"Can I come in?"

The secretary shook her head "he's in a meeting"

"Will he finish anytime soon?"

"I don't know" she said before turning her gaze back to the computer screen, apparently, the young actor wasn't interesting enough for her to keep talking, she met many of his kind every day.

Minho gave her a bad look before he went to sit at the waiting area, at the moment his touched the chair the director's office door swung open and a young man came out of it angrily.

Frowning, he got up and walked into the office without waiting for the secretary to allow it, he knocked on the door even though it was open just to catch the director's attention.

"Yes, Minho?" the director said, he looked frustrated, obviously his meeting hadn't gone well.

"I wanted to talk to you about my character"

The director gestured with his hand for him to talk faster, the last thing he wanted now was to talk about anyone’s character.

"Well, I was thinking maybe you could arrange a meeting with Lee Taemin, obviously he would know all the necessary-"

"He just walked out" the director cut him off while pinching the bridge of his nose tiredly.

"The blonde-?" Minho asked surprised, without waiting for an answer he rushed out of the office, the director called his name but he ignored him, he had to meet Lee Taemin. From the moment he passed the audition he knew he had to meet this man, he knew that man could teach him the best about his character.  

Outside the studio, Minho found Lee Taemin leaning against his car at the parking lot, he looked tired, his trembling fingers held a cigarette close to his mouth though hadn't smoked it. He was even prettier than the pictures Minho saw in the papers, his face was delicate, the blonde hair that framed his face made his skin glow, his eyes were big and bright, his puffy lips had a pinkish shade, though his body was slim it was also broad. However, his gentle look- even fragile- couldn't hide the fact he was stormy.

"Lee Taemin?" Minho asked as he got closer to him.

The young man gave him a suspicious look "yes?"

"My name is Choi Minho" he said and reached his hand for a shake, Taemin hadn't shaken it though "I play –"

"I know who you are" he cut him off and threw his cigarette to the ground before he crushed it with his foot.

"Oh” Minho chuckled nervously and pulled his hand back “well, I just want to say that it's a big honor for me to play Kai's character, and-"

"Jongin"

"I beg your pardon?"  

"His name was Jongin, Kai was just a stage name. For someone who plays his character, you should have least known that"

Embarrassed, Minho scratched his nape, the young man was right "oh, well, that was actually what I wanted to talk to you about"

Taemin shook his head without even listening to what he had to say, he pushed his body from the car and opened the driver's door to get in.

Surprised, Minho held the door and tried to stop him from leaving "wait!"

"Excuse me?!" Taemin glared at him.

"Look, I was just wondering maybe we could meet, I would love to learn about Kai- I mean, Jongin, I believe it would help me to act his character better"

Taemin looked angry as he said "listen, Choi-"

"Please, call me Minho" he tried to ease with a smile.

"-Whatever. The only reason for this movie is because Jongin's mother wishes to film it, so excuse me…" he said and got into the car, he slammed the door hard and woke the engine to life.

Minho tried to knock on the window but the young man ignored him and drove away.

Shocked, he watched the car driving out of the studio’s parking lot, he truly thought Taemin would be nice, he even thought he’d be glad to help him, after all, it was a movie about his late husband.  

Turning back into the studio Minho’s foot stepped on something, he looked down and saw a wallet, he picked it up, cash, credit cards, some business cards and ID, Smiling to himself Minho knew he'll meet Lee Taemin again. Soon.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Taemin sighed heavily and looked down at Jongin's grave, his heart felt heavy on his chest, placing a single rose on the cold gravestone he said a little pray for his late husband before he turned back to his car. He drove slowly out of the cemetery and headed to the highway toward his clinic. Though he should have taken the day off he decided that work would keep his mind busy.

"Dr. Lee" the secretary called at the moment he got into the clinic “you have a visitor" she said, her voice suggestive "she said she'll wait in your office. I'm sorry, she wouldn't wait at the waiting room like I asked her to…"

Taemin nodded, he had a feeling that his mother in law already found out about his little visit at the studio the day before, the woman had her eyes everywhere. Sighing, he forced his legs to move.

In his office, his mother in law sat by his desk, her figure straight and stiff, she looked like a warrior ready for a battle.

"Annyeonghaseyo Eomeoni" Taemin said politely and closed the door behind him, though they had their conflicts he never been rude to her, guess deep down inside he still wished her to accept him.

"YOU!" she said dangerously as she got up from the chair, pointing her finger at him "going behind my back, trying to sabotage everything!”

Taemin tried to keep his expression calm while she accused him.

"How dare you?! Trying to erase my son's memory…"

"It’s not a memory, nothing at the script is real, Mrs. Kim, it tells nothing about Jongin’s real life and tells about his glory much more than it really was"

His words made her angrier "do you really believe I would glorify the fact he was married to you? A man?!"

"I never asked you to..."

"You're mentioned in the script only because the writers insisted, they said it would sell better to tell about his personal life, if only I could…" she said with a threatening voice "the movie is going to be filmed rather you like it or not and there is nothing you could do about it"

She stomped her way out of the office, her heels tapped the floor loudly with every step she took.

Taemin felt weak, his body trembled as he fumbled for his chair and crushed on it, his breaths became harsh and the need for a cigarette made him edgy.

He looked through his drawers for one and placed it in between his lips, tears sprang in his eyes when he lit the tip, the smoke filled his lungs and burnt him from the inside, he kept reminding himself that as long as he won't give his permission nobody could use his name as a character in the movie and without his character…

However, he wasn’t stupid to think that Jongin’s mother would give up so easily, too much money was involved.  

Sharp beep echoed at the clinic and draw his attention, he cursed underneath his breath and crushed his cigarette in an ashtray on his desk, his hand waved the smoke away, he forgot about the fire alarm.

"Dr. Lee!" the secretary rushed into his office worriedly "the fire alarm-" she shut when she saw what caused the alarm work.

"I'm sorry" Taemin said guiltily as he got up from his chair to turn off the alarm.

"Dr. Lee, you have to be careful, you know you can't smoke at the clinic" she scolded.

"I know, I'm sorry"

When the office became quiet again the secretary said "your 10 o'clock patient is here. He's early"

Nodding, Taemin said "let him into the treatment room, I'll be right come"

She nodded and got out of the office.

The last man Taemin had been expected to see in the treatment room sat on the chair and smiled at him.

"Hi..."

"What are you doing here?" he asked surprised.  

Minho leaned back comfortably "You know, I would have never guessed you’re a dentist”

“What are you doing here?” Taemin repeated, this time sharply.

Minho shrugged and gestured his mouth.

The young man looked like he used all of his strength to move closer, he pushed his chair next to him and sat before he fixed the lamp above him just enough to blind him, crossing his hands over his chest he waited for Minho to explain what he truly came for. However, the actor just opened his mouth for him to check his teeth.

Playing his game, Taemin wore gloves to his hands and a mask to his face, he pushed his finger into Minho's mouth making him open it wider before he pushed cotton rolls on each side of his inner cheeks, he used an oral mirror to exam his teeth, his touch wasn’t gentle but it was just because he wasn’t pleased to see him.

"Nice pl-a-" Minho tried to talk, for some reason he thought that a small talk would be appreciated at the moment.

"Please don’t talk while my hand is in your mouth” Taemin said.

"Oh, ye-s, op-cour..s"  

Taemin pushed the oral mirror against Minho’s tongue as he repeated his words, their eyes met for a brief moment, the way the actor looked at him made him uncomfortable, shifting in his chair he lowered his gaze back to his mouth, his hand moved automatically over his teeth as he tried to concentrate on anything but his eyes.

Minho stared at the young man, his closeness sent a weird shiver to his body.

Eventually, Taemin pulled the mirror from Minho's mouth, he pushed the lamp away from his eyes before he removed his mask “your teeth are perfect, you do have a gingivitis though…you should use softer brush and mouthwash” he said and fished the cotton rolls from each side of his mouth "now, can you please tell me what are you doing here?"

Minho pushed his hand into his jeans’ pocket and pulled a wallet from it, the young man's eyes widened and he reached his hand to grab it.

“You dropped it at the studio’s parking lot, don’t worry, I hadn’t taken anything”

Taemin softened “thank you”

“You should be careful, someone could have still your money” Minho said, though the look on the young man’s face taught him that money wasn’t important.

Taemin nodded  unconsciously “it was a gift, from Jongin” he mumbled quietly before he shook his head like pushing away his thoughts about his late husband "how did you know to find me here?"

Minho eyed him for a moment before he reached his hand and pulled a business card from the wallet "at first I looked at your ID, I had a feeling you're no longer live at Daegu, but then I saw this..."

Taemin looked at his own business card in Minho's hand and sighed tiredly “well, thank you for bringing back my wallet, I-”

“A cup of coffee would be a nice way to thank me” Minho cut him off with a smile he probably used on his fans.

"You can make yourself at the kitchenette on your way out, my secretary would love to help you-"

"Don’t play dumb" Minho cut him off once again.

Taemin shook his head.

Minho got up from the chair and pulled his own business card from his pocket, he handed it to the young man before he made his way out of the treatment room "call me when you’ll change your mind, I'd be more than happy to hear from you" he said and closed the door behind him.

Left alone, Taemin glanced at the card in his hand, yes, he should have taken the day off.