Enjoy!

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♫    Oh, I’m curious yeah~ 사진 속 네가 순간 걸어나와 왜 Oh, I’m so curious yeah~ I’m so curious yeah~ ♫

 

 

"'Hmmm~ JongIn~ Faster~ Hmmm..!~ Ah..." heavy breathings and rhythmic slapping of skins were heard. The bed creaking yet all of that were being covered by the blasting of Sherlock by SHINee, JongIn's hyung and his group.

 

 

Taemin unlocked the door to his shared apartment and smiled widely at the music being played. "Nuna must be at home, finally a day alone and she's listening to our latest song!" he took 2 steps at a time to reach his room faster and turns the door knob.

With an even wider smile than before, Taemin was anticipating and guessing that his girlfriend would be on the bed, fiddling with the photo book of the album. But alas, he was wrong! Instead, he witness his favorite dongsaeng, JongIn- topless with his lower body covered by the blanket, arms around a petite body and ramming forward.

The way his girlfriend's back arched at every ram and her pleasure-filled face haunted him as he pushes JongIn off her and glares at his now girlfriend, face-to-face.

 

 

"Why?..." he was clenching his fists so hard, his knuckles were all white and it was obvious his jaws were grinding. "I asked you why?!"

"Taemin.." his girlfriend was shivering from the icy glare of Taemin more than the sudden exposure.

"Why! Why of all people, you choose JongIn!" his grip around her wrist tightens at every second. "Ouch..! Taemin..!"

 

 

"Hyung! Stop it! You're hurting her! Hyegun nuna!" and JongIn ran over to push Taemin away before hugging Hyegun closer to him.

Taemin stood up and eyed the couple on the bed. "Why..why did you seduce my best friend, my favorite dongsaeng? Having me isn't enough, nuna? Am I not young enough for you?!"

Hyegun hung her head low in shame.

 

 

"I seduced her. I seduced Nuna, hyung. It's because..you haven't been home, Nuna was always so sad that it hurts my heart to see her like this."

"What? Seduce my girlfriend? She's your hyungsoonim, JongIn! And it's not my fault that I don't visit her, Hyegun understands that I have schedules..right? Right?!" he looks at her, hoping for a favorable answer despite the situation.

 

 

"I'm sorry, Taemin ah.. I've fallen for JongIn..over the period you weren't there for me.. I was hospitalized, Taemin..." it was a fact. Hyegun had been hospitalized over 3 months for getting into a car accident. She did informed Taemin but...

"You were? I..." Taemin tried to recall anything. Then he remembered an article Jonghyun, his hyung from the band had mentioned about a car accident outside the company building.

"You didn't pick up my calls, didn't reply my messages and I couldn't find you..at all..." His heart skipped a beat as he imagined all the pain she could have had and the hurt when he wasn't there for her.

 

 

"And..? And you abandoned me because of that?" Taemin's trembling was getting stronger as he lifts his hand. He was not fully convinced, obviously.

Hyegun could only close her eyes and wait for what's going to happen. A slap she probably deserves it. However, it did not. She slowly open her eyes to come face to face with his back. Taemin had slapped JongIn instead.

 

 

"Please, hyung... Give us your blessings instead..." there was a certain amount of fear and courage.

'What a joke, why am I still here talking to this two traitors.' Taemin exhales loudly and ran out of the shared apartment after slamming the door shut. He hid in the nearest alley and faced the wall. Unable to contain his anger, he delivers a punch to the wall- bruising his right hand.

 

 

"Oh, Taemin, you're back so early? Aren't you staying over at Hyegunnie's?" Taemin turn to the voice from behind, it was Key.

"She's not in..." and enter his room with his head down, shoulders slouched over.

"Not in? Hyegunnie is always in... Unless..." he thought for a moment before frowning. "Jinki hyung~ Gather the rest in the computer room~"

 

 

Whenever there was a need to discuss things, it will be held in the spacious computer room.

 

 

"What do you think about Taemin's answer?" Key asked, rubbing his chin. "I think something's wrong with him and Hyegunnie. I suspect.."

"It has something to do with JongIn?" it was Jonghyun. He was always the one who could catch up with Key, regardless of topics.

"Bingo! We need to find out." Key snap his fingers and smirked at the chosen one. "Minho, ask him. We need answers."

 

 

Minho nodded and enters the room after a few knocks. "Taemin? What's wrong?" a gasp escape his mouth when he spotted deep red bruise on his knuckles. Minho grabs Taemin's wrist and place it near his face to examine. "What happened? Why is your hand like this?"

"It's nothing, hyung... Don't have to act like you care, I'm fine. Leave me alone." Taemin's poker face turned away from Minho. He cringed at the coldness, this was very unusual of the youngest.

 

It became even obvious that there was something wrong when Taemin started tearing. Minho could only stand behind him and sigh before fulfilling his wish of leaving him alone.

 

 

"Do you think he will be fine? I'm worried..." Hyegun, who's now all dressed and currently at a cafe with JongIn, taking a sip from her coffee.

He sighed before answering, "It might take him awhile... Taemin hyung, he might act all cutesy..but he's strong. Give him time.." and took her hand in his. "I'm sorry..that you had to go through what happened just now..."

 

 

She gave a slight smile and shook her head. "It's..nothing, compared to how he's probably feeling... His girlfriend of 4 years left him because he wasn't there... I was able to hold on for so long..why did I..."

 

 

"You're regretting, Nuna? Because I'm not like Taemin hyung?" he sounded hurt yet sarcastic.

 

 

It didn't took Key long before he left the dormitory after hearing from Minho. Getting on a cab, he made his way to the apartment.

 

 

Jonghyun attended to Taemin's wound, keeping as quiet as he can be. After all, it's hard for the usual chatty dinosaur to stop talking. "Why aren't you asking me anything, hyung?"

He smiled and finished bandaging with a tape over the ends. "Take care and stay strong hmm? Our maknae is not so easily defeated right?" Jonghyun stood up and walked towards the door. "After all, Kibummie can probably fix this." and his eyes widened at the sudden spill of plans.

 

 

Taemin's head shot up. "What? Key hyung is trying to.. Argh! It's my problem with Nuna!" and left the room in the speed of lightning.

Onew faceplams at the total fail and started preparing unlike Minho who just left without a word too, leaving Jonghyun the big mouth staring into space.

 

 

JongIn leaned back to the cushion and exhales. "I'm sorry, it's just..I'm still feeling insecure... Nuna, I really love you... Please..."

Smiling at the confession, Hyegun leaned over to plant a kiss on his lips. There was a wave of happiness for the couple as there was not a need to hide anymore. JongIn will never need to hide his feelings and Hyegun will never need to hide her face.

He pulls her closer, nibbles her ear gently before exhaling. "I love you, Nuna..." and tightly embrace her.

 

 

The bells hung around the door of the small cafe rang as a customer enters. "Good afternoon, sir~ What would you like?" the barista greeted.

"Americano, please."

 

 

Taking his order, the customer walked to grab a seat near the back. His eyes never leaving the couple the moment he entered.

 

 

JongIn's lips went down to her neck and the couple began to breathe heavily till someone sat in front of them. They both looked up and came to face with a pair of familiar feline eyes. "Key hyung..."

 

 

Before the cup of Americano could be emptied at their faces, someone held it down. Key, in annoyance, turned to the intruder and frowned even more, seeing that it was Taemin. "Why are you stopping me?"

"It's my problem, hyung. Leave. And stay out!" Taemin pulled Key off his seat and sat down.

 

 

The bells rang once again as Minho enters, trying to catch his breath. He ran over and break the grip Key had on Taemin's shoulder.

 

 

The couple had long pulled away and stared helplessly as the members of the famous idol group try to solve their internal conflict.

 

 

"Key hyung, we should leave Taemin alone to solve this. It's his relationship."

"Argh... Fine! As long as I'm around, JongIn, and you, Hyegun! I will make sure you..." and Key got pulled to the opposite table by Minho. "Stop pulling me!"

 

 

There was a long silence. Even with the coffee long finished, nobody went forward to clear the cups. The air in the small cafe was so awkward and cold that nobody took a seat after purchasing a drink.

 

 

Hyegun lowers her head, feeling guilty shortly before eyeing Taemin, who also hung his head down.

 

"I..."

 

"I give my blessings."

 

The couple stopped breathing for awhile before looking at each other, then at Taemin. They wanted to know more, especially the reason for the sudden blessings.

 

 

Taemin sensed, turning back to see the other 4 members of his group. He smiled slightly, "I have my hyungs..and..I'm leaving for Japan soon... It would be a good time to finally concentrate on my passion..and..heal..." he briefly look into the eyes of his ex-lover and turn away, coughing awkwardly into his fist.

 

"Leaving..for Japan..?"

 

"The company is sending us to Japan. I..have been waiting for this moment. And what had us delay the group's...my opportunities was you... Our love..I thought we had a future and I wouldn't want..my passion to be in the way... So I decided to postpone..but I never knew it was only for a year..." tears drip from his eyes. Taemin wipe them off and smiled weakly. "It was a pity..really a pity..."

 

 

JongIn has never seen such a side of his hyung before. He felt really bad for harming him but was it wrong to love? He had fallen for Hyegun when they first met..and had secretly tried to woo her but obviously, Taemin won.

Hyegun tried to hold back her tears but failed. "I'm sorry... For everything that I have done. Taemin ah..." she held his hands. "I wish you all the best for your career."

 

 

"Well done, Taemin. Now, we can finally chase after our dreams, together with one heart." Onew tried to comfort the broken soul as they all got on the manager's van. Taemin eyed the back of the woman he loved so much and close his eyes. Minho held him close and Jonghyun patted his shoulder.

 

 

Maybe his passion could help him get over this.

 

 

JongIn and Hyegun bowed to the barista as they left the cafe, hand in hand happily.

 

 

That night, Hyegun was on the phone with her older sibling from America, crying. JB sighed and wished he could be there to hold her. "Babo, was it really that worth it? I mean..pretending to have fallen for JongIn, just so Taemin could..."

 

 

"I've fallen for JongIn, oppa. Really. As for Taemin, that silly boy is the happiest when he's on stage, so rather than trying to hide our relationship-which causes him to be distracted and in pain, I want the best for Taeminnie, and even if it means for him to hate me, I will do it. I really love him."

 

 

JongIn slide down the other side of the door upon eavesdropping on the conversation. 'I can't believe I really wasn't good enough...'

 

 

'If only you knew how much we wanted you to be happy, Taemin. It doesn't matter if we don't go Japan... Who cares about fame if all we wanted was to sing and dance together..? What's important is our happiness and being able to be together as one.' Jonghyun sighs, eyeing Minho who came out from Taemin's room. 

 

"What is he doing inside?" asked Onew, while munching on his chicken. "Burying himself in a mountain of japanese language books and tapes." he sighed upon recalling how determined Taemin looks. "He even worked out a schedule for us, for our free time."

"What for?" Key then settle down with the rest after passing down the cups of hot chocolate.

"To practice, practice and practice." Minho took a sip and ran a hand through his hair. He sighs deeply while eyeing every member of the group. They have been training, have been practicing necessarily yet too much during pre-debut and even after; that there is absolutely no need for extra trainings. Not of any that he could recall other than language enrichment and etiquette class.

 

 

The members were taken aback from the sudden change of their youngest member as they try to imagine their future in 5 years' time. Yes, they could be even more famous than current. But will they be happy? Will their youngest member be happy?

 

 

After finishing his share, Minho held the cup labeled 'Taemin' and re-enters their shared room.

 

 

The others then shift and sat at the living room, wishing they could turn back time.

 

 

Years down the road...

 

"KOREAN IDOL GROUP, SHINee SUCCESSFULLY CONQUERED THE WORLD WITH THEIR MUSIC"  - The Korea Times

 

 

 

Taemin will never know about the amount of effort (put in by others, other than himself) for his success.

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Hope you enjoyed.

Thank you for reading! :)