The Announcement

"No!" Park Youngmi's voice echoed through the room as she let her eyes double its size.

"Youngie-ah, why don't you give it a try? It's not that bad." Her best friend-slash-boss, Kim Minjung, calmed her down as she expected this kind of reaction.

"What are you thinking!? Why put me up in such a crap!?" She yelled in fluent english due to exasperation. No. Just no. She will never do this.

"This is not a crap, Youngie. It is a reality show. It's where you'll have a virtual husband. It's a new experience!" Her best friend tried to beam but Youngmi could only roll her eyes.

"Unnie, it's called 'pretend'. Don't try to beautify it by saying virtual. It's PRETEND! Am I a five year old kid to play this kind of game?!" She yelled as she slammed her hands on the table. She doesn't want to do this. No way in hell!

"Park Youngmi, calm down." Minjung's voice was calm yet dangerous and Youngmi knows better than complaining, so she sat down but she crossed her arm in her chest.

"Youngmi, let me ask you. When was the last time you went out with a guy?" Minjung asked.

"NOT as FRIENDS!" She continued and Youngmi closed , not wanting to answer the question anymore.

"It's been SO SO SO SO LONG!" She emphasized the words that told her that she never saw a guy after... him.

"That's the point! You know why I can't! You know why I won't! You know why I don't! I wouldn't date a guy in real life! So what's the point of trying to set me up to a 'pretend' game!?" She frustratedly uttered.

"Did I say you're going to meet him after set?! NO! The point is, I want you to feel how it is to be with a guy! I want you to do this for you to experience love, again!" Minjung explained as she tried to catch her friend who, by the way, did nothing but sigh in complete annoyance while she was speaking.

"There's no LOVE in PRETEND! If you want me to experience love then let me be! I won't be forever single! I just need to find the right man who deserve my trust... my heart!" Youngmi fought back.

"You've been telling us that you will find someone but you never did!" Minjung's tone rose.

"You, Park Youngmi, are going to show up on the exact date and time written in that paper." Minjung continued, voice, stern. 

"And if I don't?" She challenged.

"Say goodbye to your job and get your ready to fly back to New York."

And she admit defeat.

"Pardon?" Onew asked as he held the piece paper in the envelope, up.

"It is what it says." The CEO of SM Entertainment, Lee Sooman, uttered as he continued signing the stack of papers in his desk.

"But, songsaengnim, isn't it a bit too fast for me to do this thing? I mean, Taemin just recently finished his." He said, stating an obvious fact.

He fears the fans reaction. They have been too pressured when Taemin joined the show because many fan got disappointed. Lee Sooman knows that very well and Jinki couldn't help but wonder why he is forced to do this.

"You need a new image, Lee Jinki." He stopped signing the paper and looked at the fine young man before him.

"You're image shouts that you're too innocent for dating. We need an image of a new Onew. A manly one." The old man explained and Onew's brows knitted together.

"Songsaengnim, don't you think our songs proved how much of a man we are? I mean, all the concepts are manly." He tried to explain but it seems like Lee Soo Man isn't ready to hear his side.

"I already signed the papers Jinki. You are going to go to the address in that paper and if you don't, you know the consequences." He said before returning to his work and continued signing the papers.

"Who is she?" He asked, hoping his question would be answered. The old man looked up and smiled.

"She's not much of a popular girl but she is indeed interesting as she is not in your field." He said before grabbing another paper to sign.

Jinki couldn't do anything but sigh as he exited the room. The other members looked up and gathered around the leader the moment they saw him.

"What happened?" Jonghyun was the first one to break the ice and Onew held up an invitation that seems so familiar with the member. 

"Hyung, you're getting married!" Taemin beamed and Onew glared at him.

"I'm not." He said in a stern voice and the youngest shut his mouth.

"Aren't you happy, hyung?" Minho, looked all excited as he smiled widely.

"Do I look like I'm having fun?" He looked at Minho whose smile faltered as soon as he saw his hyung's expression.

"Hyung, can't it be me?" Key asked.

"Why don't you ask the old man in that old fashioned office of his?" Onew muttered, his face showing an expression less than a brick.

"We have an schedule in an hour. Let's go." He said and started walking without looking back.  

The ride isn't even close to what they call 'silent' because the boys of SHINee isn't the most peaceful guys on earth. However, one guy, specifically, the leader is awfully and unusually quiet through the ride.

"Are you okay? You can rest if you want. It's not a major interview anyway. The face of these four guys can handle the job." One of his managers asked him, worriedly. Onew shook his head and smiled.

"I can manage." He uttered. Work is work and he is still the leader of their group. He has other things to do than to pray that Tuesday would never come.

After finishing all of their schedules, the members returned to the dorm completely drained. One by one, the boys disappeared into their room except for one guy who was busy looking at a piece of paper in his hand.

"Hyung." One head popped out. Onew looked up and saw Jonghyun -His best buddy in SHINee.

"Why?" Onew asked patting the seat beside him, knowing the younger wants to talk about something. The latter obliged.

"Hyung, don't you think it's about time?" Jonghyun said, being careful despite the question.

"You and I both know that we don't have the time, Jonghyun." He answered without looking back from the passenger seat.

"Is it really the time, hyung?" He asked.

"I mean, I've known you for 7 years and I've never seen you dating a girl or even flirting with a girl. You have friends but that's that. You never asked them out. You stayed only as friends." Jonghyun stated and Onew looked unamused by these words.

"Your point is?" He asked, knowing Jonghyun is playing around the bushes.

"The point is, it's a new experience. A new world." Jonghyun smiled but Onew didn't.

"It's nothing but a fake act, Jjong." He uttered.

"Even it if it's fake, it's still something to be looked forward for, hyung." Jonghyun said, trying to convince the older to try something new.

"Why don't you try it, hyung? Try to know how it feels to have someone by your side." Jonghyun added. Onew looked up to say something but Jonghyun cut him off.

"I know it's pretend. Taemin has been through that phase but if you look at him, now, I could say he's happy that he did it. He learned a lot not only about love but also about life." Jonghyun lectured and Onew chuckled knowing he has been defeated.

"I'll think about it. Maybe, just maybe, I'll think about having fun." He finally said and Jonghyun's smile grew big.

"I'll sleep now, hyung. Goodnight!" He beamed and pat his hyung's shoulder and the other just smiled.

"You should think of being a lawyer or a psychiatrist, Jjong. You'll do a hell of a job." He laughed and the other did, too. 

That night, Onew thought of the dark future but as he recallled Jonghyun's words, he thought that maybe, just maybe, it isn't that bad after all.

 So... How was it? :)