IV.

Krystal stiffens the moment she sees her sister rushing forward to her side, Jinki always beside her, and Taemin behind her back. Their eyes momentarily meeting—surprised, baffled, confused—before Taemin turns away and heads in the kitchen. From where she is seated, she can hear Key’s nagging voice of “Taemin-ah! Where have you been, you stupid boy! Manager hyung was looking for you!”

She doesn’t hear his reply though, because Jessica is standing in front of her, arms crossed and brows raised. She’s waiting for an explanation; Krystal contemplates if she should tell her.

“Dinner is done! Everybody get your in here!” Save by Key’s voice, Krystal grins and runs towards the kitchen and everyone follows behind in suit of her. She sits on the right beside her blonde haired sister Jessica while Jinki occupy the center. Minho takes the seat vacant on Krystal’s side and Taemin takes the empty chair beside Key, who is sitting in the middle.

A meal with SHINee was never a quiet affair. Today isn’t an exception either. Even if the atmosphere is a little tense.

“So, Jessica noona, heard you’ll be flying to Japan with the others. You’re going start with the promotions already?” Minho asks, taking a bite of his tempura shrimp.

Jessica merely shakes her head. “Not yet, I think. The management wants to venture how the sales are going to go first.  To test the waters, Sunny said, before actually making us debut there. The usual photo shoot for several magazines and much more. We are, though and I’m sure you already know this Minho, going to remake Gee… in Japanese.”

“Well, Minho, aren’t you the smart to stir the conversation into yourself, you attention .” Jonghyun deadpans and Minho just chuckles.

“I think you’re just jealous, hyung.”

Jonghyun rolls his eyes and gives him a smug grin. “As if. I’ll have you know that I’m way too busy to star in a music video. Don’t you know? I’m making a song for the next album?”

“Well, good for you hyung—“

Krystal is trying to focus on her food instead of the discussion at hand. Honestly, she doesn’t give a damn, whose getting in the limelight at the moment because she’s too troubled with Taemin sitting right across her. Staring at her bowl of rice, she wonders how she can get out of this awkward situation. To be quite honest, she is still very confused and plagued about what had happened in the karaoke earlier. Seriously, what the hell was she thinking back then? She shouldn’t have shouted and exploded like that. And she left Sulli with Taemin too!

“Why aren’t you eating, Krystal? You know I tried really hard to make those, I would appreciate it if you don’t waste it.” Kibum deadpans and Krystal rolls her eyes.

“It’s just ramyun Kibum. Get over it. I can make one better than yours.” Jonghyun teases, grinning. Krystal is just glad the attention is away from her as she watches Key bicker with Jonghyun. Contrary to most fans believe, those two are always fighting. But their fights and teases mean well. Jonghyun is just awkward at expressing his care towards Key. He is a bit of an emotional nut case though.

Briefly, her eyes flickers in Taemin’s direction and she is surprised to see him staring at her. She looks away almost immediately, hoping no has noticed. But someone has, although she keeps it to herself. After dinner when Jonghyun and Minho is washing the dishes and the others are in the living room watching a movie, Jessica sits beside Krystal and watches her.

“It’s alright you know.”

Krystal sighs for the nth time of the day, not looking at her sister. She doesn’t want to decipher all the cryptic messages her sister has been leaving her. It’s not helping her. “What’s alright?”

“To tell Taemin you like him. That you’re having problems because of him.” The blonde whispers and waits for her younger sister’s reaction. She doesn’t erupt like a volcano like Jessica had assumed and instead looks weary.

“I don’t like him.” Krystal merely replies and adds a second later, “And it’s not that easy.”

Jessica leans back and intertwines her fingers with Jinki, who by the way, is really, really sleepy. “Who says they were going to be easy and when were things always easy? The thing is Soojung, you don’t acquire things effortlessly. You have to learn how to fight for it. Take my relationship with Jinki for example,” At this, Jinki perks up and utters a what? Jessica just shakes her head and orders him to sleep. “If I didn’t have the courage to confess then there wouldn’t be an ‘us’, you know?”

“But you guys were different. He doesn’t even like me.”

“How do you know that? You’re not even fighting for it. You lost hope already. And if he doesn’t like you then so what? There are a lot more boys out there who would gladly whisk you away like they’re prince charming or something. You move on.” Jessica explains exasperatedly, a bit irritated with her sister. Krystal was too busy drowning herself in misery that she can’t see the big picture that is laid in front of her.

Sighing dejectedly, Krystal hugs her knees to herself. She is shielding herself from something and Jessica can only assume what it was. “He likes someone else.”

“You’re confessing, not asking his hand for marriage.” Jessica scoffs, putting her other arm around Krystal protectively.

“What if I get hurt? If he rejects me?” Krystal asks one last time.

The blonde furrows her brows for a second and the grins maliciously. “I’ll punch him in the face for you.” And they both laugh and laugh until tears starts forming the side of their eyes.

An hour later, Jinki drives Jessica and Krystal home. He drives the f(x) maknae first and then he drops Jessica off after their long make out session. When Krystal gets inside, she doesn’t see Sulli but she hears her in her room. When she is lying on her room, she thinks. She thinks long and hard about what she will do tomorrow. She will talk to Taemin tomorrow and confess. Yes—she will.

But first, she will talk to Sulli first.

Authos's Notes:

I really enjoyed writing this. I thought it was rather profound.

I like expanding stuff when it comes to writing but to be honest I've never been good at explaining.

Do you guys like it? Leave me some comments! :)

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