“Are you serious about it, hyung?” Minho rises from the comforter and walks toward us. “I thought you were just joking when you told us you’re going to ask for your parents’ help.” He says in surprise.

“What do you want me to do about her?” I ask him back.

“Do about who?” The five of us automatically stand up when he hear that particular voice. It is coming from one of our managers. “Wait, why did everybody slept –“ Hyung freezes as he looks at the girl’s direction. He blinks a couple of times before realizing that someone really is there with us. “Who is that?” He says in panic. “Why is she there? And…” He looks at her keenly and observes her looks. “Why does she look like this?! Hey, SHINee… did you do something. God, boys!!!” He shouts at us and I notice the girl suddenly curling up herself again. I stand up.

“Hyung, calm down. I’ll explain to you everything. Let’s…” I stand up to go to him when the girl holds me again. I smile at her and hand her over to Key. “Please take care of her for a while. I’ll be back.” Key nods and holds the girl’s hand tightly. I see a gentle smile on his face and that I understand that the girl doesn’t need to be worried around any of them anymore.

I go to the next room with our three managers. They are anxious and in panic about seeing a messed up girl in our room. “Onew-ssi. I expect you to give us a very understandable explanation about this thing and about that girl over there.” He says while putting a stress on the word ‘that’. I take a deep breath before stating what happened one by one.

“Are you out of you mind?!” As usual, I receive the same reaction to them as how I got them from SHINee last night. I know this would be like this – it’s not like I don’t have any single idea of how the people around me will react – my parents will probably react the same – my mom can be in panic, too. “What do we do to that girl? We can’t take her back home! Seriously, Lee Jinki!” My manager calling me in my real name means he thinks this is a serious matter with me. They are not angry – but rather in panic of how to handle things and the mess – according to them – that I’ve created.

“Umma is in HongKong. I’ll ask them to take her home.” I reveal, which made the three managers eyes widen in surprise. “She’s coming real soon so we will not really go back with her. My parents will take her first.” I say.

“Are you deaf or you just don’t hear what you say?” One of our managers – the one who is the closest to me – utters. “Jinki-ah, you’re putting yourself into such responsibility. Those men out there are really powerful. Do you even know the girl?” He sighs and looks at me, about to say something. “There’s a place in here which rich men go to pay for slaves.” He states. “As how I hear it, some girls applied to be one, while others were forced to do it, and some were put there without any knowledge about the work they will do. It’s not only in Hongkong. This business goes around Asia because having different race of women in their choices is worth the profit.” He looks at her and shakes his head. “She might be one of those girls who were forced to do it.” His expression is really sad.

“Hey, are you taking Jinki’s side just now?” Our other manager slaps the other’s chest a little hard.

“I’m not taking sides on anyone.” He says and looks at me. “Let’s take her to the police station, Jinki. That will be the better way, and that will make your image look better as well – because you get to save a young girl’s life and you help her up.” He says while smiling.

“We’re facing a very notorious opponent here.” The other manager says. “If we’re going to bring her to the police station and this gets in to the news, the owner of the human trafficking business will surely go after Onew because he sets some fire of putting them down – I even doubt if the police will take our side. Having these slaves checked in such luxurious hotels with their buyers and just going around like they are not doing something wrong – I think this kind of business is under the police’s knowledge.” He says as he observes.

“Are you saying we should keep her?” The angriest manager looks at the rest. Now the discussion encircles the three of them – excluding me.

“Hyungdeul.” I call their attention up and they look at me. “She’s my responsibility. From the moment I decided on taking her with me to save her life, she has become my responsibility – someone I should really take care of. I know this is crazy but …” I glance up at her and I see the members are trying to talk to her, but she’s bowing her head as if she’s not hearing anything. “If you were there and you saw how painful the things she had to endure… you’ll understand me better.” I look at them again. “She’s one of the hundreds of slaves those business owner has. Mom will fix her, give her new life, two to three months later, she’ll start to live a new life, under a new family, if going back to her original family will make her happy, I’ll let her go once she’s completely healed.” I say seriously.

“Just think it was a coincidence – and that you can forget it now.” The manager says. “We have a choice, Jinki, and I think we don’t have to choose the one where she will be staying with you – with us.”

“She’s staying with my family – as my own family.” I reveal to them. “She was brought to me. It was by choice that I went out of the hotel room to buy liquors not within your knowledge. It wasn’t just by coincidence. If I didn’t go out, I wouldn’t have seen her there – completely broken – and still breaking.”

“I give up.” The 2^nd manager said. “But how sure are you that your parents will accept her?”

“Because I know. I know mom will love to be with her. She looks very special and lovely – though  I don’t know if that’s what’s she is feeling about herself.”

“Once your parents arrive and you settle up things for her. Start preparing about your mini showcase at the hotel’s auditorium today. Only 200 lucky fans will get to watch, but some Hongkong reporters will come. Make sure you give them the best impression.”

I nod. Finally, the discussion with them is over. But I know they’ll scold me from time to time starting from now. The only people I need  to get the consent are my parents – and I think they will really scold me the same way – and they will talk about how much risk I took in order to save her – someone that I don’t even know the name.

I walk back to them and look at her. “Did she talk already? Did she tell you her name?” I ask.

“Myeon.” Taemin  says while smiling at me. “Her name is Myeon. It’s originally Myeon Bol, but Myeon alone is cute.” He utters.

“She talked already and she has a Korean name? I thought she’s not Korean.” I say.

“That’s a name Taemin made up.” Key utters and looks at her. “Since last night, he’s been spazzing about how cotton like her cheeks are, so he wants to call her Myeon Bol or Cotton Cheeks, if ever she really doesn’t talk still.” Key explains. I nod. Myeon? Cotton? Hmm… suits her well, I think.

“When is auntie and uncle coming?” Minho asks.