THE PRESENT

"Hah. Better than Infinite." Woohyun repeated what Jonghyun had said four years ago. He rolled his eyes. "Dream on."

Sunggyu raised his brows. "What's wrong with that statement?" he questioned. "To tell you the truth I heard SHINee dancing and singing as well. Taemin dances really well while Jonghyun's voice is jjang. Onew can sing pretty well too."

Woohyun made a face, signalling that he didn't believe what the leader said.

"Seriously Woohyun hyung." Sungyeol frowned. "Haven't you seen SHINee recently? They aren't so dorky and nerdy as before. In fact, I'd say they look rather hot." he beamed.

"You do know you sound like a gay." L notified.

Sungyeol made a cute aegyo face. "Only gay for chuuuu oppaaaaaa~~~" he beamed sweetly, fluttering his eyes.

L gagged and turned away immediately. "I need 9-1-1 immediately GAHD!" he cursed. Sungyeol punched the air in victory. "Score one for Choding!!"

"Back to the topic." Dongwoo said boredly. "I have to agree with Sungyeol. SHINee boys aren't that bad. They're nerds in the past but they're all great people."

"The rest are okay." Woohyun crossed his arms. "But that dubu chicken guy isn't. He's just annoying."

Hoya shook his head. "I don't understand you at all, Woohyun hyung." he commented. "If it were up to me, I'd say you sounded a little jealous."

"PFFFTTT!!!"

"Where are you going, Yoomi?" Onew caught up with her after school.

Yoomi cocked her head to the side thoughtfully. "Home? Isn't that where you go after school?" she asked, smiling.

Onew wrinkled his nose and poked her forehead. "I know, babo." he chuckled. "I was inferring if you had any plans. Do you want to come out with us SHINee boys?"

"Out?" Yoomi looked curious. "Where?"

"Well, you've got to take some time off books too." Onew rubbed the back of his neck. "Just some mild activities that aren't too different from reading-"

"Like skateboarding!" Minho appeared out of nowhere.

"Diving!" Jonghyun added, appearing like a genie. (Old readers, get the joke? xD)

"Nuhuh babies, we're going rockclimbing!" Key tutted in his diva way. Taemin just pouted at all their suggestions. "Can't we just go to the supermarket to buy more Banana Milk?" he pleaded.

Yoomi's eyes widened at them. "You call those mild activities?" she shrieked in an unusually high pitched voice. "Those are...heart stopping high risk physical activities that I've never embarked on!"

"Well what do I say," Minho shrugged smugly. "Nerds need to take care of their health too." he winked.

Onew chuckled and pinched Yoomi's cheek. "So Miss Shin Yoomi, are you up for the badass SHINee boys?" he winked cutely. Yoomi groaned as she buried her face in her hands. "I'm so going to regret this." she muttered.




"JINKI OPPA FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I'M REALLY REGRETTING THIS RIGHT NOW!!!" Yoomi shrieked as she dangled up two metres from the ground.

Onew chuckled from level ground as he looked up at her. They had gone with Key's choice (Of course it'd be Key. Who else wins the debate you tell me?!) of rockclimbing. Yoomi hadn't gone on such games before, so she started with the children's wall, that was three metres in total height. It was easy, for beginners, with helpful footholds to guide the child up safetly.

However, Yoomi seemed like a total headless chicken up there. She wouldn't open her eyes to see where the next foothold laid, and all she could do was feel it with her hands and shriek her lungs out.

"Hmmm.. Yoomi is really not suited for this, isn't she." Minho tapped his chin. He shrugged. "I'll be going to the extreme expert wall now! Ciao!" he disappeared along with his flaming charisma.

"Jinki oppa!" Yoomi shrieked. "Can't you just let me down! I'm not going to get there!" she pleaded.

Onew nodded and went to tell the instructor. Yoomi was lowered down to the ground slowly, and she collapsed in a heap on the ground, trembling. "That was...high." she gulped.

Onew squatted in front of her and gazed at her face. He wiped her tears away gently and fixed her unruly hair, pushing her dorky spectacles up her nose. "Why didn't you tell me that you were afraid of heights?" he asked softly.

Yoomi sniffed. "I haven't gone up really high places for a long time." she admitted. "The last time I went higher than normal...was a on a swing. When I was seven."

Onew raised his brows amused. "You were even afraid on a ...swing?"

"Hey!" Yoomi pouted. "I was young okay! And anyway, I wasn't scared because that time Woohyun oppa was there wi-" she faltered at his name. Onew flinched in response. *Woohyun again.*

He beamed at her like he never noticed what she blurted. "Then this time I'll take you up, how about that?" Yoomi blinked at him, confused.

Onew laughed and pulled her up, gesturing for the instructor to come. He was soon attached to her back, enabling them both to climb the wall at the same time. "How are we going to do this?" Yoomi frowned, confused.

Onew smiled mysteriously and bent down, removing her shoes. "Step on my feet." he ordered.

Yoomi looked shocked. "Uh no thank you. I don't weigh as light as you imagine."

"Not that, Yoomi." Onew knocked her head gently. "Just step on my two feet, and your hands, hold on to my arm. I'm going to climb the wall and bring you up together. Your hands and feet can feel how's it like to follow the footholds and how you're supposed to use your hands and feet in sync."

He didn't wait for her response before he stepped onto the first foothold. Yoomi stiffened, seeing herself being lifted up. Onew climbed higher and higher, and Yoomi couldn't find the courage to open her eyes. "I'm here Yoomi." Onew whispered. "I'm just right here. I'm not going to let you fall. Just trust me."

Yoomi gulped and opened her eyes. She saw that they were already nearing the top of the rock climbing wall, in incredible feat that she would never be able to accomplish. She looked down and realised they weren't very high up, but it was still quite some way from the ground.

But she didn't feel scared at all.

"We're here." Onew smiled at her as they reached the top. He slowly lowered them back down on the ground, a smile plastered on his face. "Wasn't that bad right?" he asked.

Yoomi beamed at him. "Let's do it again!"

...

"Since when did Onew hyung like rockclimbing so much?" Jonghyun scratched his head. "He's going up for the fifth time! And he's carrying Yoomi with him all the time, it takes double his energy! I can't imagine his muscle ache tomorrow."

"Are you stupid or what." Key rolled his eyes. "Love gives you strength."

Taemin blinked. "Really? Can you tell me who's Love? I'd like to have him give me some strength too. Minnie thinks he's quite weak lately."

28 July 2007

Dear Diary,

I climbed the wall myself in the end. The 3m one, but nevetheless a wall. It was all Onew Oppa's help.

Diary, is it weird when I say I can finally breathe?

When I'm with Woohyun oppa, I'm always very concerned over how he sees me, how he judges what I do. I feel like everything I do, it's because I want to show him.

But when I'm with Onew oppa, I don't need to care about those. Because I know no matter what I become, Onew oppa will always stay by my side.