In a world where dreams and fame collide, Naeun is a hardworking freelance model trying to balance her studies while secretly in love with Taemin, the rising star of SHINee. Their romance began when he was just a trainee and grew stronger as he prep...
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☾ ⋆･ﾟ:⋆･ﾟ:✧⋆.:･ﾟ✧.: ⋆*･ﾟ: .⋆ ☾
Taemin's POV,
Navigating the bustling city streets, my heart felt unusually heavy, weighed down by the day's events. As I pulled up to Naeun's house, a pang of sadness hit me when I saw her weary expression, her smile strained and lacking its usual warmth. "Goodbye," she waved, her voice soft, barely masking the exhaustion beneath the surface. I watched her retreat, feeling the guilt gnaw at me, the unspoken apology stuck in my throat. She was enduring so much, and all I could do was drive away.
As I headed toward the entertainment building, my thoughts swirled like a storm. Naeun's tired face, the growing concerns among my SHINee members, Joonwoon's serious demeanor—all of it tugged at me, each thought louder than the last. How had everything spiraled out of control so quickly? I had known the rumors would surface, but facing the reality was far more harrowing than I had ever anticipated.
Fear gripped me tighter as I considered the consequences. I tried to comfort Naeun, but deep down, I couldn't deny my own anxieties. No matter how hard I tried to push them down, they lingered, unresolved and ever-present. I inhaled deeply, shutting my eyes for a brief moment, forcing myself to regain some sense of composure.
When I finally parked and stepped into the familiar confines of the entertainment building, I headed straight for the practice room. Minho's tap on my shoulder snapped me out of my daze. "Hey," he greeted quietly, his eyes full of concern. I mustered a weak smile, more for his sake than mine, and began warming up for the session, trying to shake off the day.
"We overheard the staff talking earlier. The rumors came up again," Minho said cautiously as he stretched, his words hanging in the air.
I sighed, the weight of it all crashing down on me. "That's hardly reassuring," I muttered, running a hand through my messy hair, feeling more disheveled than ever.
Onew chimed in, "I might have misheard, but I'm pretty sure I heard 'pictures' and 'Dispatch.'" His words caused my focus to waver just as the remaining members entered the room, ready to practice.
Minho continued, "The higher-ups kept asking if we knew anything about it, but we told them you've been with us at practice the whole time. We covered for you."
Onew added, "We said it was probably just a friend outing. If they have any photos, it's likely just angles or a camera trick."
The words "pictures" and "Dispatch" echoed in my mind, a chilling refrain. Could it be that they actually had compromising images? The anxiety gnawed at me, churning in my stomach, making it harder and harder to focus on anything else. The practice session felt endless, my mind elsewhere as my movements became mechanical.
After practice ended and the others left, only Joonwoon and I remained. "Naeun knows," I confessed before he could ask. "I assured her it's just speculation, but still..."
