“Hey, you’re up and standing on your leg!” Kate cried as she walked into Rochelle’s room the next afternoon, arriving back from the library. Rochelle turned around and placed her hands on her hips, giving the red head a look.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“Are you mad with me?” Kate wondered, ignoring her friend’s question. She sighed heavily and sat down on Rochelle’s bed. “I was nervous that nothing would come of it and if I worked myself up and got really excited, my luck would probably let me down.”

Rochelle smiled and then limped over to sit next to Kate. “Did you have fun?”

“He didn’t talk much, but I can do enough talking for two,” Kate replied with a giggle and Rochelle smiled. “But he held my hand. I think that’s something, right?”

“Minho doesn’t express himself a lot, but he chooses ways to make people feel important,” Rochelle said, thinking of the tall boy and then nodded. “I think it was definitely a sign that he felt comfortable with you.”

“Aw! He’s so amazing!” Kate stated dreamily, throwing her upper body onto Rochelle’s bed and letting out a sigh. Rochelle got up and went back to her mirror, tying her hair up and checking that she looked alright. “Where are you going by the way?”

“The dorm. I’m getting picked up in ten minutes.”

“Why? It’s almost seven.”

Rochelle nodded. “Dinner with the boys.”

“Aw, does Onew miss you?” Kate cooed and Rochelle rolled her eyes at the girl. “You miss him! Look at you two, acting like you’ve been together forever already. I wonder what you’ll be like when the honeymoon period is over.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she told the red head firmly, and Kate giggled.

“He’ll probably realise just how much of a control freak you are and wonder how he could spend so much time with you!”

The brunette gasped and threw her hairbrush at the girl. Kate’s laughter echoed around the room and Rochelle hobbled to her door, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.

“Behave you,” she told her friend and Kate stopped laughing.

“Shouldn’t I be saying that to you? Oh Onewww!” Kate cried and Rochelle groaned, thankful for her escape away from her best friend, before she launched into an immature song about kissing in a tree.

She made it down to the car park and waited a few minutes before a familiar minivan pulled up. She nodded at the driver before opening the door and frowning as only one of SHINee was sitting in there.

“Key?” she said and the orange haired boy smiled. “Where’s everyone else?”

“At home, I just had to go to an optometrist, so it was easier for Onew to tell you to get ready now and I pick you up on the way,” he explained and then looked at her leg. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah, I can put weight on it today, so I hope to be back at work tomorrow.”

Key nodded. “We missed our one on one session.”

“I know, I hope we can reschedule some time this week.”

“Can I ask you something?” he asked and Rochelle sighed, noting the look in his eyes. He smiled though and she nodded her head. “Why Onew?”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m not really jealous, I just, I thought out of all of us, it’d be me,” he admitted, lowering his head for a moment.

“Key, you and I are great friends now, and if I’m honest, I would have thought it’d be you too. You were the first I was attracted to, but with Jinki, I don’t know how to describe it.”

“You’re even referring to him by his real name,” the boy mentioned with a smirk. “Sounds like you’ve met someone you don’t even need to say a word to, because you can read it all in their eyes now?”

Rochelle nodded. “How did you guess that?”

“It’s what Onew said about you,” Key said with a grin. “I thought you’d probably feel the same way.”

“He said that?”

“Among other things,” Key replied with an amused expression and Rochelle couldn’t help but grin. “For what it’s worth, I’d rather be your friend than date you.”

“Same here,” she agreed and Key shifted so he could hug her.

“Onew’s lucky though,” he mentioned into her ear and Rochelle couldn’t help but reply dreamily.

“Not as lucky as me.”

“We’re here!” Key’s voice rung out around the dorm and Onew jumped up from his seat on the couch, walking towards the hallway and smiling at the girl Key was helping down to him.

“Hey,” he greeted and Rochelle smiled brightly.

“Hi.”

Key looked between them momentarily and then chuckled. “I’ll leave you two to it.”

“Good idea,” Onew said, opening his arms so Rochelle could hug him. Her vanilla fragrance hit his nostrils and he closed his eyes, in another breath. He held her tightly and then moved so he could peck her cheek.

“We better not give the others the wrong impression,” she mentioned with a giggle and Onew laughed.

“WE ALREADY HAVE GOT ONE!” Jonghyun called from the living room and Onew rolled his eyes.

“Am I expecting that everything we do tonight will be scrutinised by four other boys?” Rochelle enquired, saying the sentence a little louder than necessary.

“Unfortunately, I guess we’ll just have to make a good effort,” Onew replied with a grin, taking her hand and leading her into the living room. The others all smiled cheekily at their arrival, Minho giving Rochelle a small wave. Onew took a seat on the couch and was surprised when the slender girl sat down on his lap. Key and Taemin snorted with laughter at his expression and Jonghyun shook his head.

“Clearly noona is happy to put in the effort Tofu,” he mentioned slyly and Onew wrapped his arms around Rochelle’s waist, pulling her upper body back onto his so he could rest his head on her shoulder. He gave the others a smirk and Minho chuckled.

“There is no need for a competition,” he mentioned and then smiled. “I’m glad you two are together, and are already very comfortable with one another.”

“Thanks Minho,” Rochelle said in reply and smiled. “I guess I better move, Minho is right, there’s no need to tease you all, even though you all asked for it!”

“No!” Onew stated stubbornly, his grip around her waist tightening so she couldn’t move. Taemin shifted along the couch and yanked on his hands, freeing the girl who was giggling uncontrollably. She fell onto the couch beside him, and Taemin grinned.

“Don’t be greedy Tofu, she’s our friend too!”

“Guys, there’s plenty of me to go around,” Rochelle said breathlessly and then let out another giggle. “But not in the way my mind just thought of!”

“Are you sure you’re ready to date Chelle, Onew?” Jonghyun asked, wriggling his eyebrows mischievously at him.

Onew nodded determinedly. “Why does everyone think I’m so pure, and I can’t handle dating this one?”
“Oi!” Rochelle exclaimed, smacking his arm playfully. “Handle me?!”

“And they already have their first fight looming,” Key mentioned with a chuckle, nudging Jonghyun in the side and making his hand into a fist so he could talk into it. “Ohhh Onew! You’re so mean about calling me a handful!”

“I didn’t mean it Chelle, but after you flashed me the other week and just before with sitting on my lap, you are not like most Korean girls I know!” Jonghyun continued on, placing a hand on Key’s face, in which the copper haired boy slapped away.

“HEY!” Rochelle cried, pointing at the two amused boys. “How did you know about that, Jonghyun?!”

“Everyone knows noona, you did tell Key, remember,” Minho reminded and the girl groaned loudly, as Key and Jonghyun continued their teasing.