“You’re late,” SeoYoung immediately scolded me and Jinhee as soon as we got back. We were only twenty minutes late... ok, that was pretty bad.

            “SeoYoung, we were locked in the closet with Jonghyun and Jinki,” I whispered to her so the important people sitting at the table wouldn’t hear. I heard Eun Hee and Sul Hee laughing behind us. I didn’t bother looking back at them because I was already planning their horrible punishment.

            SeoYoung burst out laughing, and quickly out her hand over . “Ok, sit down now,” she said, sitting back down at the table and apologizing on our behalf.

            I looked to the other side of the table where SHINee sat and I saw Jonghyun looked at me, but he quickly looked away. I didn’t take my eyes off of him until he finally looked back at me. We stared at each other for a good thirty seconds before SeoYoung pulled me out of my trance.

            “What do you think of doing a collaboration with SHINee after the SM Town concert?” She asked me, taking a sip of water. “You seem to like their company,” she mumbled through clenched teeth.

            “Oh um... sure, I guess. Maybe partnering with an experienced band like SHINee would be good for a rookie band like us,” I explained, trying to sound the least bit suspicious. The important people that I still can’t remember the names of nodding approvingly.

            “Well then, we’ll get you to start on the collaboration in two weeks time.”

“Minji, wake up!” It felt like every morning I was woken up to SeoYoung jumping on me, telling me to wake up. I could never wake up on my own, probably because SeoYoung doesn’t trust me to wake up on my own.

            “Ok, I’m up, I’m up!” I yelled back, pushing her off of me and standing up. “Go yell at Eun Hee and Sul Hee and tell them not to lock us in the closet this time,” I said before grabbing my towel and locking myself in the bathroom.

           Once I got out of the shower, I was inspecting myself in the mirror when I heard my phone go off. I decided to ignore it because the phone call probably wasn’t that important anyways.

            “Ooh, look who it is.” When I heard Sul Hee’s mischievous voice, I immediately opened the door. She held my phone, and quickly ran out of my room while pressing the Answer Call button.

            “Hi, Jonghyun oppa! What makes you call so early in the morning?” Sul Hee teased as she ran into her room and locked the door. Right now I hated myself for forcing SeoYoung to let us put locks on all of the doors for our own privacy.

            “Yes, this is Minji’s phone. Sometimes she makes me answer it because she’s older than me and she thinks she’s the boss of me. You could call me her personal secretary sometimes.” Sul Hee was just waiting to be killed.

            “You were calling to talk to her about something that’s very important? I do remember Minji telling me how much she loves you and how much she wants to sing with you and marry you and-”

            “KIM SUL HEE, YOU BETTER GIVE ME BACK MY PHONE BEFORE I KNOCK THIS DOOR DOWN!” I yelled, banging my fist hard on the door. Sul Hee just ignored me and continued telling Jonghyun a bunch of LIES.

            “Minji, here,” Jinhee whispered. She went in front of me and started picking at Sul Hee’s lock with a bobby pin. Within a few seconds, she had it unlocked. She smiled at me. “Have fun,” she said, skipping down the hallway. I don’t think I want to know where she learned how to pick locks....

            “One time, Minji wrote in her diary that she wanted to have your babies. I-”

            “YAH!” I yelled, jumping on top of her and grabbing my phone from her. “LIES! YOU’RE TELLING HIM SO MANY LIES. SUL HEE, THIS IS NOT FUNNY!” I yelled as we continued to roll around as she tried to take my phone back from me.

            “IT’S ALL TRUE, JONGHYUN. SHE’S IN DENIAL!” Sul Hee yelled as close to my phone as she could while laughing hysterically.

            I finally got onto my feet and ran into my bedroom, slamming and locking my door while straightening my towel and putting my phone up to my ear. “Sorry about that, what seems to be bothering you?” I asked, casually.

            Jonghyun laughed. “What the hell just happened?”

            “You just had the pleasure of speaking to my lovely band mate, Kim Sul Hee. She is a pleasure to have around,” I said, sarcasm sharp in my tone. I heard Sul Hee laugh from outside my door.

            “I was wondering if you wanted to meet up with me for lunch after practice today. I uh... I need to talk to you.” He sounded nervous making this proposition, it was kind of cute to be honest.

            “Wait, how did you get my number?” I asked, the question suddenly popping into my head. I didn’t give it to him... did I?

            “I don’t know. I, um... found it yesterday, I think. You might’ve put it in a few days ago, and that- never mind. So do you want to go out with me or not? I mean, not out with me out with me, just like-”

            This time it was my turn to laugh. “Sure, I’ll go to lunch with you. I’ll meet you at the Rookie Café after practice then?” The Rookie Café was where all of the trainees would go get coffee and such, and it was just convenient to go to considering it was right next to the SM building.

            “Yeah. I’ll see you at SM then. Uh... bye,” he said, quickly hanging up. I looked at my phone in surprise before hanging up as well and finding some clothes to wear. Today we were only singing so I wouldn’t have to shower or anything and my clothes could look half decent.

            After getting ready I opened my door and went out to the kitchen to see everyone waiting for me, as usual.

            “So I heard you’re going on a date with Jonghyun,” SeoYoung said, grabbing her bag and opening the front door.

            “It’s not a date. We’re just... talking. He practically hates me. He’s probably going to ask me to stay away from him after this SM Town concert is over,” I said, following everyone out into the hallway.

            “Oh, I’m sure that’s what it is,” Sul Hee said, nudging me a bit.

            “Shut up!” I yelled, slapping her arm.

            “I could tell by the way he was talking to me that he was nervous!” Sul Hee added, thinking she had the final word.

            “He was probably only talking to you like that because he was afraid of you! And at least he’s talking to me and not acting like a total towards me like someone else we know,” I shot back.

            Sul Hee stopped walking, a hurt expression on her face. “Wow, that was low. Even for you,” she said, pushing ahead of me and getting into the elevator quickly, closing it before anyone else could get in.

            “Nice going, babo!” Jinhee yelled at me, hitting the back of my head before heading down the stairs at the end of the hallway. Ok, I admit, I messed up a little there and probably ruined everything. Whenever Sul Hee was mad at anyone, she would give them the silent treatment and it made me feel even more horrible than I already felt to begin with.

            “Let’s get downstairs guys,” SeoYoung said when the elevator opened for us again.

Once we got to the studio, all of my band members and I went into the recording part of the studio and waited for SHINee to show up.

            “So, are you girls excited to be performing with SHINee?” Lee Joowin asked just to start some conversation. It was an awkward silence in the room, and we all felt a little uncomfortable.

            “Some people are more excited than others,” Sul Hee murmured, obviously her comment was directed towards me.

            Joowin laughed nervously. “Um... well, I’ve seen SHINee practice many times, and they have a lot of talent. You girls also have a lot of talent for a rookie group so I’m excited to see how this turns out.”

            “Annyeong!” An excited-sounding Key said, coming into the room with the other SHINee members trailing behind him. Jonghyun gave me a small smirk before taking his seat across from me. Aish, what has gotten into this boy?

            “Well, now that’s everyone is here, we might as well get to practicing!” Joowin cheered, handing us our lyric sheets. I could tell that she was relieved to finally be able to start, and so was I.

“Minji, can you sing that note a little higher?” Key asked. We had recorded most of the song, but we were stuck on mine and Jonghyun’s verse. Jonghyun was hitting the high note while I was struggling to reach it.

            “I’m trying, oppa, I really am,” I said, taking another chug of water. It was hard for me because I had a deep-ish voice and I didn’t hit these high notes very often. Jonghyun, of course, was a professional and had done this many times before.

            “Don’t pressure her, Key, I’m sure she’ll get it. Let’s run the track one more time,” Jonghyun said, preparing himself to begin the verse again. I seriously think there’s something wrong with him today. He would barely talk to me yesterday, and now he’s sticking up for me and asking me out for coffee.

            I took a deep breath and began my part of the verse, and sang perfectly as it built up to the highest note, which I belted out as well as I could have possibly done, and watched as everyone smiled when it was over.

            “That was it, Minji! You got it!” Jinhee cheered, jumping around in circles with me. “I’m going to start giving you all of my hard notes now!”

            I stopped jumping and stared at her. “Are you being serious?”

            She burst out laughing. “No, of course not! You’re so gullible, Minji-ssi,” she laughed, giving me a hug of sympathy to my embarrassing, gullible act. It wasn’t my fault I was horrible at not believing things!

            “Ok guys, practice is over. Go enjoy the rest of your day,” Joowin said, smiling at us as she opened the door to our freedom.

            “Good luck, Minji. Call me if you need anything,” Jinhee whispered in my ear before following SeoYoung and Eun Hee out the door. Sul Hee already escaped ahead of them and was probably in the van by now.

            I smiled to myself and grabbed my small purse, swinging it over my shoulder. I heard my phone go off, so I grabbed it. There was a text from Jonghyun.

            Jonghyun: I’ll meet you there. Go up to the second floor and tell the waiter that you’re there to meet me.

            Hm, that was kind of weird. He wanted to go on a date with me but he didn’t want to be seen with me. I’ll admit, that kind of hurt a little, but I’ll survive. I can fight fire with fire.

            I did exactly what he told me, going into the café and going up to the second floor where the restaurant part of it was. A waiter came up to me and I told him “I’m here to meet Jonghyun.” And he led me into a secret room where Jonghyun was sitting, staring out the window.

            “Long time no see,” I said, sitting across from him.

            He jumped a bit, and then laughed at himself. “Sorry, I didn’t notice you at first. Um... hi,” he said, smiling cutely.

            “Can I get you anything to drink?” A waiter asked, coming up to our table before I could ask Jonghyun to question that was burning through my mind.

            Jonghyun motioned for me to answer first, so I got what I always got back in my trainee days. “I’ll have a caramel mocha latte with extra whip cream, please,” I answered confidently. That had to have been my first drink ever.

            “I’ll have a milk tea, please,” Jonghyun said.

            The waiter nodded and walked away to get our orders.

            “Ok, why am I here and why are you acting so nice to me?” I asked once we were finally alone. I needed to know because it has been bothering me ever since he asked me out on this stupid date that wasn’t a date.

            “Look, I know we started off on the wrong foot and I, um... I just... I just wanted to start fresh. Is that too much to ask for?” He looked so nervous asking my for another chance, it was kind of cute actually. I mean, no! It was not cute.

            I sighed. “I’m glad you want to start fresh too. But why do we have to start fresh privately?” I asked. I was glad he partly felt the same way as I did but I couldn’t help but feel like there was something more to this.

            “Because I know if someone sees us together, they’ll make it into something it’s not and the gossip will start going around. Trust me, I’ve been through it before. You do not want it to happen to you,” he explained, excepting his milk tea from the waiter. I willingly took a sip of my latte. It tasted the same as always.

            Jonghyun laughed. “You have a little something on your lip,” he said, grabbing a napkin and wiping the top of my lip. Oh gosh, wasn’t that ever embarrassing.

            I felt myself blush. “Thank you,” I said, some whip cream off my finger. It was a messy drink, but it was still delicious.

            He laughed again. “No problem, Minji-ah.”

When I walked into my apartment I felt like I was floating on a cloud, until I heard the yelling of my roommates. I came down from the cloud very quickly when I noticed Sul Hee getting yelled at by SeoYoung, and Eun Hee and Jinhee occasionally butting in to the conversation.

            “What seems to be the problem here?” I asked, coming over to them.

            “Tell Sul Hee that she’s crazy! She’s been keeping a boyfriend from us for a year! I never thought she would do something like that until a strange boy came to our doorstep looking for Sul Hee!” SeoYoung yelled.

            So she did have a boyfriend! No... it’s not the time for that, Minji. “Sul Hee, why would you keep him from us?” I asked.

            “Why do you care? You just want something else to rub in my face so why don’t you just out of this because it’s none of your business!” Sul Hee yelled. I always took everyone’s words to heart when someone insulted me, especially when it was one of my friends.

            “Sul Hee, you know I didn’t mean for that to come out. I’m sorry if I hurt you or Eun Hee with my harmful comment, so will you please just ing tell me who your mothering boyfriend is?” I yelled as my temper sky rocketed.

            “His name is ShinYoung,” Sul Hee said, toning her voice down a bit. “I met him when we went to Japan and we’ve been dating ever since. I love him, I honestly do, but-”

            “You can’t do this, Sul Hee! It’s against our contract!” SeoYoung yelled.

            “That’s why I didn’t tell you! I was too afraid to tell you because I knew you would do this! I know it’s against our contract but you don’t understand how much he means to me! I kept it a secret because I knew you would take him away from me.” Sul Hee immediately collapsed on the ground and started crying.

            “Sul Hee, don’t cry,” SeoYoung said, looking guilty.

            “Please don’t tell anyone. Can it please be a secret?” Sul Hee asked, wiping her eyes. She looked so afraid and desperate on the floor, I just wanted to run away with her and let her date whoever she wanted to.

            “Of course. No one will tell anyone. Just, be careful. You can’t let anyone catch you like I did today.”

            “I promise I’ll be careful.”

Yay I finally updated! I haven't updated this because I didn't get very many comments on the last chapter so I didn't update :P