Setting it up
Connections to Relations======================================================
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No one’s POV
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Kibum hesitated as he stared at his phone lying on his bed in front of him. The ticking of the clock mocked him once again, teasing him, telling him ‘No one else knows, how are you going to do this on your own’. The contact number has already been stored into his phone yet because of the announcement of their first solo concert everyone’s been hyping, it’ll soon be the goodbye stage for SHINee again in which they appear on interviews and everything, and then they’ll start getting busy with their next album. He had no time to be stressing about calling the owner of the blog for advice, it was either now, or never.
He quickly pulled himself up from the bed, stuck his head out of the bedroom door to see asleep on the couch with a comic covering his face, Minho and Jinki playing Mario cart and Jonghyun texting someone. He silently shut the door and locked it and threw himself on the bed with his phone underneath him. He took it out and called the saved number which was named ‘Sky’ as the contact name which he found on the blog, most likely a fake name, was sky. He heard the ringing of the phone, just like the clock earlier, it had seemed the two were in alliance and taunted him. Before he was about to drop the call out of fear and frustration someone picked up.
“Hello?” He heard someone say in a perfect English accent, he checked his phone to see if he didn’t accidentally call Heechul who was practising his English but it was the right name.
“A-h… um… H-hello.” His accent slipping in which made the other person on the other line chuckle as she recognised the kind of accent.
“Are you Korean?” She said in English again. Kibum looked at his phone and glared at it, then he sighed and said yes in English.
“Ah, neh, Annyeonghasseyo Choneun Ha neul imnida [Hello I’m Ha neul]” Kibum, once again glared at his phone and scrunched his nose.
“…You’re Korean?” He asked. Most of Ha neul’s blog posts were in English, some were in Thai, others in Hangul, others in Tagalog, others in Japanese.
“Neh, I guess it wouldn’t be obvious because I use different languages for posting my blog, but that’s so other people around the world can pitch in too,” She explained through the phone completely forgetting she’s talking to a stranger, “Who are you by the way?” Kibum expected the question but he didn’t really know how to answer it.
“Kim Kibum” He said simply, Ha neul looked shocked but then remembered that Kim Kibum is a common name in Korea. She smiled and she rested her head against the headboard.
“And what can I do for you Kibum-sshi?” Ha neul said calmly as she watched Min ra sleeping next to her. She smiled to herself.
“…You know, your blog is about celebrities… right?”
“Yeah…”
“What would you do if…”
“If…?”
“If you have a band member who’s slashing their wrist and you don’t know how to stop it or why he’s doing it and he’s like only 17 and everything that’s pretty young right? I’m like the ‘mother’ of the group which puts me under more pressure because I feel I have a responsibility as a Hyung and I wouldn’t DARE tell the leader because he’s just going to freak o-”
“WAIT WAIT WAIT!” Ha neul said in a loud whisper. “First of all, you’re in korea right? You DO know that international calls are triple if you don’t have a calling card?”
“I do and that’s why I used my company’s phone instead.”
“Okay…? Wait. Company? What company are you from? Who’s this 17 year old guy and which Kim Kibum are you because there’s about 14 I know in the world and when you’re talking about a 17 year old band member and a leader who freaks out easily AS WELL AS a mother character the only Kim Kibum person I picture is the one in SHINee but I know that’s imp-” Kibum cut her off with her relentless blabbing and put it straight forth.
“I am Kim Kibum from SHINee, the one who acts gay because it’s funny to see ShaWols reactions.”
“You’re joking right?”
“Why would I joke about being me?”
“How do I know you’re not just one of those prank callers I’ve been getting since I put my contact number up?”
“You shouldn’t have put your number up in the first place if you know it was going to happen”
“But people like you who have an actual problem would need help”
“How do you know I’m the real Kibum then?”
“Tell me something which NO ONE else in the world knows!” Kibum was about to scream at the cheeky girl for being too cocky but he had no choice but to ask her for help.
“How about a picture of me right now...?”
“If you are, then get SHINee together and take a picture! FOR PROOF!”
“Are you the type of fan who loves us by staring at or pictures 24/7 or what?”
“Aha~ so you’ve read that blog post, glad you remembered some of it!” Kibum turned a different shade of pink as he heard the girl giggle at his remark.
“FINE! But then you have to really help me with Taemin.” For a while it went silent but then she cleared and answered back.
“Fine, if it’s the REAL Taemin, REAL Kibum and REAL SHINee in that picture then fine, I’ll help you. Describe to me what you’re wearing so I know it isn’t a faux.”
“Stupid girl!”
“YAH! I thought you needed my help”
“Ugh yeah yeah! Basically… I’m topless and I’m wearing jogging bottoms, Taemin is wearing a vest and shorts with his hair messy because he’s asleep, Jjong is wearing Jeans and a polo because he came back from an interview, same goes for Jinki, he’s wearing a green top and dark blue jeans and Minho is just random because he came back from his shooting with VNT’s music video so he’s got the headphones on him even though he’s playing with Jinki.” Kibum said with one breath.
“Okay fine, now go take the picture and let’s see if everything matches, araso~ Babo” Ha neul said with an aegyo tone which ticked Kibum off, after all the anxiety of calling the girl he’d expected no help whatsoever and that’s what he’s got so far; THAT and some playing around.
“OKAY! I’ll call you back after I text you it with my OWN number, ARASO!? JUST MAKE SURE IT DOESN’T GET ON THE INTERNET OTHERWISE I’LL HUNT YOU DOWN!”
“I’ll be easy to hunt down, don’t worry.”
“Shut up Ha neul-ah!”
“Omo,” She said sarcastically feigning shock,” ALREADY talking informally?” Kibum rolled his eyes.
“Mianhamnida Ha neul-sshi, please forgive me and wait for my text and call, Kamsahamnida.” At that he shut the phone knowing the girl on the other end would laugh and he called the other members to gather around the sleeping Taemin.
“What is it hyung?” Minho asked confused as he paused the game.
“Let’s take a quick picture around Taemin, araso?”
“Why around Taemin?” Jinki said lazily.
“Because he’s asleep and he needs the rest for tomorrow’s performance and interview.” Minho, Jinki and Jonghyun looked at each other then groaned as they gathered around the sleeping dance machine. Kibum stretched his arm as far as he could so he could get everyone in the picture while Jinki took the comic off of Taemin’s face.
“Three, two, one.” Kibum pressed the camera button and they heard the shutter sound. He smiled as he saw the picture of him and his beloved group. “Thanks” he said before he quickly locked himself in his room again. Jonghyun looked at Minho who shrugged then at Jinki who rolled his eyes.
“What’s that about?”
“Him and a diva moment?” Minho said cheekily.
“Maybe he’s got a new chick to talk to.” Jinki said knowing that Kibum was the type who needed friends who weren’t celebrities so he went on chat sites and dialled random numbers.
“Maybe… well whatever. Let’s get back to the game!”
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Kibum’s POV
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I cannot believe I’m doing this for a girl who I don’t know, but looking at this picture it’ll shut her up. I press ‘send’ and wait for around three minutes before calling Ha neul.
“Y-yeobeosayo?” She said in a whisper. OBVIOUSLY she saw the picture and she has no idea what to say because all of us are just THAT handsome with or without make up. Haha, I love SHINee.
“Yeah? So believe me now?” It was silent for a bit but I wasn’t surprised.
“S-sorry… for not believing you and being rude. That’s the second time already…” She said groaning to herself.
“What do you mean second time? I’ve only spoken to you once.”
“No I’m talking about the time me and Yunho-oppa from DBSK were being rude to each other until he found out who I was and I found out who he was.” …Yunho hyung spoke to her already? Wait… if hyung already spoken to her, and he gave me a blog site to look at, he knew about it already. And hyung was ‘rude until he found out’ who she was? Who was she?
“…who ARE you exactly?” She giggled.
“You know the clothing line you were set to sponsor today?” …How does she know about that? Wait if it’s about Super Junior, DBSK and SHINee it’ll be on international news blogs already, wow I never realised how quick new got out.
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Park Youngmin is my dad” Huh? That’s a lie, she’s the one who inspired Youngmin seongsaenim to create Craze?!
“LIAR!”
“Why would I lie about that exactly?” Wow.. .Deja vu.
“Give me proof!”
“GO ASK YOUR YUNHO HYUNG FOR PROOF!”
“But he’s doing Goong!”
“I don’t know then! I haven’t spoken to my dad in years until today!”
“Okay, you know what? None of this matters. Me being Kibum from SHINee nor does it matter you being the daughter of Craze, I need help with Taemin!” Why am I even getting worked up like this? I called her for help, not for a realisation of each other’s background.
“Fine. What exactly do YOU think is putting him under stress?” I thought about it for a bit. I guess I can mention him being bullied, and about the time he used to get stalked.
“I don’t know exactly, but there are a few things in the past… like him being bullied and getting stalked. There was a time when he couldn’t see his parents for half a year but that’s okay now…”
“The bullying was because he’s turned famous suddenly and it made others jealous to see him thrive whilst it hurt others to see him close to the other good looking people in the group” …That’s true I guess; especially the good looking part. “The stalking was the result of bullying, they wanted to terrorise him more so they tried to find out where he lived for one; hurt him whilst he’s at home and in the company, and two; find out where the other members live and fangirl or fanboy about it.”
…I don’t know why but it makes a lot of sense. Clever English Korean!
“Yeah… pretty much. But that’s in the past. What does it have to do with him now?”
“Maybe, it makes him more conscious about himself. He’s dissatisfied with what he’s doing, with what he is. It happened to me a while ago…”
“What? You tried to cut yourself?”
“No… Being bullied.”
“Really? But hearing you out now, it doesn’t seem like you’ve been bullied.”
“But then again, you never would have thought Taemin would have done something like this if he hadn’t shown it right?” Again… correct.
“Right…”
“He’s probably been going through the pain for a long time that he’s used to pretending nothing has happened. That’s why you don’t know why he’s like this, and that’s also why you never knew anything until recently.”
“But… how do I stop it?”
“I don’t know”
“HUH!?” Is this girl playing some joke!? “YOU GIVE ME SUCH GOOD ADVICE UNTIL I ASK THIS QUESTION AND YOU SAY YOU DON’T KNOW!? THAT REAAAAAAAALLY HELPS ME DOESN’T IT!?”
“I haven’t met Taemin-sshi so I don’t know what he’s feeling.” She giggled and I could feel her smile through the phone, “But if I did meet him, I’m sure I could get closer to him and stop it. I have an ‘ability’ to see right through people, says my best friend.” …That’s it!
“Why don’t you come here then?”
“I am already… like I said, I’m Park Youngmin’s daughter.”
“No… come here NOW!”
“…Kim Kibum… Are you crazy or are you just completely stupid?”
“Both!”
“THAT’S NOT SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF!”
“I can ask Youngmin seongsaenim to get you to come here faster right!?”
“WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT I’M ALREADY LEAVING HERE IN THREE WEEKS!”
“THAT’S TOO LONG!”
“PATIENCE is a virtue”
“So is being caring!”
“THAT’S RANDOM!”
“I know so just come and help me.” Okay, time for my charming seriousness. “Please… help me. I can’t let Taemin go through this alone. The only thing i’ve done is find out he’s been doing this kind of thing and I don’t even know how to stop it. I’ve lived with him for years and I didn’t even know he was going through such pain. I don’t deserve to be his hyung. Please help me stop it Ha neul-sshi…”
It was silent for a bit until Ha neul sighed. I know she’d given in already but because of her stubbornness she’s probably going to give me a hard time.
“Kibum-oppa… I’m going over there in three weeks, to become an actress, then an idol… can’t you wait for me instead?”
“No.”
“AGH! You know what?,” She’s cracked… Completely cracked, “FINE! GO CALL APPA NOW AND TELL HIM TO PULL MY FLIGHT FORWARDS FOR THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW SO. ARASO?!”
“Neh~ I’ll call you later yeobo.”
“Please… don’t do that” I laughed at her, she’s probably got a headache now. “Oh… and when I get there. Your and my foot will become best friends.”
“And so will we~”
“But isn’t it going to be awkward if I appear out of nowhere and I try to befriend Taemin?” She’s got a good point. Damn this girl is smart and is one step ahead already.
“Fine, how about we’ll say us two are already friends but long distance until now?”
“Fine. Now go call appa… for some reason I’m excited.” I laughed at her and I heard her moan about it.
“Of course you’re excited. You’re going to meet SHINee~”
“Yeah yeah” She paused and then she squealed like those little fan girls I love. Haha how cute~
“I feel like hugging you for some reason”
“It’d be awesome if you hugged me!!”
“Then I shall!”
“Yay! Ew… did I just say that?”
“Yeah you did.”
“Stupid Key.”
“Call me kibummie~”
“No! NOW GO CALL MY DAD!”
“Neh~ Neh~,” Before I hung up I sighed, “Thank you for the help so far. I’ll see you in a few days.”
“Nice speaking to you Kibum-oppa, I’ll see you… in a few days?”
“Yeah you will. I’ll see if I can pick you up from the airport or maybe see you at you’re hotel or house?”
“…Why do I feel like we’re in a relationship?”
“Because your imagination is making you think that.” Ha neul scoffed. I love playing with this girl, she’s funny. “Anyway’s you better get back to bed, it’s really early in London and your voice sounds as if your throat is dry. I’ll call your dad in a bit.”
“Heh~ You are the umma type neh? Okay, see you soon”
“Sa.rang.hae.yo~” I said playfully, she giggled a bit and then she said bye, we both hung up and I sat there staring at the phone. Time to call Seongsaenim. Once AGAIN (!) I sat there waiting for the person on the other end to answer.
“Yeobeosayo, Park Youngmin speaking.”
“Ah, Youngmin Seongsaenim, Kim Kibum imnida, the one in SHINee”
“Ah~ How’re you Kibum-goon? What? It’s only been about half a day since we saw each other, what’s wrong?”
“Aniyo sir, nothing’s wrong. It’s just about your daughter…” Okay, how should I put this… Right. I’ll tell him that I know Ha neul already and she asked me to ask him to put the flight forward.
“What about her?”
“She’s Park Ha neul right?” I heard him gasp, well then ‘Sky’ wasn’t lying then when she said she was the daughter of Seongsaenim.
“Yes? How do you know, what’s happened?” He started to panic.
“Nothing sir. It’s just that I’m an acquaintance of hers and I was just talking to her a few moments ago, and she asked me to ask you if you can bring her flight to Korea forward…”
“Really? What a surprise? I never heard you were her friend?”
“Sorry, sir. We’ve lost touch for a while until I remembered you saying something about your daughter so it made me remember Ha neul-ah so I called her again.”
“Jeongmalyo?”
“Neh. She asked me to tell you to push it forward for the day after tomorrow…” Silence hung between us for a while until he laughed.
“Okay, alright. I’ll call my wife… There’s only one problem though…” I heard him sigh and it was those sighs which are like you’re excited but you remember something and you become solemn.
“What’s the problem seongsaenim?”
“I won’t be able to pick her up. Ha neul agreed for three weeks after but with this call and all I can’t just suddenly cancel important meetings and such. And I don’t trust anyone here except for a few people but they’re joining me with the meeting.” …I know where this is leading to.
“Hyung, I can pick her up if you want to.” Wow, I’m such an awesome person.
“No no, I wasn’t implying that. You’re already busy with the goodbye concert and all so never mind, okay?”
“No sir it’s fine, honestly. I’d love to meet Ha neul again after it being such a long time, I won’t know when I’d have any free days so the fact that I have no schedules that day is fine.”
“REALLY!?” My ear practically blew off, for a CEO he’s really childish. “Kibum-goon, thank you so much. Okay I’ll go call my wife and settle everything now. Thank you, thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure.” At that he hung up excited to set the plan with his mistress. I wonder if Ha neul is like a stalker or something, would it be dangerous for me to go on my own? She’ll come to the dorm anyways. I’ll let seongsaenim know after he’s sorted out the flight.
Taemin better appreciate this…
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