This chapter written solely because I wanted to include that picture.  Hehe, enjoy!

Chapter 15

Onew couldn’t figure out why she was laughing.

Literally, all he had done was walk into the room.

Frustrated, Onew huffed.  “Well it’s nice to know that I’m so funny looking that you will literally roll on the ground laughing upon sight of me.”

Lex sighed and wiped at a couple of tears that had gathered at the corner of her eyes.  She sat up from her laid out position on the floor, still losing a few laughs that burst through her attempts to stifle them.  “I’m s-harr-ry” she said as another laugh forced its way out.

Onew bit the inside of his cheek.  “You sound it.” He mumbled, wondering off to go and stare out the window.

“Oh, don’t be like that…” she lightly chided as she rose and walked over to him.  She placed a hand on his elbow and lightly tugged. 

Onew pretended to ignore it and didn’t let himself be turned around.  It had been a bad day, and Lex laughing at him was like the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

She sighed again, sounding a little sadder than she had earlier.  She laid her forehead against his shoulder, her hand still holding his elbow. 

“I’m sorry; it’s just that your shirt reminded me of something.”

Onew glanced down at the t-shirt he didn’t even realize he was wearing.  He had just grabbed it out of his closet and thrown it on over some loose orange cotton shorts.  It was way too warm out, with the sudden onset of Indian summer that had surprised everyone in Seoul.  He certainly wasn't going to worry about what stylists actually wanted him to wear.  He pulled out the hem of the shirt and tried to read it upside down.  It was in English and said, ‘It’s not going to itself.’ 

Onew stared at it and then back up at Lex, who was smiling, though it seemed to be more of her just trying to hold in her laughter, and blushing at the same time.  Suddenly Onew’s heat-boggled mind noticed the innuendo and he closed his eyes, exhaling through his nose.

Lex visibly bit her lips trying not to laugh as realization moved across Onew’s face. 

Onew pursed his lips together and met eyes with Lex. 

There was a moment with the two just staring at each other before they both burst into laughter. 

With full-out snort-filled laughter, Lex was soon on the floor again. “Do you even understand what that really means?  Why your international fans love that shirt so much?”

Onew just nodded his arm in front of his mouth in his attempts to stem his own chuckling self.  “I thought it was funny when we were in Vegas and I bought it then.”

“Ahhh,” Lex nodded, seemingly at ease with the atmosphere once again. “People know you speak English well enough, so English speaking fans have a spazz-out when pictures of you in that shirt come out.”

Onew plopped down on the floor in front of Lex.  “We’re you one of those fans?” He asked coyly, copying her trademark move and quirking an eyebrow. 

She snorted, “Hate to disappoint, but I just thought it was funny, especially if you didn’t know what it meant.  I’ve seen more than my fair share of Korean people wearing English on their clothing and wondering why I was staring at them in shock.”  She shook her head, “I’ve had students come to school in with F-bombs written on their clothing and wondered why I made them go to the restroom and turn their shirts inside out.  Imagine the shock on their faces when I told them that in an American school they would have been in the Principal’s office and likely suspended just for their t-shirt.”

"Really?  They do that in America?"  He was honestly surprised, because that crass image was all that he ever saw from America in the media. 

"Are you kidding me?!  In a heartbeat!" She laid out on the wooden floor beneath her.  "American schools are uptight.  They worry about everything, and vulgar language is not tolerated in any way shape or form."

Onew huffed and dropped into a crossed legged position on the floor next to Lex.  They were in SHINee's dance practice room.  They were appearing on Star King together next week and they had been told to be prepared to dance and the couple had endured a few quick practices, but unlike Onew, Lex didn't have all the experience to help her pick up on dance moves quickly.  She could find the beat, but she needed a lot more practice before she was going to be able to go on the stage without making a fool of herself. 

"Alright," Onew lurched to his feet.  He held out one hand for Lex to grab, "Let's get started.  We've only got an hour before the guys get here for our practice."

"I still can't believe that you're dancing with me before you have to do three hours of dance practice with SHINee."  Lex let Onew pull her up and gave his hand a squeeze before letting go with a shy smile. 

They had been taught the waltz, why?  Onew didn't know, but as he moved around the floor with Lex, holding her close to him without anyone being able to judge him for it, he couldn't say he really cared.

But it would be lovely if she would avoid stepping on his toes.

He hissed as she mis-stepped once again and his toe bore the brunt of the mistake. 

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, stepping back. 

"It's fine," Onew smiled, "I've given myself worse injuries practicing our dances.”

"You sure?"  Lex didn't look convinced.

"I promise."  Onew repositioned himself and pull Lex near again, "Now let's try one last time."

The music clicked on to the next song in the rotation and Onew started to lead once more.  About halfway through the song, Onew noticed a change.  Their steps seemed smoother, Lex's arms on his seemed less tense.  He glanced down and saw that Lex had her eyes closed, for the first time she wasn't staring intently at her feet. 

He smiled and pulled his head up once more, just letting them glide along to the music. 

The song ended and Onew slowly pulled away.  Lex glanced up at him and smiled, her green eyes sparkling with delight.  "We did it," she said softly. 

Onew almost leaned down to kiss her, in fact he may have started to bend, when a small smattering of applause reached them. 

The rest of SHINee had arrived and were standing on the other edge of the studio.

"You guys look great!"  Taemin cheered, skipping over to them before greeting Lex with a hug.  "Heya noona! Wanna stay for practice?"

Lex laughed and moved around greeting the other guys.  "Not today...it's too warm in here already.  With you guys moving around...just, no."  She smiled and went to get her stuff that she had stashed against one of the walls. 

"Oh hey, Lex," Onew moved after her.

"Yeah?"  She stood up, her bag, a grungy old blue backpack, tossed over her shoulder. 

"I'll, uh, walk you out?"  Onew wanted to spend as much time as he could with Lex, even the extra few minutes.

She smiled, totally onto him.  "Sure."

The pair moved to the door and started to head downstairs. 

In the stairwell, which was surprisingly cool considering the temperature outside, Onew pulled Lex to a stop. 

"I did something and I need to tell you before you find out from someone else."  Onew bit his lip.

"Are you alright?"  She asked, suddenly concerned for the man.

Onew waved one hand in front of him, "No, I'm fine.  It's just...you remember Chuseok?  With my family?"

Lex furrowed her brow and nodded, "Yeah..."

"Well...I kind of, might have, whined at the PDs..."

Lex quirked an eyebrow in bemusement.  "What did you whine about?"

Onew looked Lex straight in the eye, "Thanksgiving."

"Like...American Thanksgiving?"  Lex looked confused.

"Yeah...as in they recorded us with my family...and now they can record us with yours..."

Onew stared at his feet.  He didn't know if she would be happy or mad about this.

"We're going to film in the states?" she clarified.

"Yeah...well...we could..."  Onew stumbled over his words.  "They're going to talk to you about it next time we film.  And if you agree they'll call your family and see if they're willing to...be on camera and everything..."

Lex crashed into Onew.  "Thank you!"  She breathed into his ear as her arms wound tightly around his shoulders.  "Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you."  She kissed his cheek and pulled back.  Her eyes were slightly watery, but she definitely wasn't crying.  "You get to meet my family."  A brilliant smile covered her face and Onew was proud that he had done the right thing.  Seeing her so distant during Chuseok, he knew that she needed to see her family, but her work schedule wouldn't allow for her to go home.  So he arranged for her work to take her there. 

"Yeah..." Onew didn't have any words, but Lex didn't need him to right now.  He had already done enough. 

Lex looked suddenly re-energized, and it seemed like she was just a little bit brighter than she had been.  "Alright, now that you've said your thing, you're missing practice."  She looked at him pointedly. 

Onew rolled his eyes.  "Alright, alright, be safe."  He leaned down for a quick peck against her lips.

Lex rolled her lips inward afterwards as though to taste Onew for herself and she gave a happy sigh.  "I will, see you!"

She went down the last flight of stairs and disappeared into a haze of light as she opened the door leading to the lobby.

Onew turned and ran back upstairs to practice.

When he entered the practice room he noticed that all four of his fellow members were staring at him.

“What?” he asked, closing the door behind him.

None of them said anything, though Key tilted his head and looked at the leader meaningfully.

“What?!” Onew tried again, coming even with the group.

“You have anything to tell us hyung?” Jonghyun asked with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Um…your creeping me out?” Onew tried.

“Hyung, how long have noona and you been seeing each other, for real?” Minho asked calmly, holding back Key who looked like he was ready to barge into Onew’s face to get an answer. 

“What?” Onew tried laughing it off, they hadn’t really told anyone yet.  Just their companies, but Onew hadn’t told SHINee, and Lex hadn’t told any of her friends.  Their mothers knew, but that as about it. 

Just then their manager walked in, cell phone pressed to his ear.   

“Hyung!” Key called out, “Did you know Onew was dating Lex?”

He had looked up as Key hailed him and just nodded with a thumbs up before saying something to the person on the other end. 

“He knew?”  Taemin asked, bewildered.  “Are we the last to find out hyung?”  The dancer actually sounded a bit hurt.

Onew sighed, “No, you’re not the last.  You’re actually one of the first.  We’ve hardly told anyone.  And a month, by the way.”

“A month?” Jonghyun looked confused for a moment, “Oh!” he clapped, “You’ve been dating for a month!”

“Keep your voice down,” Onew hissed.  “Nobody is supposed to know alright?”

“Why?” Key asked, quickly following with, “I mean, I know why you don’t want the press to know, but why not the people here?  We always know when another idol is dating, whether it’s hit the news or not.  Why not you guys?”

“We just…we don’t need everyone barging their noses in like our lives are their business.  We share everything else, we want this to be just us.”

“Noona, doesn’t like the press either.” Taemin said quietly, as though musing to himself.

Minho spoke up then, “Well, you two are a good couple, it might be nice if we could get to call her sister-in-law for real.”

Onew blushed, suddenly clapping, “Alright well, we have some practicing to do and grilling me doesn’t get that accomplished.”