“What song do you want to do?” Daehyun asked. They were sitting in front of the piano once again.

“I didn’t really think about it,” Eunmi scratched her head.

“It’s in 7 weeks and you haven’t even thought of a song?” Daehyun shook his head.

“Just pick one,” Eunmi yawned. “It doesn’t really matter what I sing, it’s how I sing it.”

“I was thinking Ailee,” Daehyun confessed. “Heaven.”

Eunmi thought about it, “I like that song, but her voice….. I might insult the song.”

Daehyun laughed, “Don’t worry, I think your voice matches the song.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

“You really sure?”

“Yes.”

“You really really sure?”

“I AM 110% SURE!” Daehyun yelled.

“Okay okay, no need to yell,” Eunmi rolled her eyes.

“It’s going to be a little repetitive if you play the piano again,” Daehyun said. “The judges might think you’re unoriginal.”

“Then what should I do?”

“You want me to do all the thinking?!” Daehyun yelped. “Just kidding, umm, you could just stand and sing the song.”

“…. That’s it?”

“It’s really wondrous if a singer can put on an amazing performance by just standing there and singing. We could work on lighting and stuff too,” Daehyun told her. “My friend, Jongup, he’s really good at tech-ey stuff. We could get him to help.”

Eunmi nodded, “Okay.”

“Great, so bring the music for next time, kay?” Daehyun said before standing up.

“Yes, sir!” Eunmi saluted.

Daehyun laughed, “Bye.” He turned around and walked out.

Eunmi scratched her head. Why is he always the first one to leave so coolly?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The new semester of the school year started, Eunmi wasn’t as busy as she was before so she and Daehyun had a lot of time to rehearse. Things between Taemin and Daehyun weren’t better, they would both avoid any talk about the other.

Practices mostly consisted of Eunmi practicing the song and Daehyun showing her how to make the performance more powerful. There was only one month left until the performance and Eunmi and Daehyun worked hard to make the performance better.

Jongin still disappeared from time to time, but he would make up an excuse and Eunmi would forget about it. 

One cold afternoon in January, Taemin was on his way to the cafeteria for lunch after a tiring morning. Mrs. Lee, the dance teacher who was also in charge of performances and school events, stopped him in the halls.

“Taemin! Just the man I was looking for,” she smiled.

“Um, yes?” Taemin looked at her, confused.

“There is a showcase for our school in two months, you know for the parents to see what our school offers,” she began. “As part of the music and dance program, I’d like you to put together a performance.”

“Me?” Taemin pointed at himself.

“Yes, I believe you have the skill and if you work hard, I know you could put together a wonderful performance,” she smiled. “Some teachers were against it, but I think you can handle this responsibility. It’s only a four minute performance anyways.”

“What kind of performance?” Taemin asked.

“Any song of your choice,” Mrs. Lee said. “You could even do a cover of a song, I just need a performance that will wow the audience and I think you can succeed in doing that. You don’t have to use kids that are only taking our music and dance classes, anyone that can perform will do.”

Taemin thought about it, “This is all up to me?”

She nodded. Taemin began considering it.

“If you can, it will show the teachers you are capable of being responsible,” she reminded. “Not to mention the fact that you do get to miss class sometimes.”

“I’ll do it!” Taemin immediately agreed.

“Now I'm trusting you, Lee Taemin. Don’t let me down,” Mrs. Lee warned before walking away.

Taemin put his hands in his pocket and walked to the cafeteria. After buying his lunch, he joined his friends at their table.

“What took you so long?” Jonghyun asked as he and Minho moved over to make room for Taemin.

“Mrs. Lee stopped me and asked me to plan a performance for the showcase,” he told them.

“Mrs. Lee asked you to organize a performance?!” Key yelped.

Taemin threw rice at him, “Why? Don’t think I’m capable of doing that?”

“Stop throwing food,” Minho elbowed him.

“No, it’s just, a lot of teachers would never trust you with something like that,” Key said. “Mrs. Lee seems quite easy.”

“Yah, I can plan a great performance!” Taemin insisted.

“That we’re going to help you with, right?” Jonghyun raised an eyebrow.

“Of course,” Taemin nodded.

“Yah, we’re your back-ups while you get to take the spotlight?!” Key made a face.

“Everyone who is part of it will be given credit,” Taemin told him. “I’m just the idea-approver.”

“So what kind of performance are you thinking of?” Minho asked.

“A normal one,” Taemin shrugged. “Dancing and singing.”

“You should do a girl song,” Onew said. “There’s no way either of us are going to stand on stage and sing. You could find a girl in no time to do a song. But what song has a dance that’ll show everyone that we’re so 'talented?'”

Taemin thought about it, “Only One!”

“Boa?”

Taemin nodded, “It’s a song with great choreography. If we can pull it off, it’ll impress all of the people there.”

“Where you going to find dancers to do that song?” Onew snorted.

“There are six back-ups,” Taemin held his fingers up. “There’s five of us, and I could get Jongin to join in.”

“What about the guy to do the duet dance?” Key asked. “Unless you’re planning on bringing Yunho or Eunhyuk in….”

“One of us could do that,” Taemin shrugged again. “In the music video one of her back-ups does the dance.”

“Okay, and where will you find a girl who can sing decently and dance like a pro?” Minho asked.

“Guess we’re going to have to hold some auditions,” Taemin stretched. “We’ll watch all the girls that try out and see who fits the part best.”

“Sounds good to me,” Jonghyun nodded.

Taemin took a bite of his food and thought about it, “Now… to find a girl…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Kim Jongin, you’re a back-up dancer for a performance we’re doing in two months for the showcase,” Taemin announced when he came home from school. Jongin hadn’t gone to school because he had caught a small cold. “The song is Only One, you better learn the moves quick.”

“Since when?” Jongin asked from the sofa.

“Since now,” Taemin sat down beside him. Then he got up, “Don’t want to get sick. And you should hurry up and get better, we have lots of practicing to do. Auditions for the girl are next week and you and Key are joining me to judge all the girls that try out.”

“Why have you just dragged me into this without asking me if I want to?” Jongin asked as Taemin sat down on the other sofa. He wasn’t serious though.

“Because you’re my brother and you are obligated to help me,” Taemin smiled angelically. “You will, won’t you?”

“Obviously.”

“I’m home!” Eunmi announced as she entered the house. She went into the living room and found Taemin and Jongin lounging around.

“How are you feeling?” Eunmi asked Jongin.

“Fine.”

“Hyung, noona can sing,” Jongin suddenly remembered. “She can sing the song.”

“What song?” Eunmi asked.

“Yeah, but she can’t dance,” Taemin scoffed. “It’ll take years to teach ClumsyFeet here how to do the first move.”

“What are you guys talking about?!” Eunmi looked between the two.

“Hyung is organizing a performance for the school showcase,” Jongin said. “The song is Only One and he’s looking for a girl who can sing and dance to the song.”

“I cannot dance,” Eunmi said flatly. “Besides I have my own performance to prepare for.”

“Good, I wasn’t going to take you anyways!” Taemin shot.

“Good, because I wasn’t going to do it!”

“Good, because I wasn’t going to take you anyways!”

“Good, because I wasn’t going to do it!”

“Ah, shut up!” Jongin groaned. “It’s better if you two don’t work together, making my ears bleed.”

“You know, if you weren’t here, no one would stop our arguments,” Eunmi realized.

“Oh that’s true, FatMuffin,” Taemin nodded. “He’s always tells us to shut up.”

“Yeah and the peace remains for about 30 seconds,” Jongin muttered, getting up to get a snack from the kitchen.

“I’ll go pick Yeon up,” Taemin stood up and went upstairs to change before picking Taeyeon up from school.

“And I…… have to go to the community centre,” Eunmi remembered that Daehyun had made Thursdays a mandatory day to rehearse. She went upstairs to change and put her iPod in her bag. As she was going downstairs, her mother came home.

“Going somewhere?”

“Practice,” Eunmi answered, grabbing her jacket from the closet.

“Who’s picking Taeyeon up?”

“Taemin,” she replied, putting her shoes on.

“Okay, come back before it gets dark,” Ms. Kim reminded, going into the kitchen.

“Not that I have a choice, I have so much homework,” Eunmi muttered, opening the door. “I’m going!” she yelled before closing it and taking the bus to the community centre.

When she arrived, she went to the old music room and set the music up before Daehyun would arrive. He was panting when he arrived 20 minutes later.

“Sorry I’m late,” he apologized, closing the door.

“It’s fine,” Eunmi said. “Should we start?”

Daehyun nodded and sat down at the piano to watch her. They had found an old microphone stand and they used that to practice. In the beginning of the song, Eunmi would stand at the microphone and calmly sing. Then when the first chorus started, she would hold the mic and ‘sing with passion’.

“That was good,” Daehyun gave her thumbs up. “I have to go early today, see you.”

“Bye,” Eunmi waved and Daehyun stood up and left the room. Eunmi packed everything and put it away before leaving as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jongin was walking around his old neighbourhood, his hands in his pocket. He had never been very fond of that area, the people weren’t the friendliest. But sometimes he found himself wandering around there, just to remember the old times –not necessarily the good times.

He headed to the old basketball court and found Mr. Kang, sitting on the bench just as he always did.  He was wearing a thick winter coat and was looking at the scenery around him.

“You’re still here?” Jongin asked, sitting down beside him.

“You know I come here at this time no matter what,” Mr. Kang smiled. “How have you been?”

“I’m good, you?”

“Well, you know, at this age….” He chuckled.

“You should be taking care of yourself!” Jongin exclaimed.

“I’m fine,” Mr. Kang nodded. “What have you been up to? Do you play now?”

“Yeah, I play with my stepbrother,” Jongin replied.

“Ohhh, so he got you to play again, eh?” Mr. Kang smiled.

Jongin rubbed the back of his head, “Yeah, I guess.”

“What else have you been doing?”

Jongin hesitated.

“Are you hiding something?”

Jongin sighed but then answered, “Before hyung got me to play a couple of months ago, I would go watch the middle school kids playing at the basketball court. I didn’t play, but I gave them tips and watched them.”

“And now?”

“After he and I started to play, I showed them a few tricks with the ball. The kids asked me to help them out since their coach isn’t very good help,” Jongin continued. “So I kind of, coach them. When the weather was warmer, we played outside as much as we could, but now we go to a gym the kids rent out.”

“Do you like it?” Mr. Kang asked.

Jongin smiled, “Yeah, I do. Seeing them play makes me happy.”

“What does your family think about it?” It was as if Mr. Kang had all the right questions.

“Well… um, they don’t know,” Jongin said sheepishly.

“Why?”

“I just want to keep it a secret for a bit,” he shrugged. “You won’t tell anyone, will you?”

“Who would I tell?” Mr. Kang laughed. Since Mr. Kang had been watching Jongin play since childhood, Jongin thought he might as well tell him about it.

“I should go now, it’s getting dark,” Jongin stood up and bowed.

“Come visit me again, I’ve missed having chats with kids like you,” Mr. Kang said wistfully. “There aren’t many good kids in this neighbourhood anymore.”

“I’ll try,” Jongin smiled before walking to the bus stop again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eunmi was preparing for an audition she hoped would go well, it would make her so happy if she made it to the top four.

Jongin was coaching young students who were hoping to win the championship between the regions of schools. He was working hard to help them, to make sure they had fun and were successful as well.

Taemin was going to prepare for the showcase performance and show that he could put together a talented and fun group of kids to put on a great show.

Their plans were expected to go perfectly at that time.

But what they didn’t know was that their hopes and goals weren’t going to go the way they had planned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello~!

I updated again, woo go me :D

I'm watching L's drama, GUESS WHO MY NEW FAVOURITE ACTOR IS~!

Not L

<333

I talked a lot last time so I have nothing to say today.

Byebye~! :D