Clumsy Saranghae
author: GShMe

*** This story is Fictional. Any resemblance to anything is purely out of imagination and wishful thinking xDDD ***

Chapter 35: Meeting Soo Jin Unni

*as SHINee started to sing Last Gift, the audience quieted down a little to be able to feel the song ... sherina was a little worried because she noticed that jonghyun's expression darkened when the song started playing ...

sherina: (nervously watching jonghyun)
jonghyun: (looking sad and weak)
SHINee members: (glacing at jonghyun from time to time in between lines - worried)

*halfway through the chorus, a tear visibly escaped jonghyun's eye ... the audience started murmuring, the SHINee members saw him then looked at each other ... they eventually did their best to cover for jonghyun by moving forward, making their lead vocalist a little hidden behind them ...

sherina: (hands covering in shock) oh no!
audience: jonghyun oppa! ... what's wrong? ... what happened?

SHERINA'S INNER MONOLOGUE
sherina: what's happening to oppa?? ... was the thing with his girlfriend THAT serious?? ... (starts getting teary-eyed) h-he's .... he's crying ... jonghyun oppa ... (sad expression)
END OF INNER MONOLOGUE

FLASHBACK
*that night, before the performance, taemin and sherina were having another text conversation ...

taemin: (text mesage) "we couldn't really go out today even though it's one of our very few off days :("
sherina: (text message) "huh? why's that?"
taemin: (text message) "well ... jonghyun hyung's going through a tough time right now ... i think the thing with his girlfriend isn't getting any better ... now, he's locked himself up in his room and we cant just leave him ..."

*this time, it was sherina who suddenly called taemin ...

taemin: (picks up the call) hello?
sherina: is oppa ok?! ... what happened? is he gonna be alright? ... have you talked to him about it?
taemin: (softens at sherina's concern and smiles gently) he's fine, sherina ... if you're a fan, you should already know that jonghyun hyung is the most sensitive one, right? ... he just needs a little time alone, i know he can get through it ...
sherina: (whimpers) b-but ...
taemin: thank you for your concern, i'll be sure to tell him ...
sherina: t-thank you ... t-tell him that i believe he can get through this ... we'll all be here for him, right?
taemin: yes ... of course  
END OF FLASHBACK

*the song ended and SHINee immeditely got off the stage ... sherina got back to her senses and ran as fast as she could toward the backstage area ... some guards blocked her way as she reached the entrance ...

sherina: b-but im with ... im with them!
guard: sorry, miss ... fans aren't allowed inside ... now please go back to the audience area
sherina: b-but!--
guard: no more buts, miss!! ... hurry up and get back before i use force!
sherina: i-i have to go see oppa!!
guard: this girl!!

*the guard was about to grab sherina when ku mi came just in time to stop him ...

ku mi: uhm! sir! ... she's with us! (takes sherina's hand and drags her inside)
sherina: t-thank you, unni ...
ku mi: sorry about that ... the guards were asked to be a little stricter than before ... fans can get a bit unreasonable at times, that's why ...
sherina: oh ...

*soon, they reached SHINee's tent ... sherina saw jonghyun sitting down on a bench with the other members surrounding him ...

sherina: o-oppa ...
SHINee: (looks at her)
ku mi: (whispers) i have to go now ... (walks out the tent)

*sherina noticed that no staff member was in there, she even saw SHINee's two managers waiting outside ... nervous, she approached the group ...

taemin: sherina ...
sherina: (looks at taemin then at jonghyun)
jonghyun: (head down)
key: ya, hyung ... are you sure you're ok? (worried)
onew: kim jonghyun, you better not be lying to us ...
jonghyun: (not looking at any of them) im fine, guys ... i told you that already (fake chuckle) i was just caught off guard when they played that song ... sorry for worrying you ...
sherina: oppa, are you really alright? (worried)
jonghyun: (sighs then looks up at her - softens upon seeing her worried expression) im fine, dongsaeng ... (fake smile)
sherina: (a bit mad) oppa! ... if you're really fine, then stop all these fake smiles and fake laughs!!
jonghyun: (surprised)
SHINee: (looks at her - surprised as well)
sherina: i may not know what really happened but ....... (pause) .... dont you know that what pains me the most is seeing you fake your smiles?! (teary-eyed)
jonghyun: sherina ...
sherina: if you want to cry now, then go ahead! you're not on stage anymore, right? (clenches her fists) ... cry it all out then smile for REAL! ... do