Taemin was exhausted. It had been a stressful, yet satisfying day, as he had just recorded his debut stage for his first solo release. Everything had gone according to plan, better than planned really. But something had been missing

As fulfilling as going solo was, performing alone didn't feel quite right. After being called tone deaf for so many years, it had been nice to finally be able to laugh in the faces of the people who had put him down when he had released his solo album. It was proof that yes, he could sing, but also it was an entirely new and exciting experience for Taemin. 

However, after knowing Onew, Jonghyun, Key and Minho for the best part of a decade and performing with them for six years, being on his own was a little lonely. Becoming a solo artist was amazing and he was so thankful for the opportunity and all the support he had been getting, but it was just him. Not SHINee. Just Lee Taemin. 

He sighed as he unlocked the door to the dorm and let himself in; it was a relief to get home, if he was honest. He had been trying to convince his hyungs that he was independent for God knew how many years, but now that he was on his own, he found that he missed the comforting warmth that was their constant support and help. 

"I'm home!" he called to the other four inhabitants of the dorm. A chorus of disjointed 'hey's met his greeting. 

"How did your debut stage go, Taeminnie?" Onew asked, ever the leader, as he meandered over to the maknae. Jinki patted Taemin's shoulder by way of greeting. 

"It went pretty well, actually," the younger answered, running a hand through his hair which was stiff and sticky from the products that the coordi noonas had used for the broadcast. "Better than planned, according to manager-nim."

Onew frowned as if he could sense that something was wrong with his youngest member. "Then why do you seem so down, hmm?"

"Down?" Taemin repeated, taken aback. Had he really been so transparent? 

"Yup," came a new voice from his left, causing Taemin to jump slightly. "If your debut stage went so well, why do you seem to not be enjoying it, eh?" It was Key, who punctuated his question with a soft poke to the maknae's cheek. 

"I don't know," the latter sighed. "It feels... Weird without you guys there, that's all. It's like trying to perform without you, Jinki hyung. It's not the same."

Onew felt touched. "But Taemin, this is your solo. This is what you've been waiting for. Are you telling me that now that you've been given the chance to get away from us, that it isn't what you want?" 

"It isn't like that!" he quickly corrected the older man. 

"What's going on? Why are we all around the door? Are we going out?" Minho asked, appearing from his room and eyeing the trio suspiciously; Jonghyun poked his head around the kitchen doorway to see what was going on. 

"Young Taemin here is regretting his choice to go solo," Key announced to the dorm. 

"Kim Kibum! Yah!" Taemin hit him on the arm halfheartedly. "I'm not regretting releasing my album," he told the four men firmly. 

"Then what's the issue?" Jonghyun asked, raising an eyebrow as he moved towards the group. 

"It just feels weird without you guys being there with me! It's kind of lonely, you know? I know, I know - the whole point of releasing 'Ace' is that I'm not with you, but after six years... I just miss you when I'm on stage, that's all, okay?" He finished defensively, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting like a child. 

"Lee Taemin," Onew said quietly. "We are always here, you know that. The only reason that we didn't go and cheer you on today was because you said you didn't want us to drop our schedules, otherwise we would have been following you around like a bunch of lost puppies."

"Yeah, Minnie. Why didn't you want us there today?" Minho asked. In truth, SHINee had been a little hurt when Taemin had asked them not to go, and they had discussed it at length while he had been out. 

"I was worried about doing badly and embarrassing you." he replied quietly, lowering his head. 

Jonghyun immediately threw an arm around the dancer's shoulders. "Pabo! You could never embarrass us!" 

"Next time, we're going, and there's nothing you can do or say to stop us. And that's final." Key added firmly. 

Taemin smiled slightly and thought that even though becoming Lee Taemin, solo artist was amazing, he would always belong here with his hyungs in SHINee.