Clumsy Saranghae

author: GShMe   *** This story is Fictional. Any resemblance to anything is purely out of imagination and wishful thinking xDDD ***   Chapter 66: I'll Protect You   *after the performance, taemin frantically searched the backstage area for sherina ... ku mi caught up with him and she lead him to the janitor's closet where sherina had been crying in ... she had heard her muffled cries from the outside but chose not to barge in as she thought that she wasnt the person sherina needed at that moment ... taemin yanked the door open, revealing a completely messed up sherina ... he closed the door behind him and sat beside her in that cramped up little space ...   sherina: (sobbing silently - hugging her knees) taemin: (soft voice) sherina? sherina: i-im sorry ... (sobs) taemin: you dont have to apologize for anything ... come here (pulls her in for a hug) ... if anyone is to say sorry, it should be me ... im sorry i couldnt protect you and had to leave you alone like that ... sherina: (shakes her head in disagreement and muffles her cries onto his clothes) taemin: shhhhh ... (rubbing her back) its ok ... its ok, im here now (soothing voice)   *taemin was hurt, seeing sherina broken down like this ... he noticed some bruises on her legs and knees. Falling on top of those tangled wires and equipment couldn't have felt comfortable ... plus, the emotional and mental pressure and stress that the embarassment must've brought multiplied that pain a whole lot more ... he felt his heart clench thinking about those things ... not being able to be there when someone needed you felt bad ... but being RIGHT THERE and STILL not being able to do anything felt so much worse ... he hugged her tighter, in hopes of squeezing out all her sadness ...    TAEMIN'S INNER MONOLOGUE taemin: i wasnt able to protect her during that night at the ball ... i wasnt able to protect her now as well ... what am i doing!? I feel so useless! (hugs sherina tighter) im supposed to be her boyfriend! ... i wont allow it ... it was enough that i let that guy (jungwoon) off for hurting her so much before but now ... i wont let ANYONE else hurt her ... ANYONE ... END OF INNER MONOLOGUE       *soo jin came up with yet ANOTHER plan to bully sherina ... all the idols were still cramped up in their waiting rooms, including the four SHINee hyungs who had just been informed of taemin's location by ku mi ... soo jin didnt bother to listen to their conversations and sneakily looked around the room ... and there it was, on the couch: sherina's bag ...   soo jin: (smirks evilly to herself) SHINee hyungs: (talking to ku mi)   *with a step, grab and a slide, soo jin was out the door with sherina's bag in her hand ...    onew: i hope sherina's alright ... ku mi: tsk! first it was at the ball! now, this!! ... why cant people just leave her alone? ... who could be doing these things to her?! (worried) jonghyun: (sighs deeply) well, i guess we had to see this coming ... we were just careless again this time ...  minho: i hope taemin is cheering her up ... that horrified look on sherina's face when she saw us running to her ... (sighs) ... i never want to see that again ... key: (pouts) dont forget those darn tears that i freaking HATE seeing ... ku mi: (sighs)       *outside, just at the very end of the hallways of the waiting rooms, soo jin rummaged through sherina's bag as if it were hers ...    soo jin: (mumbling to herself) handkerchief, cheap face powder, cologne, wallet, ID ... tsk! there's nothing special in here after all! (spots sherina's phone and immediately brings it out and slides it open) darn it! passcode ...    *forgetting the phone, the evil stylists continued searching the poor bag ...           *back to taemin and sherina ...   taemin: a-are you ok now?  sherina: (still sobbing a bit) y-yeah ... i-i guess s-so ... (sobs) taemin: look at me ... sherina: n-no ... i look hideous ... (sobs) taemin: sherina, look at me ...  sherina: (sobs) ... (slowly turns to face him) taemin: you're still pretty ... (wipes her tears away - smiling gently) ... though you're crying so those pretty points are a bit low right now ... sherina: ya ... taemin: (giggles lightly) im just kidding ...   *eventually, sherina's sobs and tears faded ... she wasnt feeling any less sad and hurt but at least the physical signs of that were slowly subsiding ... partly because she was tired and partly (and more prominently) because of the man sitting by her, comforting her with everything he had ... once again, sherina's heart swelled with love and gratitude ...   sherina: t-thank you, taemin ... for everything ...  taemin: (smiles again) its no problem ... (kisses her forehead) im just happy that you're ok now ... you are, right? sherina