My hand was on the doorknob as I twisted it open. And when I pulled open the door, my eyes widened to see the person I didn’t expect to see, all dirtied, scarred and…a bit drunk.

“Min-Ae…?”

I could stare at her in shock. She looked so disarranged, her clothes were dirty, her hair was in a mess and she looked like she had been crying.  Her cheeks were flushed which proved the fact that she has been drinking.

Not only that, but on her arms, I could see bright red handprints.

Was she being chased…? Oh no, what if she was cornered by thugs and she almost got !? Plus, she’s half-drunk, of course she still have her mind. She was leaning on one leg weirdly, her foot laid in an odd position. I realized that she must have twisted her ankle because I could see the purple bruise forming on the flesh—not a very good sight.

Not wanting to injure her more by just letting her stand there and I hurried her in, taking her inside, wrapping my arms around her. “Come, Min-Ae, you can’t keep standing out here like this!” I hushed her, comforting her as she whimpered in pain. This was all so new…

This wasn’t the Min-Ae I knew. The Min-Ae I knew was y and arrogant. This ‘Min-Ae’ looked so vulnerable.

“Oppa…” she whined as I set her down onto the couch. SHINee came in and was shocked to see Min-Ae in such as a state.

“Omona, what happened to her!?” Taemin said, shocked to even see her in their house.

I shushed him and said; “Not now Taemin, quick, give me the first aid kit!”

Key was the first to go while the others rushed to me, surrounding the both of us as I examined her ankle.

“What happened and why is she here?” Minho asked.

“I don’t know! She was there when I opened the door. I don’t know how she found your address, but I think it came out as a second thought to her since it seems like that she was being chased by some guys to the looks of her arms.”

Their eyes trailed up to Min-Ae’s arms and their faces hardened when they saw the marks.

“Mwoya…what kind of guys are they to even do that to her? Although I don’t like how Min-Ae treats you, this is unacceptable.” Onew said. Key came in earlier with the first aid kit, so I thanked him and made her sit up. I tried to treat her, but with their eyes staring at us, I began to lose concentration and grew agitated before looking at them, my eyes wide and fierce behind the lens of my glasses.

“Can you guys move!? I need space!” I screeched and they instantly backed away from me, surprised with my newfound attitude around Min-Ae. I looked back at her with an angry huff and resumed tending her, holding her purple ankle.

“Whoa, chill, Mi-Mi! I never seen you this worked up!” Jonghyun yelled out, clearly surprised as he stared at the back of me with wide eyes.

I sighed as I massaged Min-Ae’s ankle gently to soothe the pain. “Actually, I don’t know why I’m so worked up…ever since… ‘She’ came to her; I couldn’t help but want to know more about her. I felt like I should owe her.” I couldn’t say Sora’s name. Who knows if Min-Ae knew that it was me playing as that girl?

I placed some ointment on the bruise then froze when she said, “…Sora…?”

All of our breaths hitched. It couldn’t be…that she found out it’s me as Sora, right? I gulped and let out a shaky breath before answering, “Ne…?”

“…Sora~ why is you so mad with me?”

I let out a sigh of relief—of course, in her drunken mind, she must have thought I’m Sora because of my voice… “It’s nothing,” I told her as I began wrapping the bandage around her ankle. “There, it should go away in two weeks’ time and you’ll stand in no time.” I smiled to myself and when I looked up at her face, I was shocked to even see tears spilling out of her eyes. “M-Min-Ae…? Why are you crying?” I was nervous and I’m sure SHINee was nervous by just watching us.

She sniffled, “Mi-ja…Maybe you are right about Mi-ja…”

“What is she saying?” Key whispered to Jonghyun and he shrugged, “I dunno. She spoke with her on the phone as Sora; I couldn’t understand half of the conversation.”

“I envy Mi-ja…” That line surprised me the most. She envies me? Why and what for? “She get hurt and pushed around all the time, but she brushes it off as nothing. I can’t do that…I never knew how to be so strong like that.”

“Ah, really…?”

She nodded like a little child. Minho just had to clamp his hand over Taemin’s mouth to prevent him from squealing. I glared at him and he stopped doing so, his face red in embarrassment.

These people…they are watching us as if we’re in a drama; that’s not cool.

“I admire her but because everybody else hates her, I forced myself to hate her too…that’s why I kept acting so cold around her and bossed her off in dance practice. When she told me… I felt sorry. I really like her, but I didn’t want her to know… But then I met you…

“You…you really look like Mi-ja, but you’re a different person and you’re blonde.” Key snickered at the ‘blonde’ part. Well. That’s almost implying that I’m dumb—sort of. Plus, I’m not wearing my wig. Perhaps she’s imagining Sora in front of her in her drunken mind.

“Hmm…why were you drinking and why did you come here?”

Min-Ae sighed and held her head, “I… wanted to forget – about what happened at dance practice…I can still remember it, and clear as a diamond too…I might forget even seeing you, Sora-ah.”

I heard sniffles and I turned to see that it was Jonghyun. What in the world—Jonghyun… are you…crying!?

“I can’t believe you Jjong…” I mouthed out, my eyebrows furrowing in annoyance.

He whimpered, wiping away his tears from his eyes as he sniffled, “Mianhae, but this is just so sweet!”

I’m somewhat glad Taemin is the member who cries the least… Even Onew and Key were teary eyed. Minho was just biting his lips to control his posture and image.

I looked back at Min-Ae, whose focus was on me, and always has, never noticing SHINee from behind. “What about the other question then…?”

“Oh, I remember heading home… but then I was grabbed into an alleyway and there were…three guys? It was all blur after that because I found myself running… I tripped on the sidewalk and this is how I twisted my ankle. I realized that I had run into a neighborhood and this house was the first thing I saw.

“I didn’t know you lived here, Sora-ah…”

I scratched the back of my neck, “Actually…SHINee lives here.”

Silence droned on between all of us as we waited for her reaction.

Then she laughed, “You’re joking right? I know SHINee was probably friends with you, but I couldn’t have known SHINee’s house address. I never even asked you! Plus, it’s insane to have run from a far distance to SHINee’s place and who knows if they actually lived in … in Jeju rather than in Seoul?”

“She has a point there Mi.” Onew stated, chuckling when he earned a shove from Taemin who smiled at him playfully.

“Well, all of that is true… but I’m being serious, Min-Ae. SHINee is living here.”

Min-Ae blinked, not looking at me, but at the five men who sat there from behind. They all had small nervous smiles on their faces. They simply waved and all said, “Hi.”

She looked back at me, her cheeks red and I just smiled sheepishly at her, “Surprise?” She trembled a little, almost as if she was going to start crying, her eyes wide. And then, she fainted right there on the couch, her body bouncing a little on the soft furniture.

“…Well,” I said as I turned to the group with a sheepish grin. “She took it rather easily.”

Key rolled his eyes at me and yelled, “YOU THINK?!”

I giggled and set her legs on the couch, making sure she was comfortable enough.

“Well, somebody got to change her clothes because I’m not letting her dirty clothes stain the couch.” The dark-haired diva retorted, crossing his arms over his chest as he eyed us sharply.

…No wonder Key’s always the mother. Now I really felt bad for lashing out at them that one time as the rest of the members looked away, blushing.

“Wow, you really are innocent…” I muttered.

“Oh, now you believe us.” Jonghyun said with a smirk and I rolled my eyes.

“In that case, it’s not me,” I said, surrendering my arms and looking away to hide my smile when I saw Key looking at me in disbelief.

“You—you’re a girl, Mi-baby! And who knows if she wasn’t even wearing anything underneath!”

Now I blushed, remembering the fact that he has seen me half-. What if he had touched me…there!? I crossed my chest, suddenly aware that of the fact that he must have peeked somehow…

“Aish, fine, I’ll do it since all of you are too stubborn. Mi-baby, call your oppa and tell him that you’re staying over for the night. You’re lucky I had bought some clothes for you today and the two of you looked to be the same size, it’s a hassle enough to go out and get her stuff.” Key huffed, letting out steam as he got up and carried Min-Ae into his arms.

For a guy who hates exercise, he’s pretty strong to even carry her. I looked at SHINee and they looked at me.

…Well. This is awkward.

Jonghyun fake-yawned, “WELLL~ I’m out.”  (His English on the ‘well~’ was just hilarious, I had to stifle my laugh)

One down, three to go.

I watched him retreat up the stairs, his footsteps hurried and nervous.

Onew nodded as he slowly stood up, “Yeah, I’m going as well.”

Two down, two to go.

I looked at Minho and Taemin, who were looking at anywhere but me.

“Oh, look at the time! Hahaha, it’s late, I should really go right now…” Minho said with an awkward chuckle and in a flash of light, he sped up the stairs.

Three down and gone…

So, the only ones who are alone in the room is me and Taemin. I stared at him confusedly.

“Why…why are they so nervous? They’re just going to bed – why are they so scared about that?”

He sighed and my eyes widened when I heard what said to me: “Because whoever is last to go to bed will have to share a bed with you; we have five bedrooms and 1 guest room—Min-Ae will be using that room.”

I cannot believe this. “Ah, waeyo~ couldn’t I just sleep in the same room as Min-Ae?” I whined, stomping my feet with a slight pout playing on my bottom lip.

He shook his head, “Aniyo, we can’t have that. Who knows what will her reaction be when she wakes up from her drunken state and sees you?”

He… has a point there.

“…So.” I fidgeted with my fingers. I am sleeping in the same bed as Taemin? Yikes.

Taemin stood up from his sitting position and smiled as he took my hand. “I have some spare pajamas if you want to wear them. They may be a bit big, but it’s comfortable than wearing those kind of clothes alone.”

I looked at my attire for a mere moment.

…

What’s so wrong with wearing short shorts and a loose tee-shirt? I could have easily slept in them with no problem. Then, it hit me and I just wanted to throw myself out of the window. I glared at him who looked away from me, blushing.

“…You just want to see me in your clothes, didn’t you?”

“…”

“…ert.”

I called Kangdae-oppa who seems relieved and surprised at the same time to know that she’s safe with me, but also to know that she’s staying over at SHINee’s house for the night, as well as I. I just came out of the bathroom, my hair dripping wet from the shower.

I’m serious; Taemin must be a ert to let me wear his pajamas. I wore a grey loose tee-shirt that has Mickey Mouse on it, and red short sweatpants. But…I can smell his scent on these clothes even if they were washed. They smelt… nice. Like strawberries and banana…

“Too busy smelling me, I see?”

I shrieked and pushed myself against the wall, terrified out of my wits to see a smirking Taemin behind me. “N-N-No…! No, of course not,” I screeched at him. I felt his hands around my waist and was being held close, my face burning red to see Taemin smirking at me. I shivered when I could feel his fingers tickling my skin underneath the shirt, going up to my torso as he held me closely, pressing me against the wall. I let out a soft whine when his nose nuzzled my neck, our bodies pressing together.

WHERE HAD THE INNOCENT MAKNAE GO—THIS IS NOT THE TAEMIN I KNEW!

“Oh c’mon, don’t deny it. You liked the smell of strawberries right?” He leaned in and our foreheads touched. I could have sworn my pupils were shaking, my face red as a tomato as I stared into those chocolate brown eyes of his. “But vanilla is my favourite smell—you smell good in your own perfume.” My eyes widen when I felt his lips on my cheek before pulling away and grabbing my hand to his bedroom while I was dragged along, stunned by the kiss.

We have reached his bedroom and just as I thought, there’s only one bed. After all, it is his bedroom…

I just stood there as Taemin jumped onto his bed, scooting over to make space for me as he patted the empty space.

“Come here, Mi-ja~” He called out with an innocent smile. OH, NOW HE’S BACK.

I huffed with a pout and stubbornly looked away, “No way! I could have roomed with Key-umma or Minho-oppa. Especially Key-umma—I never get to spend some time with him, which is not fair since I already went out with you and the other two.”

“…Other two?”

“I had my time with Onew-oppa and Minho-oppa. I’m making sure Jonghyun-oppa goes last.”

Taemin chuckled as he sat up on the bed, watching me looking around the room. “But didn’t you spend some time with him earlier today?”

“No, it was an emergency meeting. I was feeling so pissed off that he didn’t even count into the category.” I stated, looking at the pictures of him when he was smaller, and when he was in his debut days. One stood out to me—it was the photo of him and Sulli smiling into the camera as Taemin had his arm around her shoulder. They looked so young – Taemin had that short, fluffy black hair in a bowl cut style while Sulli’s hair was long and light brown. They looked like twins if they weren’t dating – they had the same smile and their face structures looked almost identical.

I felt a hand grabbing mine, our fingers interlocking. I turned to look at Taemin, who smiled at me with sad eyes.

“Mi-ja…it’s late. We should sleep and you need to prepare yourself for your performance. You only got five weeks.”

I nodded and told him, “I know.”

Nothing was said as he dragged me over to his bed. I took off my glasses and placed it on the nightstand next to me.

He turned off the lights in the bedroom as we faced each other in the bed. I stared at his rising chest and had this strange urge to snuggle into it. My wish was granted when Taemin pulled me close to him, wrapping his arms around me. I buried my head into his chest as I closed my eyes, sending myself off.

I can tell he was already asleep because of his soft snores, his chin on my head. I decided to fall asleep as well.

We’re not even a couple, but I can feel my heart racing at the closeness we have. …I kind of like it.