Ha Neul’s POV

Today was the day. Today SHINee would leave for Japan.

And no matter how hard I tried to feel indifferent about it I just couldn't shake off this heavy feeling in my chest.

I actually would have had lectures today, but when I saw the empty space where Jonghyun's suitcase had stood and realised that he really wouldn’t be driving me to university this morning, I suddenly didn't feel like going anymore. Hyo Rin wouldn't notice my absence anyway. She probably was already at the airport to secure herself a good position for when SHINee would board the plane in the afternoon... And there wasn't anyone in the apartment to scold me for skipping lectures either...

I didn't know how long I sat at the table and stared into space but I only snapped out of it when the phone rang. At first I thought it was my cell phone. However, when I took it out, it was perfectly silent. That's when I realised that it was the landline. Crap.

I ran to the living room while feverishly thinking of what I should do. Of course, I was well aware that I shouldn't pick it up, but what if it was important? Maybe I should write down the number and send Jonghyun a message? And what if it was his mother again? Then I’d better not tell him about it, right? But how was I to know whether it was his mother or not?

My little panic attack was for nothing, though. Because it was only the security from downstairs. So, after breathing out relieved, I picked up the phone. “Yeoboseyo? This is Hwang Ha Neul speaking. Kim Jonghyun is currently not at home. How may I help you?”

“Ah, Ha Neul! It’s me, Shin,” said a male voice that I recognised instantly. Shin was the nice security guy who had always kindly hidden my belongings when SHINee had come over. “And it’s fine; I’m not looking for Jonghyun,” he continued and I frowned confused.

“You don’t want to speak to Jonghyun?” I inquired. “Then, why did you call?”

“Ah, you see, I was wondering if everything was alright. Since I didn’t see you leave for university this morning…” He explained.

But now, I was even more surprised. “You know my schedule? Wow, you sure are attentive…!”

“Well… actually, you’re giving the roses to the wrong person… Truthfully, it was given to me…” And when I kept quiet because I still didn’t get it, he added. “You’re schedule, I mean…”

My schedule? “Huh? Really? By whom??”

“Aigoo, he’s probably going to kill me for telling you…” Shin mumbled but I still heard and my eyes widened. No way…!

“Jonghyun gave it to me…” Shin then confirmed my suspicion. “He asked me to keep an eye on you. He fears you’ll get into trouble, if there isn’t someone watching over you, he said… And he doesn’t want to find his apartment burned to the ground when he returns.”

“God, he’s still going on about that?” I sighed. “And I told him that was only because I wasn’t familiar with his kitchen yet…!”

Shin chuckled. “Haha, he said, you’d say that.”

“He did?”

“Yes. And he told me to tell you that there is no guarantee that you’re familiar with it now and that you should just eat out. And that the money is at the usual place…”

That…! He did it again?! I went to the shelf, took out a certain book, and opened the book cover. And there it was; the white envelope that I dreaded to open because I didn’t want to know how much overboard that dino had gone this time.

I know I should have just put it back without opening. But in the end my curious nature won me over. I opened the lid and pried inside. And gasped. “Oh my God, has he gone insane?!” I exclaimed shocked. “How can anyone spend so much money just on food?! And besides, haven’t I told him about a million times already that I do NOT want him to give me money?! Not even for food! What about that didn’t he understand?!”

“’In the end, rebuilding the apartment would cost more…?’”

“What?”

“That’s what he said…”

“Wait… So he foresaw that I would react this way too?!”

“Yeah, he knows you quite well, huh…?”

“…I guess so…?” I replied and felt my cheeks getting hot. He really anticipated my reaction this precisely…? Hehehe…

“Anyway. What about school now?” Shin then the changed the topic. “Aren’t you going?”

“Ah, no… I don’t think so… I kind of overslept today and now it’s too late…” I lied, feeling too embarrassed to admit the truth. “It’s almost lunch time and in the afternoon I have to go fetch a friend at the airport… So, I think I will just be studying at home a little…”

“Oh, okay. Then I will no longer keep you from studying! Work hard!” Shin cheered and then said goodbye.

“Haha, okay. Then bye!” I replied and we both hung up.

But I didn’t go studying after that at all. There was no way I could concentrate now with my mind reeling like this.

So, that dino gave Shin my schedule? But where does he even have that from? I don’t remember ever explicitly telling him about it…? Don’t tell me… he got all that information from simply observing?! That’d be too embarrassing…!

Though, don’t I know his schedule too? Don’t I know when he leaves in the morning and when he returns at night? And whether he’ll be on a photo shoot or working at the sound studio? And I’ve never looked it up on the internet…

Maybe that’s just normal, if you live together?

But he also knew how I would react…?! What is he? Psychic or something?!

And another thing! If he felt so uncomfortable with me being alone in his apartment then why did he insist on me staying at his apartment even when he’s away?!

When I had mentioned one evening that I would move out when he’d leave for Japan (I’m not that rude of a person to keep freeloading at another house when the owner wasn't even there himself!) he practically threatened me to continue living in his apartment! He cut me off midsentence and said that he would turn all his threats up to now into reality, if he was going to find me gone when he returned! Shouldn't he be glad though?! If I finally left?

But as I didn't feel like dying yet, I promised him to look after his apartment with full devotion. I even wrote a list of all the things I needed to take care of!

And now, he told Shin to keep an eye on me…?! Seriously! What is he playing at…? I just don’t get his actions…!

First, he kisses me. Then, he acts like nothing happened. Then, he hugs me in his sleep! Then, he ignores me! Then, he takes me out for grocery shopping and preaches like there’s no tomorrow! (Although I didn’t really mind the preaching…) And just when I think that we might somehow be getting along again thanks to the grocery shopping; the next morning (yesterday morning actually) he’s in a pissed-off mood that I can’t find a reason for!

True, I told him yesterday morning that I wouldn’t be able to see him off at the airport because I needed to fetch Sungjong… But why would he get pissed off by that? He wouldn’t be able to see me anyway among all the fans…

And now he gave Shin my schedule and told him to watch over me?!

Really, what’s with this pushing and pulling all the time?! It’s confusing me as hell!!

Narrator’s POV

After lunch (outside and paid with her OWN money) Ha Neul had taken the train to the airport. And for some reason she had to keep telling her legs not to follow the signs that read ‘Departures’ but instead the ones that said ‘Arrival’.

But now she was at the arrival terminal and because she was a little early she had decided to give Hyo Rin a call and check out the situation over there. SHINee’s flight was about in an hour, so it was probably pure chaos over there right now…

Hyo Rin had been going on and on about how excited she and everyone else were and about what kind of amazing banners she had seen so far when she suddenly interrupted herself and asked: “And you really don’t want to see him off??”

Being taken off guard by the sudden change of topic, it took Ha Neul a few seconds before she answered. “Nope.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.” This time Ha Neul answered without hesitation.

“But you won’t see him again for two weeks…?”

“And what do I care? He should emigrate to Timbuktu, for all I care!”

“… Did you guys fight?” Hyo Rin asked with a suspicious smile.

“…I don’t know…” Ha Neul sighed. “For the past week he kept switching back and forth between ignoring my existence and talking to me as if nothing was wrong; making me as confused as hell! And when I told him yesterday that I wouldn’t be able to see them off because I have to fetch Sungjong at the arrival terminal, he called me ungrateful and disloyal! What the hell?! Who does he think he is?!”

“Well, to me that sounds like a very common case of jealousy…”

“Jealousy?”

“Because you’re meeting with another man instead of seeing him off…”

“Haha, yeah, right…”

“Well, you don’t have to believe m—“ The rest of Hyo Rin’s sentence was lost in the deafening fangirling screams that sounded through the phone. And when the line got cut Ha Neul concluded that the boys had entered the airport…

She looked out of the huge window and over to the departure terminal. Well, it was too late now anyway… Moreover, he wouldn’t see her in that crowd either…

Suddenly, her phone rang again. Seeing the caller ID, Ha Neul felt a little surprised.

“Hey Hyo Rin. Wow, they're already gone?” Ha Neul asked and stared at the floor. "That was fast..." Even in her own ears she sounded dejected. But Hyo Rin apparently didn’t notice.

“Yah, Ha Neul! Jonghyun wasn’t with them!!! Did something happen?! He didn’t contact you, did he??” She instead screamed into Ha Neul's ears to overpower the fangirls around her. Huh? He wasn't with them?

“N—“

No, Ha Neul had wanted to reply. But it got stuck in when suddenly a pair of familiar black sneakers stepped into her line of vision.

No way…

Slowly, she raised her head and found herself staring at... at none other than Kim Jonghyun!! What on earth was he doing here?!?

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Hey everyone!!

I'm really sorry for the short update but I'm really, REALLY busy right now. That's why I also probably won't find time to answer your comments in the next two months... I sincerely apologise in advance! >< But I hope some of you will still leave a comment or two because I really love reading your thoughts about my story!!! XDD
(If you're wondering what's keeping me busy like this...: Exam session is the whole of August and right now I'm studying 11 hours 6 days a week... --_--)