Jungmin enjoyed having lunch with Onew and Jonghyun. After about an hour of joking and teasing they finished their lunch and went back to the recording studio.

The vocal coach was already inside along with the director. The three of them bowed at the two in greeting.

Jungmin then sat back on the couch as the four had another discussion regarding the song with Onew and Jonghyun alternately singing or singing together in the booth. They were in a world of their own, singing their heart out. Jungmin absent-mindedly picked out a magazine to read to keep her occupied. It was a K-pop magazine and she was dismayed when there was no Shinee article on it.  She closed the magazine and placed it back where she found it and froze when felt itchy once again. She grabbed her bag to get a bottled water when she remembered that she already finished the one Minho gave her. She placed her palms against her face as she remembered that she forgot to buy a new one when they took their lunch.

Jungmin looked up to see what the two was now doing. Onew was inside the booth while Jonghyun was leaning on near the door of the booth, his eyes closed and singing his lines softly.

Jungmin smiled at their dedication and stood up to buy herself bottled water before she can create any unwanted noise. She slowly approached the door and turned the knob when her body instinctively coughs to relieve the itchiness. Jungmin immediately faced them with a bow, embarrassed by attracting unwanted attention and glanced back up at them when she heard Jonghyun and Onew chuckling. The director and the vocal coach have smiles on their faces.

She then lowered her face.

“I’ll just stay outside if you need me.” She croaked as she felt another cough coming up. She then hurriedly went outside the hallway and coughed once again.

She then looked from right to left and saw the hallway empty and she sighed in relief. She then sat on the floor beside the doors with her knees to her chest and her head bowed. Her body shook as she coughed once again. I hate this cough. She thought depressingly.

A few minutes passed and Jungmin stayed in that position, totally glad that there were no one to witness her coughing fits. She inhaled deeply a few times trying to test if was as itchy as before. So stupid of me to forget my bag inside. She thought to herself again.

“Miss, are you alright?” a male voice asked her softly.

Jungmin looked up and saw a cute guy standing in front of her with a worried expression on his face. Jungmin stood up straight and dusted herself upon seeing someone new.

“Ne, I’m sorry if I’m blocking the way.” Jungmin apologetically told him. She gulped as she saw the guy smiled and dimples appeared as his eyes crinkled upwards. Wow, this guy is cute. She can’t help but think.

“It’s not that. I just thought you were sick or something.” The guy replied and shook his head.

“I’m fine. I ju-“ Jungmin started saying when her coughing fit started again, she pulled out her handkerchief in her pocket and covered .

“Excuse me.” She hoarsely said in between coughing and turned her back on the guy and coughed.

She turned around after coughing and saw that the guy was nowhere in sight.

I must’ve scared him.Jungmin thought and chuckled leading to another coughing fit.

“Here.” The male voice loomed on her again and she saw the guy from earlier handing her bottled water and a pill. Jungmin was surprised to see him back.

"Uh, what's that?" she asked him cautiously, eyeing the pill that he was giving to her.

The guy laughed at her skeptical expression and he showed her the wrapper of the pill.

"This is just like a lozenge." he told her. "Your throat is itchy right?" he asked her and she nodded.

"I have this in my bag in case of emergencies like this, coughing is a no-no in a recording studio" he explained further.

Jungmin stared at him intently. Well, he does not look like a or something. i'm sure he doesn't need a pick up line to get girls with that look. She thought. As she felt the itchiness on once again, she reluctantly accepted the pill and the bottle of water. She then drank the pill then the water.

“Thank you so much!” Jungmin told him with a small smile after drinking the water, relieving the itchiness in .

“It’s ok. I’ll leave you now ok?” the guy told her and went into one of the rooms in the hallway.

What a kind guy. Oh, I forgot to ask his name. Jungmin thought as she drank from the bottle again. 

“Jungmin?” a female voice asked her from behind.

Jungmin whirled around and saw Eunmi standing behind her.

“Eunmi!” Jungmin greeted her with a wide smile on her face, happy to see another familiar person. “What are you doing here?” she asked her.

“I have an errand for super junior.” Eunmi told her with a smile. “What about you? Is Key here?” she asked Jungmin glancing around the hallway.

“Aniyo” Jungmin said and shook her head. “I’m with Jonghyun and Onew this time.”

“Oh” Eunmi said and her shoulders drooped. “So, why are you outside?”

“I was coughing like crazy a while ago and it was embarrassing so I decided to step outside for a while.” Jungmin told her and Eunmi nodded.

“So how is your relationship with Shinee?” Eunmi asked her again, changing the topic.

“We’re great!” Jungmin said enthusiastically. Except for Key, that is. She added mentally. “The boys really treat me well.”

“Really?” Eunmi asked in surprise with her eyebrows raised and Jungmin nodded with a smile.

“Why do you ask?” Jungmin asked back.

“I just thought they wouldn’t accept any other personal assistant after Soohee.” Eunmi replied absent-mindedly.

“So Soohee incident was about Shinee?” Jungmin asked in surprise.

“Ahh, did I say Soohee?” Eunmi said trying to take back what she said. “Just forget what I said ok? By the way, does the Shinee know I’ve been in their dorm?” Eunmi asked her cautiously changing the topic once again.

Jungmin shook her head. “I forgot to tell them because things have been quite hectic and I didn’t want to bother them.”

 Eunmi nodded at her explanation. “I think it’s also better not tell them”

“Wae?” Jungmin asked her nervously. “Is it really a big deal? I mean, you’re also working for another idol group under SME so it’s not supposed to be an issue. ” she asked again, asking for advice.

“I’m just worried that they might get angry at you if they found out.” she added with a smile.

“Why would we be angry?” Jonghyun asked, butting in their conversation.

Jungmin whirled around and saw Jonghyun standing on the doorway with a skeptical look.

Jungmin bit her lower lip not knowing what to say. Why the heck should I be nervous? I didn’t do anything wrong. She told herself.

“Jonghyun oppa!” Eunmi greeted him ecstatically in a girly voice. Jungmin frowned at the change in her voice.

“Eunmi” Jonghyun said in reply and just nodded to her.

Jungmin's frowned deepened upon hearing his greeting and looked at him. She never saw Jonghyun being indifferent to someone before, especially in front of a girl.

“What is it that we were supposed to get angry about?” Jonghyun asked casually facing Jungmin.

“Oppa” Eunmi said in a small girly voice again and grabbed Jungmin’s arm. “Please don’t get mad at Jungmin. She only let me in your dorm because I really need to use the bathroom at that time.” She said with a pout.

Jungmin's eyed widened at Eunmi's answer. I thought it was better not to tell them? She asked herself and threw a confused look at Eunmi but Eunmi was not looking at her. Her eyes were fixed on Jonghyun.

“Is that true?” Jonghyun asked Jungmin with a sigh. Jungmin nodded slowly.

How can I explain everything when Eunmi already told the facts straight? Jungmin reasoned out mentally.

“We’ll talk about this later with Onew hyung.” Jonghyun said. “Let’s just go inside, we got worried where you went to, that’s why I came out.” He told Jungmin and went inside the recording studio without saying goodbye to Eunmi.

“Mianhe Jungmin” Eunmi told her, her voice back to normal and released her arm. “I was afraid that Jonghyun oppa would get angrier if I lied.”

Jungmin sighed. “It’s ok Eunmi, at least now they know about it.”

“Yeah, you’re right Jungmin. It’s just sad to see you out of your job when we’re only starting to be friends.” Eunmi told her sympathetically.

Jungmin remained silent as her thoughts processed what Eunmi said.

Out of my job?!Jungmin’s thoughts screamed at her. Why would this cause me to lose my job when I didn’t do anything wrong?

“Well, I’ll be going now. Super junior might be waiting for me.” She added with a smile and went off.

Jungmin hesitantly went inside the recording studio as soon as Eunmi left her standing along the hallway. She quietly sat back on the couch and her hands played with the bottle of water as she thinks of ways on how to explain the situation to Onew and Jonghyun.

Why would Eunmi tell Jonghyun about letting her in the dorm when she first told me not to tell them? Jungmin ask herself once again as their conversation replayed in her mind.

Her thoughts came back to reality as she saw Onew and Jonghyun bowing at the director and vocal coach as they bid farewell. Jungmin then stood up and approached them as she thanked the director and vocal coach as well.

After saying goodbye, the director and the vocal coach left the recording studio leaving them and some of the crews who are busily packing up.

“Should I send a message for Manager Jin to pick us up?” Jungmin asked them.

Jonghyun and Onew looked at each other and sighed.

“Let’s go to one of the cafés near here and have a snack.” Onew suggested and Jonghyun nodded.

“Is that alright?” Jungmin asked. “Manager Jin told you guys to go back to the dorm as soon as the schedule is finished.” She reminded them.

“Yeah, it’s ok. I already sent a message to Manager hyung and he agreed since it’s just four in the afternoon.” Onew explained and Jungmin nodded.

This is the chance for me to explain what really happened.Jungmin thought.

“Let’s go, I know a secluded café that has few customers during this time. It’s just walking distance from here” Jonghyun told them.

So the three went out of the recording studio and walked to the café with Onew and Jonghyun wearing caps as they try to disguise themselves. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hi! It's me again! =)

I'm gettling slow in updating and I'm sorry... 

I got sidetrack by watching SUJU in Strong heart.. hehe..

Thank you for being patient.. =)

Thanks for your sharing your thoughts.. I really love reading them.. =)