------------------------------------------

Taemin dashed at the door when he heard the doorbell rang. He hastily opened it and jumped to Key for a light hug.

 

Taemin: What happened? Are you okay hyung? (His eyes examined Key all over as if a tragic accident could have happened. The other guys followed slowly as Taemin led his ‘mother’ towards the sofa. Key, with a smile almost reaching his ears, ruffled Taemin’s mushroom head as they paced.)

Jonghyun: What’s with the big smile?

 

(With curious eyes, they gathered around Key to hear his side of the story. Taemin was the nearest, Minho was on the other way around.)

 

Onew: What’s making you speechless?

...

 

Key: ahem.

 

Jonghyun gave him a big pat on his back.

 

Jonghyun: That thrill effect is effective. Just tell us bro.

Key: Well, the basketball plan did not work. I can’t believe she shoot that ball on a three-point spot just like that.

Taemin: Jungmal? Then she threw the ball right through your face, didn’t she?(his eyes are as eager as a child listening to his mother’s fairytale story)

Key: She did not. Of course she did not. She grabbed my face near to hers...and

Onew and Jonghyun: AND WHAT?

Taemin: She spanked you? (Jongew chuckled)

Key: Oh come on, son. I guess you are far harsher than noona. 

Onew: Did you find out her name?

Key: *sigh* I didn’t.

Minho: So did she kiss you?

Everyone looked at Minho at once like he has said something very creepy. Key stood up and gathered his arms around Minho’s shoulders.

Key: Jealous?

Minho: I am just asking guys. That’s common sense.

Everyone gathered around Minho, teasing and tickling him leaving the conversation undone.

---------------------------------------------------

 

Just another day. I woke up quite early for the invisible taping. I’m now dressed up but I’m hesitant to go out early. I’m waiting for Key’s....*ring ring*... yeah.. I was about to say that. I’m waiting for Key’s call. 

“Yah! Pretty noona. Good morning.”

“What’s so good in the morning?”

“You.”

I rejected the call at once. After about 10 seconds, I received an expected follow-up call.

“Hello noona? Did I piss you off? Bian.”

“No, I just accidentally pressed the reject button,” I lied.

“I’m already here noona. Are you coming?”

“I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”

He sent me an SMS last night. He thanked me for a wonderful day yesterday and all that cheezy stuff. (But seriously, that day was quite cheerful. He taught me skiing so I didn’t get to bully him that much.) He sent me the details of the venue for the second day of the date. Dang! That term really makes me feel sick. I’m waiting for Webster to create another term for that.

---------------------------------------------

Onew: Taemin? What’s keeping you busy? You’ve been walking back and forth like a pendulum.

Jonghyun: *laughs*Hey! Hey! Take it easy bro. You look really funny. *laughs*

Taemin: Noona is so bad, hyungs. How could he treat Onew hyung like a dorky pet? She’s getting into my nerves. (He’s really thinking like an Einstein when he suddenly paused... smiled... and brushed through the sofa where Jonghyun and Onew are sitting watching a classic movie. Taemin’s knees are on the floor, his head are held quite high like a child begging for a candy, and his eyes looked like that of a baby wanting some more milk.)  Hyungs.....?

Jonghyun and Onew: What?! (They seemed to be really disturbed from serious watching.)

Taemin: LET’S FOLLOW THEM?

(Even Minho who is sitting on a separate couch reading some English novel, had to react.)

Jonghyun, Onew, Minho: WHAT???

 

(Taemin approached Minho instead, grabbed the book he is holding and pulled him up so as to set him standing.)

Minho: Why should we?

Taemin: Look at what he did with Onew hyung. That girl is fatal. Now he’s doing the same with Key hyung. Are you not worried? I can imagine her now dragging Key up a hill, and then she’ll request a dog to chase him to death, and then she will grab some knife and...

(Jonghyun stood. He raised his arms, clutched it just aback of Taemin’s neck, and placed his arms at Taemin’s shoulders.)

Jonghyun: We understand you Taemin dongsaeng. You’re acting like everyone’s child again. But...

Onew: But I am okay now Taemin-ah. You really don’t have to worry about me.

Taemin: No you aren’t!

Onew: I am...

(Taemin grabbed both Onew and Jonghyun’s hands. They can’t refuse anymore when Taemin shows them his pleading baby eyes. It makes them feel guilty of conscience. Minho has to follow.)

 

----------------------------------------------------

I got there after thirty minutes though. Key’s big smile welcomed me.

“Wow, what is that basket for? Don’t tell me we are going to have a picnic. It’s winter!” I am always filled with comments so be it.

“Of course I know it’s winter noona. But isn’t it cool to have picnic on winter? Like playing basketball on a slippery court just like yesterday?”

“That did not work remember?”

For the second time around, he grabbed my hand again as we ran together. I have to run with him because his big hands felt like handcuffs. I have to ask the same question I posed yesterday.

“Where are we heading to?” I was panting. “Don’t tell me it’s another secret.”

“Not much of a secret, noona. Hehe.” Then he accelerated.

He led me upstairs of a building. My eyes were suspicious.

“What place is this?” we are still racing with an invisible opponent. He did not spit an answer until we reached the place.

.

.

.

At last he slowly let go of my hands as he transfered both of his palm to his knees as he panted, and so did I.

“What is this place?”

“Obviously, we are at the rooftop Noona.”I spanked him. I don’t buy stupid answers.

“Of course I know that! I need a better answer.” He scratched his head right where I hit him.

“Oh, this is one of my favorite spots since I was eight years old. I come over here when I feel extremely sad or the other way around. I can shout everything I want to when I’m here. I even practice my high vocal chords here by the time I realized I could sing.”

His tone is quite melodramatic so I didn’t bother giving a remark. The place looked like an old elementary school. I realized it was a Saturday so there’s not a single student visible yet. He laid out a big pink mat and started taking out some food and drinks.

“That looks delicious!” I grabbed one of the dishes he placed inside a lunchbox with Snoopy prints.

“I especially cooked that for you noona,” he continued on preparing the dishes.

“That’s so nice of you!” I sounded nicer as I continued on gobbling the scrumptious food. “This is really yummy. Did you really cook all of these?”

“I did!”

“I can’t cook FYI.”

“I can cook for you when you want to, noona. Just call me up!” he got invigorated.

“That’s so nice! I will really call you one of these days!” I nearly choked so he hastily handed over a bottle of drink.

“Thanks.”

I didn’t get to talk too much as I munched almost every bit of every slice like tomorrow’s gonna be my end. He was looking at me from time to time but I never minded that. My attention is on the food... and.....

“Did you hear that?” My statement sounded like a horror movie line.

“What?” His face looked like a horror actor too -and it’s funny.

“Look over there.” I commanded him. I folded my eyes and got back his attention while he was searching over. My distorted face scared him a lot which made me laugh even more worse.

He sighed, “That scared me noona. Really.”

“Scared eh? It’s noontime ducKey.”

His emotions shifted from fear to glee. That term makes him laugh a lot.

I heard another weird noise behind the stairs at the exit door. I can assure someone’s there.

-----------------------------

Minho: I guess she noticed us.

Taemin: sssshhhhhh......

Jonghyun: Why don’t we...

Taemin: sssshhhhhh......

Onew: What if we…

Taemin: sssshhhhhhh.....

 

Onew signalled them to go before they get caught. Taemin kept on saying ‘ssshhh’ so the other three agreed on silencing him instead so they pulled him downstairs with Jonghyun covering Taemin’s mouth with his right hand so they could escape. They can’t wait for his next actions. They’re really dead meats if noona finds out. Taemin looked really funny.

-----------------------------

“They are following us.”

“Who?” he looked around.

“The other members, but I guess they left already.”

Key laughed, “I guess Taemin led that hunt. Haha”

“Why?”

“His role at home is more like that of a child of mine. Ridiculously, he considered me as his second mother. I cook for them in the morning and prepare his food. I even iron his clothes before he goes to school...”

“Pause there...”, I interrupted. “School? He goes to school?”

“Yeah, he does. He’s in junior high.”

“That’s amazing!”

“Yeah. He’s actually a sharp-witted person though he acts really childish. He’s got good I.Q. you know. He’s practicing English nowadays; Minho serves as his private free tutor.”

“You know, I find Taemin cute. Really cute.” My smile made me feel like betraying Key... and Sang Beom oppa.

“Chinja?” he paused and spat a sigh. “That’s good. He really is. My son indeed has amazing charms. Maybe it’s because of his mushroom head. Haha.”

“Why is he following anyway?” 

“Because he thinks....” 

“...thinks what?”

“that ... that you might do the same with me. Remember you and Onew and the roller coaster ride?”

That startled me. So it was a big issue then. I never thought I was that brutal. I don’t know how to react. Guilty. Very guilty. I bowed my head. “Sorry for that.”

My facial expression made him feel blameworthy of saying something like that. “No, no, he’s okay now. I bet he will forgive you for that. It isn’t your fault noona. Arasso?”

I nodded innocently.

“Will it be okay if we go to the last venue?”

“So there’s another?”

He smiled, “this one is special.” He winked.

He might have really prepared. I’m glad about the effort but it motivated me to bully him after all. I closed my palm and hit my head lightly. Why do I always think of hurting people?

“Are you tired noona?” we were walking but he’s not holding my hands this time.

“Yeah.” I sighed.

“Don’t worry. We’re near,” he smiled.

So, it was some sort of a half-romantic date. Yeah, just half. He rented this one-storey resto with all these candlelight drama.

“This is corny!”

“Why?” he is still smiling. Taemin and Key makes a really good mother-son tandem. They smile forever... though I think Taemin smiles more.

“You rented the whole restaurant for a candlelight dinner? So.... ridiculous!”

He burst into laughter.

“This isn’t for us noona. And I did not rent this. This is ours, I mean our family’s own resto. I just requested the chefs to have some break so I could teach you some cooking skills!”

 I smacked him. He is so rude. I realized he did not just prepare for a wholesome date, he prepared a lot of pranks too. Then I followed him inside the kitchen and he taught me once again. My cooking lessons is the last session for Key’s date. I couldn’t deny it, it was simply fun.