Something starts.

Reluctantly, but steadily.

This feeling... Will it be love?

           The apartment of SHINee was filled with apprehension and teasing. Most of it directed towards the youngest, but at the moment it was pointed at Key for fumbling over his words with Lu Han (aka Honey Vocals) approached him shyly and asked him about the homework in their shared class at lunch that day. 

"Can we focus on the fact that Taemin basically has a date tonight??" Key sputtered, not wanting to listen to Jonghyun imitating how his voice went up at least an octave while he was answering the Chinese student. Taemin felt his cheeks burn as he stuck his head out of his bedroom.

    "Not a date!" He insisted, pulling his shirt over his head as he walked into the kitchen. Key glanced over at him and scoffed, rolling his eyes as he rummaged through the cabinets for a cup.

Minho raised an eyebrow at Taemin, "You sure? Because you were in your room for about twenty minutes trying to figure out what you were wearing."

       The youngest scowled, pulling out his phone and distracting himself with debating on whether or not to invite Kai. He did say that he'd ask. But he kind of didn't want to have Kai tag along this time. He also didn't want to word vomit and make Suyeon angry and regret this whole "let's try to be friends" thing. 

So he decided to text someone else, glancing at the clock. "I should get going, I'll see you later!"

"If you don't screw up and end up six feet under." Jonghyun teased. Taemin stuck his tongue out at his friends as he shrugged his jacket on, grabbing his keys and mumbling about how no one in this lifetime would ever have faith in him before leaving. Jonghyun snorted, "Do you think he'll be better or worse than Key was with Honey Vocals?"

     The apartment echoed with the infamous screech of Kim Kibum and the sounds of a riot beginning. Taemin walked a little faster to the car.


It was stupid, checking the door every five minutes and redoing her ponytail, Suyeon told herself. It didn't stop her from doing these things, but she hoped that telling herself that would strike some sense into her and calm the worry she felt. She convinced herself that it was because of that whole 'kinderd spirits' thing that Granny Byun had gotten Taemin on with that made her nervous.
      Because the fact that they could end up so close sort of frightened her, in a way. 

    "Suyeon?" She glanced over, seeing her co-worker, Seulgi, looking over at her worriedly, two cups of coffee in hand. Suyeon gratefully accepted the offered second cup, breathing in the warm aroma.

"Did Amber make this?" She asked, glancing back to where the coffee machine was, and there was her manager, messing around with the piece of knobs and levers and holding her own mug. Seulgi nodded, her orange ends peaking out from the bun on top of her head.

     "You look like you're about to have a heart attack." She commented, watching Suyeon glance to the front and back. The young mother sighed, shrugging. Amber came over, taking a long gulp of her coffee and agreeing with her coworker.

"You keep looking at the door even though we haven't had a customer in over an hour. I doubt we'll get any until a little later... Unless you're expecting someone?" Amber raised an eyebrow, and Suyeon bit her lip.

    "It can't be Onew, right? He's got the baby." Seulgi pursed her lips. Suyeon groaned inwardly, of course, the minute there's no customers these girls where pestering her about her personal life. They were the other lucky few alongside Onew and Granny Byun she had let in. She decided that sipping on her coffee was a better option than giving them a flat out answer. After all, how could she explain the fact that she was about to try and have a friendly conversation with Lee Taemin?

It sounded upsurd just at the thought. Amber and Seulgi pestered her a while more, making sure that Hyeonwoo was going to come soon during one of her afternoon shifts on the weekends (she assured them that yes, he would, he does miss his aunties), that she really wasn't dating Onew (of course not, but he's the closest to a dad Hyeonwoo has, huh.), as well as making sure she's staying up to date with her classes.

Salvation came from her phone buzzing against her thigh. She shooed the other two away as politely as possible, checking the text. Assuming it was from Onew, she opened it

New Message from UNKNOWN
     hey i'm on my way (:
Suyeon's brow furrowed. She had an idea who it was from, but her nerves were plucked because she didn't know how this person got ahold of her personal number.
New Message to UNKNOWN
    Taemin...??
      This guy texted back quickly, and it worried Suyeon. What if he was driving?
New Message from UNKNOWN
    yuup!
An amused snort left Suyeon's nose. What were they, 13? Did he text like this to everyone?
New Message to Taemin
   You text like a 13 year old.

New Message from Taemin
shut up >n>
More snorting and suppressing giggles as she sipp