Onew, Jonghyun and Jungmin arrived at the café with no one recognizing the two Shinee members. A bell chimed softly as Onew pushed the door open. Jungmin scanned the area as they went further inside. There were only one or two tables occupies like what Jonghyun said. The atmosphere was cozy. Jonghyun went ahead and led them in a corner secluded booth. Jonghyun and Onew sat on one side while Jungmin sat across from them.

The waiter then arrived and gave them a menu.

“I’ll have a roast beef sandwich and an iced tea please.” Jonghyun said without looking at the menu.

He must have been really a frequent customer here.Jungmin thought.

“Chicken sandwich and orange juice please.” Onew said with a smile and gave the menu back to waiter.

“I’ll just have a chocolate milkshake.” Jungmin said and returned the menu as well.

“You’re not going to eat?” Jonghyun asked in a frown.

“I’m still kind a full.” Jungmin replied. The truth was she just needed something cold to ease the soreness of because of coughing. The pill that the guy from the recording studio gave her worked for the itchiness and not much on the sore part.

“That’s why you’re so thin.” Onew commented.

Jungmin sighed and didn’t defend herself. She really has a big appetite but having a sore and itchy throat can decrease this big appetite of her.

The waiter then repeated their orders and went away when they confirmed it.

Jungmin looked around the room once again. The café gives a feeling of an 80’s era and she smiled when she saw a jukebox on the corner playing old love songs.

Jonghyun and Onew followed her gaze and smiled as well.

“Well this café plays old songs so teenagers rarely go here.” Jonghyun commented.

“This is a nice place. It’s really good that you found it.” Jungmin told him.

“Expect Jonghyun to know places like this, he searches for them to know a good dating spot.” Onew teased Jonghyun and Jonghyun smirked.

“So, Jonghyun told me about Eunmi being in our dorm.” Onew said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah.” Jungmin said in a low voice.

“Care to tell us how that happened?” Jonghyun asked her.

“Well-“ She started saying when their orders arrived. The waiter placed their food in the table.

“We’ll listen to you while we eat.” Onew told her as soon as the waiter left.

Jungmin sighed and fiddled with the straw on her drink.

“First, I want to apologize for letting Eunmi in your dorm without permission.” Jungmin told them directly, looking straight in their eyes to let them know her sincerity. “Even if I’m not that knowledgeable on a celebrity’s life I do know that I can’t just let anyone enter your dorm.”

Jonghyun and Onew nodded while continually eating their sandwiches.

“It’s just that Eunmi gave me a ride from the supermarket and helped me carry the bags to your dorm. When I asked her to leave, she pleaded and asked if she could use the bathroom since her bladder was full. I couldn’t really say no at that time so I agreed. But I told her to wait in the living room while I carry the bags inside so we could both look for the bathroom.” Jungmin then took a sip of her drink.

“So you were with her the whole time?” Onew asked this time.

“Aniyo.” Jungmin shook her head. “When I went out to bring in some of the bags she didn’t wait for me as I told her. So I hurriedly placed the bags on the kitchen counter and then I looked for her.”

“You searched our rooms?” Jonghyun asked in a whispered high pitch voice, he moved forward his seat, waiting for Jungmin’s answer.

“I only get to open one door, the first door on the left. It was dark so I never saw anything.” Jungmin immediately said and Jonghyun sat back properly.

“Then what happened?” Onew asked her to continue.

“Eunmi was behind me as I closed the door so I figured she was already done.” Jungmin continued. “She didn’t stay long after that.” She added.

Onew and Jonghyun sighed at the same time.

“Did I cause a big problem?” Jungmin asked the both of them.

“It’s not really a big problem,” Jonghyun started saying and looked at Onew. “For us, that is, and I think for Taemin and Minho too. Key will be another factor.”

Jungmin lowered her head.

“Let’s just not let them know.” Onew said in nonchalance and started drinking his orange juice.

Jonghyun raised his eyebrows at his hyung. “Are you sure?”

Onew simply nodded.

“You know how Key doesn’t like to be left out on this kind of thing.” Jonghyun reminded him.

“You can tell him.” Jungmin butted in.

“ARE YOU SURE?” Onew and Jonghyun asked in perfect unison, Jonghyun in his high pitch tone while Onew on his low voice. Jungmin stifled her laughter upon seeing their reaction. This is no laughing matter Jungmin. She scolded herself.

“I just don’t want you guys to fight over this. This is my fault.” She reasoned out. “I’ll just take whatever wrath Key’s going to give me.”

“If you are sure then that’s fine with us.” Jonghyun told her.

“But we will tell him if the time is right.” Onew told her. “No word about this from you.”

Jungmin nodded in agreement.

Silence surrounded the three.

“By the way, who is Soohee?” Jungmin asked casually making Jonghyun almost choke on his drink. Onew rubbed Jonghyun’s back.

“I’m sorry, I just heard her name and was curious.” Jungmin said apologetically.

“It was really a hushed issue.” Onew told her. “But all I’m going to say was that she was our previous personal assistant.”

“Then, can I ask why things didn’t work out?” Jungmin prodded.

“Maybe you could ask Key about that one.” Jonghyun answered after wiping his mouth. “He’s the one who told us not to talk about it.”

“Oh” Jungmin quietly answered.

“Change of topic,” Jonghyun said. “When did you start being friends with Eunmi?”

“You’re friends with Eunmi?!” Onew exclaimed and shushed when the couple on the other table looked at them.

“Well, she gave me a ride when I needed one, so I guess we are friends now.” Jungmin said after thinking about it.

“But you never knew her before right?” Jonghyun pressed.

“Yeah, I just met her in SME. Why?” Jungmin asked them curiously.

“Just don’t get too close with her.” Onew said. “She was supposed to be our personal assistant back then, but we didn’t agree.”

“And she bullies new assistants from what I’ve gathered from Jaeyo noona.” Jonghyun added.

“Well, if you say so.” Jungmin said in agreement.

Onew then pulled out his phone.

“Manager Jin sent me a message, he’s going to pick us up anytime now” he told them.

Jungmin looked at her watch. It was 15 minutes before 6pm.

“I’m so happy we could sleep early today.” Jonghyun cheered.

“And no recordings, pictorials or guestings tomorrow.” Onew added happily.

“Really?” Jungmin asked with a frown. Then why did Chunja unni asked me to go to SME early? Jungmin asked herself.

“Let’s just enjoy our day together, ne hyung?” Jonghyun told his leader.

“Tell that to Minho.” Onew said in a chuckle.

Onew read a message from his phone again and stood up before Jungmin can ask anything.

“He’s here.” He told them.

Jonghyun stood up and went directly at the cashier to pay for their meal.

Then the three exited the café together and rode on Manager Jin’s van.

Onew and Jonghyun sat on the middle seat as they let Jungmin sit beside the Manager who was driving the van.

“I’ll drop you off first Jungmin.” Manager told her as she sat beside him.

“Any bus stop is fine.” Jungmin told the manager. “I wouldn’t want to go out of your way.”

“It’s no bother Jungmin.” Jonghyun said from the back. “It will be better to drop you off. It is getting dark you know.”

“Well then thanks.” Jungmin then said with a smile and accepted the offer.

Jungmin told Manager Jin to stop the car in front of a convenience store.

“Where do you live here Jungmin?” Jonghyun asked curiously.

“I live in a room in the second floor, above the convenience store.” Jungmin replied and got off the van. “Thank you so much manager!” she said in goodbye and bid her farewell with Onew and Jonghyun as well.

Manager Jin waited for her to enter a glass door on the left side of the convenience store which led to a staircase to the second floor. Jungmin waved again as she closed the glass door and went up the stairs. Manager Jin then drove off as she disappeared from their sight.