Chapter 16:

“Hyung, uhm you know Nina right?” Key said. “Nina?” Onew paused for a moment. “The one AeLin introduced us to? Yeah of course, why?” he said. “Well, I was just asking.” Key replied. “She’s a real pretty girl and she was about the same age as you right? She’s really cute.” Onew said. Key watched his smiling face. Then the rehearsals started. Key wasn’t in the mood then. In the middle of SHINee’s rehearsal a certain someone came to the scene. “Nina unnie!” AeLin called out to Nina as she was watching SHINee rehearse. “AeLin ah.” Nina went to her.

AeLin’s voice was loud enough for SHINee to hear even with the music all going on. Key paused in the middle of the dance break of their routine as he saw her come into the set. “Hyung ah!” TaeMin yelled out to him. Then Key got back to his senses and continued to dance. When they finished rehearsals they went down the stage. They all headed to their waiting room to talk. “Nina noona.” TaeMin first greeted her. “Nina ssi. How are you?” JongHyun said. “I’m fine, thank you.” Nina replied. “What are you doing here?” MinHo said.

“Uhm, AeLin sent me a message to go here. Why did you let me come here anyways?” Nina said. Then AeLin looked at Key. Key was looking straight at Nina and obviously trying his best to act normal. Before AeLin could say something Nina did something Key doesn’t want to see. “Onew oppa!” then Nina went and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. All of them were shocked including Onew. “Nina.” JongHyun said and looked at her. She then felt embarrassed. “Ah, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it!” Nina said. They were speechless.

AeLin got pissed and dragged her out of the room and into the toilet. “What are you doing?” AeLin said. “What? I said I didn’t mean it.” Nina said. “Nina, I thought you changed your habit.” AeLin said. AeLin met Nina in the same TaeKwonDo gym she was training at. Nina doesn’t have that angelic character that people assume she has. They did become friends but she still didn’t know what she was in for being her friend. In the outside she looks angelic yes, but once you get to know her more, she’s actually a playgirl who’ll steal your man and hurt people close to you.

She’ll break a lot of hearts and steal your man and not only that but intentionally hurt others’ feelings. That was what AeLin experienced when Nina knew about her and Ray being a couple. For days Nina flirted with Ray until AeLin broke down into pieces. Nina was a mean person to be frank. She enjoys the pain of others. And in this situation, she enjoys Key’s pain. When AeLin first met her in Korea she thought Nina already changed but she and SHINee just fell into her trap.

AeLin then slapped her. “AeLin ah! I’m your unnie!” Nina said. “You can’t do this to Key oppa.” AeLin said. “And what right do you have to tell me things like that?” Nina said. “Nina! He’s in love with you! Don’t you know that?” AeLin said. “Yeah, I know he likes me.” “Then why are you doing this?” AeLin was frustrated. “I’m just a bad girl.” Nina said.  Nina assumed that AeLin liked Key since Key always went with AeLin. What AeLin had Nina has to have as well. Nina then fixed herself and got out of the toilet.

AeLin followed her as they went back to the waiting room. “Oh, you’re back.” JongHyun said. “I’m so sorry for the sudden visit. I’ll be going now.” Nina said with a smile. SHINee said goodbye to her as well. “Oppa.” AeLin went to Key. Key was silent and was dazed. “Hyung ah, are you okay?” MinHo said. “I think we better leave him be.” AeLin said. Then the other SHINee members gathered around AeLin as AeLin told them about Nina and about how Key feels about her.

“So she wants what you have?” Onew said. “De. Something like that. I thought she already changed.” AeLin said. “But what do Key and me have to do with this?” Onew said. “AeLin has SHINee as her bestest friends. Since AeLin has us, she would want to get SHINee from her.” MinHo said. “You’re saying she wants to break us up?” Onew said. “I guess so.” AeLin said. “I feel sorry for Key hyung.” TaeMin said. “Shouldn’t we tell him about this?” JongHyun said. “Do you think it’s a good idea?” AeLin said.

“I can hear you guys.” Key said. “Hyung ah! Can you at least pretend for this second time?” TaeMin joked around to lighten up the mood. Key went closer to them. “Key ah, I’m so sorry about Nina. But one thing’s for sure, I have no interest in her.” Onew said. “Nah, it’s okay hyung. You didn’t do anything wrong. I was such a fool.” Key said. “No you weren’t. It was an illusion of the heart. People get that a lot.” JongHyun said. “Onew hyung, I can’t lie. I’m so sorry but I planned on making you look bad when we are going to perform our song. I’m really sorry!” Key bowed in a 90 degree angle. “Key ah, I told you. You shouldn’t be sorry. It’s not your fault.” Onew said. Then they did a group hug.

“TaeMin ah, I saw that earlier.” Key, who was beside AeLin, gave an evil smile to him. “What that?” TaeMin replied. “Hm, you don’t remember?” Key said. The other members and AeLin was confused. Key leaned over to AeLin and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and looked at TaeMin. “You look cute when you’re serious.” He then smiled. “What do you mean?” Onew said. “You really want to know hyung?” Key said. “Ah! Oh no you don’t!” TaeMin then chased Key following and them were JongHyun and Onew who was dead curious about what Key was about to say.

AeLin stood there frozen. She had pretty boys as her best friends and she gets to sleep over at their dorms but kisses from those pretty boys aren’t common to her. Key is a pretty face and she admires her very much. It was her first time to get kissed by the Almighty Key and so she was surprised. MinHo went in front of her and faced her. “Why is it that almost everybody has the chance to give you a kiss?” MinHo said and leaned over to her making them face to face. AeLin was frozen and couldn’t move.

“What’s happening?” AeLin thought. Closer and closer MinHo went into what seemed to be a kiss. “Hyung!” TaeMin came in between her and MinHo. He looked straight to MinHo’s face. MinHo stood back up straight and calmly smiled. “MinHo ah, what are you doing?” JongHyun and the others came. He looked at them then back to TaeMin. “I saw something on her face. I wanted to take a close look of it but it was just a mosquito and flew away.” MinHo said. “AeLin ssi! Pls. come up on stage.” The staff said. It was her turn to do the recording.

She went up stage and performed. TaeMin and MinHo went to the toilet to wash up. “TaeMin ah, I want to tell you something.” MinHo said. TaeMin was washing his hands and MinHo was behind him facing the TaeMin’s back. “What if I told you those feelings for AeLin are really coming back?” MinHo said. TaeMin expected those words sooner or later. AeLin is already grown up and TaeMin knows his hyung hasn’t fully given up on her as he took back what he said before.

“I’m serious TaeMin. I really am taking her back.” He added. There was a moment of silence. “This is just another challenge. Overcoming hardships and challenges is what makes a man.” TaeMin said and faced MinHo. “I’ll prove myself to be a true man.” TaeMin smiled. MinHo smiled as well.

A year has passed. Within that year many things have happened. So far, every one of AeLin’s activities was a success. As she hoped many of her fans are still fans of hers. It was a week before her birthday and for the days there have been some pretty bad news that was going around. The legendary group DBSK just disbanded the past month. Although the group has disbanded members are still active in the entertainment industry working as solos, but occasionally the members get together and in memory of DBSK performs some songs.

Members of the group are also married or in a relationship now. The Wonder Girls and The Grace have also disbanded and now continuing their normal lives with their business and families. Super Junior and SNSD were said to disband soon. Because of majority of the members getting engaged and stuff, the company has decided to null their contract for their convenience. They still do have the choice to remain solo in the industry. From JYPE, 2PM and 2AM were also in the brink of their disbandment which was said to be next year. Way to start the New Year.

But then there is also good news. JaeBeom, JunSu, NichKhun, ChangMin, and JoKwon of ONE DAY are now engaged as well. DooJoon was already married and is now living a happy life with his wife. He’s still with BEAST though as he decided to stay with them. When NichKhun couldn’t attend AeLin’s comeback concert stage he went to Thailand. When he arrived and finished his promotional activities another surprise was waiting for him. His parents have arranged him to a Chinese-Filipina girl who he would fall in love with as time passed by and decide to marry to. His fiancé was beautiful and was close to his ideal girl.

JunSu and ChangMin met their love of their lives at a broadcasting company. The two were full Korean-Americans and they were both reporters. Their fiancés were also sisters. Jay’s girl was full Korean where he met at a convenience store and turned out to be a former classmate of his while he was in the university. JoKwon’s fiancé was Brown Eyed Girls’ GaIn. They have been dating after We Got Married Season 2 ended and because of his fellow members getting engaged, he decided to propose to GaIn in one show.

Good news from SHINee is that the past week JongHyun released his 2^nd solo album. Onew and MinHo were casted together in a drama. Key and TaeMin were now the DJs for Sukira radio show in place for LeeTeuk and EunHyuk. The whole 2PM was also in a variety show. It was rumoured that this was their last variety project so 2PM is putting their all on the show.            

AeLin was told that she would be casting in the drama MinHo and Onew are in. Since the drama didn’t have their permanent casting of characters yet, she was inserted as one of the main characters. It was already planned for her to star in the series as well but because of the decision she had to make they had to reconsider. But now that she’s staying, she’ll be debuting as an actress in her first drama. What a wonderful birthday present.