Chapter 9:

            AeLin laughed. “Ya, why are you laughing? Did I say something funny?” Jjong said who felt like he was being fooled by AeLin. “Ahaha! No! Me and YoSeob oppa is in a relationship, as in, we’re related. He’s my cousin! We know each other from way back when my umma died.” She said and continued laughing. “Oh…” Jjong then smiled and felt stupid. “Ahaha, that really got us AeLin.” Jjong said and started to laugh as well.

            “But wait, can I still ask this? If it’s not YoSeob, then…who is…” “It’s Ray.” She answered and nodded. JongHyun got shocked of what he heard. “Wh-what?” he said and looked at her. “It’s Ray, JongHyun oppa, Ray Tan is my boyfriend.” She said and looked at him with unwilling eyes. “Ray?” he said. Then the other members went inside. “Ya. What are you two doing, I’ll have SeKyung over and let her know you’re flirting.” Onew said.

            “Hyung ah, I’m not flirting.” Jjong said and laughed. “Stop flirting over TaeMin’s girl.” Key slipped. “Oh!” he said and covered his mouth. She looked at him and just smiled. “TaeMin oppa’s girl? I believe that was the case before, am I right oppa?” she said and looked at TaeMin. TaeMin then looked a bit confused and looked at her with a straight face. “What is she saying?” he thought. “SHINee ah, go on and get dressed.” Their manager came into the room.

            They all sighed and acted like nothing happened. The SHINee members then got dressed. They had matching tops since SHINee and AeLin were part of SMTown. Moments later they decided to go out and watch the performances from JYPE talents. JongHyun then gathered the other SHINee members. They talked and talked and of course, Jjong told them about what AeLin told him earlier.

            “Ray?” Key said. TaeMin was silent. “So it’s not YoSeob?” MinHo said. “Since when? When did they start dating?” Onew said. “I don’t know. She didn’t tell me.” Jjong replied. “Ommo, that’s a really big turn around. Who knew it’ll be Ray all along.” Key said. “TaeMin ah…” Onew said. “Nah, it’s okay. To be honest, I forgot all about it anyways. I forgot about her ever since that year she sent me that letter.” TaeMin said. “TaeMin, are you saying you’re giving up on her?” MinHo said in a rather scary serious way.

             TaeMin looked at him rather seriously as well. “Giving up? No. I’ve already given up.” He replied. “TaeMin you punk!” then MinHo was about to charge him when Key and Jjong held him back. “MinHo ah!” Onew said. “How could you give up when you’re the only person I entrusted her to?!” MinHo said and struggled to get out of Jjong and Key’s grip. “MinHo, calm down!” Key said. TaeMin was tearing up but still had that strong look.

            “Calm down! This isn’t the time to do this okay?!” Key added. MinHo then simmered down and just ignored him. TaeMin wiped of the tears and just acted like nothing happened. Soon the concert ended and JYPE held and after-party along with Big Hit Entertainment and CUBE Entertainment talents. AeLin was of course, included. They partied for the rest of the night until they got tired and went back to their dorms early the next day.

            She was woken up around 8 in the morning. “Unnie ah, what’s the schedule today?” she said as they ate breakfast. “A couple of recordings and a lot of interviews.” ShiHyeo said. “Oh…” she replied and just groaned. Her head was hurting. She wasn’t a good drinker or anything. A glass of the weakest liquor would make her drunk. As they continued on eating someone knocked on the door. “I’ll go get it.” ShiHyeo got up and headed for the door.

            “Ommo.” She said and opened it. AeLin was curious as to who was on the door. “Is it SHINee?” AeLin groaned. Then she could her them walk towards where she was. “AeLin ah.” A familiar voice said. She looked at who was the person and continued drinking water. “OMMO!” she thought and looked again. She ended up coughing out what she drank. “Ray…” she said. “Yup, it’s me.” Ray replied. “Wh-what are you doing here?!” she said and stood up.

            “Well, I’m here to look after my girlfriend you silly.” He replied and sat on the couch in the living room. “Wait, oh no. My oppa sent you here.” She said. “Oh, that…that monster!” she added. “Ya! Don’t talk about your oppa like that, he’s a great man. I wasn’t sent by your oppa here AeLin. I just wanted to be with you, and at the same time I could manage the business I left here.” Ray said and smiled. “Oh god…” she thought. “Ugh…okay…fine…but you do know you can’t stay here.” “I know, that’s why I rented a dorm room just one floor above here.” He said.

             “WHAT??!!” she literally yelled. Ray then stood up and went to her. “Ya, it’s like we’re not in a relationship. Don’t tell me you still have feelings for that TaeMin guy.” Ray said and hugged her from the back. AeLin then calmed down and went into gloomy mode. “You don’t have feelings for him anymore right?” he said. AeLin sighed. “No.” she replied. “That’s it.” Ray said and broke the hug. He turned her around so that she’ll face him.

            Ray then slowly started to get his face levelled to hers. ShiHyeo just went to her room not wanting to watch and witness anything. They closer he went the more hesitant AeLin became. “Ya.” She said and pushed him away. “You can have me as your girlfriend but you can never kiss me.” AeLin said. Ray looked at her and sighed. “What’s wrong with you? We’re a couple now and still you never let me kiss you on the lips.” Ray said. AeLin looked at him with disgust.

            “I need to go now, I have a schedule to do.” She said and went to her room. “That crazy Ray. My oppa is really losing it. He’s so…ugh!” she said and went to the bathroom. Later that day she went to her schedules and stuff. She happened to meet with SHINee in SME when she saw them in the rehearsal room. “AeLin ah.” Onew said and approached her. “Oppa ah.” She replied and gave him a hug. “How was the party last night?” Jjong said.

            “It was okay…although it was really tiring.” She replied and smiled. “You are looking tired.” Key said. “I don’t have any schedule to do now. Can I watch you guys rehearse?” she said. “Sure you can!” Jjong said. She stayed there for a while and watched them. As the members took breaks she went to them and talked. “TaeMin oppa.” She said and approached him. She sat down on the floor with her. TaeMin just looked at her and kind of ignored her after that.

            “You’ve been working hard lately. That’s great.” She said. “Tch.” TaeMin said and didn’t even bother looking at her. “That’s great? You’re saying that to me? Who are you?” TaeMIn coldly said to her. “I am AeLin, oppa.” She replied and didn’t bother to argue. “No you’re not. The AeLin I knew would never tell me that, nor call me oppa that easily.” TaeMin said. She paused for a while.

            “Sorry oppa, but I’ve changed now. As you said I needed to learn to respect you and now…I did.” She said. TaeMin then looked at her with a very serious look. “Look. Talk to me if you have your senses back okay?” he then stood up and went to practice. TaeMin was really hard on her and MinHo knew that. MinHo then went to her. “AeLin ah.” He said and sat where TaeMin sat before. “Oppa.” She replied. “Don’t mind him. He’s just giving a lot of people the cold shoulder these days.” He said.

            “Nah, I understand though.” She said. Then someone knocked on the door. “Who could it be?” Onew said and went to the door. “Is AeLin here?” a familiar voice went. “Oh shoot, what is her doing here?” she thought. “Ray…ssi?” MinHo got up and said. “Annyeong hasaeyo. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.” Ray greeted them. She SHINee members were plain shocked. “Ray oppa, what are you doing here?” AeLin got up and went to him. “AeLin ah, I’m here to pick you up. I was thinking of taking you to a surprise date. Am I interrupting something?” Ray said.

            TaeMin and MinHo just got pissed off by what he said. To be honest the other members also got a bit offended by that. “No you’re not, go on and take her.” TaeMin spoke up with a serious look. “Oh, TaeMin ssi. You’ve grown a lot after the last time we met before. I see you’ve become quite a man.” Ray said and looked at him. “You have as well.” He replied. “Have you told them yet? They seem a little bit confused.” Ray said and got AeLin to stand beside him. He got his arm around her as she nodded and sighed. She was hesitant to say anything but Ray pushed her say it.

            “I’m sorry if I didn’t tell you guys sooner. You guys were my second family and I spent half of my teenage life with you guys. My umma and appa passed away and you were there for me. I know it’s selfish of me to not tell you this earlier…but…me and Ray oppa are dating…and…I would like your blessings.” She said rather hesitant. They were speechless. They didn’t know what to say. They ended up exchanging looks with each other. “Uhm, AeLin ah…it’s…hm…” then suddenly YoonDuk came. “You guys let’s go. We have a schedule to go to.” He said.

            “De.” The SHINee members then scoured to keep their things. “Oh, AeLin ssi, you’re here as well?” YoonDuk said. “Annyeong hasaeyo oppa.” She greeted him. “Anyeoung hasaeyo. Sorry if we have to leave like this though.” YoonDuk said. “It’s okay oppa. Have a great time.” She said and the SHINee members one by one went out of the room. “Bye AeLin, we’ll talk about that later.” Onew said as he went out. MinHo and TaeMin went out the last.

            The coming days AeLin and SHINee got their activities back together and they started to work together again. Although they were busy as ever it seems like Ray find ways to have some quality time with AeLin. “That guy is really getting on my nerves.” MinHo said. “TaeMin do something.” He added. They were back in the rehearsal rooms rehearsing once more. “Why should I do it?” TaeMin replied and rubbed it off. “You’re really letting this go?” MinHo said and raised his voice a little bit. The others were just practicing and didn’t quite pay attention to the two.