Chapter 8

Key pulled me into his room and I sat on the chair. I was told not to move even an inch.

"This is the ugliest thing ever you have on your face." He took off my specs rudely and threw the table. 

"But I can’t see without my specs!"

"There is something in this world, called contact lens!"

When he was fixing my face, an unfamiliar face walked in to the room. "Noona, fix her and you (pointed at me) sit down and listen to what she says. Else, you will know what you get later." Key commanded.

Two hour later, I came out from the room and padded Key’s shoulder. The boys were standing outside of the room, waiting for my new makeover. 

Key: 'Oh em gee!

Onew: 'DROP-'

Min Ho: 'DEAD-'

Tae Min: 'GORGEOUS-'

Jong Hyun: 'DIVA' Each of them expressed a word in an over overstate tone. 

'Ya ya ya..! DIVA is me! Change to another word!' Key interrupted. 

'Hmmm.. G-O-D-D-E-S-S!!' Jong Hyun rephrased. 

'Omo. Do I look ugly?' I rushed back to the bathroom and take a look at myself. 

'Who is this girl in front of me??' 

I couldn’t recognize myself. I’m in contact lens. The stylist cut my fringe into bangs and perms my hair. Shaped up my eye brows and put a light but refreshing make up with bright colours on me. Put me on in black spaghetti strip with a flowery high waist skirt with a clincher on. Wearing a 4 inches of uncomfortable high heels which can cause death if I fall anytime. I turned from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan. 

I turned around and the boys were behind of me with popped eyes. Their mouth even formed an 'O' shape.

"Okay! Stop staring at me like this. It’s scary. I know it doesn’t suit me. I’m going to change now."

"Can I date you tonight?" Jong Hyun stopped me before I walked off, placing a hand across to stop me. 

"Huh?"

"I mean, can I bring you out tonight?"

"What are you talking about, best friend?"

Tae Min came and pulled me aside. "Hands off from her! She is mine. I told you guys she is there is something special about her."

"She is not yours okay, Tae Min! Anyone of us can ask her for a date."

"Did you ask my permission before asking her out? She is my cousin. And she is still underage. You have to ask me first." Min Ho’s interfered. 

While Tae Min, Min Ho and Jong Hyun were fighting over something which I don’t even understand a single thing, I was being pulled by Key and Onew. 

"I guess you will be safer if you are with anyone of us. But wait, since when you are so pretty?" Onew said. 

"What do you mean by since when? So are you trying to say that I’m not pretty oppa?"

"Anni anni. I mean.. Urmm.. You don’t look like how you look. Goo Sun noona’s hand is really miracle, right Key?"

"I guess so." Key didn’t sound interested at all. "But wear more often like that. You look better in this."

"I think I better change before all of them hunt me down." I asked and excused myself from Key and Onew. But I had to admit that, it is really a 360 degree makeover for me. 

"Okay, so from today onwards you boys will need to prepare her for the next SM audition besides preparing yourself with your new album. If she fails in her audition, she is going back home. Good luck guys." The manager said it clearly.

A new change in me, marking down a new start of my LIFE.

My final battle will start in 2 weeks time. To be exact, I only down with 12 days. The intensive training session by SHINee boys had begun. Key oppa had prepared a schedule for all of us, marking down who will be teaching me dancing and singing, from what time till what time and practicing different types of music instruments. I was taught ‘how to smile’, attending gesture and posture class, walking on a straight line with a book on my head and hitting to gym often with the boys. Life during these two weeks was hell for me. 

Occasionally the boys will give me hope and words of encouragement but the amount of pressure that I gotten was huge. Sometimes, I soaked Tae Min’s pillow with tears during the night because of the last minute practice. And when I’m lonely, I will just take out the cup made by my brother and talk to it as if he was still beside me. 

But, I knew that the boys had more to do. They do receive the amount of pressure same as I do or maybe more. Besides teaching me, they need to go to prepare themselves for photoshoot, reality shows and prepare for their new comeback, Lucifer. 

Days had passed very fast. 5 days left before the audition. I’ve broke down badly. I wanted to give up but I told myself that I can’t! The amount of hard work the boys and I had put in for the past 3 weeks shall not be wasted. 

When Jong Hyun was teaching me, I told Jong Hyun that I need a break. I felt that my throat was going to crack anytime when I’m trying to hit the high tone. I kept on psycho-ing myself that I will be alright, I will be fine. I will be fine!

I walked back into my room and took out the cup that my brother gave me on my 14th birthday. I talked to it like talking to my brother. Tears of pressure started to foam again.

"Jae Yung a-, are you done? Let's continue practicing." Jong Hyun called after 5 minutes.

"Dae." I placed the mug on the table and walked to out of my room.



Key’s POV

"Aishh… where did Tae Min put the lyrics?" I grumbled. "TAE MIN A-! Where did you put A-Yo lyrics?? I told you not to simply place my things!"

"It is on the table in my room." 

I tried to search around the table but it not being seen anywhere.

"Have you found it?" Tae Min came in from behind. I turned my body and accidentally swiped something on the floor. The thing dropped on the floor helplessly and it was broken into pieces. It was a cup.

'Omo.' 

"It's Jae Yung's cup.' Tae Min murmured. 

Jae Yung rushed into Tae Min’s room and she stood at the door, looking at the broken cups. She dashed into the room and kneeled down slowly on the floor. She picked up piece by piece using her hands, listening to her sniffing. Jong Hyun, Tae Min and I did not dare to say anything.

'I…. I…. I'm sorry.'

She didn't not reply but concentrating on the floor.

"I'm really sorry. I promise that I'll pay you back. I’ll get you a new one."

She looked up upon me when her fierce teary eyes like she was going to kill me anytime. I looked at her hands; she accidentally cut her hand when she was picking up the broken pieces. Blood was dripping off her hands, dirtying the clean white tiles. 

"You injured your hand." I grabbed her hands and take a look. She swings away from my grip.

"What do you mean by you can pay me back? What do you mean by you can buy it back for me? Do you know how priceless the cup is to me? Do you know sometimes there are things that you can buy even you have hell lots of money?? DO YOU KNOW THAT HOW SENTIMENTAL THIS CUP IS TO ME??????"

"Yaaa.. I’ve already apologize right?"

"DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR APOLOGY COST AS MUCH AS MY CUP? I know you are rich, I’m not poor too! I came from a rich family. But sometimes, there are things that you can’t BOUGHT BY MONEY! DO YOU ACTUALLY VALUE YOUR THINGS???!!!! From the first day when I met you, you already started telling me about money. Do you know how to respect people???"

Jae Yung dashed out the room after yelling, without allowing me to say a single word.

"Aishhh…." Tae Min sighed while running behind her.

"Ki Bum a-, the cup is handmade by Jae Yung’s brother. It was her 14th Birthday gift. I think you should learn how to respect other people." Jong Hyun said and walked off.