i

Mino fits in perfectly with the team because he’s all about playful smiles and poorly-delivered jokes; and it makes the others laugh nevertheless because this is exactly what they just needed- something simple and uncomplicated, something that could get them through the day and make them forget about the uncertainties of the future. Everyone’s tired and the weight of it all becomes even heavier because everything they’re doing is a risk. And they don’t even know if this risk is something worth fighting for.

Taehyun is seated at the far-end corner of the room, short of breath as sweat trickles down the corners of his face. He feels distressed and it’s not because they couldn’t get the new dance routine right. No, Taehyun doesn’t want to admit it but the cause of all his bottled up anxiety is in the form of the new trainee, Song Mino, who is now pestering Seunghoon non-stop, swift movements of arms and legs followed by a gape that’s seeking for the choreographer’s approval. 

“Hey, let’s take a break.” Everyone’s attention turn instantly to Seungyoon who stands up from his seat and picks up his things. Their team didn’t really have any leader, but Seungyoon had been training the longest together with Jinwoo, had more experience than the others (and was more level-headed too) so it only felt natural for the main vocalist to take charge. 

Mino thanks Seunghoon with a clumsy pat on the back and the other gives him a tired smile. Jinwoo suggests that they eat out for lunch because he wants to try this new Japanese place around the block. They head out of the practice room and Seungyoon starts mocking Jinwoo, when did you start liking Japanese food hyung?, only to earn an annoyed pout from the elder. 

Mino and Seunghoon begin to engage in an animated conversation on what they’ll order later while Seungyoon gives them a judging stare, “You guys don’t even know what’s on the menu”, he says. 

“But everything Japanese tastes good!” Jinwoo jumps in response as the two rappers cheerily nod in agreement. Seungyoon sighs in defeat, mumbles a whatever and listens as the other three proclaim their undying love for Japanese food. 

(Mino and Seunghoon talk about their love for food in general while Jinwoo is the only one that seems to be pretty invested in the Japanese thing)

Taehyun silently watches the scene before him, looks and then looks away at the overly happy new kid, and frustration starts welling up to his core because how? How was Song Mino able to break that awkward and inhibited barrier in just three days? It made his insides foil in cumbersome ways because it was something he kept trying to do for three years. And up until now, he still couldn't. 

November 2009

“I’m Song Minho, but you can call me Mino!” A slightly chubby tanned kid shakes the pale kid’s hand a little too hard and Taehyun winces in surprise. They had a cultural festival coming up so chosen students were grouped into pairs to deliver performances for the event. Taehyun was informed that his partner was a senior who had really good rapping skills so of course, he had expectations. He looks at the kid in front, feeling disappointed because this is not what he had expected, at all.

Mino takes out a sketchbook from his bag and opens it to a page that had really messy scribbles. Taehyun sighs, unamused. 

“Uhh, Nam Taehyun right?” Mino directs his gaze to the boy with a frown on his face. After moments of unintended silence, Taehyun realizes that Mino was asking him a question so he gives him a slight nod.

“So I can just call you Taehyun?” Mino emphasizes on Taehyun's name, making sure that the other understands that he’s asking a question.

Taehyun fixes his hair, mumbles a ‘yeah, just Taehyun’ , sort of feeling awkward and weird because the annoying chubby kid has this really deep voice; and the way the other said his name made Taehyun’s stomach churn. The older kid smiles again and Taehyun thinks that it doesn’t look that ugly after all. 

Oh .

Seafood. Taehyun is allergic to seafood. The newly-opened Japanese restaurant only serves seafood and his brows droop in anxiety because that means he can’t eat anything in here. He flips through the menu and tries to find something that wouldn’t make him turn red and feel sick. Taehyun looks at the others and sees how excited everyone is. It's their first time eating out together as a group after such a long time and everyone's trying to make the most out of it. Taehyun doesn’t want to spoil the fun, doesn’t want to be a bother; he’s done enough of that already with his difficult personality that sends the team into tense and edgy situations at times. He decides to just order some miso soup; he’s not that hungry after all.

“Hey, can we go to another restaurant?” Mino asks and Taehyun looks at him, dumbfounded.

“Huh?? I thought you liked it here!” Jinwoo slumps to his seat and puts down the menu.

Mino scratches his head and gives Jinwoo a lopsided grin. “Sorry hyung! I’m not that fond of seafood!”

“Yeah, yeah me too! I wanted some meat.” Seunghoon adds. 

Seungyoon looks to the side and catches the annoyed stare the waiter is giving them so he motions the others to start packing up their stuff. “If you guys don’t want us to get grilled, then let’s get out of here fast.” Seungyoon mutters under his breath as he stands up from his seat. The others follow suit.

They were outside the restaurant now and Jinwoo keeps worrying on how the waiter must’ve thought they were  a bunch of unruly teenagers who poked at Japanese people for fun. What if this gets to YG? What if this becomes an issue when we debut? What if they think we’re racists? Jinwoo doesn’t stop with his list of what ifs as Seungyoon pats him on the back and keeps saying, it’s okay hyung, it’s okay. 

Taehyun’s decides to lessen his pace, walking slower than usual because he likes to do just that- observe the other members from afar. He’s never been good with trivial conversations and remembers those moments where in people around him felt awkward because he doesn't really know what he's supposed to say next. 

He thinks about what happened back there in the restaurant and wonders (or hopes), did Mino do it for him? Taehyun never really got the chance to tell the other members about his allergy for seafood and Mino, well Mino sort of found out about it back then. 

Taehyun is so immersed in his own thoughts that he doesn’t realise how he’s almost walking side by side with the guy that's been taking over his mind. There is a slight disturbance in the air that wraps around him and Taehyun feels a subtle movement somewhere in his chest because of Song Mino’s presence. He doesn’t know if he should walk faster or walk slower to avoid the fretful situation. Taehyun tries to breathe and all he can take in is the tension that envelopes both of them. 

“You should speak up more often.” Mino says nonchalantly, eyes fixed on nothing in particular. Taehyun gives the older boy a quick glance and sees that Mino isn’t smiling. He isn’t smiling.

“Ahh- yeah.” Taehyun says in hushed tones and regrets it after. He wants to say thank you, wants to ask Mino what happened to them back then and why he’s acting like some stranger but he keeps his mouth shut. Taehyun doesn’t understand Mino. But he doesn’t understand himself more.

“Stop doing that.” There’s something bitter in the way Mino said it- he hears it, feels it. Taehyun struggles to keep a straight face as he feels a lump wedge into his throat. He swallows the pungent chunk of emotions in; he really really wants to say something this time.

“People will misunderstand.” Mino speaks again before Taehyun could say anything else. “They misunderstand if you keep doing that.”

Mino quickens his pace and walks toward Seunghoon who stops in front of a food chain that offers a buy one take one serving of bulgogi. Taehyun sees how the other boy’s mouth instantly lifts into a smile and he feels something heavy weighing him down to the core. Taehyun tries hard to not collapse then and there. Seungyoon waves to him and tells him that they'll be going inside. Taehyun nods, lips drawn to a straight line. 

He hears Mino laughing, sees him in a comical conversation with the others (again) and Taehyun feels miserable. 

November 2009

“No! It’s not supposed to work this way!” Taehyun screams in frustration because Song Mino kept insisting that they do heavy hip hop music. He wasn’t the type who would let his emotions show but Song Mino was getting to his nerves. The older kid was driving Taehyun nuts because Mino kept telling him stories of his childhood- how he started his interest in rap music and how he became passionate about it later on. Taehyun doesn't want to admit it but he likes having these kinds of conversations. He’s never had them with anyone before and the strange feeling of warmth and ease is something that he thinks he could get used to.

Mino laughs wholeheartedly, teases Taehyun and tells him how his face looks funny with an angry face. Taehyun makes an effort to not smile in return because he’s really angry, wants to make himself feel angry, because things aren’t supposed to end up this way. He was supposed to hate Song Mino and make Song Mino hate him too so they could part ways and have solo performances.

But the older boy never really gets angry. No matter what Taehyun does, he keeps on smiling, laughing, and it infuriates Taehyun so much. Mino makes him feel all these weird sensations that sends his chest in a spiral of unfamiliar emotions and Taehyun finds himself tumbling down and back up. 

“Okay, okay I get it. I give up! If you really don’t like my idea, then what do you have in mind?” Mino asks him. The other  boy smirks when he sees Taehyun fumble with his words and it makes him feel annoyed more than ever.

“I hate you.” Taehyun doesn’t like this and he hates him, really really hates him.

Mino lets out a soft chuckle. “So that’s your idea?”

“No, stupid. Give me time to think.” 

“The event is in three weeks.”

“Yeah, yeah, give me a day.” 

Mino smiles in a way that almost breaks his face. "Glad to see that you're finally putting an effort into this." 

Taehyun frowns and thinks about numerous ways on how can get back at this boy named Song Mino.

“The winning team gets to debut.” 

The recent announcement from YG resonates, like a deafening noise that muffles up the silence bounded in the four-cornered walls of Team A’s practice room. Team A. That’s who they are now. 

YG assigns Mino as the team’s leader and it changes a lot of things about him. Taehyun notices this; sees how Mino smiles less often now, how he tries to pull off a more serious and mature front. It’s weighing him down, Taehyun thinks. He wants to pull Mino into a hug, or slap him and tell him to stop worrying. But he can’t. Taehyun doesn’t dare do that. 

Seungyoon gives Mino a reassuring smile, as if telling him, we’ll be fine, you’ll be fine. And it's okay. Seungyoon has always been like that. He knows that Mino feels guilty, feels that he doesn’t deserve to be the leader because Seungyoon does. Mino's blaming himself, putting too much pressure on his already worn-out self, and Seungyoon wants him to stop because they need him to be at his best right now.

They lost to the other team, a much younger group of trainees, in the recent evaluations and Mino is more frustrated than ever. The other members are all drained just the same and the cameras around them make them feel even more distressed. 

Taehyun’s still not used to the lack of privacy this new show has brought upon them but they need to endure this, get through this- if they want to debut. He doesn’t want the countless auditions he had entered and the three years of training go to waste. Taehyun’s eyes are glued to his iPad as he searches for that song he heard from way way back. 

It’s the perfect song, Taehyun thinks. He sees how stressed everyone is with their recent loss and he just wants to help. Just this once, he wants to be able to do something for the team, for Mino. 

“It should be popular so everyone likes it.” Seungyoon says, cameras zooming in to their bare faces, hoping to get interesting reactions for broadcast but everyone just looks, tired. 

“Ah, we can work with this!” Taehyun calls everyone’s attention as he plays the song ‘New Day’ by Alicia Keys. Seungyoon listens to the song as he strums silent chords in his guitar. Seunghoon bops his head and walks around the room as he crafts a choreography in his head. Taehyun sees Jinwoo eagerly taking in the song, back arched forward in his seat. 

Taehyun tries to not look at Mino.

“I can add some powerful moves.” Taehyun explains as he sways his body, trying to show the other members what he means. “And I think this song would go well….. if you move like that too.” Taehyun can hear how vague he sounds and internally scolds himself for saying something stupid but he blames it on the cameras around them, making him more nervous and fidgety than he already is. 

“I think it’ll be okay.” Seungyoon says. “What do you think? New Day?” Seungyoon turns to Mino, asking for the other’s approval.

“I like it.” Mino replies, fatigue and anxiety evident in his voice. Taehyun hears this, but pretends to be immersed in the music as he struggles to hide a smile that’s about to creep to his face. 

November 2009

“So what’s the plan for today Nam Taehyun-shiii?” Mino asks Taehyun, playful and challenging. 

Taehyun can’t believe it himself but he actually spent the entire night thinking of a song they could do for their performance at the cultural festival. Why was Mino making him work? And why did he oblige in the first place? Taehyun doesn’t like what Mino is making him do and especially, what Mino is making him feel. The older boy's warm breath tickles Taehyun's senses as he leans in a little too much; staring at the notebook Taehyun's holding on his lap. 

“Get away. You’re too close.” Taehyun says and gives Mino a light shove. 

“Ah, yeah. Personal space. Got it.” Mino raises both his hands in submission. “Can you start explaining now?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Taehyun says. He takes out his phone and plays a song. Mino’s face crinkle in disgust the moment he hears the slow and soft piano tunes. He crosses his hands in an ‘X’, mumbling no to ballad, no to ballad. 

“It’s not a ballad, stupid. Keep quiet and listen.” Taehyun retorts back and hums together with the first verse of the song. He looks at Mino and finds the other unconsciously bopping his head to the slow beat of the music. Taehyun smiles, we’re definitely going with my song, he thinks. 

Mino agrees to perform with the song Taehyun chose and starts working on the rap he needs to do for the verses. Taehyun’s busy making the MR; he wants to add some really cool beats for the song’s encore. They engage in mindless banter every now and then and Taehyun finds himself talking more than usual, more than he thinks he should.

“Yo, Mino! Who’s that girly-looking boy with you?” A big guy with messy hair enters the room and approaches the two. Taehyun rolls his eyes, disgruntled. He’s used to people calling him girly, he doesn’t really mind that much, but it still irks him a little. Taehyun notices the subtle shift in the atmosphere, a flicker of something he can barely identify and he looks at Mino. He’s perplexed to see how Mino’s gaze turn dark, fists balled into a tight clench and knuckles turned white. Taehyun swallows hard; he doesn't understand what's happening, but he could feel himself tensing up. 

“Hmmmm…If you weren’t dressed in a boy’s uniform, I’d think you’re a girl and ask you out.” The other guy’s mouth twists into a naughty grin, his face a little too close from Taehyun’s. "You should've introduced us before Mino! I never knew you were into--"

“Hoya." Mino doesn't give the other guy a chance to continue what he's saying. "Leave, please.” Mino’s voice goes even lower than usual, his fists still curled into a tight clench that was shaking dangerously. 

“What? Dude, I was just kidding!”

“Yeah sure. You are. So get the out.” Mino’s face resembles something unknown and terrifying; it makes Taehyun’s knees grow weak, sends shivers down to his spine, and his pulse ringing in his ears. 

The guy named Hoya curses under his breath as he exits the room. The dark gaze that loomed in Mino’s eyes disperses in an instant; as if it had never been there. Taehyun hesitantly opens his mouth to speak.

"You okay?” Taehyun rests his hand on Mino’s back; a feeble attempt to comfort the other. 

“Yeah. Sorry.” Mino brings his hands to cover his face and sighs in frustration (if it’s because of anger or embarrassment, Taehyun doesn’t know).

“What happened back there?” Taehyun asks, hoping that he isn’t prying too much. It bewilders him, scares him really, how he cares so much about Song Mino. But he thinks that it’s okay.

Mino brings his hands away from his face and looks at Taehyun. “I just— I lost it. He was being an to you and I didn’t like it.” Mino tries to find the right things to say as Taehyun’s heart skips a beat with his every word. 

Does Mino hear what he’s saying? Taehyun wonders how the other boy can be so blunt with everything, turning his insides into some chaotic mess.

“Stop that. I’m not some princess you have to protect. I can take care of myself.” Taehyun stands up from his seat and hauls Mino up. A newfound confidence surges through him as he kicks Mino’s shin; earning a loud yelp from the other.

“What’s your problem Nam Taehyun!” Mino shouts, jumping up and down because of the pain. Taehyun laughs in content, brags about his black belt in taekwondo and tells Mino that he might be the one who needs protection. 

When Mino recovers from the ache in his leg, his lips curl into a smirk as he grabs onto Taehyun’s wrist. The other boy tries to break free from the grip but Mino is surprisingly strong and Taehyun finds himself being dragged to a corner in the room. Mino throws him against the wall, knocking the breath out of Taehyun and moves in close. 

“Are you sure?” Mino has a smile on his face but something about the murkiness in his gaze makes Taehyun’s stomach twist and his heart beat fast. Mino’s so close, and Taehyun feels Mino’s suffocating warmth wrap around him. The air around them feels sticky and Taehyun's breath hitches. 

“Just kidding!” Mino hastily moves back and lets him go entirely. “You should’ve seen you face! You looked so scared!” 

Taehyun is dazed and out of breath, as he feels his pulse thrumming through his ears. He looks at the now laughing Song Mino who walks back to the other corner of the room as if nothing happened. 

“See you tomorrow Taehyun! I had fun!” He waves to Taehyun with a goofy grin, picks up his things and heads out.

I'm in trouble, Taehyun thinks. 

Author's Note: I hope you guys weren't confused about the switching timelines! Anyway, Mino's a great pretender isn't he? Many people might see him as this goofy other half of dumb and dumber but I think Mino's personality is so much more complex than that. 

I tried to make this story as related as to what we saw in WIN as possible so I hope you guys like it! I'm really surprised by the amount of subscribers I got for this story!

Thank you so much and please do leave me a message! I always appreciate knowing what you guys think and it motivates me to write more! Criticisms are always welcome because they help me improve (just please don't be that harsh ^_^)

--Arielle