Hi guys! I can’t believe I’m even posting this story. I came online after ages and so many messages from you guys just warmed my heart. I’m not much of a writer anymore, neither have I remained as die hard of a taeunian as I once was. But I still love them a lot and will ship them until one of them gets married 😂

anyways, this is a little token of thanks for you all. I don’t know when I’ll be posting next since I have completely left writing. But I’ll atleast try to finish this story in the next 10 chapters, so you dont have to wait another year for an update. Love you all a lot, you bring a smile on my face 💕

I advise you all to read the story from the start to refresh your memory, anyways there are the two things you need to know before reading this particular chapter, 

One, Taemin has just announced him getting divorced to his Shinee members 

Two, Naeun just had someone knock on the door of her house. 

Enjoyyy! 

Chapter 4:

"Wait what?" Minho exclaimed when he registered what taemin had said.

"I thought he wasn't gonna let you off the hook that easily?" Key in, looking at taemin with suspicious eyes. Taemin looked up at them and sighed, letting them figure it out on their own.

"Oh no, no no no no no," jonghyun started to pace around when he was the first one to realise what taemin had done. "How much did you settle on with her, the last time she wanted 38%"

"23%" taemin said, while plopping down on the couch  and looking at them.

" TAEMIN!" Key yelled, "did you just donate a quarter of your assets to the ?!"

Minho and jonghyun were still shocked and couldn't even blink.

"One. I didn't donate it, it's the law." Taemin raised a finger, trying to make a point but cowered when his hyungs glared at him. "Two, a quarter is better than half."

"No, it isn't." Onew spoke for the first time. "But we'll talk about that later," he continued. " what were you thinking when you planned to show up at her office first thing in the morning?!" Onew raised his tone.

Taemin clenched his jaw.

His eyes shut. 

Preparing himself for the roars he was gonna hear once he made the statement. “I want Naeun back.” 

He didn’t hear anything. When he opened his eyes, he could just see his hyungs staring at his face agape, quite the opposite of the reaction he’d expected. 

“I know it’s hard-“ he started. 

“She was broken when you left, taemin-ah. I wouldn’t keep hope if I were you.” Onew says, trying to keep his calm. 

“I know, I know, hyung.” Taemin voices desperately, “This time I’m gonna be different, we’re older now, we know the world. I... I can’t bear to have the thought of a life where she is not present.” He continued, “I promise I’ll protect her this time.” His eyes hopeful as he stared at the rest of them.

“Taemin,” jonghyun started, “I know what happened to you was unfair.” He paused. “But you have her every reason to hate you.”

“You’re going to have to work real hard, man” Key finished.

_________________________________

Naeun answered the door to see Hayoung on the other side, it didn’t even take a second for her eyes to well up with tears as she jumped on hayoung as if holding on for dear life. 

Startled, Hayoung frantically tried to pacify her, “Unni, hey, you’re stronger than this.” 

“He can’t hurt you anymore,” she said.

“I- I can’t,” Naeun stuttered, hysterically crying. “I can’t have him back in my life.”

Hayoung stopped. She pushed her inside the house, leading her to the dining area. Settling her down on one of the chairs, she poured her a glass of water and asked, “Unni, Is taemin oppa still important to you?” 

Naeun looked up at her, eyes glistening with sadness and rage. “No.” She stated.

“But I feel weak, Hayoung. I spent three years, three years recovering. Trying to heal. Trying to build a life that was in no way related to him.” She started, her nose scrunching and eyes tearing as the emotions started to get the best of her.

“I just feel so damn weak, that he could just walk into this- this new life I’ve created so easily!” She continued, looking helpless. “Three years I learnt how to live without him, and he comes knocking now.” She says, sniffing.

“Unni,” Hayoung kneels in front of her, taking Naeun’s hands in hers. “You don’t have anything to worry about. All your friends are here to protect you, just because you built this life on your own, doesn’t mean you have to keep fighting for it alone too.” She finished, smiling warmly. 

Naeun chuckled between her sobs, “you’re right, I’m being dramatic.” She gets up walking to the kitchen retrieving something to eat. “I’m going to be fine.” She smiles to herself.

_____________________________

Taemin was back home, it was a two bedroom apartment, situated in Gangnam. It was also the place Naeun and him had shared extremely special memories.

Taemin remembered the first time they met after we got married.It had been about two days and they had to film a mini drama for an award show. They were both leads but paired with different people. He knew why it had happened, they had to show the fans that they are not together, never will be. They would watch each other with different people happily, but never make the mistake of being together again. 

We got married had left them at a confusing spot. Almost in the middle of nowhere, they knew they wanted to find a way toward each other, but didn’t know how to.

It physically hurt him to watch another person hug her. But he also knew, work is work. The whole time they just kept stealing glances at each other, making sure to not let the other know how much they missed each other in just two days. Glances quickly turned into staring at each other with longing just as day gradually faded into the night.

The shoot finished and everyone was ready to go home while taemin was approached by Krystal, “aish! Stop being so sulky, taemin oppa!” She whined. “You wanna meet Naeun, right? She continued and taemin just stared at her in shock. “I’m gonna make it happen!” She exclaimed as she pulled him towards the others.

Naeun sat in her vanity, looking at the mirror as the makeup artist wiped her makeup off, “knock knock” she heard the door.

“Please come in.” She replied loudly, and suddenly her vanity was flooded, Minah, Krystal, Min Hyuk, Wooyoung, Taemin and more.

“It’s so warm here” “naeun you’re so blessed” “ah so warm” it was almost difficult to comprehend what everyone was saying.

Naeun was in shock, “s-sunbae” she just decided to collectively capture everyone’s attention.

“Mianhe, we sat out for too long and our vans need some more time to heat up.” Voiced minhyuk.

“Ah naeunie, we were just making plans about going out for a drink, would you like to come along?” Krystal asked her, her and Krystal had been acquaintances and that relationship grew more today as they filmed together. 

“Wh-what?” Naeun stuttered, the only thing that went through her brain was that a certain kpop star will be there too, just like he was here. She looked at taemin, her eyes almost questioning him if it was okay.

He smiled at her, the kind of smile that made her melt each time. It wasn’t everyday that Lee Taemin looked at you with those eyes. 

“Okay...” she trailed off. Hoping against hope that she wouldn’t get caught up in his smile and do something stupid.

________

“Cheeerssss!” Everyone sang as their glasses clank in unison. There were seven people in the room, and all of them were as drunk as a ___. They had decided to go to Wooyoung’s place since the paparazzi would be easier to escape.

The scene was quite hilarious in just a few hours.

Krystal kept singing while hiccuping again and again, Naeun constantly tried to match her as they both just screamed at the top of their lungs. Mina and minhyuk were passed out on the couch and Wooyoung had long retreated to his bedroom. Taemin, still not feeling drunk just kept laughing at the girl’s antics.

“Yah! Stop it, you both are so drunk,” he said, still thoroughly enjoying as Krystal and naeun jumped on the couch pretending to be doing a concert.

“Eurureong eurureong eurureong” Krystal kept dancing to her boyfriend’s song and naeun kept following suit. 

Suddenly, “Supeul hajimaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” screamed Naeun. Taemin could just laugh, “what is that?” he asked her, still chucking.

Naeun slowly leapt off the couch and sat in front of taemin, “you can’t be saaaaad...” she stopped. “why can’t we even look at each other properly?” She asked him, innocently and intoxicatedly.

Taemin tried to chuckle but turned serious as he looked at the tears forming in Naeun’s eyes. He raised his hands to cup her face and ask “why are you crying? It hurts me.”

There’s was a long pause.

.

“Why..?” She asked again, as if she’d regained some consciousness. Then she smiled brightly, hoping for the answer she’d been waiting for.

“You wanna know?”

“Hmm” she nodded, curiously.

“I’ll show you,” he took her hand in his and helped her up, dragging her out on the balcony. Naeun stared at his face, still waiting. Taemin held her shoulder and turned her around so she would face the city.

Under the black night sky, the city looked orange because of the lights. Naeun’s eyes glittered as she kept staring at the lights but shivered when she felt lips on her ear, a chest pressed on her back and arms making her way around her waist.

“Because I can’t wipe your tears away for you. They won’t let me.” He whispered, motioning his head towards the rest of the city. She shuddered, almost sober because of what he just said. 

Naeun slowly turned around to look at taemin, particularly his eyes. His brown eyes almost look black, but because of the city’s reflection in them, it looked like they’re on fire. She smiled a sad smile creeping her palm up to the back of his neck.

“You don’t have to, I will never ask you to,” and just like that she kissed him. It was slow, starting with her just pressing her lips against his. Their eyes closed instantly. Both of them saving as much of the moment as they can. Taemin decided to take it further as he cup her face and deepen the kiss. It was pure, full of longing and full of love. There was almost nothing like it that both of them had experienced before, and they’ll always blame that night to have taken them on the most beautiful yet painful journey of their life.

______________________

Taemin opened his eyes, staring at the Seoul skyline, with a glass of scotch in his hand. He smiled at the memory. 

He remembered how hard it was to buy this apartment from Wooyoung. But he had to, too many memories lived in this place. So many, that he felt just having this apartment would be enough to live the rest of his days out. 

“I’ve wasted three years of my life without you, Naeun. Not a day more.” He said to himself. 

________________

Hope you all like this read, I promise the upcoming ones will be more enlightening. I’m sorry if my writing has become rusty. I hope you enjoy the next updates and wait for them eagerly 💖