This is the worst hangover I have ever gotten in my life.

I have learnt my lesson—I am never drinking again.

I stared at the two CDs in my hands as I sat outside the courtyard of the university campus, an area that was unseen by others. I tapped my heels on the cement ground as I stared at the two, different albums.

One was ACE, the other ‘I’m Your Boy’.

That is right, Taemin did his solo debut, and his first solo in nine years, and SHINee did their Japanese comeback, although Minho did officially tell the press that there would not be a Korean comeback for the year.

I never listened to them. Although I still live with them now, I do not have a clue as to why I am so nervous to listening to their songs, especially with Taemin’s on which I had been anticipating on ever since he came up to me, smiling that bright grin of his and saying, “Mija! I finally got my debut! I’m going to do my solo debut!”

I knew that it was his dream, and that he should be happy, but I never thought he would be so happy that it almost made my cheeks hurt from smiling too much. I began to wonder about Jonghyun’s debut that everyone had anxiously waited for but were a bit disappointed that Taemin came out first.

He has been keeping quiet on that topic for a while. He never said anything about it.

“Mija?”

I looked up to see Minae, her books in her arms as she looked at me with a perplexed mien on her face. “What’s wrong? Are you ill?”

I only smiled at her and shook my head. Despite the memory of me kissing Minho when I was drunk, (it is something I am still embarrassed about, I cannot even bear to speak about it), everything really had changed. It is as if I just met SHINee yesterday and it already came down to this.

To be honest, I do not know how to take this all in – it is already becoming too much with the secrets that SHINee is trying to hide from me. Taemin said it, and then Key said it – the thought on that they may be trying to mess with my past that I cannot remember, is disturbing me.

It feels like the years are just passing me by so suddenly that I do not even notice it.

I realized that I had not said anything to my stepsister, so I looked at her and smiled, nodding my head. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m not sick or anything, just thinking.”

Minae smiled as she walked towards me to take a seat next to me. “Are you sad because SHINee is in Japan again?”

It could be that, so I nodded my head, smiling weakly at her. She took notice of the albums in her hand. “Mwo,” she started as she took the ‘I’m Your Boy’ album into her hand, “they sent you these whilst they are overseas? Not only that, why did Taemin send his album along with it? I thought he ended his promotions ages ago!”

I only shrugged.

“Maybe he forgot?” I took a guess, having no idea why he would give me his album that he has stopped promoting months ago.

Minae shook her head, sighing in disbelief as she turned away from me. “At least he gave you something. It has been a while since I last saw you two talking to each other. Heck, you hardly talked to any of them before they left!”

I was busy, I wanted to tell her but instead, I shook my head. “I had too much things on my mind to even talk to them.”

The brunette beside me frowned. “Key had been texting me nonstop, worried about the fact that you were not answering any of his texts.”

I snorted. “Shouldn’t he be worrying about the fee he’d get for texting overseas?”

“Heol.”

I instantly regretted saying that when I glanced at Minae’s dumbfounded expression. “Sorry, it’s just…” I trailed off for a moment before shaking my head. “Don’t you think…something’s weird around here?”

Minae blinked twice at my question, peering around the empty courtyard before looking back at me with a shake of her head. “No, I don’t. In fact, it has been a lot quieter than usual, but that’s not out of the norm. It is exam week after all. Whatever made you think that?”

“I’m worried about…Sumin.”

She leaned back in surprise, shocked of the thought of me worrying for Sumin. “What about her?” she asked me, her eyebrows raised sceptically.

I shook my head, assuring her that it’s not what she is thinking of. “It’s not like that, it’s just”—I let out a sigh before continuing—“she hasn’t been around much, you know? And even when I do see her, she never comes to insult me or anything of the sorts. I found that fact really weird that she’s not doing anything like she usually does.”

Minae let out a hum, now realizing that I was right, since she did not bother us much over the past weeks even after SHINee went to Japan and other countries for their tours.

“I think you’re right,” she admitted before looking away, “but that doesn’t mean she’s doing anything in secret. If she is really not doing anything, then it’s a sign that maybe she has given up and realized that SHINee will stick by your side no matter what.”

I hope that is the case.

The day they’ve returned from their tours was the day when hell broke loose.

I covered my ears in surprise when I saw the five members screaming, running towards me as soon they have set their eyes on me.

I’m positively sure that the rest of the students are no longer jealous of me, but rather, freaked out by SHINee’s behaviour towards me. They must have not noticed that before, because they were so set on me that they didn’t pay attention to them.

Now that they’ve did, they realized that maybe their behaviour might as well be freaking me out by then.

How right they are.

“Oh my God, go away from me! I don’t want to die!” I shrieked, running for my life as they chased me, the boys laughing at my panicked expression as I wanted to survive their group hug and not get squished to death.

The amount of times I nearly died by their death hugs, I think I’m lucky to still be alive even today!

Jesus, we are not even in primary school and we’re acting like kids in college!

I let out a yelp when I ran into a person, the figure letting out a feminine shriek as I fell along with the stranger. I blinked, fixing my glasses and gasping as I made eye contact with the person that I dragged along with me to the floor.

Those familiar brown eyes and dark hair…

“Would you get off me?”

Sumin did not look so pleased to see me.

I don’t know how I should feel around her. I should be burning mad with passion, but it’s like that fire just died out the minute I see her.

She looked… horrible.

I can literally see black circles underneath her eyes, despite her attempts to hide it with concealer. Her skin looked sickly pale and her body seems thinner than usual.

“I said, get off me, you nerd!” I felt myself pushed aside, letting out a grunt as the girl stood up from the ground, standing on her high heels as she glowered down at me. Then she bent down to pick up her books and bag and stomped away from me, right after glancing at SHINee who were not far behind me. I looked up to see her walking away down the hallway.

I felt a hand on my arm, pulling me up. I looked to see that it was Minho, his eyes worried. “Are you okay Mija? Are you hurt anywhere?”

I shook my head. “No, but…” I paused for a long time before looking back down the hallway, remembering how frail Sumin looked earlier.

“Did you see her?” Key spoke up. “I swear, she looked like she hasn’t eaten for days since we left!”

“Do you think it’s about us?”

I shook my head at Onew’s perplexed question. “I don’t think so,” I told them. “I think she just gave up.”

Jonghyun looked at me in surprise, his eyes wide before they narrowed suspiciously. “Are you sure? Sumin isn’t really the type to back down so easily, as far as we know.”

“Have you guys seen her?”

They stood silent for a moment before Taemin spoke, “It could be her forcing herself to be like that so we can take pity on her.”

I let out a sigh. Honestly, I wish it was like that, but it’s not easy to force yourself into being something you don’t want to be. I shook my arm around of Minho’s grasp and shook my head. “You guys are ridiculous. Offensive, even!”

They did not say anything to that as I walked away from the five men.

Why do I not feel so worthy around them?

My eyes averted downwards as I walked forward.

Then I remembered.

It’s probably because I don’t trust them anymore, now that I found out that SHINee has something to do with me.

“Mija!”

I halted to a stop and my heels to see Onew running behind me, his light brown hair bouncing with each step he made. He stood up in front of me, panting slightly. His eyes looked a bit slanted and his cheeks were flushed from the running. “What was that?”

“What was what?”

Onew stared at me for a moment before his lower lip. I could his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly as he gulped down his spit before resuming his talk, “You know what I’m talking about—about what happened a few seconds ago.”

I gazed up at him for a moment, finding myself staring into his deep brown eyes of his before shaking my head out of it and let out a sigh. “Sorry. I just had everything on my head and what with Sumin not doing anything during the past few months is just bothering me like crazy.”

Onew looked at me for a while before silently grabbing my hands. I saw him smiling warmly at me before he spoke, “I get what you mean. We didn’t mean to come out as rude, we were just glad that she had stopped—for the moment.”

“For a moment?” I asked him on what he meant by that.

“What I mean is that,” he paused for a second before sighing. “I don’t think Sumin is just going to give up like that. We’ve all seen her works on you—she even tried to knock you out with a beer bottle back at the party!”

I scowled at the memory as I glared at the male in front of me. Must he have to bring that up again?

Seeing the look on my face, he apologizes, “Mianhaebnida, I should not have brought that up. I know you didn’t exactly…prefer having a bottle smacked onto your head or Sumin humiliating you. That was unnecessary of me.”

Ok, now I feel bad, seeing his apologetic expression on his face. I placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. “It’s fine. I’ve gotten over it already,” I told him.

Onew smiled at me before continuing from where he left off, “As I was saying, Sumin is not that type of girl who would just give up. After seeing what she has done to you for two years, we all know that once she has her eyes set on something, she will do anything to get it.”

I nodded my head quietly, taking in this information. Then I thought back to Sumin’s brother, and realized that the two are not the same. Regardless, maybe she has a bit of her brother’s personality to have a conscience.

I hope she have a conscience, at least, for real.

“I see what you mean, Onew,” I spoke as I looked at him, “but that still doesn’t stop my suspicions on her.”

He shook his head. “I’m not telling you to stop doubting her. I’m just saying that Sumin wouldn’t go down that easy,” he told me. “After all, she is the one who said that the war is not over.”

And it will not be over until we know it is over.

I hummed, smiling at him as he brought my mind to ease. His words made me think a lot clearer now, ridding of the doubts that I’ve had since SHINee had left for their tours. While Sumin may be like this now, even if I felt guilty, I must not lower my guard in front of her.

Not like what I did before. I lowered my guard, and look at what it has gotten me into. I won’t be falling for that again.

“Thank you, Onew. I knew you would help me understand everything a lot more easily,” I thought with a grin, happy to have him back.

Onew smiled his usual eye smile, his warmth beaming onto me before he averted his eyes to the floor. “You know…about Luna,” he started to speak, changing the subject.

Ah, right—his crush on Luna! I wonder how that went, to be honest. I hadn’t seen him much around her—but then again, he could be meeting her elsewhere to avoid s catching him.

“I… managed to talk to her from time to time,” he told me, fidgeting with his fingers. Haven’t I told you how cute he looks whenever he’s blushing about his crush? It’s quite adorable, really.

A grin came over my face as I looked at him with sparkling eyes. “Really? Did Luna seems to enjoy your company?”

Onew’s face flushed red than usual and gave me a tiny smile, nodding his head. “Or, at least I think she is.”

“Then, that’s great! It’s a start, considering your busy schedules and all, but it’s still great!” I said to him, nodding my head in approval. “But really, what took you so long to even make a small conversation with her at the Headquarters? It’s nearly been a year since you first told me about your crush on Luna!”

Onew smiled again before sighing. “I wasn’t the one who was hesitating,” he started as he looked down at the floor with sad eyes. “She’s the one who is avoiding me,” he told me.

I was a bit shocked. Luna, the nice girl, was avoiding Lee Jinki? That doesn’t sound right at all.

“Every time I muster up the courage to talk to her, she always runs away with an excuse. Even her members can’t tell me what is happening to her,” Onew said with a cross of his arms over his chest. “Do you think she doesn’t like me?”

“No!” I told him, a bit too hasty with my words. I cleared my throat. “I mean,” I started, now quieter than usual, “that’s not true.”

Although it was a bit strange that Luna would be avoiding him when she’s usually the person who approaches people, I disregard it as her having a busy schedule, what with their comebacks and preparing for concerts and—you know, the perks of being an idol.

I my lower lip and answered, “Maybe she’s just nervous about her showcases since she’s preparing for the album. It could be that…maybe?” I wasn’t certain.

Onew slowly nodded his head at my unsure answer, taking it into consideration. “Are you sure that is the case?” he asked with a raise of his eyebrows as he looked at me.

To be honest, I have no clue.

I sighed, bowing my head low as my shoulders slumped down in despair. “I don’t know,” I finally responded to him with a small shake of my head before straightening up and looking at the male with an assuring smile. “But I’ll ask Luna once I see her, okay?”

Onew smiled at me and nodded happily at my suggestion. “Would you do that? Thank you Mija, you are so kind!”

No, the kind person is you, Lee Jinki, I thought with a small smile on my face.

“Tell me if she said anything about me,” he requested, now holding me by the shoulders. I could feel his worry by the way his grips has securely fastened its hold on me. It hurts a bit, but I can understand why he is worried.

I nodded, agreeing to do just that once I saw her.

Then my phone rang out in my back pocket, ringing out an alert.

I took it out, seeing that I’ve received a text from Sumin’s brother, Hwang Daejung. He’s the boy I’ve modelled with on my birthday, if you do not remember. I smiled, seeing his text.

From: Daejung
To: Mija ★
Hey! Wanna meet up sometime today? I’m outside the building right now!
Meet me by the gate if you want to see me!
I bought some bubble tea! ㅋㅋ

“What are you smiling about?”

I jumped slightly upon hearing Onew’s voice, almost forgetting that he was standing there in front of me.

“N-Nothing in particular!” I exclaimed, hiding my phone away into my back pocket. “J-Just someone texting me!”

I thanked the Heavens that my hair was down today, hiding my red ears.

Onew looked at me, his eyes gazing into me as if searching for the truth. He did that for a while before he then gave in, sighing with a shake of his head. “Alright,” he told me with a shrug of his shoulders. “If you say so.”

I smiled at him as I gradually backed away from him, my legs already moving on its own. “I…I have to go now. According to the text, something came up so I have to meet up with that person,” I told him before saying, “I’ll see you guys later!”

With that, I hastily my heels and ran away as soon as possible to meet up with Daejung, oblivious to Onew’s doubtful eyes as he watched me leave.

Onew’s POV

“Hyung.”

“Yes, Taemin?”

Taemin looked at me, his eyes solemn as we hid in the buses near the campus gate. I could see the campus building through the filters of the leaves, the concrete ground in sight. Apparently, the maknae did not look impressed.

“Your hiding areas are downright unnecessary,” he deadpans, shaking his head although it resulted of having leaves sticking onto his hair. “No wonder why Mija thinks you’re a klutz.”

I looked at him then, my eyes wide at his words. “M-Mija did? She said that I look stupid hiding in places like this?” Well, that would understand why she looked at me oddly every time I hide. I suppose being in a trashcan wasn’t a good way to do a gag…

Taemin snorted. “No, I did,” answered he, sarcasm lingering around in his voice. I scowled at him and hit him on the arm, earning a loud yell from the latter.

“Quiet!” I hushed him, referring to the yell he made earlier. “Someone could have heard us and our cover would be blown!”

Taemin only rolled his eyes. “Nobody is out there! Now, can you tell me why you literally ripped me away from going into the restroom to hide inside a shrub with you?”

I bit my lower lip, staying quiet momentarily. “To be honest, I’m rather suspicious of Mija.”

The youngest stared at me blankly, his eyes locked onto my appearance as if scanning before his eyebrows rose in astonishment. “Are you serious?”

I nodded my head, confirming my answer.

It was then when a male voice called out a familiar name, a dark-haired man stepping out into the campus grounds from the gates.

“Mija!”

Our heads snapped towards the scene, not wanting to miss any important details. I saw a familiar redhead, a smile on her face as she approached the stranger.

“Daejung!” she cried out, happily waving to him. “I wasn’t expecting you to be here!”

This…“Daejung” guy, just let out a soft chuckle, his legs shifting in my view. “Just want to see how you are coping in college and all,” he told her, warmth heard in his voice.

“Who is he?” asked Taemin, his voices in a whispered tone.

I shrugged my shoulders, unable to answer that question. “I would like to know that too!” I whispered back to him.

I could see Mija smiling at him, even though the leaves obscured most of their faces.

“So, what do you want from me?”

Daejung merely smiled at him before frowning. “Have you seen my sister?” he asked.

I furrowed my eyebrows at this. Why would he be asking her for his sister?

“Yeah, I have,” answered Mija, frowning as well. “Do you think she is okay?”

Taemin looked at me, poking me in the arm. “Who is this ‘she’ they are talking about?”

I groaned, almost wanting to slap him across the face. “Just listen and you would find out!” I hissed at him, the boy leaning back at my angered expression. “How would I know? I’m not a psychic!”

Taemin only mouthed a ‘sorry’ to me.

Daejung wither, his hands in his jeans’ pockets. “I just hope she doesn’t cause any trouble to you. No matter what she says to me, I cannot help but wonder if that is the truth.”

“Yeah, I know. I am beginning to feel suspicious of Sumin as well.”

Our eyes widened at the name before we looked at each other, gaping in shock.

She is friends with the boy who is Sumin’s brother?

Our enemy’s brother?

Why would she go and do that? Doesn’t she know she’s putting herself at risk?

(A/N: SHINee, you are over exaggerating it…)

“Is she out of her mind!” hissed Taemin as he glared at Mija in the shrubs. “That is like betraying us and siding with the enemy!”

I shushed him, not wanting to blow our cover. “We cannot assume this is true, Taemin,” I whispered to him, making sure we weren’t seen in the bushes. “Maybe she has an explanation for this. Maybe she saw that he isn’t like Sumin, which could be why she befriended him! He could be completely different from Hwang Sumin!”

However, Taemin scoffed. “Siblings may be siblings,” he started to say, “and they may be different, but that does not mean they do not hold any similarities.”

I rolled my eyes, almost letting out a groan. “Which is why I said ‘maybe’, you idiot!” I hissed at him. “We do not know for sure yet!”

“Hey,” Daejung spoke, attracting our attention as we saw him hand Mija something. “Check this out!”

Mija looked down to see his iPod in his hand. “Oh?” exclaimed she, surprised by this encounter. “Why are you giving me your iPod?” she asked as she took it into her hands, looking down at the screen.

“There’s a song I want you to listen for me. It’s by Akdong Musician.”

“Akdong Musician?”

By hearing the name, I remembered the brother-sister duet. They were really good and I was touched to hear them do an arrangement of our song ‘Ring Ding Dong’. I was impressed by their skills and talents!

Daejung nodded his head. “Well, AKMU for short. Listen to their song, “Melted”. It’s really good!”

Mija stared down at the iPod in her hands before looking at the male, smiling at him. “I’ll be sure to give it a listen sometime this week!” Then she spoke in an apologetic tone. “Mian, but I have to go back inside now. It’s nearly time for classes to start!”

He nodded his head again, more in understanding as he told her, “No worries. I should take my leave as well. I have to get back to work.”

He’s working? That surprised me, I haven’t expected that coming from a man whose age is similar to us.

The reddish-haired brunette smiled as if happy she has him as a friend before she waved goodbye to him as she began to walk away.

“I will see you again to return your iPod, okay?” I can hear her call out from the distance, seeing her bright smile. I smiled unconsciously at the view, liking how bright her smile was even from afar.

Then I glanced at the man named ‘Daejung’ who stared at her, waving back at her with that same smile he had on since earlier. Once she was gone, I stared at him as he maintained his smile, chuckling as he dug his hands into his back pockets, murmuring out “Cute” to himself, referring to how Mija was being so overly happy towards him.

I shook my head with a small scoff. We all know Mija is an adorable little girl. We have experienced that quite a few times.

Taemin fidgeted beside him. “Hyung, I have to go use the restroom,” he hissed in my ear.

I scowled, pushing him away as I looked at him in disgust. “Go then! Aish, must you tell me that?”

He only whined.

I shook my head in disbelief before looking back at the male, who is now looking down at the ground.

Suddenly, he turned his head towards my direction, his solemn eyes looking straight at me.

I swear to God, I seriously got the goose bumps.

I let out a yell, pulling back and falling onto my rear, now out in the open.

“Hyung! Are you okay?” Taemin asked me as he crawled out, a hand on my chest.

I shook my head, rubbing my neck as I sat up and looked at the campus gate.

He wasn’t there.

“Did you see that?!” I asked Taemin with wide eyes.

I only saw the younger male looking back at me with one brow raised. “Have you hit your head when you fell earlier, Onew-hyung?”

He got to be kidding me…!

I scowled at him, almost appalled that he wouldn’t believe me. “I swear, he really looked at me! It is as if he knew I was there!”

Taemin sighed, patting my back as he helped me stand up from the ground, plucking a stray leaf off my hair. “Hyung,” he paused to brush off the leaves sticking onto his clothes, “you’re starting to be paranoid now. Let’s go back inside and get you to eat some chicken to have your sanity back before we go to class.” Then he said, “When lunchtime starts, we have to tell the members about Mija and Sumin’s brother.”

I sighed as the male walked ahead of me, claiming, “Now excuse me, I am going to use the restroom since someone took me away from it!”

I felt somewhat wronged.

“I swear, Taemin,” I spoke to myself as I silently followed from behind. “That man is not normal.”

Taemin’s POV

“Mija is what?!” Key shrieked in such a high-pitched tone, his hands slamming down on the table, our trays nearly 5cm in the air before they settled down.

Not only had that but the loud noise attracted the attention of the students who were around us at the time in the lunchroom.

Jonghyun slapped his arm, shushing him when the brunet let out a yell before smiling at the crowd that looked at us weirdly—although that didn’t stop the squeals from the girls. “Nevermind him, just go on with your own business, okay?”

I shook my head, ashamed to have forgotten that Key is that type of person who always blurt things out loud. Maybe I should have taped his mouth with duct tape first before we told them.

Onew merely nodded his head at his outburst. “I am not lying. We both heard it with our own ears and our own two eyes,” he told him.

I feel as if we are discussing about a crime that Mija had obviously done.

Minho bit his lower lip as he tried to absorb in this information. “I find it hard to believe that she is friends with Sumin’s older brother, even when she knows about it!”

“Maybe that is why she got mad at us earlier when we insulted Sumin – she knows that he won’t be happy with us if he found out we badmouthed his little sister,” said Jonghyun. Then he continued on to make his point, “I mean, I would be pretty pissed off too if anyone cursed Sodam or Mija, considering she has now become my ‘little sister’.”

Onew hummed at his statement before he talked, “True, but we can’t just blindly accuse her for…‘siding with the enemy’, so Taemin choose to put it,” he glared at me as he said this.

I simply grinned at him.

“Well, let’s just hope it’s not something like giving Sumin another chance if we were to get an explanation from her,” stated Key as he scowled at the memory. “We all know how that went the first time she did that.”

We frowned, all knowing what happened at Sumin’s party.

Abruptly, my body was thrown over as a body collide onto my back, making me gasp out in surprise as I felt soft yet toned arms wrapped around my neck, along with a head on my shoulder as I felt hair tickling my ear.

“What the—!”

I looked to see that it was Mija who looked at me, her eyes full of the universe’s stars as she pressed her lips against my cheek.

“Well, nice to see you too, Taemin!”

I swear to God, prepare me a funeral if I died from overheating because I do not think it is possible for my face to be this red!

“M-Mija!” I squeaked, my voice rising in tone.

She giggled at my reaction, pulling her headphones down around her neck as she squeezed in to sit between me and Onew. “So,” she started to ask, “What are you guys talking about?”

Jonghyun was the first to talk. “Nothing much! Just talking about stuff,” he told her, a smile on his face.

Mija smirked playfully at him as she crossed her arms on the table, leaning towards the male. “I sure hope it’s not about Min because if you did something bad to her again, I would have to give you another er punch to knock you out again!” exclaimed she as she held out her fist towards the man’s face.

I snickered at Jonghyun’s reaction, the way his smiling face changed into a solemn expression as he scowled deeply, firmly shaking his head as he leaned away from her fist that looked on dangerously towards his face. “No thanks,” he deadpanned. “I do not need you to knock me out anymore.”

The reddish-brown haired female snorted, pulling her fist back to her side as she shook her head. “Scaredy-cat,” retorted Mija.

“I am not!” bit back Jonghyun, though he glared at Key who let out a loud cackle—Jeez, that hyung has a crow for a laugh!—loving Mija’s sharp retort.

He noticed his look and tried to stifle his laughter but failed to do so as he continued to giggle. “Sorry,” said Key, “but that was funny, you have to admit. And you were a scaredy-cat back then when Mija gave you the look. Oh man! While it was shocking, it was priceless! Ha!”

Mija let out a soft chuckle beside me as Jonghyun hit the male on the arm, earning a yell from Key before he grabbed the dinosaur boy by the ear, the latter screeching and pleading, “Uncle! Uncle!” in hopes he would release his strong grip on him.

“Ah,” she then spoke up, now turning to me with a smile on her face and…red cheeks? “I would like to speak to you, Taemin.”

I nodded my head in understanding, accepting her request. “Okay then, talk to me! I can listen to you,” I allowed her to speak, but she did not talk to me.

Instead, she blushed more and lowered her head a bit as she shyly looked at me.

“No, I mean,” she paused to sigh before she explained, “I need to talk to you in private.” She glanced at the member sitting at the table before looking back at me. “Not in front of…everyone. I want to talk to you,” she said, “alone.”

I sat there still, glancing at Onew who looked at us before murmuring out, “Oh.” I realized that it must be something important if she wanted to talk to me alone.

But why me?

I took a glance at Minho who was watching us seriously, both hands clasped near his mouth as he observed us with indifferent eyes. His bracelet clinked a bit with the personalized bracelet Mija made for him as his hand slightly moved as his brown eyes stared at me, as if waiting for my move. I turned my attention back to Mija and smiled at her, avoiding his eyes. “Sure, we can do that,” I told her.

She smiled at me with a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Then, follow me,” she told me as she got up from the table.

I nodded, getting up after she has left, deciding to leave the table, leaving behind the others to follow Mija. I can feel their eyes on us as we left the lunchroom before they vanish, possibly going onto their conversations about us now.

I avoided making eye contact with anyone as they looked at us, interested in our business. Mija did not seem to have noticed, or maybe she did not mind them staring at us. Maybe she has thought they were jealous like they still were and had gotten used to it that she doesn’t bother anymore.

Or maybe…

Maybe she has something troubling her mind.

But what? I thought to myself, my eyes on the back of her figure as I silently followed her, watching the way her hair swaying left from right, held up in a ponytail.

Once I saw no sights of students and the green grass with the view displaying the large, grassy field and the blue sky, I knew we were out in the courtyard.

Alone, with the two of us.

“So,” I spoke up first once we have settled in the area, standing in front of her. “What’s the problem?”

It’s unusual, seeing her fidget shyly in front of me, as if she was back to being a wallflower again.

She looked nervous.

When was the last time I ever seen nervous in front of me or the members?

I furrowed my eyebrows at this sight. Almost never.

“Um,” Mija began to talk, “you know about your confession.”

…

Oh.

I thought back to when I caught Mija and Minho kissing near the dining room back at the dormitory. Even though she was ridiculously drunk back then, it still pains me to know that even in that state, she chose him.

So I frowned and shook my head, preventing her from speaking anymore.

“Listen, Mija,” I sighed, planning to give her up to Minho as I looked away from her eyes. “I think you should just forget it. I don’t think you will feel anything for me if you continue like this.”

I heard nothing from her, so I took that as a sign to continue talking, closing my eyes shut as I stood more on one leg, my hand on my hip and the other running through my hair.

“It is as you said, you like Minho more than me, so why should I bother to keep interfering in your life when I know how you really feel? Why should I keep trying when I know you wouldn’t change? I know you think I’m being stupid and all, hoping that you would like me.”

No response.

“It hurts, yes, but I…I hope we can continue to be friends.” Then I smiled weakly. “Don’t worry. I’ll find someone else. Sooner or later…”

I have said all of these things, but strangely, she has not said a thing to me. Confused, I turned to look at her, nearly about to call out her name if it weren’t for the fact that she is standing dangerously close to me.

My eyes widened when I felt her soft lips on mine, her hands on my arms.

I thought back to my album before realizing that she is the thief who stole my lips.

The thief who snatched my heart all over again.

Mija pulled back a bit before kissing me again, this time, a soft peck as she stepped away, her face red, biting her lower lip as she stood close in front of me, her eyes gazing into mine.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t date you, Lee Taemin,” said Mija, her cheeks red as she stood on her toes, pressing her lips against mine once again. This time, I fell for her, my eyes fluttering to a close as I gently kissed her back, my heart racing in wonder.

I never thought her lips could be this soft.

Is this how Minho felt when she kissed him? It felt amazing!

She pulled back after a while, my hands on her waist while her arms wrapped around her neck, a smirk on her face. “If it’s like this, then may I be your girlfriend?”

“Huh?” I dreamily answered back before my eyes widened at what happened.

Did she just kiss me?

She…she did.

O. M. G.

“Yah!” I blurted out, my face red as a bright tomato as I stepped back, covering my mouth in embarrassment. “You brazen little !”

Mija let out a laugh as she smirked playfully at me, quirking an eyebrow at me. “Oh? I thought you liked it! You looked like you liked it. I am trying to accept your feelings here, and you are now rejecting me?” She pouted, crossing her arms. “I am hurt.”

“N-No, I am not rejecting you! I mean, I did like the kiss, you are amazing at kissing—but that’s not the point!” I squeaked, humiliated of how I am going off-track – and all because of a kiss.

How did I even manage to control her? She has no shame!

But…

I lowered my hand from my lips, my ears burning reed as I asked, “Is it true? You want to go out with me?”

Mija smiled, her face matching the colour of my ears as she spoke, “I…I want to try being your girlfriend, Taemin. Then, maybe, perhaps we can see the result from it. Do I like you or do I not feel anything for you? I want to answer my question through dating you and…kissing you.” We both blushed at the mention of ‘kissing’.

Just saying it was awkward enough.

“And if my feelings are not 100% true and you find that I am not good enough for you or dissatisfied with me then… then,” she paused, her eyes now averted to the ground. “That’s…that’s that, then, I suppose… You would be able to tell the answer from that.”

I began to think about it for a while. Knowing of her current situation, perhaps it would work out for her if she were to be in a relationship with me. While it may sound like a terrible idea—I mean, she is literally using me to test herself and whatever happened to that kiss between her and Minho?—it would be fun to rile Minho up a bit and rub it into his face.

I grinned to myself, imagining Choi Minho’s defeated and annoyed face. Yes, it would be fun to annoy him, that competitive, tall man.

So I grabbed Mija by the arm and gave her a surprise kiss on the lips, earning a startled yelp from her before I pulled away, seeing her rounded eyes staring back at me, sparkling brightly underneath the golden sun.

“Fair enough,” I said as I smiled at her. “You’re now mine, Baek Mija.”