"I vote chicken!"

"No, hyung. We have that every day! How about some shrimp?" Jonghyun suggested.

"Chicken's awesome!" Onew protested.

"Shrimp!"

"Chicken!"

"Why not chinese?" added Minho.

"No, spagetti!"

"Shrimp!"

"Chicken!"

Chaos reigned. Everyone yelled louder and louder to voice their opinion of what to eat. Key's voice rose above all the rest. "That's it! We're having steak!" A wave of complaints rose, but he ignored them. "No, I don't wanna hear it. la la la la la!~" The rest of Shinee grumbled into silence. The director, looking bemused, directed the driver to go to a steakhouse. Key's shallow smile faded and he started to stare out into the skyscrapers of Seoul.

"Haejin... do you miss me anymore?" He sighed miserably.

The memory of their break-up still haunted him. It had been right when his training had started, when he had virtually no free time. She had dumped him a day before his birthday. No, he argued unconsciously. The break-up had been mutual. He still loved her and she still loved him... Right?

He dumped that thought into the garbage can. But the memory was coming back, too powerful to be ignored. Key crashed into the past.

* * *

"Haejin! There you are!" Key gasped, slowing down in front of the movie theater entrance. "I--"

"Let me guess," she said scornfully. "You were training, and you're really, really sorry for being late... again." Haejin whispered the last word and all the anger seemed to go out of her.

Kibum didn't say anything. He knew he was being a terrible boyfriend. Half hoping she would let it go for tonight, he took a cautious step toward her. She held his gaze for a moment, then looked away.

"It's hopeless, Kibum. You never have time for me anymore. And it's only going to get worse. You'll only become busier..." she trailed off. The silence hung around them, even amid the noisy streets of Daegu.

"... So..." He took a deep breath. "You're breaking up with me?"

"I... yes..." Haejin said in a small voice.

"But--"

"We need to!" she pleaded. "We... have to, Kibum. Maybe... we're not meant for each other..." Haejin looked at him sadly, then turned to leave. Key took a step forward and reached out to her, but then stopped himself.

Instead, "I love you," he said, his last attempt to end this nightmare. Haejin stopped and she glanced back at him. It was a sad look, a look of farewell. She walked away in silence. It started to rain, and the rain became the tears he fought so hard to keep inside.

* * *

"Key! Hyung! We're here," said someone. Minho? Taemin? He wasn't sure.

"All right. Okay! I'll be right out," he yelled back. He quickly checked himself in the rearview mirror. Key brushed away his tears and clambored out of the van, almost toppling into Taemin. "Let's eat some steak," he said in his happy Key voice.