When Taemin returned to the dorm, Key was waiting for him. He did not say anything but Key knew. The following two weeks were a nightmare for Taemin and the rest of SHINee. Taemin was lifeless. When he danced, he did it mechanically. There was no emotion. His usually bright personality turned a perfect 360 as he became a mute. He spoke only when he was spoken to.

At the dorm, Taemin would stare at his phone, willing it to ring like it normally would previously. He would hold a different teddy bear each day and stare at it long and hard. Once, Jinki caught him burying his face in the teddy bear’s stomach. When he was asked what he was doing, Taemin only replied with “I can’t smell her anymore..”

Currently, Taemin was staring at their smiling picture and then at the mirror. He tried to twitch his lips into a smile, but it came out looking like a horrifying sneer. He placed his hands at the side of his head. He could feel tears running down his face. He missed her. He needed her. He sobbed her name and laced it with apologies over and over.

“She went to USA. She was offered a place at a university there.”

Taemin looked up at the voice and his eyes met Key’s who was leaning against the door frame. Key stepped closer to Taemin. His heart hurt at his magnae’s broken look but he knew Taemin needed to do this on his own. He patted Taemin’s head before turning to head out and scream at Jonghyun who was disturbing peace with his Engrish singing.

Taemin stared at the piece of paper Key had put on his table. His heart raced as he scanned the information written on the paper. For the first time in two weeks, Taemin smiled. Key grinned faintly as he heard Taemin’s “Thank you, hyung!” from the bedroom.

Please, oh, please

Just watch over me a bit more

At the end of my efforts and your trust, there’s only happiness

Taemin paced in the living room nervously. How is she? How will she react? What if she doesn’t forgive me? What if.. Taemin sighed and kicked himself mentally. He should not assume things. He was staring out the window. The scenery was different there. His head immediately turned towards the door when he heard the sound of the knob being turned from outside. His heart raced.

She stepped into her apartment with a sigh. It was a tiring day. It was only her second week but she was already busy with assignments courtesy of the lecturers at the university. She took off her shoes and bent to place her shoes on the shoe rack. She froze. There was a pair of winged shoes and she only knew one person with thosewinged shoes. Her head snapped up and her eyes widen.

Taemin watched her every moment carefully. He could see she was trembling. He took a step forward. She took a step back. Her eyes scanned the place frantically. He knew she was trying to run away from him. Instinct kicked in, just as she turned to open the door, he bolted towards her and pulled her back against him in a tight hold.

“Don’t. Please. Don’t go.”

She shivered at the sound of his voice. She stiffened when he tightened his embrace. She could feel him trembling and after awhile, she could hear his sobs. She could feel his tears staining her shirt and wetting her neck where he had buried his head in. Her heart broke. A single tear escaped her eye.

Alright, let’s stop crying now

Wipe away your tears now

Isn’t that much better

You are the prettiest prettiest when you smile, yeah

She turned towards Taemin slowly. Taemin still had his head hung low. She placed her palms on his now sullen cheeks and urged him to look at her. Taemin’s hands quickly found way to her face when he saw she was crying too. He wiped away every single tear that fell from her eyes. She smiled at the action. Taemin returned her smile with tears still flowing freely from his eyes.

She wiped away his tears carefully, gently, before running her hands down his neck where they soon rested on his shoulders. Taemin pulled her in for a hug and she rested her head on his chest. He closed her eyes at her warmth and breathed in her scent. He grinned. They both felt better than they had for the past two weeks or so.

I’ll learn good words, good actions, and be like you to

become an amazing boyfriend OK

We’ll go for a long, long time. Longer than any other couple

There’s a mountain full of things that I want to

buy you, feed you. It’s the truth

“I’m sorry. I know I was childish. I know I did wrong. I know you deserve better but I guess I’m still childish because I still want you for myself.” Taemin started in a trembling voice. She only looked up at him with tears b in her eyes.
 

“I promise I’ll do better. I promise I’ll become a man you can depend on. I promise to love you and cherish you if you just come back to me.” The words came out in a rush and he stuttered a bit here and there as he desperately tried to assure her that he would change. Tears fell from her eyes and Taemin cursed himself. How many times must I make her cry?!! But Taemin refused to leave her alone. He refused to back down. 

Taemin held both of her hands and knelt in front of her. He was afraid, but he knew she was worth it. Hell, she was worth more than she gave herself credit for but he really did love her and he did not want to lose her. So, for the first time in his life, he bared his heart and soul to another and begged for her love. “I love you… and I need you. So, please… come back to me.”

Love you, I love you (I love you, I love you more Hey~ yeah)

Love you, I love you

Love you, I love you (More, oh more)

Love you, I love you

She was walking happily out of her campus. She had been here for more than 5 months now and it was the semester break, so she was contemplating on what to do during her holidays. She waved goodbye to her local friends and turned left as she wanted to swing by the library first. Her steps were halted by a familiar figure on the lawn of the university. He smiled. She stared. He opened his arms, beckoning her to hug him. She dropped her things on the ground before sprinting towards him. His arms closed around her the moment her body made contact with his. The force sent them twirling and they loved. They laughed as he brought her down by sliding her down his torso.

“Isn’t that Lee Taemin of SHINee?” A college girl screamed upon seeing the male and this caused the rest of the passersby to turn and inspect.

“Oh my God!!! It’s Taemin!”

Soon enough, a crowd started to form around them. She panicked. Damn it. What will happen to him if they find out the truth?!!

Taemin saw the worry and panic in her eyes. He only pulled her close and s an arm around her waist. He walked towards the place where she dropped her things with her close to his side. She tried to hide her face behind her hair. Taemin noticed this and was unhappy. He stopped, tilted her chin up and brushed her hair aside so that the crowd could have an obstructed view of her face.

“Don’t worry.. hm?” he said with a smile.

She could only stare at him. Taemin bent down to pick her things up with his left hand as his right was tightly entwined with her left hand. He straightened to his full height and gave her a small grin.

“Shall we go?”

She nodded. After three steps, they were stopped by a particular question shouted by the local fans. They were in English, but Taemin understood them perfectly. “Who is she, Taemin?”

Taemin turned to face the crowd. He looked at the girl who was cowering behind him and his heart broke. She always had to hide. No more. He stepped aside and pulled her to his side with his free arm.

With a blinding grin, Lee Taemin of SHINee answered in perfect but accented English, “She’s my girlfriend.”

Loud squeals and screams erupted. She stiffened.

“Kiss her then!!” A male student said. Taemin looked at him, not wavered at all, a smile still decorating his face. He turned towards her, an arm wound around her waist, another at her nape, tilting her face upwards. He saw the fear and panic in her eyes. She shook her head but he smiled reassuringly.

“Let them know.” Taemin said in a whisper. “Let the world know.. I love you.” He breathed against her lips before lightly brushing his lips against hers, slowly but surely deepening the kiss with each caress.

The crowd cheered. There were a few who protested. Some of them were still filming him with their camera phones and what not, but he could not care less. When he pulled away from her, she was blushing but a smile lit up her face.

With new felt giddiness, Taemin laced their fingers together. He turned towards the crowd, lifted up their entwined hands and said with a grin, “Bye bye!”

Taemin then sprinted off with her beside him. They ran all the way to her apartment, not stopping and not caring about others around them. They laughed breathlessly and collapsed on the couch in her living room. Taemin turned towards her flushed happy face and grinned.

“I love you..” Taemin said quietly.

She looked at him straight in the eyes and smiled. “I love you too..”

Short Epilogue..

Lee Taemin was no longer a kid who hides things. He was a man. He was a man who was proud to have a partner like her.. and he was not afraid to show it to the world. A few minutes later, the whole world knew as videos of him hugging and kissing her spread like a wildfire through all sorts of channel.

Key who was surfing on the net was jaw slacked when he saw the video one of the fans uploaded. He soon regained his composure and called for Jinki. They both sighed heavily but then burst into laughter. SM and the world are going to be on them, but they were a family and families stand for each other. Their magnae had just proved he became a worthy man and SHINee was going to stand by him like they always did for each other.

Key posted something on his me2day:

“If you love us, you’ll support us no matter what~”

A/N : Engrish. lol. No, it's not typo.. you kpop lovers should know what that means.. ^^

A/N2: Posted before in my LJ account under the same username~