I smile at them until Key spits out his coffee. “Taemin-ah, what?”

“I have a new girlfriend,” I repeat, happily.

“Zara?” Minho asks, with wide curious eyes.

I shake my head.

“Someone we don’t know?” Onew asks, still watching me.

I shake my head, happy to confuse my hyungs. “Try again.”

Key glares. “Then who?”

“Jungmi,” I smile wider.

“Yah! Jungmi? You mean the leader of the Pinocchio?” Jonghyun asks, his eyes wide as he walks towards me.

I nod. “What other Jungmi is there?” I ask, laughing.

“Taemin, are you sure you’re ok? You’ve been acting weirdly lately,” Onew says, walking towards me.

“Of course I’m fine,” I sigh. “Why aren’t you guys happy about me finally getting over...Zara?”

Minho sighs. “We are, but-”

“No! I’m not happy about this!” Key says, throwing his legs over the table.

“She’s just using you!” Jonghyun says, still standing in front of me.

My smile falters. “She’s not. Really, if you’re just going to yell at me about this, then-”

“Taemin, she can’t possibly love you,” Key says, a hand resting on his hip.

“Oh and Zara does? You saw how she left me for him months ago-”

“She did that for us!”

“-and those pictures. She’s moved on. She doesn’t love me. She never did. So now that I’ve found someone who actually does love me, you’re now discouraging me-?”

“Taemin-” Onew says, trying to stop me.

“I’m done,” I walk towards the door.

“Taemin!” Minho calls after me.

+++

“I have great news you two,” I say, walking into the cool darkness which is the Pinocchio headquarters.

“And that is?” Taeyeon asks, a smirk on her face. Eun Mi looks up in interest, but I ignore her.

“I got a boy,” I say, twirling a strand of my hair in between my fingers.

“Ooh~. Who~?” Eun Mi asks, a wide smile on her face.

I roll my eyes, but answer it. “Taemin,” my smile widens.

“Really?” Taeyon applauds me. “How long did it take?”

I laugh. “How long? It was 5 minutes. Just convinced him that that Zara girl had moved on and then I worked my magic on him.”

Taeyeon nods knowingly. “And then he just asked you out on the spot?” she asks, impressed.

I shake my head. “That took awhile longer. I had to gain his trust first.”

She nods.

“So about a week,” I say, smiling.

+++

I look at Taemanry, wondering why he’s so quiet today. “Taemanry, are you ok?”

“You’re going to be mad if I tell you.”

“No I won’t. Did you kill someone close to me?” I ask, jokingly.

He shakes his head.

“Is Taeminnie ok?” I ask, remembering how I haven’t spent time with her lately.

He nods. “But that’s not it.”

I rest my head on his shoulder. “Then what?”

He sighs and turns to me. “Taemin has a new girlfriend. Jungmi.”

My eyes widen slightly. “Who’s that?” I ask, feigning ignorance.

“The leader of the Pinocchio.”

My head suddenly weighs a ton and I feel myself falling.

“Zara, are you ok?” he asks, holding me up.

“What-he can’t-but I thought...” I trail off in disbelief.

+++

“So I hear you’re now dating one of SHINee’s leaders,Taemin,” Hyoyeon smiles, proud of me.

I nod. “The youngest.”

“And of course the most naive,” Taeyeon says, laughing.

Hyoyeon nods, a slight smile on her lips, paces around the vast room. “And you promise you won’t fall in love with him?”

I roll my eyes. “Of course not. He’s much too cute to fall in love with. Just my little toy,” I smile sweetly.

“You need a manly man,” Taeyeon nods, smiling to herself about something.

Hmm. I wonder if she likes Taemanry. I’ll be sure to ask her earlier. I nod, watching her reaction. “Once I get the information from him, he’s history.”

Hyoyeon smirks, tapping my shoulder. “Good girl. I like you. Maybe if you get it before Taemanry does, I’ll promote you instead.”

I shrug, trying to downplay my feelings, even though on the outside, I’m grinning from ear to ear. “We’ll just see if I don’t take your place.”