It had been several days since Jung Soo’s birthday. He never contacted me again since then. It was Monday and the last thing I wanted to do was getting out of my bed and going to school.

I took a bath and went down to get sandwich or something before I went to school. Mum and Dad were having their breakfast in the dining room. I sat down and quickly grabbed a loaf of bread.

Dad broke the silence that filled the air. “It’s your last year at school. Have you thought which university you want to go?”

I cleared my throat before answering. “Um, I’m planning to take International Relations as my major.”

Dad looked surprised. “International Relations? You want to be like me? Work for the embassy? You sure?”

“But it’s tiring and you’re gonna be away most of the time, dear...” Mum spoke up, looking sad.

You’re barely working and you’re away all the time.

I ignored her. “I think I’m going to La Trobe University.”

Dad looked at me, not looking very amused. “But that’s in Australia.”

“I’m not sending you that far!” Mum exclaimed.

“You can’t do that to me, can you? I followed you here, why can’t I go to Australia to continue my further study?!” I raised my tone.

“Don’t shout to your parents, young lady!” Dad was a bit pissed.

“Your dad is assigned to work here until 2016. Still five years more,” Mum said, trying to be patient. “You can just go to universities here.”

Dad nodded in agreement. He continued in a strict tone. “Actually I have asked my staff top universities here. They said Seoul National University, Kyung Hee University, Korea University and Inha University are very good.”

I shook my head, not believing in him. “Then what’s the point of asking for my opinion if in the end you’ve planned everything for me?”

He sipped his coffee and cleared his throat. “I thought you’d choose Korean university!”

“This is not working. I’m getting late, bye.” With that I finished my breakfast and got out of the house.

--

“You look sour,” Ye Eun spoke as she saw me at school hall.

“Another dull conversation with my parents,” I answered her unenthusiastically.

“What happened?”

I sighed. “Where will you go after this?”

“I’m not sure, Amber forced me to see her today. But I don’t know where we’re gonna meet.” She said. “You wanna join?”

“That’s not it. I meant, where, which university, will you go to after this school year?” I repeated my question. This time, clearer.

“Ah, you~” She chuckled. “Um, I’m not sure about that. Why?”

“Nah.” I didn’t feel like talking about my parents to Ye Eun. At least, not this early in the morning.

I guessed I still looked sour because Ye Eun said, “Hey, let’s go out with Minho!”

“He’s probably busy. And how about your friend Amber?”

“Let me call Minho first.” Ye Eun pulled out her phone and dialed him. “Hey, morning. Are you busy today? OH MY GOD! IT’S HIS BIRTHDAY TODAY! Don’t tell him I forgot! Yes. Okay. Cool. See you this evening. Bye.” She hung up and sighed. She turned to me, looking powerless. “I forgot today’s Taemin’s birthday.”

“OMG, what kind of friend are you, Ye Eun?!” I jokingly shouted at her.

Ye Eun hit my head. “I didn’t mean to! Minho told us to go to his dorm this evening. Around seven.”

I nodded. “Um, we can buy something for him after school. Then we go to my house and change our clothes.”

“Nice idea.”

--

In SHINee’s Dorm

Someone opened the front door for me and Ye Eun. Turned out that it was Minho. “Hey, you came!” He happily greeted us. Minho pulled us inside. “Looking good tonight, ladies...”

“You too, flaming charisma.” Ye Eun naughtily winked at him. What are they doing? Flirting with each other? My God!

There were many people inside the apartment. This large room seemed so crowded. Ye Eun and I managed to spot the birthday boy Taemin sitting on the couch in the living room. He looked so beautiful. In fact, everyone here was beautiful.

“Whooa, I guess I now knew why it’s held here instead of restaurant or club. Many popular guests, eh?” Ye Eun asked Minho. Minho nodded.

“Onnie, you’re here!” A girl suddenly wrapped me and Ye Eun in an embrace. Krystal. “Minho oppa, why didn’t you tell me that they would come?!”

“Ye Eun-ah! ______-ah! Annyeong! Thanks for coming!” Taemin stood up as soon as he saw us. Ye Eun and I congratulated him and give him the presents we brought (Forever21 sunglasses from me, Zara leather jacket from Ye Eun). “Aw! Thanks also for the gift!” He smiled. That smiled just lightened up the rest of my night.

Two girls were standing behind Krystal. They said hi to Ye Eun and introduced themselves to me. “Hi, we’re Sulli and Luna. We heard about you a lot from Ye Eun and Krystal. Nice to meet you!” They smiled.

Luna approached me and beamed. “You are more beautiful than Krystal’s description about you. Life in Korea must be pretty tough for a foreigner like you. Let’s be friends!” I loved this Luna girl!!!

Minho introduced me to the people here. I tried so hard to have their names and faces engraved in my brain. Sulli and Luna from f(x), Mir from Mblaq, Dongwoon, Yoseob and Gikwang from Beast, Myungsoo and Sungjong from Infinite, Gongchan from B1A4, Jihoon from Block B, Minsoo and Chunji from Teen Top. Why so many, hhh.

“Let’s go see Key & Victoria in the kitchen!” Minho instructed. Ye Eun, Krystal and I left the crowd and followed Minho.

In the kitchen, I got to see four more people here. Two, Key and a beautiful Chinese-looking girl, were busy making cake, and another two, Jonghyun and a chic short-haired girl, were watching them cooking.

“Hi, nice to meet you in person, ______-ah!” They greeted me. f(x) girls were all nice and friendly!

After Key and Jonghyun said hi (and I replied them), I went back to the living room with Minho while Ye Eun and Krystal stayed there.

We chatted with people there, but mostly I only talked to Sulli and Luna. Suddenly, Ye Eun and Krystal went in to the living room and happily said, “Look who’s coming!” I turned around and saw Donghae, Eunhyuk and one tall handsome man. They greeted everyone and everyone greeted them back, “Annyeong oppa!”, “Annyeong hyung!”, “Annyeong sunbaenim!”

Minho stood up and hugged Donghae, Eunhyuk and the other guy. To that one anonymous guy he said, “Changmin hyung, meet my friend ______.”

We shook hands and he said, “Hallo, I’m Changmin. Nice to meet you.” Changmin? Changmin from DBSK? Member of Korea’s greatest boy band? And he’s standing in front of me? No, he’s shaking my hand!

Donghae happily greeted me, “Hi, ______-ah!”

“Annyeong, sister-in-law! How are you?” Eunhyuk innocently asked me. He said what?! Come on, NOT THAT NICKNAME AGAIN!

“No hyung, we’re best friends,” Minho clarified. “Ye Eun, Krystal, ______ and I simply love to hang out together.”

I wanted to shut Eunhyuk’s mouth before he said another stuff, but of course that would be very impolite and weird. So I just stood there looking at my feet while Eunhyuk confusedly replied, “But I was talking about her and Teuki hyung, Minho-ah... ______-ah, Sungmin hyung already told me and the rest of the members!” He giggled happily. “Thank God that your relationship with him could get much better~”

I really didn’t know how to respond. I could feel that some pairs of eyes were now looking at me with confusion.

“Oh really? I didn’t hear it, Hyuk~ But good for Jung Soo hyung and you, _______-ah! ” Donghae said.

“You were with Siwon in China on Teuki hyung’s birthday, Hae.”

Minho asked Eunhyuk, “I was there, hyung. But I didn’t hear anything...”

“Oh? ______-ah, you didn’t tell him? It was after the surprise party. Sungmin said he saw Teuki hyung with ______-ah in SME, and...,”

I have to cut him, I have to cut him. What does a person like Eunhyuk like? Think, ______, think.“Hey oppa, let’s congratulate Taemin!” I dragged him to one spot in the living room where everyone else was busy talking to each other, oblivious to the previous conversation that just happened. I didn’t care about what Donghae and Changmin would think of me. I needed to get out of here because the last time I glanced at Ye Eun, Krystal and Minho, they looked as if they were gonna eat me. I didn’t wanna explain anything, yet.

Thank God that Eunhyuk didn’t reject me or what. He was, in fact, smiling happily looking at my arm, which was holding his. I quickly drew it back. “You’re so cute, sister-in-law.” He giggled. “Aaw, your face is even turning red!”

After all the guests arrived, the party started. It was a typical 18 years old boy’s birthday party. We ate like monsters, joked like crazy, laughed like there was no tomorrow, took a zillion amounts of pictures. We unfortunately couldn’t play the music loud because that would disturb the neighbors, but there was still music from Minho’s iPod speaker. Ye Eun didn’t really talk to me, FYI. Minho and Krystal, however, remained the same.

Before going home, Minho, Ye Eun and Krystal held me. “A second.” Then I was pushed to the kitchen.

“Unnie, you owe us an explanation,” Krystal said.

Ye Eun suddenly snapped, “Ah! Why did you not tell me this?!” She looked slightly pissed off.

Minho asked Krystal, “We’re talking about it tomorrow. Are you free tomorrow, Krys?”

“I have school, but I’m gonna be in SM building the whole evening.”

“Cool, I’ll see you there.” Then Minho turned to me and Ye Eun. “I’ll pick up you guys at school tomorrow.” And to me he specifically added, “Don’t ever think of escaping.”

The next day, I went to SM with Minho. I got out of his car. Ye Eun didn’t go to school today. She was probably still kinda mad at me because I didn’t tell her about Jung Soo. So childish, yet I could understand why. Someone tapped my shoulder and I jumped. “What’s in your mind?” Minho dragged me to the stairs that led into SM building side door. “You were zoned out there~”

“Nothing,” I murmured as I walked inside the building, not realizing that there were two people inside white Audi parked next to Minho’s car, staring at me and Minho since the moment we got out of the car till we went inside SM Building and disappeared.