Hello readers :D Here's another update. Please don't forget to comment, even the smallest but of feedback can be encouraging ;D btw did you all see EXO's performance on M countdown from last week? Baekhyun's voice cracks so cutely (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxeTyfa8h2Q) XDDD And the goodbye stage was on the 14th T_T (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THyhNEbLGnA ) I hope they get a bit of a break XD anyways here it is:

You wrapped the strings back around your neck with a sigh.

"Playing," Sehun shrugged and Kai raised an eyebrow.

"'Playing?' What kind of 'playing'?"

"What kind do you think, Kai, don't you see the glowsticks are lit up?" you growled and turned the lights back on. "Thanks for stopping by, Sehun," you told him, and he nodded.

"Yeah... thank you for teaching me, hyung," he smiled, nodded at Kai, and left.

"So..." Kai sat down on your bed and crossed his arms. "What were you teaching him?"

"Dancing, thanks to someone!" you scowled at him. "Damn it, Kai, why do you have to make things difficult for me?"

"What do you mean? I'm innocent," he stuck his tongue out and you rolled your eyes. "So why don't you show me what you can do with those, Sora," he pointed at the glowsticks, but you quickly hid them into your pocket.

"Forget it. I'm busy."

"With what?"

"You know... things," you grabbed your phone from the desk and walked out the door. Amusement danced on Kai's face as he followed you out. You glared back at him.

"Stop following me."

"I'm not, I'm just walking."

"Liar. Go away, I don't need you."

"Come on, Taemin, we're best friends."

"Stalker!" you pushed his arm and he pushed you back playfully. You continued your fight until you somehow ended up at the lunchroom.

"Kai! Taemin!" Baekhyun called you. I swear, he lives in the cafeteria. "Come over here!"

The two of you went and joined him and ten other people at the table.

"What's up?"

"The date for the audition is out," he smiled.

"What audition?" you asked.

"The musical, Taemin, the musical," Suho said impatiently.

Your legs trembled.

"Hey, I gotta go pee," you said and backed out of the crowd. Baekhyun looked after you with a frown, then followed.

"Hey Taemin, are you okay? You look a bit pale..."

"I've got a stomach ache," you admitted and put your hand on your belly. "But don't worry about it."

"Alright... so, are you excited for the musical?"

"Yep. Can't wait. Should be fun. I'll make sure to record you from the audience, yeah?" you entered the bathroom. You ignored the guys at the urinals and hid in a stall.

"Audience?" Baekhyun continued talking to you. "You mean you aren't trying out?"

"I'm not feeling it this year," you said. You put your back against the wall and took deep breaths. This was really bad. If there's anything you can do worse than dancing and singing, it was dancing and singing in front of large crowds. Add acting on top of that, and you have a disaster. Please, don't ask me to join, you begged. Don't ask me. I can't join you.

"Come on, join us," Baekhyun asked and you looked at the ceiling, frustrated. You argued with him, but he just kept talking back to you, practically begging you.

"Just give me one reason not to participate," he said. "Just one reason."

He was sounding more and more like Chanyeol, with his stubborn self.

"One reason?" you called from the stall. "Alright, here it is," you flushed the toilet and walked out into the bathroom. "That's the reason. That's where my life will end up if I try out. The toilet. I'll ruin the show, Baekhyun. Trust me."

He looked at you, confused.

"Why are you saying things like that? Where did your confidence go? You're a great performer!" he put his arm on our shoulder, but you shrugged it off.

"Everyone keeps expecting me to do great, just because I'm Lee Taemin," you mumbled and immediately felt ashamed. You shouldn't be angry at your brother, for being a star. But you couldn't help feeling like a loser in comparison.

"That's not true," Baekhyun looked to the side. "I think you can do great, because I've seen you do great."

"What if..." you hesitated. "What if things changed since you saw me last school year, and I'm not so good anymore?"

"You're talking nonsense," he shook his head. "People can only get better."

"But what if," you pressured.

"Well, if things changed since last year, then not by much. I heard you sing with Suho today. You might be a bit rusty if you didn't practice over the break. But you sure as hell are just as talented as I remember you."

Your eyes grew. Was he being serious?
"Taemin, you did a good job today. And for the future, know that just because people mess up sometimes, doesn't mean that they lost their talents. Hell, I know plenty of musicians who took breaks in singing for various reasons and came back at one point. Talents remain for the lifetime, buddy. And I know a talent when I see one."

"This is all lovely and stuff," some random dude interrupted. "But can you guys get out of the bathroom? You're in the way."

You and Baekhyun smiled apologetically and left the room.

As you were walking back to the lunchroom, you took a secret glance at Baekhyun. Why was he so nice to you? Did he always get along with your brother so well? Weren't Kai or D.O. supposed to be the ones giving you advice? If this kind, understanding guy existed this whole time, why did your brother never introduce you to him?! You laughed to yourself. Whether being silly in an amusement park, or serious when you needed encouragement, you and Baekhyun surely could become friends. That much you knew for sure. As you giggled to yourself, Baekhyun looked back at you, weirded out. But he didn't say anything. Instead, a smile grew on his lips as well.

"Taemin!" Chanyeol called you. "Where'd you go?"

"Uh... bathroom."

"So, Taeminnie," Kai put his arm around you. "Best friend. What are your thoughts about the musical?"

You glanced at Baekhyun, and he nodded.

"I think... it's worth a try..." you told Kai, and he raised his eyebrows. Then, he smirked.

"Alrighty then. Hope you're up to the challenge this time."

This time...?

"Right."

"Okay guys," Chanyeol put his hand in the middle of the table. "We've been training for years, and now it's official: all of us want to do this. Today is April 3rd, which means that we have three weeks until the audition. Let's prepare an awesome show, alright?"

The guys nodded.

"ALRIGHT?!" he slammed his hand onto the table. With laughter, everyone joined in and piled their hands onto his. You hesitated for a moment, but Kai grabbed your hand and put it on top of his. You looked around. Chanyeol had a huge creeper smile on, accompanied by Baekhyun's beautiful grin. Suho's eyes were glowing with excitement, while D.O.'s grew with happiness every second, until his eyelids couldn't stretch anymore. Kai winked at you and Sehun smiled shyly when he saw you were looking at him. You couldn't help but join in.

"Are we going to do this?!" Chanyeol yelled. People in the lunchroom quieted down to glance in your direction.

"We are!" the guys replied.

"Are we going to do well?!"

"Hell yeah!" they called back and you laughed.

"ARE WE GOING TO ROCK THIS YEAR'S MUSICAL?!"

"YEEEEEEEEEEEAH!" all of you yelled out, and your hands flew up into the air.

For you, Taemin.

***

"Okay," you pulled Kai aside after your last class of the day. "We need to talk."

"Whatever it is, think twice before you blame me," he rolled his eyes. "I swear I did nothing wrong this time."

Your eye twitched.

"This time? Well, that's suspicious. But anyway, I didn't mean anything like that. I need your help."

He grinned.

"You need my help? What's in it for me?"

You slapped his arm.

"Just do it for Taemin, Kai! Jeez!"

"Alright, what is it?" he sighed.
"Well, a couple of things... you have to teach me."

"Like?"

"First of all, performing. The only time I performed was at a glowsticks show in high school, and at that time, it was completely dark on stage, so no one could even see me. It was just me, and my glowsticks."

"That's fascinating," he said with unhidden sarcasm. You tried not to sound hurt.

"But this time, it'll be different, and I don't know how to handle it. Unlike you people, I've been practicing music for two days. So, if you'd be so kind as to at least help me... I mean, help Taemin look good..."

"Well," he scrutinized you from top to bottom. "It might be a bit difficult to make you look good."

You turned into a tomato.

"Just try, please!" you begged and he smiled.

"I'm kidding, Sora. I'll try, alright? And don't stress too much. You're doing fine already."

Calm down, Sora, Kai thought. Sure, you're not as good as your brother, but he's had years of training. And quite honestly, you're much better than he was before he took classes. You'll catch up in no time.

"Good," you exhaled with relief. "And another thing. All those guys in the lunchroom... I kind of know them by now, but I keep getting into situations which might end badly for me. Do you know them as well as Taemin does?"

"Well, yeah. Basically, we know the same people..."

"Great! Tell me everything you know about them. Or, at least, everything Taemin knows. I really want to get along with them, but it would be bad if I said something Taemin shouldn't."

"Interested, are you?" Kai leaned down and stared at you with amusement. "Which one do you like?"

"W-what?"

"Is it Suho, the caring fatherly one?"

"No!"

"Or Chanyeol, the annoying little child stuck in a man's body?"

"No!!"

"Then maybe Sehun, the shy, intelligent type?"

"NO, KAI!!!"

"Oh, so it's D.O., the beautiful prince?"

"NO! Would you stop the-"

"Baekhyun, the crazy-but-clever brainiac?"

You gulped.

"AHA! It is Baekhyun, eh?"

"...No..."

"Well, if it's not one of them, then there must be a reason you want to learn about them. Or is it that you're in love with me, and that's the real reason you're asking me for help."

"Grr..."

"You know, Sora, if you wanted to spend quality time with me, you could have just said so, and-"

You hit his head.

"Shut up, Kai! You, I dislike the most of all. Forget it. I don't need your help," you turned around in anger and stomped ahead. He quickly caught up.
"Come on, Sora, I was kidding... I'll help you, okay? For Taemin's sake. But hey," he stopped you and you glared at him. "If I'm going to do this, you better be committed, got it? No sudden 'I can't do this', 'they'll find out anyway', and stuff. This is serious, right?"

You nodded, and he sighed.

"Then I guess that's it. I have one more class, so we won't start your practice until evening. Be ready."

"Fighting!" you called enthusiastically. He rolled his eyes at your immediate mood change.

"Your dad better pay me for this," he walked away with a smile.