Taemin in real life.

Part 27

The next month was busy. As well as the plans going through for Jonghyun's and my own solo albums, the other guys being busy on their own solo activities we got really busy towards the end of the month. As a group, we had another repackaged album coming out, so again we needed to practice for the shows we would need to do in August. As well as several concert dates that we have at the end of the month, taking us to Japan for two days, one in Taiwan the next month, one in Thailand the month after and one in China another month later.

Jen came with us to Japan for the shows there. Again, she had to go separately from us, with the staff who had been kind to her. She got to know the security staff well, but she would just pose as a regular traveller travelling alone, being unfazed with travelling, she would just avoid us as if she didn't even know who we were. I made sure the staff I trusted the most kept an eye on her and she never complained or argued that she had to travel with us this way.

At the end of July in Japan Exo were also there. It was at these shows she also got to know a few of the other groups who we were friendly with. She got along well with Donghae and Eunhyuk from Super Junior, as they were around similar ages, and turns out she had a lot in common with Donghae. She was comfortable with Amber, and I think she enjoyed having someone to speak English fluently with, but not so much with the other girls from f(X). Even Krystal Jongins girlfriend was cold towards her, and I later found out that was because she thought I should have been seeing her sister. It became obvious to most of us she was not going to get along with most of the girls or girl groups. She was older than most of them and didn't have the same personality at all. She greeted them all as friendly as she usually did when she met anyone new but they all avoided her. It was as if she was the plague.

I spoke to Jinki and Jonghyun about it after the first night of the shows.

'There's nothing you can do. They see it like, some kind of betrayal.' Jonghyun said rather profoundly.

'The younger girls do, but the older ones don't care. I think it's more a language thing,' Jinki said.

'Betrayal?' I questioned looking between them. Jonghyun and Jinki exchanged glances.

'Ok, so they have worked hard to be here like we all have. Some of them think they deserve to 'be' with the male idols too. Like it's their right and no one else's. They would act similarly to an actress taking our interests too. It's just this is worse because they see Jen as some fan who got lucky.' Jonghyun explained.

'That's crazy.' I exclaimed.

'Yeah, we know, but how many regular people do we all know? We have friends and people we have known our whole lives, but few 'regular' friends we've met since we've debuted.' Said Jinki. 'They're intimidated and worried she might tell the world something about them.'

They were right, and it was frustrating. I felt partially guilty for throwing her into this situation. After all I had brought her here after meeting her randomly.
I was thankful for one thing though. She didn't bother me when I was busy. She seemed to be able to adapt to my situation without complaining. Some days I would leave before she woke up and return back when she was asleep without messaging her or calling her at all that day. This was just how I was. She never once questioned me, complained, or burdened me with guilt about it.

I was still mildly annoyed at how close she had got with Chanyeol. Whenever he wasn't working he was with her. He seemed to be with her more than I was. But in some ways, I was glad. She hadn't got close to everyone she met, she told me one night she wasn't the kind of person who had 600 friends, but preferred to have a few close friends. Chanyeol and her seemed to just get each other and there were days I found it hard to hide my jealousy over how easily they got along and how easily she could talk to him and not me. He made her laugh in ways I couldn't no matter how hard I tried. But I trusted her, and didn't feel like she kept anything from me.