Catch Taemin If You Can; [three]

The heavy door of the practice room creaked open and Taemin found three old pianos scattered randomly as if thrown away. The school was building a new music room, hence the forty-year old pianos probably wasn’t an option to keep. He opened the cover of the nearest piano and Taemin realized that he hadn’t touched the instrument in months. Taemin shuddered as he reminisced the nightmare of middle school. He was forced to pick his major even before he had a chance to know what he was good at. His mother – she was actually pretty mom-like back then – was determined to enroll Taemin into Paran High, a private institution famous for focusing not only on academics but in other branches as well like sports, music, arts, and drama. She had dragged Taemin to piano lessons after having realized that Taemin didn’t have the brains or the muscles, and young Taemin had rebelled – not that it did anything – refusing to play such a ‘girly’ instrument.

Taemin didn’t want to admit it but he might have admired his best friend. It was possible that Taemin envied his athletic friend, watching the sweat drop from the end of his wet locks as Jongin dominated the field and loud cheers erupted from the crowd.

Ding- Taemin pressed down on the keys and the chord echoed in the empty room. Finding the piano off tune but still manageable for him to work with, Taemin sat down. He closed his eyes and started to play. Taemin found his fingers stiff, but not so bad for someone who took a four month break from playing. Suddenly the door slammed open and Taemin jumped up. Soojung was at the door and Taemin was still in a daze as the girl waved from the door. Soojung flipped her long silky hair –her trademark– and strutted towards Taemin as she pocketed her hands in her tight uniform vest.

“Having dirty thoughts?" She said coolly as she approached him. "Why so shocked?”

“Not everyone is like you.”

Taemin replied flatly, and the piano played an ear-splitting chord as she plopped down on the keys. Taemin sat back down, watching the dust float about in the sun ray through the window. Soojung took out a cigarette from her pocket. She fit one in her lips and motioned Taemin for the light. Giving her a pitiful look, Taemin handed her the lighter that the girl left him with a few days ago. Soojung lit it up, sighed heavily and gave Taemin a bright smile.

“What.”

Taemin deadpanned and Soojung pouted, nudging her on the piano keys.

“Aren’t I pretty?” She batted her long eyelashes in a flirtatious manner. 

“Are you crazy?” Taemin questioned, and Soojung cupped her face innocently. 

“Aha. Pretty enough to make you crazy.”

“…Psychotic stalkers and crazy girls." Taemin grumbled under his breath. "Why do I live in such environment.”

“You didn’t think you would just pick up normal girls, did you?" Soojung said nonchalantly. "Dating all specimens with a ."

Taken aback by Soojung’s blunt accuracy, Taemin watched the of Soojung’s cigarette burn.

“Park Jiyeon from Hana All-Girls High. She's your latest victim, right?”

Soojung inquired, tilting her head at Taemin for an answer. Taemin shrugged instead. 

“Word travels fast.”

“Aren’t you tired of doing that?”

“I’m tired of you.”

Taemin replied as he idly played a scale. His fingers created a beautiful melody until Soojung's thighs got in the way. 

“Move.” Taemin said, tapping Soojung's legs impatiently. 

Soojung laughed but didn’t budge. Instead, she crosses her legs and blew smoke into Taemin’s face.

“Move your .”

Taemin said with a bit more attitude this time, and Soojung leaned down as she formed her glossy lips into a pretty pout. She tapped it, signalling Taemin for a peck in return.

Soojung wasn’t a bad girl, much less a ditzy cheerleader. She just knew the kind of ideal personality people expected from her pretty face, and had an excellent way of acting it thoroughly and perfectly.

She just never tried in front of Taemin.

Taemin and Soojung first met in a piano school quite a while back. They already knew each other but weren't close, and Taemin knew perfectly well who Soojung was due to Jongin's endless prattle about a girl that would make him hold hi