Naeun's P.O.V
It had been over a week since oppa and I came back from Spain.
And I have been flooded with jobs and gigs because I wasn't here the first few days when PSY-sunbaenim's new album came out.
So, now I have to make up for all the time and give interviews and make appearances.
Meanwhile oppa has been as free as he had ever been. Almost every day he would wait at my dorm with some special food he brought and ask me about my work.
Our roles have reversed from before when I've waited for weeks and still couldn't meet him.
It kind of feels like he suddenly became unemployed.
But I know this won't last long. Just next month he has to fly to Japan again. But we will also start to prepare for our next album soon so it actually fits.
But today he had texted me otherwise.
Instead of the usual "What do you want to eat?" came a message all the tabloids and news sites would gossip about for the next few weeks.
Oppa: Sorry, I can't come today
Oppa: I need to be somewhere else today. I'll explain soon
Son Naeun: Oh, is something wrong? He's not hurt, right?
Oppa: Well, kind of... I'll tell you soon
Oppa: Or maybe you'll see it in the news first. Anyway I'll tell you next time
Son Naeun: Got it, see you soon
Taemin's P.O.V
"Jongin-ah, I brought you your favorite, chicken!" I announced as soon as I stepped through the door.
"Hyung, I said I'm fine!" he laughed but took the food anyway.
We got the food ready and started to eat.
"Why is it so quiet?" I asked and looked around seeing no one. "It's not possible that 8 people are all out on the same evening!"
"Yeah, some are sleeping, some have plans, some left because I said you were coming over," he nonchalantly explained while he ate.
"Am I that scary a Sunbae?" I joked.
"Didn't you know everyone fears Shinee? Why do you think you guys always get the practice room?" he replied jokingly.
"So, do you wanna talk?" I asked him.
"Not really," he shrugged.
"Did she break your heart?"
"Not really," he shrugged again.
"Then did you break her heart?"
"No!" he exclaimed.
"So what did I come for?"
He laughed at that.
"We're okay. We won't really be friends anymore but we're okay," Jongin-ah explained. "If I had known it would end up like this, I would still have done it. It was fun and it was thrilling and I was happy with her."
"She might not have been happy with you."
He laughed again, "Then she should have broken up with me."
"True that. So, no break-up box?" I asked.
"I'm fine, hyung!"
"Alright, but don't call me when you wake up at midnight and want to see her."
"I can't promise that," he joked again but more serious than before.
I sighed, "I'll come running for you."
I looked out the window, "It's not dark yet. Want to go out and do something fun?"
"Wanna go see whether the practice room is free?" Jongin-ah asked with a sparkle in his eyes. "We haven't danced together for a while already."
"Alright, let's go," I smiled.
.
.
.
"Look, there's a free spot at this practice room. Let's go there," I said and showed him the plan.
He nodded, put his arm around my shoulders and started moving.
We heard muffled voices coming out of the room but the room itself was dark. I looked at Jongin-ah questioningly and he just shrugged.
I opened the door abruptly and turned on the light.
Two bewildered faces stared at us when the lights went on. Those two faces were no other than Krystal's and Luna's.
"Oh, that's where the switch was!" Luna exclaimed.
"We were planning to use this practice room since it's free but I guess you had the same plan," I explained.
"Yeah, but I think there's another one free. Can we have this one?" Luna asked.
For a second I wondered why we couldn't use this one together but I found the reason when I turned back to ask for Jongin-ah's opinion.
"Yeah, no problem...," I said but just as I was about to turn back a voice I hadn't expected stopped me.
"Wait! We can just use this one together," Krystal suggested. At the same time everyone in the room turned to look at the person closest to the door, Jongin-ah.
"Th-that's fine," he stuttered but smiled genuinely. His smile was directed at one specific person. She smiled back and exactly three seconds later both of them looked away remembering that they had broken up.
Luna put on some music and all of us started warming up in silence. I looked at the four us standing before the mirror and couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
"What was that?" Luna asked.
"It's kind of funny. Back then we all learned dancing in this very same practice room and even now we can't help but return back here."
She laughed as well, "That's true. In the end we all do go way back."
Everyone smiled and finished warming up so we could finally start dancing. We started with some random uncoordinated moves but soon we had some old K-pop songs playing and recalled choreographies we used to do for monthly evaluations.
We lost track of the time but at some point all of were sitting on the ground drenched in sweat exhausted but satisfied. We just had so much fun dancing together. We haven't done this in years.
"Enough of that you two!" Luna suddenly broke the silence. "You don't have to steal glances at each other like middle school kids! It's perfectly normal to look at other people."
Both Jongin-ah and Krystal looked up flustered. They really thought no one had noticed their very obvious behavior.
"It's just...," Krystal played with a strand of her hair and looked so shy and embarrassed like never before.
"We broke up but we still haven't exactly gotten over each other," she managed to voice the situation.
"You don't have to get over each other in a day!" Luna said. "Some people can but it's perfectly fine if you can't just go cold turkey in one day. Just stop it with those shy looks. We're more embarrassed here than you are!"
Both of them looked like little kids being scolded. Luna sighed, "You don't have to avoid each other or anything. Just be yourself. Do what you want to do. If you don't want to ignore each other, then don't! When you decided to stay in the same room earlier. Just like that you can take your time getting used to your new position."
All of us nodded and smiled at each other. I think it was something like fate that we met at this practice room like this. Otherwise would Jongin-ah and Krystal have been able to hear Luna's helpful advice?
This was more of a side chapter. We are nearing the end. But I'll probably make another big time skip so we'll actually get somewhere and not just drag this in further. You'll see soon.
I realized that I still have to write the Victon chapter. Maybe I'll just do it at the end when the story's finished😅