Chapter 5 - That Unique Feeling Called Love

[theclumsywitch]

Title: _
That Unique Feeling Called Love

Main Characters: _
Onew, Minho, Taemin, Key, Jonghyun (SHINee)

Main Fictional Characters : _
Kim Mira, Park Haneul, Kwon Sunyoung, Seo Hani, Lee Nayoung

Genre: _
Romance, Fluff, Comedy, Friendship

Summary: _
The Shinee boys had never experienced love before, until they met the girls coincidentally on a random day.

Chapter 5 - Key's Story

“Explain what?” Key asked suddenly as he approached his two members who were having a glaring competition down in the living room. He was dressed in his best clothes and of course, everything looked perfect on Key, since he was the known Diva in Shinee.

“He’s been seeing a girl!” Minho pointed at Taemin.

“Him too!” Taemin retorted.

“Yah! Today’s the second time I met her okay! What about you? It seems you have been dating for quite some time!” Minho accused.

“We’re just friends okay! She’s a really good friend!” Taemin answered angrily before stomping into the bedroom and slamming the door shut.

“Um, did that just happen?” Key asked, gaping for a moment.

“Yeah. Sort of.” Minho shrugged. Then he looked at Key. “And what’s with you Kibum? Do you have an event or something this morning?”

Key smiled wide. “I’m going to do some volunteering work.”

“Volunteering? Where?” Minho asked frowning.

“Somewhere… It’s for me to know and for you to find out.” Key said with a smirk.

“Is Choi hyung aware of this?”

“Well of course! He’s driving me there!” Key replied.

“Why volunteer all of a sudden?”

“Aigoo! Do I need to explain everything to you Choi Minho?” Key sighed as he waved both his hands into the air. “Sometimes, celebrities like us should do some volunteering work. Besides making us look good on tv, it also teaches us to be more aware of the unfortunate people living around us. Do you get that?”

“But what kind of volunteering work are you doing?” Minho kept on pestering Key with more questions.

“Yah! Can you please mind your own business as of now? I need to go now!” Key exclaimed, shutting Minho off, before heading towards the exit. “I’ll be back soon!” Key called out before leaving.

******

Key stepped out of the van and looked at the orphanage building in front of him. He gave a smile and kept telling himself not to be nervous. He then turned towards the van and gave his manager a wave.

“Kibum, if you want to go off earlier, just give me a call, ahrasso?” Manager Choi told him.

“Ne hyung. You go off first.” Key said, waving his manager off and soon, Key was standing in the parking lot all alone.

Key heaved in a deep breath before walking towards the general office to declare his presence to the staff. This volunteering work that he was going to do later was actually an optional activity for him. The main reason for him to do this volunteering work was because of a certain girl he had met about a month ago during one of the charity event which Shinee was invited to. And of course, that said girl, living by the name of Seo Hani, was also one of the volunteers at the orphanage.

For almost a month long, Key had been busy investigating about the orphanage. Even through his busy schedule, Key had managed to search through the internet and even asked his manager to help him called up the orphanage to make some enquiries regarding the volunteer services. Finally, when Shinee’s album promotions period was over, Manager Choi told Key that he could start with the volunteering. Key was esthetic and immediately chose a date to start. But of course, he never told his manager the truth to why he suddenly wanted to volunteer and Key had even made him swear to not tell his members about this.

Key finally entered the office and he was warmly greeted by the orphanage manager, Ms Eunhye. She was in her late forties and she was indeed a very friendly woman. Key felt more at home with her outgoing personality and motherly nature.

“Everyone here calls me ‘ommonim’. You should call me that too.” Ms Eunhye said with a smile. “You are old enough to be my son!”

“Ne Ms Eun… I mean ommonim.” Key gave a bow causing the woman to chuckle lightly.

“Okay then, I will let you help oversee the younger children then.” Ms Eunhye told him. “I’ve seen a few episodes of ‘Hello Baby’ myself and I must say, I am indeed impressed with your credibility in looking after toddlers.”

“Aniyo, it’s just that I really love kids.” Key said with a shy smile.

“I love your attitude Key-ssi.”

“Ommonim, just call me Kibum. I’m old enough to be your son, remember?” Key said with a grin.

“Ahrasso, ahrasso. You got me there Key-ssi, I mean Kibum.” Ms Eunhye smiled. “Come, let me introduce you to some of our volunteers here.”

“Are all volunteers youngsters like me?” Key asked.

“Ani. Most of them are in their thirties.” Ms Eunhye said. “But there is one volunteer who is a college student. She has been helping us for very long and she is indeed my favourite one! Come let me introduce her to you!”

Key smiled. Finally the moment which he had been waiting for!

***

Key stepped lightly behind Ms Eunhye as they entered the toddlers’ room. It was cheerful with pastel colours being used to be painted on the walls. The room looked cozy and spacious indeed. Key looked around to see a few toddlers crawling and playing everywhere in the room. He also saw three women in the room, whom he believed to be volunteers in the orphanage as well. Two of them looked to be around their early thirties, just like Ms Eunhye had told him earlier, while the other one looked rather young, as young as him. Key beamed. It was indeed her, the Seo Hani whom he had met previously.

Key noticed that she looked a bit different than the last time he had seen her. Her previously long hair was now shorter, around shoulder-length and she looked a little pale. But otherwise Key thought she looked beautiful. Key smiled as he continued to watch her in silence as he slightly hid himself behind Ms Eunhye.

Seo Hani was busy playing peek-a-boo with a few toddlers at the corner of the room that she did not notice Ms Eunhye and Key’s arrival. Ms Eunhye cleared her throat and Hani immediately looked up. She saw Ms Eunhye and gave a bow.

“Ommonim! You’re here!” Hani exclaimed happily before leaning in to give Ms Eunhye a hug. The older woman chuckled, returning the hug as well.

“Hani, my dear, I want you to meet someone. He’s our new volunteer.” Ms Eunhye said and Hani grinned wider.

“We have a new volunteer? Jeongmal-yo?”

“Ne, Kibum…” Ms Eunhye called out and Key immediately stepped out from her back. He had managed to hide himself perfectly behind her.

“Kibum? Kibum as in Shinee’s Key?” Hani gasped.

“Oh so you are familiar with Shinee?” Ms Eunhye asked.

“Ne! I’m a fan of their music!” Hani exclaimed with a grin.

“Annyohaesaeyo! I’m Shinee’s Almighty Key and today is my first day doing volunteer work here. Please treat me well.” Key greeted Hani with a wide smile.

“Ne, annyohaesaeyo. Seo Hani imnida. Let’s work well together!” Hani replied excitedly.

“Kibum, I’ll leave you here with Hani then. She will show you some of the things which you will need to help her with. Enjoy your day here okay?” Ms Eunhye said before leaving the room.

Hani and Key looked at each other and smiled shyly. It was awkward for a moment until one of the toddlers started to cry and Hani immediately tore her gaze away from Key. Key watched her as she knelt down in front of the boy who was crying and carried him into her arms. With a few pats on his back, the boy stopped crying. He leaned into Hani’s embrace and gave a toothy grin towards Key.

“Wow! You’re good.” Key praised before kneeling down beside Hani. He too started interacting with some of the kids who were suddenly surrounding the two of them on the floor.

Hani turned to look at him and smiled. “Don’t praise me too much. You know you’re good too. I still remember when you helped me the other day.”

“Well, that was one boy. This is more than I can manage!” Key held open his arms and Hani laughed.

“I know you’ll do fine. You have the talent.” Hani winked before walking away and Key thought his heart just stopped.

***

Key followed Hani as she brought eight little toddlers with her to the other room which had an indoor playground. Key was amazed. It looked almost similar to the one he had brought Yoogeun to during the ‘Hello Baby’ filming; only this was a little smaller.

“This looks fun!” Key said as he helped one girl to climb up the mini steps towards the slide.

“I know you want to play on it too right?” Hani chuckled.

“Ani. I’d get stuck on the slide!” Key told her laughing.

“That’s so true!” Hani grinned.

Key watched again how happy Hani was to be doing volunteer services here. He wondered how was her life was outside this volunteering work. She told him before she was a student. But he was curious to find out more about her. What course did she take? Which college was she attending? Where she lived? Did she have a boyfriend? Wait! Boyfriend?

“Key-ssi?” Key heard his name being called by that sweet voice. Key turned to look at Hani, who was smiling.

“Ne?” Key quickly replied.

“I was asking earlier, why did you suddenly think of doing volunteer work? And at an orphanage nonetheless.” Hani asked.

Key pondered for a moment. He was not sure on what to answer. If it was Minho asking him this question, he could easily come out with a reason or excuse to keep him quiet.

“Oh! It’s for my portfolio. You know now celebrities like us should have a good record at least? So my manager suggested that I do volunteer work. I was not able to think of any volunteering work except for this.” Key said and Hani nodded. “Besides we just came here a month ago. So the experience playing with the kids here made me want to come back I guess.”

“I see.” Hani nodded. “This place gives you a lot of memories.”

“Yeah, nice memories…” Key smiled, nodding in agreement. ‘Especially when the memories include you in them.’ Key thought with a smile.

“Anyway, what time do you have to leave Key-ssi?”

Key looked at his watch in disappointment. He needed to leave very soon. He could not believe he had been here for four hours straight and never once he felt tired! But unfortunately, he had a schedule to attend. “In a few minutes.” Key replied with a pout.

“Ah jeongmal-yo? Ahrasso, I think I’ll be fine here.” Hani said.

“Are you sure?” Key asked worriedly.

“Ne, don’t worry. One of the other volunteers will be here to help me.” Hani told him.

“Oh, okay.”

“Anyway, are you meeting the rest of the Shinee members later?” Hani asked him with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Ne. Why? Are you interested in any of my members?” Key eyed Hani suspiciously.

Hani laughed. “Aniyo! I’m just asking, that’s all.”

“I don’t believe you.” Key pouted as he folded his arms.

“Okay, okay. If it’s not troubling you, do you mind giving me Shinee’s autographs?” Hani asked shyly. Key noticed that her cheeks were turning red and he frowned.

“That’s all?”

“But I need about fifteen sets of autographs, is it okay?” Hani looked at Key pleadingly. Key sighed. How could he say ‘no’ to her? But he could not help but wonder why she needed fifteen sets of autographs? Was she like one of the crazy fangirls, who would do a collection of Shinee’s autographs just for fun?

“But why so many?”

“Um, it is actually not for me.” Hani told him with a shrug.

“Huh? Then?”

“It’s for the girls.” Hani sighed. “They wanted to get Shinee’s autographs last month when you guys came to perform here but by the time you guys finished your activities here, it was time for their sleep time. So they were not able to meet all of you.”

“Girls? Which girls are you referring to?” Key asked curiously.

“The orphans! They are huge fans of Shinee!” Hani explained and Key finally smiled wide.

“Ah! Of course! It’s not a trouble for me.”

“Jeongmal-yo?” Hani grinned. “Gamsahamnida Key-ssi!”

“Kibum.” Key told her.

“Ne?” Hani frowned.

“I mean, just call me Kibum.” Key blushed. “Key’s my stage name. I would want my friends to call me Kibum. We’re friends aren’t we?”

“Of course we are!” Hani nodded.

“Great!” Key replied happily before looking at his watch again. “It’s time for me to go.”

“Ne. Have a good day to you then.” Hani smiled.

“Um, is it okay if I get your phone number?” Key asked timidly before quickly explaining. “I just wanted to know more about volunteer works.”

“Ne? Sure!” Hani said and soon Key was entering her number into his mobile phone.

“I’ll be coming back here soon. Will send you a text if I’m coming okay?” Key said as he stared straight into Hani’s eyes.

“Of course! We will always look forward to see you!” Hani smiled.

A few minutes later, Key gave his farewell towards the kids and also towards the staff in the orphanage. He lingered a bit longer in saying goodbye to Hani before finally leaving towards the carpark where his manager was loyally waiting.