, what? Go out and eat something? Noo! Then hyung will miss Ha Neul!

"Um, can't we practise a little longer? I'm not hungry yet..." I tried to stop them from leaving.

Everyone turned their heads towards me. "You're not hungry yet? You?" They all asked in disbelieve. I guess that hadn't been the smartest excuse. After all, I was usually the first one who wanted to eat.

"Are you sick?" Minho even went as far as to feel my forehead and sighed relieved when he, obviously, found nothing out of the ordinary.

And to make matters worse my stomach gave a loud grumble right then. The traitor!

Key chuckled. "Nice try, but you're stomach doesn't seem to like your joke. Come on, let's go!"

Jonghyun gave me a pitying smile and followed the others out the door. I made a face at his back.

Hmpf! When he's going to find out he'll wish he'd stayed!

But since I had promised Hyo Rin to not tell anything, I could only admit defeat and go after them too.

Narrator's POV

Ha Neul stopped in her steps and raised her head to look at the huge building that was the Tokyo Dome. She marvelled at the large glass front that couldn’t decide whether to be wall or roof as well as the floor tiles that seemed to continue the pattern into infinity. She noticed the trees flanking the entrance that were already tall themselves but still didn’t reach even half the height of the Dome. It truly was a magnificent building, she thought.

And according to the schedule she had been given, SHINee and the whole staff were now rehearsing in there for tonight’s concert. They sure were famous.

Her eyes fell onto the big doors and her gaze wavered. Maybe she should have really disguised herself? Come here incognito so that a certain person wouldn’t recognise her? Because honestly, she had no idea how to face him right now.

She took out her cell phone and opened the list of missed calls. Except for two or three from Hyo Rin they were all from Jonghyun. Ha Neul swallowed and heaved a sigh. No, it wasn’t that she hadn’t seen them. But rather that she had chosen to ignore them because she couldn’t decide what to do with them. Because she had been running away. Again.

Every time he called she would go through living hell for three minutes. Staring at the ringing phone she would will herself not to pick it up even though she longed to hear his voice more than anything else. She knew he’d spoken onto her voice mail, too, but she'd never dared to listen to it. Because she was scared of what she would do, if she heard his messages.

But telling him all that was out of the question. However, how was she going to explain to him then about her not picking up even a single call of his? Moreover, Shin must have already told him that she brought Hyo Rin over to his sacred apartment. And twice at that! Surely, he was fuming right now.

And above all that there was still the insecurity of not knowing how she would react upon seeing Jonghyun again. Would she still be able to treat him like before? Would she still be able to act normal around him; like she'd never realised her feelings?

Maybe she really ought to buy a wig and spectacles first before entering the lion’s den?

She turned around to leave again and took a few steps. But then she stopped again.

This was ridiculous! Was she really such a coward? Moreover, this was work. Had she really sunken to the point where she would let personal feelings affect her professionalism?

Ten years ago she had given her word to a little boy that she would aim for the top.

But now she was going to break that promise just because of some Alien Terrorist?

No, she wouldn’t!

And with her determination recovered, Ha Neul spun around again.

But she hadn’t even taken a single step when she collided rather heavily with someone’s chest. And being Ha Neul, she stumbled, lost her balance, and would have fallen straight to the pavement if not for the two arms that caught her.

“Whoa! Careful there,” a deep voice said and Ha Neul looked up. She was greeted by the gentle looking face of a man probably in his late twenties.

Blushing a little Ha Neul quickly stepped away from him and bowed her head. “I am sorry!” She apologised embarrassed and silently cursed herself for her own clumsiness. “I didn’t look where I was going.”

“No need to apologise, please raise your head.” The man answered and Ha Neul could hear the smile in his voice. So, slowly she lifted her head. And in doing so she had time to take a closer look at the man in front of her.

Even though he was not exceptionally tall he seemed to be quite athletic. His hair was kempt into a neat yet not stiff hairstyle that matched his perfectly fitting suit. On a second glance, that suit actually looked pretty expensive and Ha Neul shortly feared she had damaged it.

But then she noticed the man still looking at her with a friendly smile and she pulled herself together. “In that case, thank you very much for catching me, sir. I hope I didn’t damage your suit.”

The man chuckled softly and patted his chest a little as if brushing off some dust. “No harm done.” He assured her with the same gentle smile. “But don’t you need to go somewhere? You seemed to be in a hurry earlier…”

Immediately, Ha Neul’s eyes widened and she glanced at her watch. Crap! It was almost the time when she was supposed to meet with the person in charge of the electronic equipment!

Quickly, she did one last bow. “Well, then… Thank you again and have a nice day.” And with that she ran past the man and towards the building.

The man gave an amused chuckle to himself. Somehow his short encounter with this girl had felt rather refreshing. Whether she had acted as if she didn’t know or if she truly hadn’t recognised him didn’t really matter. Just the fact that she had treated him like anyone else made her already likable to him. This and her clumsiness reminded him of someone; which was why he couldn't help but like her. He turned around to get a last glance at her back before he too went his own way.

When Ha Neul reached the doors to the Dome she took a quick break to catch her breath. Remembering the incident from just now she sighed at her own luck. Just why on earth was she such a klutz?!

She risked a quick glance over her shoulders but to her relieve the man was already gone.

But then she paused. Come to think of it… Somehow, that man had looked kind of familiar…?

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Hey everyone! :D

I know I haven't updated in like forever (and I'm sincerely sorry for it!! ><) but to me it's still a little miracle that I managed to update this still before Christmas. God, I never knew anyone could be this busy!
And I'm afraid, that won't change anytime soon... T.T Because exams are coming up again... :( I know, I wish I could do something about them, too! >_^ (I'm sorry, Tinker20340!! >.<)

Also, I’m sorry that this seems like another filler chapter yet again! >_< But believe me, it’s needed for the plot! (Actually I dropped quite a pile of hints here… ^^ For example, who was the guy Ha Neul bumped into?)