(OST- Green Rain by SHINee for The Queen’s Classroom OST)

I had the perfect chance. We both exited through the front door as the camera crew were interviewing some of the other dancers. As long as we were quick then they wouldn’t notice. She didn’t speak as we went down the end of the hall to a lounge area that was vacant.

“Phew,” I breathed out and sat down on the white chair. Naeun sat adjacent to me, her face glued to her handbag and something in it. Before I could ask her what she was doing or if she couldn’t look at me anymore she looked up. “Sorry, so what is it you would like to say?”

Five years. It had done nothing to her beauty. She still had the same thin lips that could curve into the most darling smile. And there was the same dainty eyes that reminded me of a fairy when she was happy or amused.

“I haven’t said anything yet,” I smirked when I saw her face change with surprise and then slight embarrassment. She must have wanted to be as quiet as she could. “But I’ll get on with it now.” I dropped my leg that was crossed. She kept hers together resting her clasped hands on the top leg.

“Want to catch up over a movie?”

That was the clincher. I watched her lean back, placing up defences and becoming alert. Keeping myself in check I managed to not respond in a way that would make it over the top.

“What do you think? It would be dark; no one would have to know it’s us. We could disguise ourselves as well and meet inside—“

She didn’t speak but held her hand at her neck until she quickly realised there was nothing to touch there but skin. That was when I noticed it too. There was nothing there, no pendant, no necklace.

“Did you lose the necklace I gave you; the one with the grape bunch?”

That question received a nod. “Yes I have.” She also added after a moment’s thought. “Umm about what you said… I don’t know.”

How could I have expected her to say yes to that? Spending time with me alone without the support of any friends or her members was a hard enough task for her yet I still longed for more.

Lee Taemin, your unlimited greed is one thing getting older has not changed!

 Nodding I put my hands together for a moment. “Well… I hope you will agree.” I said with expression showing some hope. “There’s been no one for me since I finished We Got Married; no one but you Son Naeun.”

She paused to think and then she faced me. “I’ll have to think about it.” She told me giving me no clue whether she was leaning more to declining or accepting.

“Good, don’t forget you have my number when you’re ready to respond.”

Ω

“What is going on here?” I stepped towards the lobby for the group’s final practice for the week only to see a lot of young girls waving banners. It had been a week since I had spoken to Naeun from her surprise appearance and somehow they must have known.

‘They’ are the rather obsessive fans.

One of the banners was made from white card with a photograph of Naeun on the front. A red line was going through it. I didn’t even want to read what it said below:

No to Naeun!

 Another one said: Taemin and Naeun No no no!

Naeun Why so Stupid?! By a fan who could write in decent English.

Touching the top of my head I breathed out heavily before grabbing my sunglasses to try and conceal my face. While they were still causing a ruckus at the reception desk I rushed past them up to the studio before they could notice.

“Hyung what was going on with those girls? Are they fans of yours?”

“They’re those ‘extreme’ ones.” One of the girls commented as though she knew a lot about the subject. The others began to talk in disgust and cynical tones about them.

“I can’t believe they’re upsetting the receptionist there. She did nothing wrong.”

“They’re a bunch of jealous air heads who think ‘oppa’ is their oxygen.”

I did not even try and point out that one of SHINee’s songs had been referenced whether it was intentional or not. If I did not do something then we would be talking about my fans.

Clapping my hands silenced them. “Alright, the live performance is tomorrow night. Let’s go over the dance and see where we need to clean up the moves.”

They moved into their positions while I went to the edge of the floor beside the stereo player. Pressing play I focused my attention on seeing them move up, down. In synch or separate from each other. As long as they were following the feel of the song and the directions the choreographers had given them it would be fine. Anything to make me forget there would always be people who hated Naeun, because of me.

Ω

Glancing around the seats I saw that there were not that many people in the showing. It increased the chances of being noticed more but less chance of getting recognised.

Before I got up to check she hadn’t already sat down my phone beeped and I got a message:

Where are you?

In the third row from the back in the middle, I typed back.

Sitting down again I waited a little longer. Soon there were footsteps as someone walked slowly up the stairs to the same row as me.

Naeun, her hair was in a tight bun, different from how she usually had it. Her jacket had the collar up and she stared at the floor to avoid eye contact. In her hand there was a hand bag, the other had popcorn.

“Sorry I’m late,” she whispered before sitting down next to me.

Smiling I shook my head. “I’m glad you could come.”

“Eunji unnie is the one you should thank,” she answered taking a mouthful of popcorn. “I had to ask for her opinion.”

That made me grin more; Eunji, thank you. “None of the members or my friends knows that I’m doing this.”

She turned to me in surprise, “really?”

“Uh huh,” I reached over and helped myself to some of the popcorn. I held a few popped kernels in my palm, “should I try to throw it into my mouth?”

“Don’t do it,” she hushed before freezing. She had said it a little louder than needed. “… People will notice more.”

“Whose noticing now?”

“There are some,” she insisted with gritted teeth. “Please… You know who they will hate more if they find out.”

Those words rattled in my head for a bit. I just relaxed and then popped the kernels in my mouth. “Alright, I won’t. Are you happy?”

She didn’t answer. The screen was changing as the film began. The last time we had seen a film together had been on that fateful last filming. A session which changed our lives in the same way meeting each other had done.

Ω

“That was a good film,” I told Naeun when the credits started to roll. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Where will we go?” She asked as she stood with me. I shrugged and then quickly took the sleeve of her jacket.

“Somewhere no one else will see us.”

Fortunately she did not tug her arm away from my grip as I quickly led her down the stairs to the outside of the cinema.

“My car is parked in the back,” I said taking her to the opposite side of the cinemas. “We can take cover in there.”

“Go in your car?” She echoed. “Isn’t that a bit much?”

I spun my head to her. “Do you want to be seen?”

“It’s not that… I—“

“—Oh my goodness,” I had spoken too soon. Near the food and snacks bar stood a man wearing a jacket, carrying a large professional camera in his hand. His eyes were on the screen and he pressed buttons.

Naeun saw him too. Her expression was panicked. “What do we do?”

I had to think on the spot. Quickly I let go of her sleeve. “You leave first.” She did not understand. “Go outside the cinemas first. When you’re at the front I’ll come out and head to my car. I’ll jump in and text you my location.”

She seemed to consider it a rather farfetched plan but I couldn’t come up with anything better. The man stood up straight to crack his back. I gave her a shove which moved her forward a step.

“Just go,” I said and she quickly left.

Quickly turning in the opposite direction I headed to the bathroom and splashed my face with water. Calming down was extremely important. Taking a deep breath I exhaled and then slowly came out. The man appeared to have left since I could not see him. However sticking around would only get me caught by another sneaky camera man.

Taking my hat out I pulled it onto my head and started casually but brisk fully walking to where my car would be stationary. I cleared the area and walked straight to my car, wincing as it made a beep when I unlocked it.

Sitting down I breathed out again more comfortably. So far the hardest part was over. Now I just had to make sure that Naeun would not get caught.

Finding my phone in my pocket I called her. “Where are you?”

“I’m here.”

No way.

Quickly pushing the door open I slipped out of the vehicle and checked one side and then the other. There she was, standing close to the car, the phone in her hand.

Ω

Maybe not the most thrilling update you’ve read but I have a question I would like to ask. Did anyone notice what Taemin did?