Chapter 6:

            It was around 4:50PM as she headed back to the dorm. She was going to have a trip with MinHo around 5PM. As she headed back and opened the door to the dorm she noticed that there were shoes that were at the doorstep. “Who could be home right now?” AeLin said. She walked further and found TaeMin coming out of his room with an unpredictable face. “You’re back.” AeLin said. TaeMin looked at her. “And so what if I’m back already? It’s not like I’m expecting something. You babo really.” TaeMin said.

            Then the door to the dorm opened again. “AeLin ah.” It was MinHo. “TaeMin, you’re here.” He said kinda surprised. “What are you doing here early? Your schedule doesn’t end until 6PM right?” MinHo said. AeLin was just there blankly staring at the two. “Yeah it does. I just dropped by to get something I forgot.” TaeMin said. “Oh, okay. Come on AeLin, let’s go.” MinHo said and they went out the dorm. TaeMin was left alone. “That babo really.” And punched the wall. “Ow…” he said.

            “Where are we going oppa?” AeLin said. “Somewhere only I know.” They were walking around the streets and came into this building. They walked up to a certain floor and stopped in front of a door. The building was not that old but it was there for quite some time. It was an old apartment building and not a business building. There were only a few people residing in the apartments in that building. “Where are we? What’s inside here?” AeLin said. “You ask too many questions.”MinHo said. Then he took out a key and opened the door.

            AeLin saw a room that was empty. There were no furniture’s, no nothing. Just an empty room. “Uhmm…oppa. Are you sure we came to the right place?” AeLin said. “Yes.” MinHo said. “Really? Because this room is kinda empty.” AeLin said. “Exactly. But there’s something else I want to show you.” MinHo said. They went into the dusty apartment room and MinHo went to stand in front of a wall which had a picture frame hanging on. MinHo took the empty picture frame and a small square compartment was at sight.

            MinHo opened the compartment and got some things out of it. He blowed off the dust and gave it to AeLin. “Look.” MinHo said. AeLin was surprised to what she saw. “These are…” the pictures she was looking at were pictures of her mother and father along with his oppa when he was still a baby. And also she can see that the apartment they were in was the same apartment that was in the picture only that it had furniture in it. She saw her umma and appa once more in a picture who knows how old it is.

            There was also another picture where her umma and appa were still young in their school uniforms. “How did you…” AeLin got all teary-eyed. “I found it while I was visiting a relative that lived her a year ago. I was looking at the picture frame when it suddenly fell and so I picked it up. When I was about to hang it back I noticed the compartment and opened it up. Then I saw those. Flip the first picture.” MinHo said. AeLin wiped some of her tears off of her eyes and flipped the picture. There was something written at the back of the photo.

            “October 18, 1987. With my wife AeEul and my first born OkRyo, we moved into this apartment. This’ll be our first home together and we’ll surely work hard for it. For little OkRyo here, we promise once he grows up, he’ll be a good man and live his life not disappointing us.” The writings at the back said. “AeLin, here’s another something.” Then MinHo handed her another picture. It was her uppa and amma once again with his brother now 8 years old with a new baby in the picture.

            It was AeLin. She flipped the picture again and found another note. “January 15, 1996. After 8 years, we were blessed with another healthy born child. AeLin. I wanted to call her YeEul but OkRyo wanted her to be named AeLin. Weird huh, even though she was born in the Philippines we still took time to come back here and put this in this compartment. I have another letter in the compartment.” Then MinHo handed her the letter.

            “As I was saying, we still had time to put this here as well. I treat this compartment as a memory keeper. This was the first home we had after marrying each other and we worked hard while living here. We worked hard that we reached this kind of status. To my new daughter, I hope she becomes successful in all ways and always be safe. If ever anyone find this please hand it over to Sha OkHyun or Sha AeLin. It would be appreciated if you do.

            My wishes for both of you right now are to continue on living without regrets and live a happy life. The ring inside the small envelope that I left, my children, take those and give them to the ones who are dearest to you. To whom those rings fit to will be the one you’ve been looking for I’m certain of it. Live a happy life my children and don’t forget as to how this apartment has a sentimental value.”

            That was it. AeLin was already crying. MinHo gave her a hug. “Appa…umma….” She said in between weeps. “Shh…don’t cry AeLin.” MinHo said. AeLin and OkHyun’s umma passed away after2 years of living in Japan. “Thank you…for bringing me here.” AeLin said and wiped her tears off. “It was no big deal.” MinHo said. “I’m putting this back.” AeLin said. “But I’ll be taking the rings.” AeLin added and got the envelope. Back at the dorm the other SHINee members arrive. “Where’s AeLin?” Key said. They saw no one inside.

            “TaeMin and MinHo should’ve been here hours ago.” JongHyun said. TaeMin was actually in his room by the window. “This envelope.” TaeMin said as he had his hands on the small envelope that AeLin found under his pillow. “How could she not open it?” TaeMin said and opened it himself. Then in that envelop was the thunderbolt necklace that TaeMin gave AeLin before. She gave it back to TaeMin when she went to Japan and now he wants to give it back, just a reminder of him.

            He held onto the necklace tightly and sighed. Moments later MinHo and AeLin arrive. “Ya! Where have you been?” Key said as they arrived. They arrived around 7:30 in the evening. “We’ve been worried sick you know.” JongHyun added. “It was my fault. I wanted to go out of the dorm badly that I dragged MinHo oppa to it.” AeLin said with a rather gloomy voice. “Maybe I shouldn’t have shown her those.” MinHo thought as he looked at her.

            “Oh…okay. What’s important is that no one was able to recognize you and that you two were safe. Go on and change. We’ll have dinner.” Key said. MinHo walked into his room while AeLin approached Key. “Oppa.” AeLin said. “What is it?” Key said. “If I might ask, where does TaeMin sleep?” AeLin said. “TaeMin? Uhm…he sleeps at the living room, why?” Key answered. “Why did he give me his room?” AeLin asked once more. “Well, to be honest we forced him to it.” JongHyun answered. “Oh, okay. thank you.” AeLin said and went to TaeMin’s room to change.

            “Speaking of TaeMin, where is he?” Onew said and looked at his watch. AeLin opened the door to TaeMin’s room. As she opened it she saw TaeMin looking out of the window. “TaeMin…” she said. “…oppa.” She added. TaeMin looked back to her. She could see that his eyes were empty of feelings. He looked tired and soon he gave out a sneeze. “Oww…my head hurts.” He said and got his hand over his forehead. “Oh great. You have a cold. You should have closed the windows you know.” AeLin went to him and closed the windows behind.

            She laid him down on the bed and got his shoes off and his jackets off. “I better go get Key oppa.” AeLin said and stood up. “No, don’t.” TaeMin said and holds her wrist. AeLin looked back at him. He looked helpless. His hands were warm holding her wrist. She hesitated. TaeMin was sick and she knew if the other members knew they would be of big help. “No, don’t go tell them. They’ll get mad at me for being careless and getting sick. Don’t tell them.” TaeMin said. AeLin gave out a sigh. “Okay.” AeLin said and kneeled down once more.

            He had a slight fever. Probably by tomorrow he’ll be okay if he gets proper care that night. “Stay here okay, I’m going to get something.” AeLin said. “You won’t tell them right?” TaeMin said. “No I won’t. I promise.” AeLin said and smiled at him. She got out of the room with some clothes. She went to the bathroom and changed there. Then after changing she went to where the other 4 were already seated for dinner. “Come on AeLin, let’s eat.” MinHo said. “Uhm…would it be okay if I eat in TaeMin’s room?” AeLin said hesitantly. “Eat in TaeMin’s room? Why all of the sudden?” Onew said.

            “I have some things to do inside.” AeLin said. “Well…I guess it’s okay. Just don’t make a mess okay. You know how he’ll be when you make a mess in his room. And you have to do the dishes tonight!!” JongHyun said. “De.” AeLin said and happily took her food to TaeMin’s room. “I’m back.” AeLin said. She then got a small table and put it beside TaeMin’s bed. “Here’s some food for you.” AeLin said. “You didn’t tell them right?” TaeMin said. “No I didn’t.” AeLin said. “Now, can you get up?” AeLin added and assisted him in sitting up. “I can do it myself.” TaeMin said.

            AeLin was rather confused and a little pissed off. TaeMin started eating as AeLin just stared at him. “What are you looking at?” TaeMin said. “Oh, nothing.” Then AeLin stood up and cleaned the room once more organizing his clothes. Soon TaeMin finished his meal. “You’re done?” AeLin said and got rid of the plates and stuff. “I’m just going to do the dishes okay.” AeLin said and went out of the room. “Ah, AeLin. You’re done eating?” it was Onew who she came into. “De.” AeLin replied. “That’s good. I feel bad for you doing the dishes; I can help if you want.” Onew said.

            “No, it’s okay. I’ll do it myself.” AeLin said. “Hm…well…okay, if you say so.” Onew said and continued on to his room. “Oh, by the way. If ever TaeMin comes back tell him to just order food from outside.” Onew said and closed the door to their room. “Ah, oppa TaeMin is-” she couldn’t continue. “Oh well…” AeLin said and continued on to the kitchen. “TaeMin’s not back yet?” MinHo said as Onew came in their room. “Yeah, he’s not back yet.” Onew said. “Where is that guy?” MinHo said. “Maybe on a date.” Onew jokingly said. “No way. Haha. TaeMin, on a date?” MinHo said and gave out a laugh.