"Okay press your fingers down," Jonghyun instructed patiently, "It shouldn't be too hard for you since you already have the calluses." I looked up at him in confusion, "What calluses?" He smirked and grabbed my hand, facing the tips of my fingers to me, "If you're a guitar player, you will get calluses." He released my hands and I held the guitar once again. "Strum," he said softly, and I did. The sweet sound filled the bedroom with imaginary vines and flowers. I smiled and looked at him, "That was nice." 

"Let's try another one," he gently held my index, middle, and ring fingers, stretching them on a different set of frets. After he finished, I strummed the guitar releasing a bitter and melancholious sound that made all the imaginary flower wilt. Jonghyun noticed my change of expression. "That's an E minor," he said almost apologetically. I gave him a small shrug and he continued teaching me different chords. I felt comfortable with the guitar and found that I was a quick learner. Only because I knew how to play. You know. Before I lost my memory.

We heard a knock on the open door to my bedroom and in sync, our heads snapped to see Minho's tall, athletic body leaning artistically against the door frame, "Your wife called and demanded that you go home for dinner."  Ah, Jooyoung.She was a small, feisty woman, but she was very kind and patient with me when she found out I had lost my memory. Jonghyun stood up gingerly, "See you some other time." "Bye," I called out as he left my bedroom. Then it was just me and Minho. He sauntered towards me with his long legs and sat cross-legged on the floor across me. 

He leaned his elbows on his knees and placed his face between his hands like a child. While sitting, he stared at me. Just stared. I felt my face flush under his scrutiny and looked down at my knotted fingers, "What?" Minho's lips curled into a smile, "Would you show me what he teached you?" I nodded and silently began to play a song that coincidentially consisted of all the chords I had learned that day. I felt his gaze on me the whole time and the way it burned through me was unsettling. "That was nice," he praised my guitar skills after I was done, "Will you teach me?" 

Feeling excited and superior I handed him the guitar and scooched over to sit beside him. "Give me your hand," I ordered confidently and stretched his fingers against the neck, pressing them down on frets. "Strum," I ordered once more and an E minor chord cracked the walls around my heart. I leaned over him once again and set his fingers down for a different chord. When I sat back down on my heels, the proximity of our faces startled my already nervous heart. It was as if we were going to kiss For a brief moment before turning away and clearing his throat awkwardly, Minho looked into my eyes and I felt him completely destroy the fort that I had so agonizingly built after meeting Taemin's fiancee. No.

Minho stood up and stared up at the cieling, "Dinner's almost ready. You should start going down soon." He turned to go, but I didn't want him to leave. "Wait!" he stopped abruptly in his tracks and turned to look at me with an impassive face. Did I make him angry? "Um, if it's not too much trouble, could you wait for me so that we could go down together?" Minho's eyes softened and he nodded silently before he walked out the door. Relief washed over me and I began to mutter to myself, "Stupid. What's your excuse? Did you forget how to get to the dining room?" 

I met Minho outside my door after taming my long, straight hair, "Hey." He smiled slightly at me and shifted on the balls of his feet, walking towards the staircase. I followed him timidly and wondered what my relationship with Minho had been before I lost my memory. As we approached the dining room I felt a knot twist in my stomach and I felt light-headed.A dreadful premonition. I restrained the bitter look on my face and put on a bright smile for my roommates. "Hey Laila, can you set up an extra plate?" Key ordered naturally. I felt my head tilt naturally as wonder filled my mind, "Do we have a visitor?"

"Um...well, Taemin's bringing his..." Onew spoke hesitantly and ended up looking at me open-mothed with a pained expression on his face. "His fiancee?" I finished his sentence and smiled, making sure the smile reached my eyes. Onew's expression softened to that of relief and confusion, "Ah, yes. His fiancee." Then he muttered something unintelligible to himself and walked off to the kitchen. I set up the plates and utensils and felt the knot in my stomach grow bigger and heavier. Placing my hand on my stomach, I inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly.

"Are you feeling okay?" Minho gave me a wary look and I nodded nonchalantly. I heard the front door open and suddenly my heart dropped to my stomach. No. Not this. Not now. I bit my lip to keep it from trembeling and forced a smile on my face. When I looked back up I saw Minho looking at me with an alerted expression. I simply smiled at him and turned to meet our guests.

Taemin's eyes were instantly on me. His gaze pierced through me the same way a thorn pricked skin. "H-hello," I managed to choke out a greeting. He nodded as Hina wrapped her arm graciously around his, "Hello Laila, fancy seeing you here." Her cold, beautiful eyes glared at me and I stifled a smirk, "That's because I live here." She glanced away awkwardly and remained silent. I plastered on a fake smile, "Well dinner will be served in a while. So, make yourself at home." I turned to Taemin, "Welcome back."

I turned around on my heels with a fake intention of going to the kitchen. I ended up passing by it and head straight for the garden in the back. Once I arrived, I bent over and placed my hands on my knees, focusing all my energy on steadying my breath. I can't believe this is the effect he has on me. And suddenly I felt like crying. Because I loved this guy unconditionally when I wasn't not supposed to. When I was at the lowest point of my life. I didn't know him or anyone. Hell, I don't even know myself.

"Is everything alright?" a deep, familiar voice cocoons my fears and I'm able to stand up without my knees shaking. I turn to face Minho and bite my lip to keep it from trembling. "I'm alright," I manage to choke out with a slight smile. But we all know that's far from the truth. Minho stares at me for a minute, his eyes assesing every inch of my face. Scrutinizing me. Examining me. And then he looks into my eyes and the composure I've been feigning all along breaks. 

A soft sob escapes my parted lips and tears being to stream down my face. I gently shake my head and downcast my gaze. "I knew it," Minho bolts towards me and in two seconds, much to my surprise, I am protected by his embrace. "ing bastard," I hear him mutter under his breath and  I wonder if it was meant for me to hear because it makes me chuckle a little. "Don't cry," he croons softly, and his voice sounds like he's pleading. "Please don't cry. Not for him. I know you don't remember but it was always like this. He always made you cry and I couldn't help but be a shoulder to cry on. No. Not anymore," Minho's voice grows assertive. I step back and look at his face to see him smiling encouraginly at me, 

He gently wipes the tears from my face with his thumbs, "You can't cry anymore. You won't cry anymore. I won't let you. I promise." Another sob escapes my lips, along with a soft laugh of gratitude.And I can't help myslef. I launch myself and give him a tight hug. He laughs lowly and pulls me back. We smiled at each other for a couple of seconds and then he bends over to kiss my forehead. I blush unwillingly and look down to hide my embarrassed smile, "O-oppa..." Minho takes my hand, gives it a reassuring squeeze and then smiles at me with a pained expression in his eyes, "Come on. Let's go eat dinner."

When we arrived at the dinner table, everybody was waiting for us. Key shot us a nagging look, "Glad you could join us." His eyes darted at our hands and I quickly pulled my hand away from Minho's as the shyness took over me. I could see Minho was giving me a confused stare as I gazed at him through my lashes. I looked down and quickly seated myself in order to avoid anymore attention. Unfortunately, Hina had decided that I would be the subject of interrogation that night.

"So Laila, Taemin tells me you're currently enrolled in the university," she smiled a smile that did not reach her eyes and I simply nodded looking at anywhere but her. "What's your major?" she flutters her eyelashes innocently, clearly not for me. Probably putting on a show for the guys. I sigh softly and answer confidently, "I want to become and engineer." My answer throws her off the edge and she leans back on her seat and looks at the plate in front of her, "Oh. You seemed more like the wannabe artist type." What the hell makes you think that?

After a while, she continued to eat her food gracefully and silently. As I begin to think that she won't ask me anymore questions, I'm proved wrong, "So how are you paying for it? It's very expensive you know?" I sigh again, louder this time. Letting everybody know my annoyance and just how much my temper can take, "I'm on scholarship." But why was I getting so angry? She was just asking me questions that I would have answered from anyone else. Hina nodded and ceased her questions. 

Instead she changed the subject, "My family will be hosting a charity event next weekend, it would be wonderful if you could all come." Hina was composed, like a pure-bred, brought up princess. "How nice of you to invite us. Of course we'll be there," Onew smiled a full, mega-watt smile and kindly accepted her invitation. "Great!" Hina chimed and turned to me, "We'll go shopping for dresses together, right?" I stared wide-eyed at her, surprised by her invitation. Quite uncomfortable and unsure of what to say, I found myself looking at Minho.

"Laila's a very busy girl Hina," Taemin spoke hesitantly, "I'm sure she has better things to do than to go shopping." Hina pouted, "But yeobo! If she's such good friends with you I want to be friends with her too!" After feeling my gaze on him, Minho's eyes wandered up to meet mine and he gave me a sweet, encouraging smile. "Sure," I half-smile, my eyes not breaking away from Minho, "I can make time for shopping." "That's great!" Hina piped up, "See yeobo? There you were worried that she was too busy."

Somehow I still felt uneasy. What would shopping with Hina be like? She was from a rich and luxurious background. That night, I basically set myself up for humiliation.