“Aish, wearing this will ruin your whole outfit!” The coordi-noona complained, tugging at the Mint-coloured scarf.

“I don’t care, I don’t care if the colors don’t match. I’m wearing it.” Onew stubbornly refused to remove his scarf he’d worn all the way from home.

The outfit coordinator looked helplessly at Taemin wishing for some assistance, except that the younger only shrugged his shoulders indicating his inability to change Onew’s mind. Not that he wants to help the noona too.

And so Onew wore his custom made outfit for the performance together with the mismatched muffler around his neck. Instead of feeling the awkwardness as he would sometimes when he was given distasteful costumes, Onew felt completely happy and warm as he did his routines.

From the corner of the stage, Taemin observed his idol intensely. This was a different view he was used to; this time he was much closer to the stage, much closer to Onew. Every note that was sung out of the speakers melted Taemin endlessly, and those dance moves executed flawlessly made his heart dance along to the beat. It was a different feeling, overwhelming nonetheless.

Taemin was falling in love with this Onew on stage all over again, the same as when he’d heard that distinct voice for the first time. The fan instinctively took out his phone to snap still shots of Onew in action.

Suddenly, Taemin felt a soft warm wrap around his neck too. He turned over to see Minho beside him, sharing his shawl and binding the manager to his lean body. Taemin looked at Minho with wide-eyes while the other was just swinging to the music Onew was performing on stage.

“Minho hyung…?” Taemin was puzzled.

“Hmmm, Taemin? Oh! It’s pretty cold here with the air-conditioning system right behind you.” Minho smiled handsomely, “It’s Winter now, wouldn’t want you to fall sick, ne?”

Taemin was still contemplating how not to talk to Minho without him finding out about the ban Onew has laid as his boss, when Minho interrupted his thoughts:

“Taemin-ah, where’s the heart chain I gave you?”

“Uh…” The younger hesitated, “I-I lost it!”

Taemin smiled stiffly, hoping Minho would go with that excuse and forget about it.

“But it’s a couple chain, Tae-ah,” Minho sounded upset, ”Where’d you los-“

“Manager! Do I need to repeat myself?”

A sweaty, furious Onew was standing in front of the two of them, looking at Taemin and Minho bonded by a single cloth all snugly together. Too close for Onew’s liking.

“Let’s go home now. Cancel the next schedule for me.” Onew grabbed at Taemin’s hand roughly, pulling him away from the frog prince.

Taemin quickly unwind himself from the wrap, being hauled by Onew towards the carpark. He didn’t even bother to go back to the changing room to change out or remove his make-up.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Taemin yelled when they were settled in the car, his hand rubbing on the wrist Onew had grabbed on earlier, “I was talking to Minho hyung and you just pulled me away!”

“Didn’t I already ban you from speaking to him? Why won’t you listen? Are you trying to be defiant now?”

“No, it was just that it was rude! He was being nice and just afraid I’ll catch a cold from being so near to the cooler system. Did you think I could ignore him, with him being my hyung too? Stop being unreasonable.”

Onew was by then fuming mad from the way Taemin had chosen to defend Minho instead of speaking up for himself. Yes, Onew was being unreasonable to forbid Taemin from interacting with Minho. But shouldn’t he be saying ‘It’s my freedom!’ or something like that. The singer knew he absolutely hate it when Taemin is so kind with everyone, not just him.

“Lee Taemin, you listen well and you listen good: You’re Lee Jinki’s manager. I am your direct superior now and everything I say counts, no matter how unreasonable it is.”

Taemin was shocked by this sudden hostility, his eyes wide staring at the angry Onew in front of him. He was pissed with this stupid overbearing attitude that makes Taemin feel smaller than he already is.

And the next thing he knew was Onew pressing his lips on his, feeling the harsh intensity. Taemin did not like this one bit, even if it’s the man he loves. The act was only Onew’s way of showing how he overpowers him, and he didn’t need to be treated this way by being himself.

“Get away! You ing idiot! !” Taemin pushed the man away from him.

His hands frantically wiping at his lips, trying in vain to rid of the taint. Tears were already welling up in his eyes, feeling humiliated (and was actually humiliated) by the one he adored the most.

“Idiot? ? I haven’t said anything and it doesn’t mean you can let loose. Don’t forget you’re younger than me, don’t forget you’re just a replacement manager, and don’t forget your place.”

That last part really cut up Taemin’s heart to pieces. After all he had done, all he got was this lecture from Onew; to remind who he really is in the idol’s heart. He wasn’t even worth a penny.

When Lee appa is fit to come back to work and takes over Taemin again, will he still remember this replacement manager?

Taemin gripped the steering wheel tightly until his knuckles turned white and his fingertips red with blood gushing. Tears were threatening to fall out of those round orbs and he had to hold his sniffles in. It felt like he was being dumped into a bottomless pit, and it was a willing freefall. He had brought this on himself.

The atmosphere was so tense that the younger could relax only when Onew finally slammed the door in his face and disappeared from his sight.

***

“Yeoboseyo?”

He was curled up in his room in the corner of his bed wallowing in self-pity. The outburst from Onew was unexpected and it hurts thoroughly.

“Is this Lee Taemin? Your father is been found to have a serious infection in his right ankle fracture due to excessive bleeding. We are transferring him to a higher level of observation ward for better care.”

“Wh-what? Is appa okay?” Taemin asked worriedly, “Is he okay?”

“Don’t worry too much, Mr Lee. We are giving him the best care. He has instructed us not to mention this to you, but we thought it was better if you are informed for this change.”

Taemin already knew the reason; his appa did not want him to worry about him, and most of all he did want his son to worry about the inflated hospital charges.

The boy hung up and called another number with trembling fingers and a shaking coarse voice.

“Key hyung…I don’t know what to do now…”

“Onew hates me…and appa,” Taemin sobbed into his receiver, “Appa, he’s suffering from another infection now…”

“Taemin-ah, open the door for me.”

Key was already outside his door. Upon hearing the poor boy cry he wasted no time in taking the lift up to see him.

“Key hyung…” The boy was weeping noiselessly into Key’s embrace.

Kibum held Taemin firmly, allowing him to rest in the comfort of his arms.

He led the boy to the living room couch and sat them down.

“Tae-ah, calm down. Tell me what happened.” He himself was quavering as he spoke from seeing the heartbroken Taemin.

“My appa, because of the severe fracture before, it’s having complications now…and,” –sniffs– “It’s going to be a long stay, the charges are racking up…”

“My brother is studying overseas…I don’t know if our savings can tide us over…”

“Taemin-ah, I have some savings –“

“Ani! Key hyung, I can’t…” Taemin waved his hand profusely, “I’ll find a way…somehow.”

“Tae-“

Kibum could only stop his advances at Taemin’s resolution. He knew the younger had his pride, given how he would stand up against Onew than be trampled on even though he’s new and inexperienced to manage the renowned artist.

“Taemin, you were saying about Onew he…” Key, for the first time, hesitated to speak his mind.

“O-Onew…he was so-so angry ear-earlier,” He was stuttering uncontrollably, “Be-because I was t-too close to Min-Minho hyung.”

“He says I’m nothing more than his stand-in manager and that I should ‘know my place’…”

The night passed on with a whole lot of cuddling, hushing, soothing and encouraging. Taemin found peace in the embrace of Kibum, someone who he’d long decided he can depend on. 

Annyeong! I don't even know what to say...taking an angsty turn?

Let me know what you think! 

Thanks for reading and please comment! ♥