Naeun's P.O.V
"And you can probably guess the rest yourself. As expected I fell for him and we started dating soon after." I ended my story.
"I see. Well, it's still a pretty love story" Soo-young-ah said "your fans would love to know that."
"My fans?" I said and scoffed. I suddenly realized what I had just done.
"No, that's not what I meant. I love my fans. I love the people who support me. There's just a big change right now. I always knew that all the people who are at one time my supporters won't always be on my side but right now I'm just feeling that more than ever right now and..."
I stopped talking as a tear ran down my face. I was so busy explaining myself that I didn't realize how sad what I said made me.
Soo-young-ah looked at me pitifully and took me in her arms.
"Shh, it's okay Naeun-ah. You don't have to say anything. I understand what you mean."
I slumped down in her arms and cried my heart out finally releasing the pressure which had built up since the dating news got released.
Oppa had always had a lot of fans and a lot of possessive fans at that and it was already bad when we were on WGM but back then it wasn't that bad because I could confidently say that it didn't matter since it didn't.
But now I couldn't say that anymore. Now I wanted people to see me fit to be Lee Taemin's girlfriend.
"I can't understand those people. It was only a show but now he's mine. He's mine. I get that they're unhappy but why won't they acknowledge that?" I said the darkest words in my heart only for my friend Soo-young to hear.
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"Hey, Naeun-ah?"
"What is it, oppa?" I asked.
We were at SHINee's dorm with warm tea. I looked outside the window.
The weather was cold and dark but Christmas lights filled the darkness with light, colors and warmth.
"Are you busy during Christmas time?" Oppa asked me.
"Ani, I might have one or two shoots because we're releasing a christmas album but the recording is mostly done and I should be free."
"Then, would you mind having dinner with my family sometime soon?"
"What?!" I stared at him like he had asked me to marry him out of the blue. Not that I wouldn't want to marry him but it would be sudden and... anyway, I was very surprised.
"Well, we're always busy and I realized that I haven't introduced you to my family yet, so..."
"S-sure" I said.
"I'll have to do it sooner or later anyway" I mumbled to myself.
"What did you say?"
"N-nothing" I said and saw him text probably his family happily already while I had cold shivers running down my spine.
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"It's so cold!" Eunji-unni complained and grimaced as we walked down the icy street.
"The department store isn't that far anymore" I said.
"What are we doing there anyway? Why do you want to go shopping all of a sudden? If you drag me to go shopping our of the blue, at least tell me what were buying!"
"Alright, I got it. Actually I'm meeting oppa's family soon. I still need to buy a present for them."
"What? You're meeting his family? You two are that serious?" She looked at me smugly and nudged me with her elbow playfully.
I didn't answer and just kept walking.
Finally I could see the department store further down the street and Eunji-unni got excited by the sight of it and started dragging me there.
"Come on, we're going to a department store to buy a real fancy present for your to-be-in-laws!" She said while going into the building as confident as she walked on the red carpet.
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He parked the car in front of a townhouse.
As soon as we got ot of the car the front door opened and a woman in her early fifties came out to greet us.
She hugged oppa tightly and then came over to me.
"Annyeonghasaeyo. I'm Son Na-eun!" I practically shouted in her face and then bowed 90 degrees. I kept my head down as I felt my cheeks blush in embarrassment.
"No need to be so formal" she said and smiled warmly.
"Come in, you two. Lunch is already prepared."
We went inside where a man in his late twenties, who I was assuming to be oppa's brother, was already waiting at the table.
I bowed again and introduced myself once more. He stood up as well and gave me his hand to shake. I took it gladly.
Oppa and he hugged each other shortly. We all sat down and began eating the soup oppa's mother prepared.
"So this is Son Na-eun. She's my girlfriend." Oppa said slightly embarrassed although I already introduced myself earlier.
"And these are my brother Tae-soon and my mother." Oppa said and I nodded.
"Ah, these are for you" I said as I pulled the bouquet out and handed it to oppa's mother. "And also some chocolates" I took them out of the small bag.
"Oh thank you so much. What a nice and pretty young girl" oppa's mother said and I smiled happily at the compliment.
"By the way" Tae-soon-shi said after a while.
"Yes?" I answered.
"You don't have to call me Tae-soon-shi. It sounds so distant."
"Ah, ne. But how should I call you then?"
"How about 'ajubeoni'?" He said and smiled widely.
I immediately blushed again while oppa choked on his food.
I patted his back panicky while he stuttered while trying to come down "H-hyung!"
"Hyung, stop it. You're embarrassing!" he tried again after he managed to swallow.
He sounded upset but his lips were twisted to a little smile.
I couldn't help but smile at that. At the thought that oppa might be thinking about a future with me. About a future where I wasn't only his girlfriend although that was already plenty enough.
Taemin's P.O.V
"Thank you for today" I said and gave her a short kiss on the lips.
"Thank you for introducing me to your parents." She said and smiled lightly.
"See you soon" she said and got out of the car after another sweet kiss.
I waved and waited till she disappeared into the building.
Although the public was now aware of our relationship it still wasn't comfortable for me to see my picture in the news the next morning.
After that I drove to the dorm.
"Hey, how was it?" Onew-hyung asked as soon as I came in.
He was carrying a bucket of fried chicken to the couch.
"Good, they liked her" I said and sat down next to him. "Where are the others?"
"Jonghyun has a schedule, Minho went home and Kibum... I don't know" he said and grinned.
He went back to the kitchen and opened the fridge.
"Do you want some beer?" he asked when Kibum-hyung came through the door.
"I want some!" he said and sighed.
Onew-hyung brought some cans of beer to the living room followed by Key-hyung who had brought some late night snack.
"Just drink with us, Taemin" Kibum-hyung said and sat down exhausted.
I simply nodded and opened the cans for Onew-hyung and Kibum-hyung before I took one for me.
"Did something happen today?" Onew-hyung asked him worried.
"Well, I met up with Eunji-ya today"
"So how did it go?"
"Well, we had fun but...it was just kinda awkward when we got too close sometimes."
"It's gonna be ok, hyung" I said and tried to console him.
"Well, you're also the lucky one here! You have a public relationship! You don't have to hide, you little punk!" He said and pinched my cheeks.
"Itsch 'urts!" I complained but he only continued to stretch my cheeks further apart.
"Okay, that's enough" Onew-hyung said and tried to free me but failed miserably.
I looked at the table and realized that five cans were already gone.
Half an hour later the door opened again and Jonghyun-hyung came in.
"Help me!" I cried out and waved from my position.
He laughed hysterically at the sight of a dead-drunk Kibum-hyung and a sleeping Onew-hyung on top of me.
"Get them off, hyung!" I whined.
After he calmed down he got Onew-hyung on the couch and finally attempted to pull Kibum-hyung off.
He let himself be pulled off but starred ranting all the way to his room.
"Am I cute?" he repeated the whole time while he appealed his aegyo.
"Why are they drunk?" Jonghyun-hyung asked after he put Kibum-hyung to bed.
"Kibum-hyung had a bad day" I said.
"And Onew-hyung suggested to drink?"
"That's right"
"How come you're not drunk?"
"I have a schedule tomorrow"
He only nodded. He then patted my head and went to the bathroom.
I decided that it was time to go to bed now and went to my room after putting a blanket on Onew-hyung who had stayed on the sofa.
What time is it now? I looked at the clock. It's 11:30.
Naeun's P.O.V
I picked up my phone immediately.
"Un, oppa?"
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"I'm at the convenience store right now"
"It's late. You should be home already."
"I was buy we ran out of toothpaste so Chorong-unni and I went to buy it."
"I see. So you're still there?"
"Yes, we're almost at the cash regist...Ah!"
I fell down backwards and looked up at the guy I just bumped into.
"Naeun-ah!" Chorong-unni shouted.
"Um...I'm sorry" I said still dumbfounded.
"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" The guy asked me and helped me up.
"Naeun-ah? Naeun-ah? What happened? Is everything alright?" Oppa's voice asked me through the phone.
"Yes, I just bumped into someone because I didn't pay attention."
"Maybe we should hang up then" he said.
But I still wanted to talk to him! I was about to protest when he continued "Just call me when you get home, okay?"
"Ne" I agreed and hung up.
I finally looked at the guy in front of me. He was looking at me intensely.
"Is something wrong?" I asked. I tried looked down to hide my face out of habit.
He came nearer and tried to get a look at my face.
"Oh! Naeunie!"
I looked up panicky.
"You're Son Naeun, right?"
"Yes!" I said quickly while I covered his mouth. "Um, thank you for recognizing me" I said and bowed.
"Of course I would!" He said "Why would I forget one of my closest friends?"
I finally looked at him closely. "Park Jae Min?"
"Did you forget about me, Son Naeun?"
"N-no I was just confused for a second. It's been ages! How are you?"
"Naeun-ah, we have to hurry" Chorong-unni reminded me.
"Ah, right" I said.
We all payed for our purchase and went outside.
"Naeunie, we should stay in contact." Jaemin said before we could leave.
I nodded and pulled out my phone.
We exchanged phone numbers quickly and hurried home right after.
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"Im sure they liked you."
"You think so? Well, I really liked them. By the way, I still don't know what to call your brother."
"Well, you could really call him ajubeoni" oppa mumbled quietly.
I felt my face blush at that.
"By the way, what happened at the convenience store earlier?" Oppa asked trying to change the topic.
"Ah, I bumped into this guy but he turned out to be a friend of mine."
"Your friend?"
"Yeah, from middle school. We used to hang out a lot. He was at the school you were also at. His name is Park Jaemin."
"Never heard of that name."
"I thought so. Firstly, you were occupied with being a trainee at that time and secondly, he was a grade below you."
"So he's younger than me?"
"No, he was also born in 93 but he was born in December so he's in my grade."
"Oh, you seem to know him well" he said casually.
"Yes, we were very close" I answered.
"Is that so. He must be a nice guy."
"Yes, he's always been friendly and got along with a lot of people."
"That's nice" oppa said and I could hear that his answer was forced.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing at all. Um, hey, I have a schedule tomorrow so I'm gonna go to sleep now."
"Okay" I simply answered because I knew not to annoy him and that he'll tell me soon if it bothers him too much.
"Goodnight, oppa."
"Goodnight, Naeun-ah. Sleep tight. I hope you have sweet dreams" he said and I could feel that he meant every word.
I smiled at that. He was still him, even when he was upset.
"Thank you. I miss you."
I could almost see his smile through his humming and ended the call on that note.
I saw some mistakes I had made (with the time line) so I corrected them and looked out for typos while I was at it. So nothing major~