“What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here.” He said. 

Minji was shocked at Taemin. He wasn’t the usual playful, manipulative and evil person she was accustomed with. She was seeing a hurt and angry Taemin.

‘Now, it makes me wonder what happened between them.’ Minji thought.

“Let’s leave these two alone.” Kikwang said as he motioned Minji to get out of the room.

“Minji stay. If you leave, you are in big trouble more than you are before.” Taemin said as he pointed to Minji.

“Taemin stop this, Minji isn’t involved with you.” Kikwang said.

“Hyung, get out. Minji, tell him to go.” Taemin said trying to calm himself. 

“Oppa, I’ll talk with you later. For now, go outside. I’ll solve this. It’s my mess.” Minji whispered to Kikwang. Kikwang went outside.

“Taemin oppa. I’m sorry. I was worried when I heard. I couldn’t stay still.” Sulli said.

“Minji is my girlfriend now. You have no right to be here. Get out!” Taemin shouted.

“Oppa! You shouldn’t be like this. I’m sorry that I’ve hurt you.”

“Get out. Right now.” Taemin said, his voice dangerously low.

Sulli was crying and knelt on the floor. “Oppa.”

“Don’t call me oppa!! You threw your right to call me that! Get out!” He threw a magazine at Sulli and it hit her on her legs.

“Yah! You shouldn’t treat a girl like that!” Minji shouted at Taemin because she couldn’t take it anymore.

“You better shut up Minji. You don’t know anything. You are in deep trouble with me.” Taemin said, his eyes are now really angry but she can see he is hurting. 

“Sulli, get up.” Minji said. She led Sulli outside the room. Kikwang went to the two girls.

“Oppa, take care of Sulli, take her back to their dorm before Sooyoung unnie sees her. I’ll call you later.”

“Minji!” Kikwang said but she was already in Taemin’s room.

‘You don’t know their story. You shouldn’t be involved in this.’ Kikwang thought. He led Sulli outside of the hospital and drove Sulli back.

“Just what the hell did you do? She was just visiting you.” Minji shouted. 

“She deserves that much. She knows it. I told her never to appear before me.”

“But still. She visited you. It meant she was worried. Why the heck are you so childish? Why did you throw something at her? She’s still a girl!”

“You better shut up, Gong Minji.”

“I won’t shut up! She’s your ex-girlfriend! You loved her before! Whatever happened, it’s all in the past and definitely you don’t have the right to treat her like that! Whatever she did to you, you should get over it and move on! You playing with other girls’ hearts is like shouting at her that you need her back and that you still haven’t move on! If you still love her then just get her back and stop being a coward!”

Taemin couldn’t control himself, pinned Minji on his bed and his eyes flashing dangerously,. “I said shut up. What do you know about me? Did you think you know me just because I saved you? Think again. Remember, you are my slave. I would forgive you for being late but letting her enter my room without permission is beyond unforgiving. So, you better shut up before you could dig your grave deeper.”

“TAEMIN!!” 

Both maknaes looked who called. 

“You better release Minji right now. I stopped my recording when I heard the news and what do I see? Pinning Minji on your bed? What the hell is happening to you?” Luna said.

“You came? I’m sorry if I worried you. You shouldn’t have come.” Taemin said gently as he released Minji. His anger dissipated when he saw Luna.

Luna went to Minji’s side. “Are you fine? Did he hurt you? I’m sorry. He’s not like that before. Taemin, you better apologize to her.” Luna said.

“It’s okay, Luna. We were just having a heated discussion regarding the script.” Minji lied. 

“But still, he pinned you. Whatever it is, I’m sorry in his behalf.” Luna said.

“Don’t worry about it.” Minji forced a smile. She then took the banana milk pack from the couch and shoved it on Taemin’s chest.

“Your banana milk. I’m sorry I was late. I had to sign an autograph for a fan on the way back.” Minji said and she left.

Taemin took the pack, then he noticed a sticky note. Luna sat beside him. He hid it before Luna can see it.

“You made Minji buy you a banana milk?!? You seriously a psycho playboy!!” Luna was about to hit him but she remembered the two of them are in the hospital. To satisfy her frustration of not hitting Taemin, she pounded her hand on the bedside table.

“Minji is one of my dearest friends, Taemin. You better not do anything bad to her or else you won’t have anyone to call as your best friend.” Luna said.

“I know. I just lost it a while ago. Because ‘she’ visited.” Taemin said.

“Seriously? Wow, she’s brave. After what she did, how can she face you again?” 

“I know. Whatever.” Taemin shrugged it off.

Luna put both her hands on his face and said, “I understand why you lost it with Minji but—” She pinched Taemin’s cheeks hard and she continued, “that doesn’t justify what you did to her.”

“I know. Ow.” Taemin said.

“Seriously, are you okay?” Luna asked.

“After you pinched my cheeks? No.” Taemin said as he nursed his cheeks.

“Answer me right or you want another round?” Luna asked as she readies her hands.

“I’m fine. The doctor said I’ll have body pains and just being observed if I have any concussion.”

“Good thing. Why the heck did you caught all those boxes?”

“Because I saved your dearest friend from the boxes.”

“You saved Minji?”

“Yup. How can I just stay still when someone is in that position?”

“I’m grateful but you should’ve save yourself too.”

“I ran out of time.” He teased.

“You still have the mood to tease. Aigoo. Taeminnie!” 

“You better go back. Your manager will give you hell. I’m fine now.” Taemin reassured her. 

Luna was about to speak but Taemin, “ I’ll call you if I feel something bad and I would never hurt Minji during the shooting of the sitcom. I got it.”

Luna smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “You better behave and get well soon.”

Luna left. 

Taemin took out the sticky note and it read, “Even though you are evil, I don’t believe you are a 100% one. Thank you for saving me. I’ll be a good slave to you for the next days.” 

Taemin smiled. ‘I guess I owe her an apology.’

Kikwang and Sulli are in a café. Kikwang decided to comfort her before sending her back to the dorm. She was a mess and her members might get worried seeing her like this. Apparently, Sulli ran out of the photoshoot for a magazine when she heard about Taemin. 

“You still love him Sulli.” Kikwang said.

“But it’s all over now. He seems serious about Minji. There is no way he’ll accept me again after what I did or what seem to him that I did.”

“What do you mean?”

“It was my birthday that day. He forgot. What kind of boyfriend would forget his girlfriend’s birthday, right? I was mad even though he apologized a thousand times. I avoided him. Our quarrel went on for a week. Changmin oppa was the one who comforted me when I felt down because of our relationship. He didn’t call me one day. I was so mad. I drank. I know, I’m underage to be drinking but to hell with it I thought. Changmin oppa saw me. As an oppa, he was mad at me for resulting to alcohol yet he stayed with me. He had a fight with his girlfriend that day too. So both of us were drinking and the next thing I know I saw Taemin.”

“You saw Taemin? What?”

“It seems Changmin oppa brought me to his flat since Victoria unnie would probably be angry if she saw me drunk. I puked all over so he had to change my clothes. I was wearing his white polo and boxer shorts when I fell asleep. Changmin oppa settled me on his bed. He was drunk too and he just took off his pants and his shirt and slept next to me.”

“Taemin who was really down went to oppa for advice about us, the morning after. When Changmin oppa opened the door, Taemin saw me in Changmin oppa’s clothes and oppa wearing only his boxers. That day we broke up. He told me never to appear in front of him again. Changmin oppa kept silent since he has his own relationship to protect. I respect that. I was hurt by Taemin’s reaction. I didn’t sleep with Changmin oppa. How could he have so little trust in me?”

“You know, any guy would’ve thought the same as Taemin. You should’ve waited and explained it to him.”

“What do you think I’m doing right now? I kept my patience even if he made out and flirted with many girls. He still won’t speak to me. Even Luna unnie won’t listen to me. Luna unnie is the only person who can get through him. I can’t talk to the SHINee oppas because it’ll come as an excuse to cover up what I did.”

Sulli started crying again. “I don’t know what to do. Maybe I should let him go.”

“You know why Taemin is playing with girls? Because he wanted revenge but he couldn’t be satisfied. If he wanted true revenge, he should’ve directed it to you however his actions seems shouting that he still loves you since he can’t get over you. He still loves you but he is too hurt by the fact you betrayed him which apparently is not. You should explain to him what really happened.”

“Will he accept me now that he has Minji by his side? He seems serious about Minji. She isn’t like the other girls he usually flirts with. He wouldn’t save Minji just like that unless she has a place in his heart or she is special. No girl can shout at Taemin without paying the price unless she’s Luna. She shouted at him and led me into safety. He didn’t do anything but told her to shut up. If it was another girl, he would’ve thrown her with me out of the room.”

“You should still clear the misunderstanding to him. If he’s serious about Minji, he wouldn’t let himself be with her without having a real closure between his past relationship which screams you and him. So, I suggest you tell the truth.” Kikwang said as he sipped his coffee.

Both were silent. ‘I’ll do anything to keep you from being hurt by Taemin, Minji, You deserve a better guy than him.’

When Minji went out of Taemin’s room, she was staggering that she held on the wall to keep her from falling. When she reached the secluded hall, her knees gave out and she fell on the floor. Her tears flowed freely.

‘I know I was out of line. However, he shouldn’t be like that to me. I’ve never felt scared of him before until he did that. He was acting like a child. All I saw was hurt and pain in his eyes. But, what do I know? I have never fallen in love before so I don’t know what it feels like to be hurt and how he feels seeing his ex all of a sudden. I don’t even know what happened between them. Why am I getting involved with them?’

Minho, who was passing by, saw Minji. He sat next to her and asked, “What happened? Did Taemin do something you didn’t like? Did he hurt you?”

Minji just cried harder. Minho put his arm around her and let her cry. “ I’m scared of him. I’m scared for him.”

She continued to cry until she fell asleep. Minho carried her to Taemin’s room.

“Hyung! Why are you carrying Minji? Did something happen?” Taemin asked as he saw Minho carrying Minji. Minho laid Minji on the sofa.

“Taeminnie, I told you not to make her worry. You made her worried again. She was crying in the hall on the floor. Did you do something to her that she became scared of you?” Minho asked.

“I probably did. I didn’t mean it though.” Taemin said.

“You know Taemin, Minji’s a good girl. Don’t scare her like what you did to Suzy.”

“Hyung!”

“I don’t know what’s the deal between the two of you, the contract or how you met and now this. But you two are playing with something you shouldn’t. You might get more than what you two have bargained for and it might end up hurting the both of you.” 

“Hyung, I get what you are saying but there is no turning back now. I have to see this through.”

“Taemin, just don’t scare her again. If you do, I might end up taking her away from you.” Minho said and left. Taemin was dumbfounded with the sudden confession. He looked at Minji and he felt at peace seeing her serene face.

‘I do hope you see her worth Taemin. She will be the one who’ll save you from hurting.’ Minho thought as he leaned his back on Taemin’s door.

Kikwang sent Sulli back to their dorm. “Oppa thanks for comforting me. I do hope you and Minji work out.”

“Why do people say that I’m in love with Minji? I’m not. I like Sooyoung.”

“You are too oblivious, oppa. You are too worried about her. If you really are in love with Sooyoung unnie, you should’ve been by her side all this time. Taemin is one of her closest dongsaengs. She cares about him like he is her own brother. Even though the doctor said he’s fine, she’s still worrying. On the other hand, when you learned that Minji is kinda with Taemin, you lost your cool and warned him. You chose Minji over Sooyoung unnie.” Sulli said.

“No way. I won’t believe you.”

“You might end up losing her if you continue being like this oppa. I’ll be going now. Thank you again. Drive safely.” Sulli said as she went back to her dorm.

‘I only see Minji as a sister, not a woman. Right, Kikwang?’

Minji woke up from her sleep. ‘Why am I here? All I remember was crying and Minho oppa was with me.’

“You are finally awake.” Taemin said as he read his manga without looking at her.

Minji didn’t give him a glance. She fixed herself, looked at her watch and texted her manager. 

“Am I not needed anymore, Master? If not, I’ll be going now.” Minji said. She bowed to him and left the room.

Taemin put down his manga and looked at the door.

‘Why am I feeling lost or something? Wait! Did she just bow to me and left?’