bold text indicates english speaking all other dialogue is assumed korean

Present day

August 12, 2014

2:30 PM

The crowd was silent but growing impatient. Hours must have passed since they called my name, but the clock still read 2:30. My name was called again. I tried to sink into the crown but a delicate yet strong had pressed to the small of my back. I felt warm breath by my ear.

'Come on..'

The boy behind me removed his hand from my back and instead laced his fingers with mine and began to move in front of me, and then continued towards the podium, literally dragging me with him.

At the sight of these actions of intimacy the stadium erupted. Squeals, screams, whooping, ow ow's, anything the fans could muster they shouted out. I ignored them. What else could I do. It wasn't like our relationship was new news. So I simply tightened by grip on his slender fingers and walked on.

The journey should have only taken a few steps but it felt like walking a mile. Finally I stood there. Palms face down on the cold wood of the podium. Eyes straight down at my “speech”, a jumble of words SM had craftily formed for me. The crown grew silent. Taemin gave my shoulders a small squeeze and my head a quick kiss before melting back into the small group that was on stage with us, our fellow members along with Lee Soo Man, the groups manager, and a few antsy looking security guards.

I inhaled and raised my eyes to the crowd. I picked one fan and held eye contact. Then, without breaking focus once, I slowly picked up the stack of papers I was expected to read from. The tension raised. I held it up so that everyone in the stadium could have a look and it, and without a second though, I tore it in half.

Three years earlier

August 12, 2011

2:00 PM

Outside apartment complex

I glanced at my cell phone for what must have been the hundredth time in the minute. It still read 2:00. I sighed lightly and slid it back into the pocket of my shorts.

Stop it with all the anxiety you'll give yourself a headache ..

Too late ..

I looked over to the driver's seat, desperate to know who my manager was talking to when she should have been explaining things to me.

FLASHBACK

I had been pulled at 12:30 from my early afternoon vocal lesson by a man I had never met before, yet recognized. I took me aside while my peers began to whisper. It was all too obvious that they knew who he was and that worried me. But not nearly as much as when he began to speak to me...in Korean. I big my lip and furrowed my eye brows racking my brain and trying to translate little bits of what he said from Korean to English.

Damn it why aren't you better at this

Relax..it's only been four months no one expects you to be fluent yet

Apparently he was unaware of the fact that I had only been a trainee since April 4^th. Only been in korean since April 4^th. Only started speaking the language April 4^th. But if my caucasian looks didn't give away the fact that I was foreign, my confused look and lack of answer did the trick.

“Is anyone able to translate for her?” the man questioned the group of awestruck trainees.

Why did they all look that way? Who was this guy?

A girl towards the back meekly raised her hand and he beckoned her over. She took her place next to me and suddenly became very interested in her shoes.

I glanced at the man, “ P-Please.. s-start over?” I managed to mumble some mediocre Korean. Damn this was harder then in classes..

“Yes, of course.” He began sternly, “My name is Choi Jin and, as you are most likely aware, currently manage the a group by the name of SHINee. Now I know.....”

Thats when I blanked. I mean, I kept complete consciousness..but right then and there I had checked out of the conversation. I could still hear whispers of what I assumed was Jin-ssi and the translator speaking to me, but they were only whispers in my ears.

Shinee.

It was the only thing I heard, and I didn’t need a translator to understand that. I was just about ready to punch myself. I now knew why I had recognized Choi Jin without really meeting him. I saw him almost everyday. I would catch him at my dance practices, vocal training, small class performances, lunch rooms, everywhere.

“Aimee-ssi?”

The voice was distant but snapped me back into the room. I blinked at Choi Jin and the translator, absolutely clueless to what had been said. But I played along as if I had been involved the entire time.

“Aimee-ssi you should probably start to pack now” the girl gave me a strange look. “You'll probably be leaving within an hour.”

I nodded dumbly and turned back to the incredulous trainees and my dumbfounded teacher. Thats when it hit me that I had missed something big in the short period of time I had blanked. I continued to fake it though. Putting on my best dazed face and making my way out of the room. Everyone I passe turned to the person next to them and whispered. I could feel the blush creeping up my neck.

Of course you would pick the greatest time in the world to space out ..

God you stupid person!

Just before I reached the door I had an idea. Without breaking stride I grabbed the hand of my room mate, Hyun Jae before moving into a run and leaving the rumoring class and Shinee manager behind.

END FLASHBACK

__________

sorry the first chapter is so short~! 

I'll have more up tomorrow i promise! 

thanks for reading

please leave some suggestions in the comments...what do YOU want to happen next

[ok its already planned out but i can try to add somethings in that you like :D ]