▬▬▬▬ chapter seven ★ TEAMING UP ▬▬▬▬-

After class, I roamed around campus, looking for a way out. The building was huge, confusing and just intimidating all together. Every time I asked for help to a teacher or another student, they all stared at me like I was speaking Swahili.

I heard a snicker behind me. “Che. The American lost her directions,” a snarky voice said.

Oh jeez. Whipping around, I saw Danbi give me her meanest look. One of her friends stood by.

“Okay, look,” I said, crossing my arms. “I don’t care about you, I have nothing to do with you, so you can just chill out.”

Danbi smirked. “I don’t care about you either.”

“Okay then, what’s the problem then?” pushing through them, I started to stride down the hallway.

She held my arm. “Just wait.”

“What?”

I looked back at her suspiciously. Her face was unreadable.

“There’s something that you don’t know about Jonghyun."

-

“Donde esta Chaerin!?!?” Taecyeon freaked, dialing crazily into his cellphone. “She’s supposed to meet me every day, 3 o’clock, this lobby!”

They were standing in the middle of the 4^th floor lobby, Taecyeon anxiously tapping his foot in front of the elevator.

Jaebeom just shook his head. “Maybe she’s being , you never know man,” he said, shrugging lazily.

Taecyeon’s eyes widened, the thought going into his head. “Oh my god, don’t even…” he tried to push the thought out of his head, furrowing his eyebrows.

“Or gang-banged by SHINee. can you imagine?” Jaebeom went on expressively. He pointed at one of the room doors. “What if she’s in there right now…”

“Oh my God!” Taecyeon gasped, quickly running to SHINee’s apartment door and pounding.

Jaebeom tried to pull him away, saying, “Look dude, she’s not into you. She’s dating Jonghyun. it up. After what happened yesterday, I don’t think you should stalk her anymore…”

Suddenly Minho stepped out of room 435, his face giving Taecyeon a cold, withering stare. “Yes?” He was wearing a nice pair of jeans and a navy cardigan that made him look like a stay-at-home dad that gets a lot of action.

Unperturbed, Taecyeon tried to peek his head into the apartment. “Get Chaerin away from your gross SHINee hands and give her back!”

Jaebeom burst out laughing, clutching his abs and banging the apartment wall. “You’re so dumb, Taec, I was kidding.”

Minho gave Taecyeon an interested look, saying, “Jonghyun sort of forgot which classroom Chaerin was in, and came home without her.” Taecyeon looked horrified, but before he could interrupt, Minho opened the door wider, gesturing for them to come in. “Actually, I have a proposition for you guys.”

-

He’s gonna act like he’s in love with you, but really, he’s not.

That dumb girl’s words echoed through my head as I walked back to my apartment complex.

Was she serious? Or was this just a stupid trick to break us up?

I tried to think about Jonghyun, lying, cheating, and messing with me…

But HELLO, we’re a fake couple.

So what if he lies, cheats, and whatever.

You technically can’t cheat if you’re not dating…

“Hey Chaerin!” Jonghyun’s voice broke all my thoughts. “Where’ve you been?!” He was panting, as if he had run to catch up with me.

“Ahh, I got lost,” Lying, I looked down at my shoes. His anxious, honest brown eyes scanned me up and down. A crumpled Banc sweatshirt looked like he’d thrown it on and slept in it, in the adorable, boyish way.

“You’re okay?” Jonghyun asked. “You don’t look so good,” he said softly, a finger touching my cheek.

This kid could not be that big of a douchebag as everyone says.

Anyway, as soon as I say the word douchebag, only one person’s face comes up to mind…

Ok Taecyeon.

Wait, why am I thinking about him when there’s another hotter, nicer, better guy in front of me?

BOOM. BOOM.

“I’m fine, don’t worry!” My voice sounded bright and perky while I tried to forget about my pounding heart.

“Oh good, I thought you were a goner!” Jonghyun chortled, and took my hand. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

DING DING DING, my heart just officially melted.

-

“You’re saying that we, 2PM and SHINee, team up against Jonghyun for Chaerin?” Taecyeon recited with confusion. The rest of SHINee nodded. Taecyeon narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “What’s in it for you guys?”

Before Minho could stop them, Key, Onew, and Taemin shouted, “MINHO LIKES HER!”

Jaebeom shook his head firmly. “No deal. Taecyeon likes Chaerin, we’re not having a , guys.”

“Okay, look.” Minho’s deep, serious tone silenced all the groans and complaints. “We both like Chaerin. Let’s compromise.” He met Taecyeon’s wary eye. “I’d rather see her with a nice guy like me or you—than that d-bag Jonghyun. Wouldn’t you?”

“That’s true,” Taecyeon finally broke the silence. The other boys just stood still, awaiting Taecyeon’s final answer. “I guess we’re on it, then. What’s the next step?”

They all simultaneously grinned.

-

( jonghyun )

I swung my hand back and forth while holding Chaerin’s hand. Her warm brown eyes had all of my attention, flickering with smartness and kindness. I nodded while she went on about her parents in Boston.

How can someone so cute still be single?

I’m the luckiest guy on earth.

Abruptly, my phone chimed while we were close to our towering apartment complex. A text message read:

[ don’t forget the plan. charm, charm, charm. –minho ]

I quickly shoved my phone into my pocket before Chaerin could read it.

“What was that?” her melodic voice said.

I don’t even have to force the charm.

“Ah, nothing,” I shrugged. “You’re seriously one of the prettiest girls I’ve ever met.”

Blushing, she looked away adorably.

My phone rang again. GR, Minho, ruin our moment much?

But it was from a different number…

[ hey big boy, ready for tonight? –your baby ]

WTF?

I hid my phone screen so Chaerin couldn’t see. She poked her head around trying to see.

“What’re you hiding?” she tried reaching for my phone.

“Nothing!” I felt redness creep up on my cheeks.

God, I’m Kim Jonghyun. Is this girl really going to make ME, famous, attractive ME, blush?

“What is ittt?” she asked again. My cheeks flushed even harder.

Okay, she is.

Ringing again, I hopped a few feet away from Chaerin, reading the message.

[ boy, you lookin fineeee. –your incognito lover ]

Yet again, it rang.

[ hello my mann, how you doin? 8 tonight? – kisses ]

Chaerin gave me a confused look as I tried to frantically delete all of them.

Wow, I’m such a freak.

[ you so good, boy. – hot mama ]

[ don’t tease me – y lady ]

[ y yyy! – lovelovekiss ]

[ when are you coming to our place? *wink* - foxy vixen ]

My face was burning in embarrassment. Chaerin peeked over my shoulder, and grabbed hold of my phone.

“No!” I yelled, then hurdled into her to grab my phone. She giggled, trying to read the latest message.

I watched her hopelessly as she read it. “Oh…”

“Chaerin…” I tried to explain.

-

Up in the 7^th floor of the apartment, the entire windows were filled with boys cramming to see the scene. All of them had their phones flipped open. They high-fived and chest-bumped and cracked up at what they sent Jonghyun.

"Best idea EVER,” Minho provided, clinking a glass of Pocari Sweat to Taecyeon’s. They were watching Chaerin grabbing for Jonghyun’s naughty text messages.

“Watch Chaerin FREAK,” Taecyeon said, keeping his eyes on the slender figure trying to escape Jonghyun. “She gets soo jealous…”

They all watched excitedly as Chaerin read the text.

She looked at Jonghyun for a second, an all serious look crossing her face. They all leaned in to watch the impending drama.

It all went down so much differently than Taecyeon expected.

-

“Look, Chaerin, I don’t even know where those came from!” Jonghyun insisted, holding my wrist as I turned away from him.

I tried to think of how to react. At first, I was super annoyed that Jonghyun was cheating on me.

…But WAIT. We’re not DATING.

DUHHHH.

“Why’re you making excuses?” I asked in the meanest face I could do.

Jonghyun failed to find words.

I smiled, smacking him on the arm. “I don’t care. You can have all the dirty text messages you want, we’re not dating!”

That thought gave me the biggest relief.

But a tiny part of me was screaming in a jealous rage.

He acted like he really liked me less than five minutes ago. Danbi’s words came back to me. He’s gonna act like he’s in love with you, but really, he’s not.

Confusion racked my brain. Jonghyun? Taecyeon? Cheating? Danbi? WTF?!

“No, but really I had nothing to do with that!” Jonghyun widened his eyes, begging me to believe him. “I don’t know how whoever got my number…”

I threw my arm around him, the rough way I always did with Taecyeon.

“Don’t worry, I forgive you.”

-

“No way…” Taecyeon breathed as he saw Chaerin make a pucker face with Jonghyun.

Did she really not even get the tiniest bit annoyed at him?!?!

WTF!?!

“She must not really like him…” one of the boys said disappointedly.

“Or maybe she just likes him so much she’ll forgive him…” Jaebeom said loudly to Taecyeon.

Minho shook his head. “We’ll find more ways. I know what makes Jonghyun tick, and you know what makes Chaerin tick,” he said to Taecyeon.

“I don’t know if I know anymore.”  

▬▬▬▬ authors ★ n o t e ▬▬▬▬

I'm confused!!!

Please comment which guy that you want Chaerin to end up with.

Minho, Taecyeon, or Jonghyun?

I sort of lost track on which one was the sweetest.

more to come, stay tuned!