Taemin's POV

We arrived at the hotel sometime in the evening. Onew hyung walked in, dropped his things, and flipped out his phone, "I wonder why Laila hasn't called yet?"Jonghyun grimaced at him in disbelief, "Are you really calling her now? We just got here!" Onew pressed his finger against his lips as he placed his phone to his ear. We all looked at him, anticipating Laila's answer. In the midst of the silence and anticipation, his phone was loud enough for us to hear the ringing. 

The ringing soon stopped and a female voice was heard. Onew parted the phone from his ear and pouted, "It was the machine." He pressed the "end" button and plopped it down on the bedside table, "She's not home." We all sat there quietly wondering where she was and what she was doing. "Maybe Jooyoung knows where she is," Jonghyun jumped up to his feet in an epiphany. We all encouraged him to call her but when his wife answered the phone he stepped into the bathroom for some privacy.

"I hope she's okay," Minho hyung muttered with thoughtful eyes. He spiked up my anger. Always hanging around Laila, trying to seduce her and make her forget me. Like back at the airport; he pulled her up on his lap an whispered in her ear! It was NOT cute! Could he lower the PDA?! Minho must have noticed that I was glaring at him because his eyes locked with mine. We stared into each other's eyes for some time. Like one of those wild west show downs, except we did not use guns. After a couple of seconds, his mouth split into a smirk, which made me super pissed.

As Jonghyun hyung stepped out of the bathroom, I passed by him and swiftly stepped inside, slamming the door behind me in the process. "Is he okay?" I hear Jonghyun hyung ask. There was a small pause before he spoke again, "Jooyoung said she had lunch with Laila but hasn't heard of her since." I slipped my phone out of my pocket and bravely dialed her cell phone number. Seriously? They didn't even think about doing that?

After hearing it ring for a while, I was about to hang up in order to call again when she answered, "Yeoboseyo?" My eyes widened with worry and concern, "Laila? It's me Taemin."  I heard her giggle, "I know. Caller ID does wonderful things. What's up?" Always witty when she can be. I smiled at her joke and responded, "I just wanted to-" 

"Noona! Can we eat chicken?" the voice of a little boy cut me off and caught my attention. "Yes, I'll order something soon. Go play with the doggies while Noona talks to a friend okay?" Laila answered in the most sweet and nurturing voice ever. "Yay noona!" The kid cheered happily at the thought of eating chicken. A mini Onew perhaps?

Laila laughed and returned to her conversation with me, "I'm sorry. What were you saying?" Curious about the little boy, I shrugged off my primary intentions, "Was that a kid?" She inhaled nervously, "Oh, um, yes. I'm taking care of some siblings tonight," she replied in a suspicious manner. "Oh, I see," I decided not to question her intentions, "Make sure to keep them out of Key's room." She laughed melodically at my joke, making my heart flutter in the process, "Will do! Thanks!"

"Alright then, goodnight," I prepared to hang up, my heart content with our small conversation, but discontent with having to part. She exhaled calmly, "Okay. Goodnight! Love you!" Laila gasped and began to stutter, "I-I mean...S-sorry. B-bad habit. Bye." In your face Minho! My lips parted into a wide grin of satisfaction, "Bye." I stepped out of the bathroom and my hyungs stared at my grinning face. "I just finished talking to Laila," I said  holding up my phone, "She's okay." Minho hyung glared at me, probably cursing me for such a vague answer. I simply smiled at him.

I dropped down on the stage floor and wiped my face with a towel. We had just finished practice the night before our first concert when I got a phone call from Hina. "Hina? What's up?" I answered with a rusty voice due to the lack of oxygen in my body. I could hear the choreographer and our manager tell everyone what a great job they did and how they should get a lot of rest . "Oppa!" Let's do something tonight!" Hina chimed excitedly over the phone.

"I can't tonight," I chuckled, "I'm in Hong Kong." Hina giggled vividly, "I know~" she sang, "There's lots of things to do in Hong Kong! Let's go do something together!" I sighed but eventually gave in, "What would we do?" She began to hum in a thoughtful way. This was something I had learned to like about Hina. At first when you meet her she's shy and barely says anything. But when you get to know her she's a complete chatterbox  and she just grows on you. 

"We could go eat," she chirped, "I'm hungry and our parents want to-" As soon as I heard parents I cut her off, "Our parents are here?" She chuckled in an apologetic manner, "Heh, they want to have dinner together," she said softly. All my energy came crashing down. It's bad enough I had to deal with them back in Seoul but in Hong Kong, too? Do you think they'll follow me to Mars? "Whatever," I spoke flatly, "Text me the details."

"Bye op-" I hung up in frustration, wondering when will come the day I would be able to handle my affairs alone. I got up from the floor and began walking towards the dressing room. "Where are you going?" Key hyung stepped towards me. I smiled weakly, "Family affair."

When I arrived at the restaurant, I was led to a private dining hall and found that everyone was already waiting for me. "Oppa! Over here!" Hina patted the empty seat beside her. I sauntered over quietly while greeting everybody and sat down. They all resumed their conversation and I tuned myself out. Pouring myself a shot, I began to think about what Laila might have doing at that exact moment. What was she thinking about? Was she thinking about me? As questions and possible scenarios about Laila occupied every cell of my mind, I found myself nearly finishing the bottle of soju. 

"Taemin oppa," Hina whispered to me, "Is everything alright? You look worried about something." I smiled weakly at her and tried not to fall back, "Nothing. I'm fine." She frowned and huffed, "It's Laila isn't it? Did something happen to her?" Hina was aware of my feelings for Laila. I didn't exactly know what she thought about them, but I sure hoped she was also against this marriage. 

"Wouldn't you agree Taemin?" my head snapped towards Hina's father who had just addressed me. "Excuse me?" I replied in embarrassment. He took a sip of his wine and then replied, "Well, you and Hina have been dating for a couple of months now. Isn't it about time we start talking about wedding arrangements?" Absolutely dumbfounded by the topic, I didn't know how to reply.

Luckily Hina spoke first, "Appa! Stop pressuring Taemin oppa with such questions! These are things that females should be doing!" Unfortunately for me, my father spoke as well, "Well Taemin must be excited about it as well, right? You said you wanted to marry." I looked sternly into my father's eyes, "I meant when I was older and to somebody I love." The whole table grew quiet as my parents and I had a stare down. 

I decided the pressure was too intense and excused myself. Hina followed me outside and grabbed my arm to stop me, "Oppa! Is everything okay? Talk to me." I turned around and looked at her. She seemed to be shocked by my angry expression because she stepped back with a wary face. "How can everything be okay?! The girl I love is being seduced by one of my closest friends while I'm here being engaged to you!"

Her expression grew sad and solemn, "What's wrong with me?" My frustration calmed down when I she said this, "No, please don't misunderstand. You're a great girl. I just don't love you. I'm sorry." She sighed and nodded her head, "Can I fight for your love oppa?" I blinked in confusion, "Come again?" She smiled slightly, "Just like you're fighting for the one you love, oppa. I want to fight for you. I know you don't love me but that doesn't mean your heart can't change right?" 

Hina avoided my eyes and I couldn't find the right words to let her down easily, "Hina..." "Anyways!" she clapped her hands together and her expression grew cheery once again, "I better go in. My parents are my ride back to the hotel. Bye oppa!" I waved to her as she walked back to the dining hall. Later, I managed to catch a taxi cab back to the hotel. During the cab ride I received a phone call from my mother.

"Yeoboseyo?" I answered nonchalantly. "Where are you?! Come back here right away!" I rolled my eyes at her demanding manner, "No thanks. I'm not hungry." I heard her sigh on the other line, "Taemin that's not up to you to decide." Anger boiled inside of me, "Exactly! That's your problem!" I noticed the driver jump a little in his seat. "You always want to force me into things! You and abeoji! I'm sick and tired of it! I'm old enough to make my own decisions!"

"Fine!" she yelled back, "You want to make your own decisions? Get back here and make the right one!" A big smirk grew on my face, "I already made my decision." Her voice began to sound relieved, "Oh really? That's great, actually. What's your resolve?" I paid the cab driver and stepped out into the street, "I've decided to continue my career as a pop star. SHINee is my family and I won't let them down."

"I can live with that, I guess," she admitted apathetically, "What about Hina?" I placed my free hand in my pocket, "Hina? Hina and I are great friends. That's all we'll probably ever be. I won't ever be able to feel anything for her as strong as what I feel for Laila. So I decided to fight for Laila's love. I don't care if you're against it. I don't care if the whole universe is against it. I'm not ambitious like you. I won't marry for money. I don't want to live the same, sad, lonely life that you-"

"How dare you speak to me that way? I only want the best for you! I want to keep you from making stupid decisions like this one!" my mother yelled crossly. I let out a low chuckle before I hung up and walked into the hotel, "Deal with it."