Gi Young’s P.O.V.

            I mindlessly followed Soo Jin to her locker.  She was chattering about something, but I wasn’t really paying attention.  I was too wrapped up in my own thoughts.  I know that the only reason I’m going to the P.E. fields is for sports, but what if. . . what if he actually shows up?  It will probably be to mock me. . . Or to tell me that I made a fool of him. . . What should I do then?  Would it be right to punch a kingka in the face?  No. . . Sooj would hate me.  Forget Sooj, I would probably be murdered before I could leave the premisis. 

            I felt something hit me on the arm, jolting me out of my thoughts.  “YAH!” Sooj yelled at me, “you’re so slow today!  You’re not going to have enough time to do ANY sports if do things at that pace!”

            “Mianhe,” I said quietly.  I perked up a bit at the thought of my Spontaneous Sports Day.  I grabbed her wrist and dragged her along.  “Come on!  Let’s get going then!” I said happily.  Sooj smiled at me and picked up her pace. 

            I took a deep breath and sighed happily once I arrived at the P.E. fields.  There were so many things to do!  Soccer, basketball, volleyball. . .  I smiled at the thought.  “Let’s go to the gym,” I called to Soo Jin, “that way, I won’t have to make you run from field to field with me.”

            Sooj groaned in relief.  “THANK GOD,” she exclaimed.  I chuckled.  The last time I did Spontaneous Sports Day with Sooj, I made her run with me from court to court everytime I changed sports.  I sniggered at the memory of Soo Jin’s face after that particular exercise.

            We walked into the gym.  Soo Jin ran to the sports equipment and picked up three different balls:  A volleyball, a soccerball, and a basketball.  I grinned widely.  “Only three?” I questioned.

            “YES,” she said firmly, “I BAKED RED VELVET COOKIES.  A LOT OF THEM.  AND YOU’RE GONNA HELP ME FINISH THEM.  Therefore, you need to end early today!”

            My ears perked up at the sound of the words “red velvet cookies.”  Sooj’s baking skills were absolutely amazing, and her red velvet cookies were famous in my book.  I nodded eagerly.  “Arasso!” I said.  “Now,” I said crouching, a smirk on my face, “you ready?”  She nodded solemnly.

            “And. . . GO!” she yelled, throwing the volleyball high in the air.  I charged after it, neatly “passing” it into the air.  I continued passing and setting it to myself, making my way towards an imaginary net.  I stopped at the serving line, still passing the ball to myself.  Finally, I heard Sooj yell, “SWITCH!”

            I immediately passed the ball high in the air.  As it approached the ground, I jumped high in the air, jump-serving the ball over the imaginary net.  I had just enough time to see Soo Jin kick the soccerball towards me.  I stopped the ball with my foot and started dribbling it down the length of the gym.  I started doing a few dribbling techniques.  A few minutes passed in complete silence.  Only the sound of the ball hitting my feet could be heard.  Once again, I heard Sooj’s call.  “SWITCH!”

            I used my feet to kick the soccer ball in the air.  Bracing myself, I launched myself into the air, using a powerful bicycle kick to send the soccerball flying across the gym.  I landed on one knee, smiling; it had taken me forever to perfect that move.  Soo Jin nodded appreciatively when she saw my kick.  She wasted no time in passing me the basketball.  I spent 3 minutes doing different dribbling techniques and shooting.  When I was about to shoot my last shot, a sudden feeling of unease crept into my stomach.  I shot the ball in my moment of distraction, so the shot was off-balance.  Knowing the shot wouldn’t make it in, I turned back to Soo Jin and opened my mouth to ask her if anyone else was in the gym.  I heard the ball hit the rim and bounce off, but something else shut me up.  I hadn’t heard the ball hit the ground.  I looked at Soo Jin and I immediately knew something was wrong.

            She was staring past me, here eyes wide.  Her face turned a bit red and it looked like she was about to scream out loud.  I slowly turned around.  When I saw what Soo Jin saw, my jaw dropped. 

            So he came. . . And he’s not alone.

Minho’s P.O.V.

            Jonghyun and Key were practically b with excitement as we made our way to my locker.  When we got there, I saw Onew hyung and Taemin already waiting for us.  “Hi Hyung!” Taemin called out. 

            “Hey Taeminnie,” I said, smiling at him, “hey Jinki Hyung.”

            “Hey Minho!” Onew hyung said with a smile on his face.  He was just as excited as the others.  “Ready to go?”

            I nodded.  We had no idea whether or not Gi Young would actually listen to the note, but they were all acting as if she had already said yes.  I wasn’t sure how I felt at this point.  Obviously, I still needed to apologize to her; I just hoped that things wouldn’t get TOO awkward between us. . .  We walked towards the planter where we would meet the girls. 

            Ah, you’re probably wondering which girls I’m talking about.  When I say girls, I’m referring to Park Hyorin, Key’s girlfriend, Im Suhyun, Onew’s girlfriend, and Hwa Taeri, Taemin’s girlfriend.  Yes, they’re all taken.  No one knows though, and we plan to keep it that way.  It’s for their protection.

            We saw all three of the girls sitting on the planter, chatting idly.  Hyorin noticed us and nudged Suhyun and Taeri.  They looked at us and smiled, getting up.  They made their way down to the P.E. fields.  That’s where we always ate lunch together.  There was never anyone there, which allowed Key, Onew and Taemin to spent time with their girls.  It also spared us from the huge crowd of girls that followed us everywhere.  I would usually go to the courts to play sports while the others walked to some discreet corner where no one would see them.  Naturally, that meant I would get harassed by girls all through lunch.  They all knew about the plan because Taemin and the others made a point to inform them.  When we arrived at the P.E. fields, I scanned the area for any sign of her.  I saw nothing.  I felt. . .disappointed?  As though I was hoping to see her. . .  Eh?!  Why would I HOPE to see her?  Ugh, snap out of it Minho.

            “So. . . where’s the lucky lady?” Suhyun asked, chuckling.

            “Not here apparently.  I had a feeling she might not come. . .” I said.  Great.  She probably hates me or something.  Ugh.  Hold on. . . Why should I care?  She’s just one person.  What does it matter?  Everyone looked so disappointed when I said that. 

            “Hold on. . . did you check the gym yet Hyung?” Taemin asked me abruptly.  I paused.

            “No. . .” I said slowly.

            “Then let’s check there!” everyone yelled in unision.  Geez. . . they’re more excited than I am. . . NOT THAT I’M EXCITED ABOUT THIS OR ANYTHING.

            Onew Hyung had already pulled ahead of us, Suhyun noona’s hand in his.  “Uh, Onew Hyung!  Wait!” I called.  The pair turned around to look at me.  “It. . .it might be a better idea if we didn’t make it obvious at first that you, Key, and Taemin have girlfriends. . .  Just to be safe.”  He was about to say something back when Suhyun noona put her hand on his cheek.

            “He has a point you know,” she said lightly, “don’t worry.  She’ll find out in a few minutes!”

            Onew Hyung nodded in defeat and swooped in to kiss her cheek.  He laughed when he saw her face turn red.  “Arasso,” he said, still chuckling.

            I took a deep breath as I walked past Onew Hyung and towards the gym doors.  I figured it would be a good idea for me to come out first since she semi-knew me.  When I reached the threshold of the door, I turned around to look at my friends.  They all raised their fists in encouragement.  “Fighting!” they whispered at the same time.  I smiled at them and walked into the hallway that held the doors to the basketball court.

            I heard the sound of voices inside the gym.  Crap, are there people in there?  I slowly opened the door, trying not to make any noises.  The others quickly crowded around me, trying to see who was inside.  There was a girl standing at the half-court line.  She was crouched, as if she was about to spring into action or something.  “What is she doing. . .?” Key whispered quietly.

            “Is she gonna attack something?” Jonghyun asked.  I raised a finger to my lips to silence them.

            “We’ll wait and see what she does.  When she finishes whatever she’s doing, we’ll go in, Arasso?”  Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

            “GO!” another voice suddenly yelled inside the gym.  We all jumped. 

            “That. . .that sounds like the girl from the park!” Jonghyun said excitedly.  I smacked his arm without looking back at him to get him to shut up.  My eyes were on the volleyball that had been thrown high into the air.  I watched as Gi Young caught it with a “bump.”  She proceeded to pass and set the ball to herself as she made her way towards what would have been the serving line. 

            “SWITCH!” Gi Young’s friend yelled.  I watched as Gi Young set the ball high in the air and jump served it over an imaginary net.  She’s good, I thought to myself.  Suddenly, a soccerball went skidding across the floor.  Gi Young stopped it and started dribbling the ball down the length of the court, doing different types of techniques.  “SWITCH!” I heard again.  I waited in anticipation to see what Gi Young would do next.  She kicked the ball straight up into the air and as it came back down. . .

            She jumped high into the air and managed to perform a bicycle kick on the ball.  The soccerball went careening down the court as Gi Young landed gracefully on one knee.  Everyone’s jaw dropped, including my own.  My eyes widened incredulously as I looked at my friends.  Each of their expressions looking like a mirror of my own.  Before anyone could say anything, I saw a streak of orange in the corner of my eye.  I turned my attention back to the inside of the gym and saw Gi Young catch the basketball that was thrown at her.  She shot around for a bit before I noticed her slowing down.  Her eyes narrowed as she shot the ball before turning towards her friend.  I looked at the expression on her friend’s face.

            She was staring right at me and the other SHINee members.  Well. . . there goes our cover.  Gi Young’s last shot was off-balance.  The ball hit the rim and flew towards me.  I caught it out of reflex.  The other members stared at me, eyes wide.  I looked up to see Gi Young stiffen.  She slowly turned around and our eyes met.  Her face paled a tiny bit.  I made a motion for the girls to stay hidden before walking into the gym, Jinki hyung and the other boys following me.

Third Person P.O.V.

            The gym was completely silent as the two groups stared at each other.  Gi Young bit her lip and looked down, putting her hand on the nape of her neck.  Soo Jin was trying her best to keep her cool.  Okay, relax Soo Jin, she thought to herself, Seoul University’s kingkas. . . the members of SHINee. . . are in the same room as you.  Relax.  Breathe.  Omo. . .  Jonghyun is RIGHT.THERE.  Gi Young noticed Soo Jin’s fingers shaking and quietly grabbed her hand in warning.  Soo Jin stopped shaking immediately.  Gi Young couldn’t bring herself to look into the eyes of the five boys, especially Minho.  The truth was that she was afraid to see the looks in their eyes.  The looks of disgust, of fear, or of mocking that she had come to see throughout her life. 

            Please. . . she thought to herself, just let this end quickly.  Instead of looking at them, she bowed respectfully in greeting and addressed Minho.  “Annyeonghaseyo Minho-ssi,” she said, “mianhe. . . but do you have something to do here?”

            “Annyeonghasaeyo Gi Young-ssi.  Uh. . . I. . . Well… Er. . .” Minho stuttered, trying to think of a decent response.  He felt someone poke him in the back roughly.  Probably Jonghyun or Key.  “I sent you a note telling you to meet me,” Minho said stupidly.  He mentally facepalmed himself.  Ugh, you pabo. . . you sound like an idiot.

            Gi Young was forced to look up, knowing it would look awkward if she stayed in a bowed position the whole time.  She bravely met Minho’s eyes and kept her face void of any emotion.  “Oh. . . oh yeah,” she said, “did you need to discuss something important?”

            “Actually. . .” Minho said.

            “We wanted to meet you,” the four other SHINee boys said in unison as they stepped forward.  Gi Young looked at them in shock.

            “Me?  Wae?  Did I do something wrong?” she asked uncertainly.

            The four boys laughed, releasing some of the awkward tension in the room.  “Ani,” they said together.  Onew walked towards Gi Young first, staring at her intently, but keeping his distance.  She met his gaze fearlessly and stood up a bit striaghter, refusing to leave an impression that she was scared or weak. 

            “Annyeonghasaeyo, Gi Young-ssi and Gi Young-ssi’s friend,” he said, bowing, “Lee Jinki also known as Onew imnida.”  Soo Jin giggled a bit at Onew greeting; even Gi Young smiled inwardly.  She was still being careful, so she didn’t show anything on the outside.  They both bowed to him.

            Key came up next.  He looked Soo Jin up and down and nodded approvingly, making Soo Jin blush a little.  Then he walked over to Gi Young and scrutinized her, eyes narrowed.  Gi Young cocked an eyebrow, but met his scrutinizing gaze.  Yup, definitely not a normal girl, he thought to himself.  He bowed and said, “Annyeonghasaeyo.  Kim Kibum also known as Key imnida.”  Soo Jin and Gi Young both bowed in return.

            Taemin walked up after Key, eyes full of wonder.  He looked at Soo Jin and smiled cutely.  She smiled back.  Taemin’s attention then turn to Gi Young and his expression changed.  Gi Young couldn’t help but think:  Why do their expressions always change when they look at me?  This is EXACTLY why I didn’t want this to happen. . .

            Taemin approached Gi Young and stood a bit close to her.  Gi Young, feeling uncomfortable, used one finger to push his shoulder back.  Nope, she didn’t blush because there was a good looking, famous, popular boy standing in front of her.  “Whoa there. . .” she said, “what are you doing?  Stay away from me.” 

            “GI YOUNG!” Soo Jin whisper-yelled, hitting her shoulder.  Gi Young turned to glare at Soo Jin, making her fall silent.

            “LOOK, Soo Jin.  Just because they’re famous or popular or whatever doesn’t give them any right to-”  Gi Young was interrupted by the sound of Taemin jumping up and down and clapping.

            “Yay Hyung!” Taemin said excitedly, “she’s not a pedo-noona~!”

            Gi Young looked at him oddly.  “A what. . .?” she asked.  Instead of responding, Taemin bowed to her. 

            “Annyeonghasaeyo!  Lee Taemin imnida!” he said brightly.  She bowed back, still confused as he skipped back to his friends.  Jonghyun then approached the pair.

            He looked at Gi Young first before turning back and smirking at Minho.  He bowed to both Soo Jin and Gi Young, but Gi Young noticed that his attention was mainly on Soo Jin.  Gi Young chuckled inwardly a bit at the thought.  “Annyeonghasaeyo.  Kim Jonghyun imnida,” he said.  Soo Jin had turned completely red when she noticed Jonghyun staring at her.  She bowed quickly before bobbing back up.  Gi Young rolled her eyes at her best friend’s response.  Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.

            “I just noticed. . .” Gi Young said, “you’ve all been introducing yourselves and we haven’t formally introduced ourselves yet.”  The boys chuckled a bit before looking at Gi Young expectantly.  She bowed respectfully.  “Annyeonghasaeyo.  Ryu Gi Young imnida.  Well. . . you kinda already know that. . .  It’s a pleasure to meet you all.  And this,” she said dragging Soo Jin up next to her, “is Moon Soo Jin, my best friend.” And only friend. . . she thought, but she wasn’t going to say that out loud.  The boys smiled brightly at Gi Young.

            Gi Young couldn’t even explain to herself how she felt.  Relaxed?  Relieved?  She had been expected the same looks of disgust/lust that she had gotten so used to seeing throughout her life, but the boys standing in front of her. . . they expressed none of that.  They looked like they were actually happy to meet her.  And that thought, just that thought, had the power to warm her heart.  Gi Young happened to look in Minho’s direction.  She noticed him smiling a bit.  When he caught her eye, he smiled at her.

            “So. . .” Jonghyun said, breaking the silence, “you’re the girl who managed to beat Minho huh?”

            Minho and Gi Young looked away from each other as memories of that day passed through them like a spark.  Gi Young coughed.  “Uh. . .you guys said you wanted to meet me?” she said, trying to change the topic, “I’m sure you guys didn’t just randomly see me on campus and think: ‘Hey, we should go talk to her.’  Any reason in particular?”

            Taemin answered for the boys.  “Well. . . in truth, when we heard the whole story of what happened on the basketball courts, we were more shocked than anything.  You see, we have never met ANYONE that could beat Minho hyung in any sport.  And no offense, but. . . we didn’t think it would be a girl that would do it.  You have NO idea how we felt when we found out. . . Naturally, we were practically dying of curiosity.  And, I’m speaking for myself right now, but I’m kind of glad I got to meet you.”  The rest of the boys nodded ferevently in agreement.

            Gi Young couldn’t help it.  For a span of two seconds, a genuine smile broke across her face.  Soo Jin gasped, noticing it.  Gi Young had never really smiled on campus around anyone except Soo Jin herself.  The fact that Gi Young had actually broken into a true smile because of the SHINee members. . . THAT was a really big deal.  No one else had noticed Gi Young’s smile.  No one, that is. . . except Minho.  He couldn’t help but notice how much more beautiful she looked when she had smiled.  She should do that more often. . . he thought privately to himself. 

            Both Minho and Gi Young started thinking about the match again.  They both opened their mouths and spoke at the same time:  “Er. . . Minho-ssi/Gi Young-ssi.”  They looked at each other before saying, “you first” in unison.  Minho grinned while Gi Young gave a small smile.  The SHINee members’ eyes widened.  They had not seen Gi Young smile before this.  In fact, Taemin and Jonghyun were almost convinced that she wasn’t capable of doing so.  “Well. . . I just wanted to say,” Minho and Gi Young said to each other at the same time.  Gi Young’s smile widened a bit.  The pair took a deep breath and said “SORRY” in unison.  The remaining four members and Soo Jin looked at Minho and Gi Young with bemused expressions on their faces.

            “Eh?” Minho questioned, still smiling slightly, “what are you sorry about?”

            “I. . . I let my temper get in the way.  I should have never tried to get back at you by disguising myself and challenging you.  I was stupid.  Mianhe. . .  Why are YOU apologizing?  You did nothing!” Gi Young said with an incredulous look on her face.

            “Of course I did!  I got too competitive!  I should have never underestimated you!  Worst, mistake, ever.  And then I almost killed you during the game!  MIANHE!”

            “YAH!  I almost killed you too!  I felt really bad afterwards!”

            “Me too!”

            “ALL RIGHT, JUST BE FRIENDS ALREADY,” Key yelled, annoyed. 

Gi Young’s P.O.V.

            Minho chuckled and lifted his hand up to shake mine.  “Friends?” he asked.  My mind traveled back to five years ago, when Soo Jin had asked me the same question.

            I never thought this would happen again. . . I thought to myself, someone who I’ve only know for a day. . .wanting to be my friend with no strings attatched.  Not just someone. . . a group of someones. . .

            Was I really ready to open myself up to people again?  Was I ready to make new friends?  To not be afraid of what would happen?  Am I ready for this?

            My answer was clear as I raised my own hand to shake Minho’s.  “Friends.”  I was able to fully meet Minho’s smile now.  The happiness that was building inside my stomach was indescribable.

            “Hey, hey, hey,” Jonghyun said, stepping up next to Minho, “you should know that SHINee’s a package deal.  Make friends with one and you make friends with all.”  He raised his hand up to shake mine.  I hesitated for a split second, but I shook his hand.

            “Sounds like a deal Jonghyun-ssi,” I replied.  The boys each went up to shake my hand.  I smiled at their sillyness.  They all went to Soo Jin next.

            “You too!” Jonghyun said as he shook Sooj’s hand last.  I couldn’t help but notice that he held on to her hand for a bit longer than the others had.  Interesting. . .  Then I noticed something else. 

            The SHINee members looked like they were having a silent, serious conversation.  I could tell by the looks they were giving each other.  Soo Jin and I exchanged confused glances.  What’s going on. . .?           Onew coughed and looked at Soo Jin and me awkwardly before opening his mouth to speak.

            “Listen. . . Gi Young-ssi and Soo Jin-ssi,” he began.  We inclined our heads toward him, showing that we were listening to what he was saying.  “I. . . I know that we just officially met, but Gi Young-ssi, seeing the way you are, so calm and collected, and generally not screaming over the fact that Seoul University’s kingkas/the members of SHINee have been speaking to you, I feel like we can reveal something very important to you.  Soo Jin-ssi, I feel the same way about you.”

            “Gamsahabnida,” Soo Jin and I said in unison.

            Onew took a deep breath and cleared his throat.  “What you’re about to find out is literally known by no one except the people directly involved.  I want it to stay that way.”

            I felt a little nervous.  What could he possibly tell us that’s so important?

            “I understand,” I said, meeting his gaze solemnly.  Soo Jin nodded.  Onew turned towards the entrance to the gym.

            “Girls?” he called.  Wait. . .  “Girls”?  Huh. . .?  I looked up at the sound of footsteps echoing across the gym.  Sure enough, three girls had come walking through the gym doors.  The small smile I had faded.  I instinctively took a step back, my hands tightening into fists.  I wasn’t a fool.  I knew all the girls in this school hated me. . . just like the girls at my other schools did.  Soo Jin gripped my arm for a second before letting go.  She was telling me to keep my cool.  I took a deep breath.  She’s right. . . Why automatically start out on hostile terms?  If enemities start, at least I can say it’s not my fault.  But. . . who are they?

            When the girls arrived within a considerable distance, I noticed that their eyes held no malice for me.  They just looked. . . curious and excited.  “Gi Young-ssi, Soo Jin-ssi?  I would like you to meet Park Hyorin, Hwa Taeri, and Im Suhyun,” Onew said.  I noticed his gaze linger a little bit on the last girl whose name he mentioned.  Hmmm. . .

            I bowed to the girls, Soo Jin following my lead.  “Annyeonghasaeyo,” we said together, “Ryu Gi Young and Moon Soo Jin imnida.”  The girls bowed back, their faces alit with excitement.

            “It’s such a pleasure to finally meet you,” the girl named Suhyun said politely.

            “I can’t believe you managed to beat Minho in SPORTS!  You are SO cool!” Hyorin exclaimed.

            “You’re both so pretty. . . It’s nice to meet you,” Taeri said shyly.

            I was completely dumbfounded.  What?  No threats?  No evil looks?  No, “why are you even alive’s”?  I looked into each of the girls’ eyes.  It was almost 100% possible that they were only speaking this way because they were in front of SHINee; however, when I gazed at them, each of them met my gaze evenly, with no malice or disgust hidden in their hearts.  The small smile I had earlier returned.  Wow. . . I’ve smiled a lot today. . . That’s a first, I thought to myself.

            “It’s very nice to meet you all as well. . .thank you for the compliments.  But. . .Jinki-ssi?” I asked, turning my attention to him.  He looked at me.

            “Yes?”

            “So. . . what’s the big secret that we can tell no one?  Are these your friends?” I asked innocently.

            Onew and the other boys coughed self-conciously.  “Well. . .” he said awkwardly.

            I exchanged another bewildered look with Soo Jin.

            “The truth is. . . is that these girls. . . well. . . they’re the girlfriends of three of our members. . .” he finished.  The boys were all holding their breath.  It looked like they were expecting a time bomb to go off.

            “Oh, is that all?” I asked, “is that a bad thing?”

            The looks on their faces brought a chuckle to my lips.  “You. . . you’re not. . . surprised?  Shocked?  Wanting to cry?” Key said, eyes wide.

            “You don’t want to kill them?” Jonghyun asked.

            “HOW are you taking this so calmly?” Minho asked with a shocked expression.

            Onew and Taemin were completely speechless.  I stepped back awkwardly.  “Mianhe. . . Did I do something wrong?”

            “No!  No, no. . . it’s just. . .ah, we didn’t know what to expect. . .” Onew said.

            I smiled.  “No, I don’t feel betrayed.  Or angry.  Maybe a little surprised because you guys were able to hide it for so long.  But. . .I guess I’m happy.  Happy that three of you lucky guys managed to find a girl that loves you for you and not because of who you are and what you do,” I said.

            My answer was met with eight wide grins.  I looked over at Soo Jin.  She had been unnervingly quiet this whole time.  I noticed that she looked a bit sad.  It only took me a second to realize why.  Three of the boys had girlfriends.  But we didn’t know which three.

            That meant that one of these girls might be Jonghyun’s girlfriend.  I put my elbow on Sooj’s shoulder, leaning on her.  It looked like it was done in a joking manner, but I knew Soo Jin understood what I was trying to convey to her.  Seeing that there was no point in being upset until she knew for sure, I took the plunge.

            “So, uh. . . who are the three lucky guys?” I said, looking towards Suhyun, Taeri, and Hyorin.  They grinned and Suhyun stepped forward.

            “Might as well introduce ourselves properly,” she said with a giggle.  “Annyeonghasaeyo, Im Suhyun imnida!  I’m Jinki Oppa’s girlfriend,” she said, slightly blushing as Onew wrapped his arm around her waist.  I smiled.  How cute. . .

            “Annyeonghasaeyo!  Hwa Taeri imnida!  I’m Taemin Oppa’s girlfriend,” she said with a smile.  Taemin walked next to her and held her hand.

            There was only one girl left:  Hyorin.  She was either Key’s, Jonghyun’s, or Minho’s girlfriend.  Soo Jin stiffened next to me.  I pressed a little on her shoulder, trying to tell her to relax.

            “Annyeonghasaeyo!  Park Hyorin imnida,” she said, “I’m Key Oppa’s girlfriend.”

            “That’s right!” Key said brightly as he back-hugged her.

            “I hope we can be great friends!” the three girls said in unison.

            I had to stop myself from bursting out laughing when I noticed how relieved Soo Jin looked.  Instead, I smiled at the group in front of me.  My. . . friends.  The corners of my lips tugged upwards.

            “I’m sure we’ll be great friends!” Soo Jin said enthusiastically, “oh!  Wait. . . Um. . .would you guys. . .like some red velvet cookies?”

            Taemin’s eyes became really wide.  “Cookies?  I WANT COOKIES!!!”

            I chuckled at Taemin’s response.  The others nodded as well.  Soo Jin went to where she had been sitting earlier and pulled out an ENORMOUS tray filled to the brim with rows of red velvet cookies.  My jaw dropped.  “Sooj. . .how many cookies did you MAKE?!” I asked.

            “Oh. . . uh. . .I was bored yesterday. . .” she said, embarrassed.  I rolled my eyes.  Soo Jin walked over to each person and held out the tray.  Everyone took out one cookie as she passed.  When she arrived in front of Jonghyun, she blushed like crazy and held out the tray with her head down.  He smiled sweetly before taking a cookie from the tray.  Soo Jin came back to stand by my side.  “We should go sit on the bleachers,” Soo Jin said, “it’ll probably be much more comfortable than standing up.”  And with that, everyone moved towards the bleachers across the room.  Once everyone was comfortably seated, we started talking.

            “So. . . do you come here often Gi Young-ssi?” Minho asked, starting a conversation.

            “Yeah, every lunch,” I said, “sometimes I’m in the gym, sometimes I’m out on the soccer field, it depends on which sport I’m doing.  What about you guys?”

            “We come here every lunch,” Key responded, “see that spot underneath the bleachers?  That’s where we usually eat.  It’s nice and secret.  That way, we’re not harassed during lunch and we can just spend time together.  Well. . . everyone except Minho that is.”

            I looked at Minho, my face giving away the question.  He chuckled.  “You might as well call me the ‘distraction,’” he said.

            “What do you mean?” I asked.

            “Well. . . I love to play sports, so during lunch, I’m always playing basketball or something here in the gym.  Me out here gives the others privacy.  While the girls are looking at me, they don’t really care to look around for everyone else.”

            I smiled.  “I love to play sports too.  But I can at least vouch for the fact that I’m not harassed while I do it, keke.”

            Minho smirked.  “We noticed.  That was some amazing technique you had earlier.”

            “You. . . you saw that?” I said, feeling my face heat up, “you were standing there the whole time?”

            Minho scratched the back of his head as he looked down awkwardly.  “Neh. . .” he said, “but we were planning on coming out earlier.  I didn’t want to disturb you so. . .”

            “Ah. . .I see.  Gomawo.”

            “I mean it.  That bicycle kick was amazing!”

            “Yeah!  And so were your volleyball passes!” Taemin included.

            “And your basketball skills!” Onew chimed in.

            “Looks like Minho’s finally met his match,” Key smirked, nudging Minho.

            Minho rolled his eyes.  I blushed slightly and chuckled.

            “Yeah!  Girl power!” Hyorin said, as the three girls raised their fists.

            “Like YOU guys should be talking,” Jonghyun teased, “you can’t even play sports!”

            “YAH!” the girls yelled in unison, “Gi Young-ssi can represent all of us!”

            I couldn’t take it.  I finally burst out laughing.  After the initial looks of shock on their faces from my laughter, everyone joined in.  The girls leaped at Jonghyun and pretended to strangle him.  He flailed theatrically and pretended to die, causing everyone to laugh harder.  Once everyone had calmed down, the conversation moved along to more random talk, finding out more about each other.  I realized I shared certain hobbies with the members.

            Onew and I both loved to read.  Taemin and I both enjoyed playing the piano and dancing hip hop.  Jonghyun and I shared a passion for singing.  Key and I were both a bit blunt sometimes, but I didn’t share much with him.  He was more of the diva/fashionista/umma type.  It didn’t take long to realize that Minho and I had the most in common.

            We both loved sports.  We hated losing.  We enjoyed reading.  We both liked singing and dancing.  We hated being underestimated.  We never backed out from challenges.

            “Why haven’t you guys met before?” Taeri blurted, “you’re like soulmates!”

            Minho and I both coughed awkwardly before steering the conversation elsewhere.  Soo Jin seemed to be enjoying herself.  She got along with the girls instantly.  She shared a bunch of hobbies with Key.  Their love for shopping, their love for cooking, their “Umma” mode. . . it was pretty funny.  Jonghyun was making conversation with her most of the time and it didn’t escape my notice that they began scooting closer to each other.  I really did like Jonghyun, but there was something I needed to clear up before I let Soo Jin get close to him. . .

“Um. . . Jonghyun-ssi,” I called.  He looked towards me.

“Neh?” he asked.

“I know we just met, but I just wanted to know. . . you and Sunhee. . .”

Jonghyun’s face immediately darkened and the tension in the room grew.  The other SHINee boys and the girls watched me fearfully.  He stood up.  “I don’t know what that girl has been saying around campus about me-”

“I don’t believe any of it,” I said calmly.

“But I’M NOT LIKE WHAT SHE SAYS- wait. . .what?”

“I said I don’t believe any of it.  I’m asked because I want to know the truth.  Rumors bother me.  A lot.  That’s why I want to hear from the person involved.  Plus, I don’t respect Sunhee one bit to think that she would tell the truth about anything.”

Jonghyun looked at me, his face a mixture of relief and confusion.  “You. . .you don’t believe her?” 

“Of course not.  Neither does Soo Jin.”

Jonghyun looked at Sooj, and she smiled at him, shaking her head.  The other SHINee members looked relieved.

“Now. . . wanna tell us what actually happened?” I questioned.

He nodded.  “Sunhee and I. . .we dated for about two months.  One day. . . I caught her cheating on me with some other guy, so I broke up with her.  After we broke up, she went around school saying that SHE broke up with ME because I cheated on her.  She got me labeled as a player even though she was the first girl I ever dated.  Even though I was labeled as such, it didn’t stop girls from approaching me.  They thought my title meant I would date all of them,” he finished bitterly.  “But. . .I’m not like that,” he said with a whisper.

Minho and Key squeezed Jonghyun’s shoulder sympathetically while the girls rubbed his back and murmured words of comfort.  The idea of what Jonghyun had gone through because of one girl hurt me, but I can guarantee it hurt Soo Jin more.  “She doesn’t deserve you anyways. . .” Soo Jin muttered.  Jonghyun looked up and smiled weakly at her.  She returned his smile warmly.

“Let’s all be happy again!” Taemin said abruptly, making everyone laugh and easing the tension.  As time passed during lunch, I realized that what I was seeing was not SHINee, but real boys.  Silly, mischievous, funny, charming, boys.  They had completely let their guard down, transforming into the boys they really were.  Slowly, the conversations began breaking up into mini-conversations, leaving Minho and I sitting awkwardly in the corner, not speaking.

“So. . .” Minho said, searching for something to talk about, “are you okay from earlier?”

“Huh?” I said, “what are you talking about?”

            “You know. . . the thing with Chae Hun. . .”
            “Oh yeah. . . that thing.  I’m okay.  He’s just weird.  And a jerk.  And a lot of other things.  Um, by the way. . . thanks for standing up for me during that whole thing. . .”

            Minho gave me a crooked smile.  “Of course,” he said, “I would do it again if I had to.”

            I gave him a warm smile before we were interrupted.  “So what are you guys whispering about?” Key said loudly, resting his head on Minho’s shoulder.  The others scooted over on the bleacher seats so Minho and I were completely surrounded.

            “Oh!  Amugeotdo!” I said quickly.

            “Sure it was nothing.  What is this about Minho standing up for you?” Onew asked.

            “Nothing major,” I responded, “just some guy. . .”
            “What do you mean it was nothing?” Minho interrupted, “of course it was something!”

            Soo Jin whipped her head to face me, her eyes blazing.  She knew I had a tendency to downplay things.  “Spit it out.  What happened.  Don’t lie.  Don’t downplay anything.  Tell me EXACTLY what happened.” 

            “It was that jerk Chae Hun,” Minho said shortly.  The whole group’s eyes widened.

            “That player?” Hyorin gasped, “what did he want with you, Gi Young-ssi?”

            “I always hated him,” Jonghyun muttered.

            “He’s mean,” Taemin said.

            “That weirdo.  He’s so arrogant.  Always thinking that he’s better than everyone else,” Key confirmed.

            “Ryu.Gi.Young.  Tell me now.  Did he hurt you?  Did he say something to you?” Soo Jin asked, her eyes filled with concern.

            I sighed and told everyone what happened.  Minho chipped in at times, offering some of the things I said during the confrontation.  When he told them about me telling Chae Hun that the SHINee boys were the school kingkas, they all burst out laughing.  “You showed him!” the girls said.  Everyone became serious again as the story progressed.  I noticed Minho’s hands clench into fists when I talked about how close Chae Hun had gotten to me after that particular remark.  When I mentioned how Chae Hun had grabbed my wrist, Soo Jin, Suhyun, Taeri, and Hyorin hissed in anger.  The SHINee boys’ eyes tightened and scowls formed on their faces.  They smirked when they heard that I had grabbed his wrist when he tried to touch me.

            “I wish you could have broken it,” Key said angrily while the others nodded in response.

            “Pretty boys are we?” Jonghyun said, cracking his knuckles, “I’d like to run into Chae Hun in a dark alley one day and see who the pretty boy really is. . .”

            Once I finally finished the story, everyone looked at me with sympathy and concern in their eyes.  “I’m glad Minho stood up for you,” Taeri said.

            “From the sound of it, it doesn’t look like she needed help,” Onew said.

            “You sent him running with his tail between his legs!” Taemin exclaimed.

            “I. . . I don’t know how to react to this.  He could be serious. . .” Suhyun reasoned.

            I looked at their concern for me.  They cared.  They actually cared.  Then my attention turned to Soo Jin.  Uh oh. . . “Umma-mode.”  “Why do you always go looking for trouble Gi Young?!” she said in exasperation.            I raised my hands, palms open, in defense.  “Hey now,” I said, “I don’t go looking for trouble.  Trouble always just seems to find me.”  Minho chuckled at my statement while Soo Jin looked at me disapprovingly.

            “You could get hurt.  Chae Hun sounds serious.  What if he does something to you?  What if he tries to hurt you?  What if-”

            “Sooj,” I said, cutting her off, “I’ll be fine.”

            “How can you say tha-”

            “I am aware of and know how to hit thirty-two places in the human body that can kill and/or paralyze someone.  I know how to defend myself.  I am a graduate in swords training.  I have been thrown into dangerous situations more than once.  You think some pretty boy can really do me harm?” I let the words flow out of me without thinking.  I had had this conversation with Sooj so many times that this reaction was a reflex.  Then I remembered where I was and who I was with.  I closed my mouth immediately.  “I mean. . .uh. . .” I said, trying to take back what I said.  Too late for that now. . .

            Other than Soo Jin, everyone was staring at me, their mouths hanging open in shock.  Minho spoke first, breaking the silence.  “Seriously Gi Young-ssi.  Is there anything you CAN’T do?”

            “Yeah,” I responded, “lots of things.  I can’t be interested in shopping, jewelry, make-up and the works, I-”

            “BWOH?!” Key and Hyorin yelled together, cutting me off.  Everyone started laughing.  Key and Hyorin were the epitome of all things fashion.

            “Yeah, I know right?” Soo Jin said.  I was still confused.

            “Wait. . .  You aren’t. . . freaked out?  Or scared?  Or disgusted?” I blurted.

            Minho gave me an odd look.  “What?  Why?  You’re awesome!”

            “Hyung is right!  You’re so cool!” Taemin added.

            “Hard to believe that you’re a girl, but hey, everyone’s different,” Jonghyun said.

            “There’s nothing wrong with you!  So what if you don’t like girly things?  You’re not afraid to express that and being real is all that matters,” Onew chimed in, smiling.

            “Even though you’re not into fashion,” Key said, flinching as he spoke, “you’re still an amazing person.  I can get over the little things.”  I chuckled.

            “Thanks Key-ssi.  That means a lot coming from you,” I responded.

            “You’re so brave and independent and strong.  I like you!” Taeri said happily.

            “I agree with Taeri!” Hyorin said.

            “Me too!  BUT, I think you should smile more.  You look so much nicer when you do,” Suhyun said.

            Soo Jin caught my eyes and grinned.  I knew what she was thinking:  I told you so~  I smiled.  “See?  It’s true!” Suhyun exclaimed.  I laughed.

            “Thanks you guys,” I said, “I mean it.”

            They grinning widely at me.  Suddenly, the bell rang.  “Awwww~” Taeri pouted, “class again. . .”

            We all laughed.  Suhyun got up first.  “Aish. . .my class is all the way across campus.  I have to go.”

            “I’ll walk you,” Onew said, standing up.  We waved to them as they walked down the bleachers.

            “Annyeongigaseyo Jinki-ssi and Suhyun-ssi!” I called.  Suhyun turned around with half a smile on her face.

            “Please don’t address me so formally!  It makes me feel old~  Call me Unnie!” she said before Onew pulled her out of the gym.  I was speechless for a second.  No one had ever told me to address them with such a title before.  I small smile came to my face. 

            “Unnie. . .” I said quietly. 

            “Same goes with us!” Hyorin called, addressing herself and Taeri, “just call us by our names!”

            “Arasso,” Soo Jin and I said, grinning.  Everyone got up and walked towards the gym doors.

            “You four should go first,” Key said to me, Soo Jin, Hyorin, and Taeri, “we’ll have to come out later.

            We nodded.  “It was nice having lunch with you all,” I said.  Soo Jin nodded in agreement.

            “We enjoyed it too,” Minho said, smiling at me.

            “We all enjoyed the cookies.  They were. . . very sweet,” Jonghyun said, winking at Soo Jin, who blushed furiously.

            I stared at Jonghyun in confusion.  “Did Sooj put too much sugar in them?  That’s weird, her formula’s usually perfect.  It tasted fine to me though. . .”

            Minho and Key burst into waves of laughter.  Key fell to the floor because he was laughing so hard.  “. . . Does someone want to explain why Key-ssi and Minho-ssi look like they’re about to die from laughing to hard?” I asked.  Hyorin and Taeri looked at me with bemused expressions.

            “You’re joking right?” Hyorin asked.  I stared at her blankly.  Taeri shook her head.

            “No. . .I actually think she doesn’t get it. . .” she said.

            “Get what?” I asked, “Sooj, do you know what they’re talking about?”

            Soo Jin was so red she could’ve doubled as a tomato.  She remained silent.  I turned to Jonghyun.  He looked playfully pissed off at me.  “You really don’t understand what just happened do you?” he asked me.  I shook my head.

            “You wanna explain?” I asked him.  He chuckled once and shook his head while the volume of Minho and Key’s laughter increased.

            “C’mon we’ve got to go to class!” Hyorin said as she grabbed Sooj’s arm and pulled her out the gym.  Taeri took my arm and led me out the gym.  The boys had finally calmed down.  I turned to wave at them.  Key, still chuckling waved back.  Jonghyun looked at me and mouthed:  You’re one weird girl.  Minho grinned very warmly at me.  I smiled widely at him.  This is the best lunch I’ve had in forever. . .

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Hey everyone~  How's it going?  Sorry for not updating; school is really taking a lot out of me.  Aww, I lost subscribers :/  I'm sorry you lost interest in the story~  A big thank you to the subs that are still here and sticking with the story.  Your support means a lot :)  Please do tell me if you feel that there is something I can improve on.  I'm sure many of you guys have already gone back to school.  I hope you've been having a good time back so far.  And even if things aren't great, they'll get better! Fighting!  I hope you all enjoy this chapter.  I'll see you soon with another update!  Annyeong~!

~AthleticShawol