10 PRETTY BOY

Lee Taemin Superstar
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10 PRETTY BOY

(Setting: Singapore)

 

 

Taemin’s first gig in the city is actually an SM Town event, which gathers many popular SM artists.

After which he is scheduled for two solo concerts as part of his tour. Three events in a weeklong stay in Singapore is tantamount to a little free time for Taemin and his entourage.  

 

 

The early call-time for the SM artists gives Taemin just enough time to check in the hotel and get ready for the show. While getting his hair and makeup done, Jonghyun informs Taemin that there are last-minute changes in the song lineup. Taemin is supposed to perform two songs, “Danger” and “Drip Drop”. It’s been decided, however, that he will also perform “Pretty Boy”, which is a duet with EXO’s Kai.

 

 

“Taeminah, it’s been a while since you last performed Pretty Boy so you’ll need a run-through. Problem is EXO’s running late so you might not have time to rehearse with Kai. Let’s just practice together, but I need to take care of some things first… well, manager stuff. Anyway, practice on your own for now. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Kibum, please hold onto the lyrics sheet.”

 

 

Jonghyun was gone before Taemin could even react. The entertainer glances nervously at Kibum.

 

 

“I can’t rehearse this without anyone covering Kai’s part. It’s the only way I could recall all my vocal nuances aside from the singing parts. Jinki-hyung, manager told me you got great vocals. Could you possibly be familiar with the song?”

 

 

Jinki smiles below his bunny cheeks. “If you’re asking me to rap with you, you might as well ask Lee Sooman to dance with you.”

 

“I’ll do it.” Kibum pulls out his iPod from his bag and starts disentangling the cord of his earphones.

 

“I know the song a little and I have the lyrics here. Just give me twenty minutes to go over it.”

 

Taemin and Jinki look at Kibum as if he just said he’s moving to North Korea.

 

“What? I want to be useful! And have you forgotten that I work for you, Taemin? Twenty minutes. I’ll just be at the garden outside.”

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Jinki plugs the speaker into Jonghyun’s laptop and puts the track on cue. “Okay, Taemin. You’re up first. Key, you know when to go in.”

 

 

Since he’s already aware that Kibum is a good dancer, Taemin isn’t surprised when the interpreter’s body starts moving along with the beat the second the song played. Taemin then lets his stage spirit inside him and starts singing the verse.

 

 

Seeing Taemin in his element excites Kibum like no other. But this is more thrilling since it feels like performing with the superstar, albeit backstage. Kibum tells himself that he will do his best in their rehearsal so that Taemin will nail the performance.   

 

 

However, Kibum ends up disrupting Taemin’s performance-mode practice when he starts rapping.

 

 

Eyes closed, Kibum doesn’t see Taemin stopping completely and staring at him with wide eyes. Not until it’s time for Taemin to sing and Kibum only hears the audio track.

 

 

Jinki interrupts them. “Uhm, Taemin? Sorry, guys, I’m stopping this. Let’s start from the top, shall we? Taemin, are you ready?”

 

Taemin seems to snap out from a trance. “Hyung! Wow, you can rap!”

 

Kibum blushes. “Oh come on, Taemin. It’s just like reciting the lines over music. Anyone can do it.”

 

“I can’t.” Jinki exclaims, his voice sounded like he’s smiling but Kibum sees that his face is serious.

 

“Well, I’m sorry I stopped. You caught me by surprise, hyung! Anyway, let’s continue. I’m ready, Jinki-hyung.”

 

 

On their third try, Taemin and Kibum perfected the song. Jonghyun walks in right in the middle, mouth open wide and looking at them, including Jinki, with all the excitement his face can produce.

 

 

He couldn’t help clapping and whistling when the song ended.

 

 

“What on earth just happened here?! Damn, that was good! You sounded good together!”

 

“Taemin’s great, as usual. And the song’s just really nice, Jjong.” Kibum says shyly.

 

“Why, thank you, Key! I wrote it.”

 

“Oh! I didn’t know that! You did a wonderful job, Jjong.”

 

“And so did you, Key! Well, Taemin, turns out you aren’t doomed if EXO doesn’t make it here on time. Key nailed the rap and even the background vocals.”

 

“Key-hyung, let’s do a couple more as soon as EXO arrives. I want to annoy Kai so bad!”

 

“And that is Taemin indirectly complimenting you, Key.” Jonghyun winks at Kibum.

 

Jinki, infected by his boyfriend’s enthusiasm, says, “Well, everyone in our school called him the Almighty Kibum.”       

 

“Stop it, guys. I’ll be so over-confident that I might march up the stage later.” Kibum chuckles.

 

“You actually can, hyung. You’re idol material.”

 

 

It is Taemin’s compliment that finally burns Kibum’s cheeks, so he ducks and pretends to be searching for something inside his bag before the boy can spot his fiery blush.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Just as Taemin had hoped, Kai arrives while he was in the middle of practicing with Kibum.

 

 

Confusion is evident in Kai’s face for the first few minutes, especially when Taemin looks at Kibum and gestures with his hand that they keep going. But before the song even ends, Kai looks like he is ready to cheer for his friend and the attractive stranger who is doing his own parts in the song like a pro. Who is this guy?

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Comments

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purelau #1
Chapter 35: I recently got into taekey fics and i super love this. You write so well it makes it hard to put down my phone and stop reading 😂 thanks for sharing =)
AleeTaemLlave
#2
Chapter 34: I had to catch up with this story, because I had left it and didn't have time to read it .. how to start? I really lost count of how many times you made me cry with your writing and with the emotions of our protagonists.. but of course I also smiled a lot with some sweet moments that you created for Taekey .. the development of the story was incredible, two people from different worlds that met for a particular situation and eventually ended up falling in love with each other, I love how their relationship was slow unlike other stories I have read, but their development and chemistry between the two was so satisfying to read as well as the construction of all the characters was very well written ..

Another thing that I loved is how you were inspired by the places you visited, it was a very good detail for the story and especially when it comes to a superstar who travels the world.

I really loved having accompanied the captivating Taekey fictional story on this trip,
I experienced all kinds of emotions reading this .. thank you so much Hanna, even though you had a difficult time while writing this, you did a great job, and best of all, you conveyed many emotions to the readers with this touching romantic writing. You are a great writer!

Atte. A fanatic reader of SHINee and Taekey ♡
SHIN33ee
#3
Chapter 34: Great story! Thank you for making it long. I got to stay in longer!
CamiiAusterlitz #4
Chapter 35: TaeKey forever <3
err4tic
#5
Chapter 35: S&M. Rawr.

Sigh. The long journey is over, but what a ride! Thank you for working so hard to share this labor of love with us! I love how they end up as SHINee. This entire novel (yep, that's what it is!) is just love. Thank you.
mugmid21 #6
Chapter 35: This chapter is so...cheesy, cheesily cute, (like baby cheese haha 6v6). You include so many references from SHINee's discography that I can't help but smile ears to ears when reading it, even the passing of Heekyung feels so soothing and peaceful. Kinda anticipating one of them will propose but Taemin's "I'm your family" is enough. Thank you for the cute story.
keyhyungpls #7
Chapter 34: Im so happy to read the ending to superstar! Its easily become one of my favorite taekey chaptered fics and i have definitely reread it a few times. Sometimes certain parts do bring me joy and comfort and i hope you know that. Just like how you say its hard to say goodbye to these 2 in story I felt like i didnt want to read the last chapter bc i also didnt want to say goodbye. The angst was very well characterized and your use of dramatic irony. It was frustrating to see these two pining for eachother yet letting other things get in the way but i really love how it was necessary and strengthened their own bond. The rule in the hotel room is so beautiful to me. All of that time they lost they were able to spend with eachother that was just raw and unfiltered. Just so they could focus on nothing but eachother.

You're a beautiful and gifted writer and I feel so lucky to have you as a writer for taekey. They're such a beautiful ship and dont let anyone tell you otherwise. Im wishing you the utmost strength in this difficult time ♡ i believe in you. Im looking forward to the epilogue!
shojinryori #8
Chapter 34: I am so sorry to hear of your loss in this terrible time. I’m amazed you kept writing but perhaps (I hope) writing gave you something else to concentrate on for a short while.

I am so overwhelmingly emotional about coming the end of this fic. I’ve enjoyed all the time I’ve spent with all the characters and through them visiting places I’d love to go to but mostly haven’t had the opportunity (yet!). Another thing I really enjoyed was your sharp observations of their clothing, like when they both wore the same striped jumper or the “ahjumma-inspired” red outfit Taemin wore on stage during his Japan tour.

Finally, I really adore your writing. It’s so clear, well thought out, and you have a wonderfully rich vocabulary. I’m off to (re)read your other works now. :D
Taemint1 #9
Chapter 15: y collarbones indeed, Key....
kibombs
#10
Chapter 34: at long last, the conclusion to superstar has arrived! i am so at taekey's happiness, and even more so for you writing this! 18 months is such a long time, and i appreciate and admire you sticking to this story, and for continuing to provide taekey content for those of us who are dying for it... your writing is always so nice and enjoyable, i had such a nice time reading this story through out it's updates; i swear you made me go through every emotion! haha. seeing taemin and kibum's relationship rise, fall, then rise again was certainly a wild ride (that i'd be ready to ride again). i enjoyed how you wrote the members, and i absolutely loved every bit with kibum's mother too, especially in this last chapter. if taemin's family had only accepted him then this ending would've have been a bit TOO perfect lol. thank you again, for this story, for always being so dedicated, and for helping fuel me and anyone else who wants to write! i'm so grateful taekey has made me found you <3