CHAPTER 8

JUSTIN

I could not believe I was doing this. The three of us all sat Indian-style on the bathroom floor, discussing battle strategies to combat the flood of bad press.

“I don’t think another interview will go well,” Claire added, still looking traumatized from the last one that went down about half an hour ago. We were all still in our interviewing clothes, our managers freaking out somewhere.

Because Key freaking KISSED ME.

My lips will never be the same. His acid lips on my exceptionally beautiful lips permanently scarred them for life, so, sorry, fans; I might just gag every time I kiss now.

A DUDE kissed me.

How could one guy be so stupid! I didn’t even blame Claire anymore; it was KEY. Because of him, I was going to have to be inactive for a month or two. I was missing out on so much because of this dumb scandal.

I narrowed my eyes at Key, watching his every move distinctly. That mousey face, the one that was apparently ‘cuter’ than mine, oh ho ho ho ho…

He is going DOWN.

Key nodded in agreement with Claire. He sat pretty close to her, his knee occasionally bumping hers. Every time it did, Key’s face flooded with color, while Claire pretended not to notice.

 Did he like Claire?

Claire was saying something to Key, who just looked as if he were in awe.

HELLS YES.

MUHAHAHAHAHAHA.

-

KEY

I felt eyes fixed on me and self-consciously turned to look at Bieber. He was staring me down with the look of an insane avenger.

Checking me out now?

My eyebrow rose in question, but he turned his head to talk to Claire.

“You’re staying in my hotel room, right?” He gave a charming smile. The famous hair of his swooshed with every head movement.

Pathetic.

Claire looked hesitant. “I don’t know, I don’t want to be a pain—“

“No way, it’ll be fun—“

I interjected furiously, “—What’ll be fun? I thought you were going to stay in my apartment!” The pout that even I know was cute came on my face.

“Are you gonna listen to this asswipe, or me?” Justin said in a low English voice. Indecision on her face, Claire looked at me with an apologetic smile.

“Excuse me, but I can understand English, Mr. Bieber,” I said in my beasting English. “I am NOT an asswipe. That’s you.”

“Woah,” Justin said with hands up in defense. “I didn’t mean it like that!” He looked back to Claire. “It’s your decision.”

-

CLAIRE

“It’s your decision,” Justin said, warm hazel eyes drawing me in.

I still felt bad about making Justin and Key suffer off of my story.

But really, was Justin stooping that far?

I was tired of playing nice girl who was nice and polite and takes everything like a lady.

After the long interview, hours of preparation, plane ride and time difference, I was seriously about to collapse. I was tired, hungry, cranky, and driven by two things: hot guys and Mountain Dew (the Korean version).

Justin messed with me throughout the entire plane ride, only to dump me as soon as we split.

Wow, I’d been played SO much that night.

I mean, seriously. I wasn’t dumb. WTF, what did they think I was?

Jonghyun, Minho, Key, Justin (especially him!), and even SHINee’s freaking manager. Who was like in his late 30’s. All of them tried to hit on me.

But then again, they could hit on me all they want… (other than the manager… HEHEHE)

Dang, when did I become such a ?

I looked up at Key, whose knee grazed mine and once again sent shivers up my spine.

Narrowing my eyes at Justin, I smiled with a hint of revenge coming to me. “Since we had such a nice time on the plane,” I saw his smile fade slightly and finished with extra evilness, “I think I’ll go with SHINee.”

Key’s mouth dropped open in the corner of my eye, and expected Justin to do the same.

But to my shock, his grin just became even wider. “No problem, Claire,” he said leisurely as he got up. Key and I stayed silent and seated as JB headed for the door. The last glance he gave me spoke loud and proud: I was going to regret that.

-

-

JUSTIN

Rejection still stung as I heard Claire’s voice say over and over, “I think I’ll go with SHINee.”

“So where’s Claire staying?” my manager said, looking at me through our rented van mirror.

“I don’t care,” I provided, more venom in my voice than I would have intended. He rolled his eyes.

“I know something happened between you guys,” he said, “You totally were trying to get in her pants.” There was no question in his voice.

Well, if you put it like that, it sounds so bad…

He laughed at his red-handed catch. “We were thinking of what you should do in Korea for so long.”

I tried to ignore him, still thinking about Claire. What was going to happen to her with SHINee for a whole night? That one tan douche bag could totally her or something. Or the tall one… I could feel anger rise up as I thought about it.

But of course not Key. No, no, no.

 That made me even madder as I thought about the kiss.

My hand subconsciously rose to my lips and rubbed them in disgust.

I leaned my head against the window. What could I do to win her back over?

“Since we had such a nice time on the plane…” her sweet voice rang in my head again.

Was she getting me back?

Because I toyed with her on the plane?

She’s damn smart.

-

CLAIRE

“Damn, what do you have in here, a bunch of rocks?” Minho complained, hauling my bags to their apartment door.

 I laughed, saying, “I thought you were supposed to be the strong one!” Minho grinned sheepishly at me and tried to push away a strand of his hair with his elbow.

He was sooooo damn cute.

“CHE, I’m the strong one!” Jonghyun announced and made a hasty grab for my bags. I could see his face redden with force output. We all laughed again. “Whats… in… here…” he gasped as he tumbled through the door.

My eyes were drooping shut. Suddenly, everything was really, really hazy.

Was this what it was like to do drugs?

WAKE UP!

Holy hell, I was in SHINee’s friggin’ apartment. I couldn’t fall asleep!

I felt a little drunk off my tiredness, grabbing Key’s arm for support as I flung my shoes off. The SHINee members were arguing about something, but my mind flew out of my head, I’m pretty sure, and I couldn’t think at all.

Key sat me down on a couch, not noticing my state of mind, and scampered off somewhere. “Do you want anything? Water, OJ, Pocari Sweat?”

OPEN, EYES, DAMMIT. Some part of my head screamed.

This was a ONCE-IN-A-LIFE-TIME-OPPORTUNITY, and I was falling asleep on it?

I slapped myself several times when I thought Key wasn’t looking my way.

But a final wave of sleep crashed over me, and I was knocked out.

-

KEY

Damn, she was sleeping?

Was I that boring?

Damn.

COUCH : 1 , KEY : 0

I frowned, seeing her wrapped up on the couch as if it was the most comfortable thing ever. And trust me, it wasn’t.

“HEY, KEY, WHERE DID YOU PUT MY SHAMPOO—“ Jonghyun was yelling, stumbling in the room with nothing but a towel around his waist.

“God, Jonghyun,” I complained, “You’re such a man ; put some clothes on!”

Jonghyun grinned, but then noticed Claire, looking dead on the couch. “What’d you do!?” he asked in panic and rushed towards her, quickly feeling her forehead with his hand.

I swatted his hand away and explained, “Obviously, she fainted because she was so excited to see me.”

Jonghyun rolled his eyes and before I knew it, had his arms under her and was carrying her off the couch.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?” I screamed after him, his wet back facing towards me. Pulling his shoulder back, I shouted, “YOUR MAN S ARE GETTING ALL OVER CLAIRE!”

“Shhh… I’m taking her so she could sleep well on a bed,” provided Jonghyun. “And these are PECS.”

“PSH, PECS BY , JJONG!” I accused, stomping right behind Jonghyun.

Onew showed up at the doorway Jonghyun was about to enter and the around his waist slipped at the sudden stop.

“AW, dude, no one wants to see that!” Onew said in disgust, covering his eyes. I was looking away and trying not to get scarred for life.

Jonghyun grinned maniacally and stepped out of the towel like it was nothing. “I bet if Claire was conscious, she’d be enjoying this!”

“Ew, no one enjoys being forcefully carried by a buck-, erted dinosaur, Jonghyun,” Minho commented coolly and cleared his things on his bed for Claire to sleep in.

“Hell no, she’s not sleeping in Minho’s bed!” I objected. “Who knows what goes on in there!” While I was scrambling to take Claire from Jonghyun’s arms, he dumbly bumped Claire’s head on the upper bunk bed frame.

Minho let out a heavy breath in frustration. “Great, now she’ll wake up in the morning not remembering anything!”

I was still trying to wrestle Claire out of Jonghyun’s grip when her eyes shot open.

Oh no.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

-

CLAIRE

OH MY/HOLY FU/BLEH/Y… swear word after swear word flew through my head before I had the chance to get any of them out.

Jonghyun was carrying me.

.

I screamed as loud as I possibly could, out of fangirlness and creeped-outness, and just, oh my gosh.

His abs…

His pecs…

His huge, muscular…

BICEPS…

Key’s strong arms grabbed me from Jonghyun while he threw me like a paper doll.

“I am SOOOO SORRY!” Jonghyun yelled, trying to cover himself with a blanket. He was as red as a beet and biting the corner of his blanket in embarrassment.

Oh, no need to be sorry.

But my mouth wasn’t working. I don’t think anything was!

Every muscle in my body went slack, and I felt like I was watching everything in my head like it was a movie; and I wasn’t a character.

“YOU’RE DISGUSTING!” shouted Minho and threw Jonghyun a pair of pants.

A fog covered my eyes once again, and my heavy lids drooped low.

All I could feel was a pair of strong arms carrying me. Key’s face was above mine; staring at me with something in his eyes I couldn’t quite interpret. My eyes shifted to a close and were forced to stay.

I felt something on my lips, like a butterfly fluttering lightly on top of them.

And then I floated away, somewhere in Key’s arms.

-

AUTHOR’S NOTE

SORRY THIS IS REALLY BAD -_-

THIS WAS SUCH A HARD CHAPTER…

Why am I in all caps?

Hahah sorry. But DAMN. This was really hard to write. Like, awkward transitiony time that I can’t leave out but then it’s boring and long… like this one chapter alone was like 6 and a half Word pages, 1,828 words long. And I cut part of it (sorry, Key fans, Key’s totally hilarious inner monologue was cut out hahaha.)