A non-Onew POV chapter...this just snuck it's way in there...too much history writing from Taemin's eyes I guess.

Chapter 10

Taemin was the last one to get away from the stylists and he knew that everyone else was already waiting for him in the car.  It had been fun shooting the celebrity special and it was nice to have been able to work with Lex-noona. 

They had made jokes the entire time since Lex was on the actor team and SHINee was on the idol team, and the MCs had a field day with that considering that the two were “married.”  In the end the idols had won, but the actors had put up a really good fight. 

He patted his pockets to double check that he still had his phone and mp3 player and smiled that he hadn’t lost either of them yet.  One week running without loosing anything – it was a new record for him! 

He started across the wide expanse of set when he saw Lex-noona near the exit he was heading towards. 

But she wasn’t alone.

She was with someone else, another foreigner, and they were standing way too close to be just friends.

Taemin felt bad for Onew.  He knew that his hyung had a crush on his co-star, but it looks like she wasn’t feeling anything back for him.  Not if she is being this close with another guy.

But then Taemin noticed something else as he got closer.  She didn’t exactly look happy to be there.  If fact she was talking through her teeth, something Onew told him that she did when she was mad and was trying to keep her cool about everything. 

Taemin angled himself to walk a little closer to the pair.  That’s when Lex saw him. 

“Taemin!” she called out, in what she was probably attempting to be a happy tone but was just a little too forceful.

“Noona,” Taemin said carefully, approaching and watching as the other man pulled away.  It was Charlie Dendriech from her original reality show.  And he did not look happy that Taemin was coming closer.  In fact, he was trying to stare Taemin down and get him to go away.   

The man’s eyes unnerved Taemin, they almost made him afraid of coming near.  But Lex’s eyes were desperate, so he kept walking forward. 

“Oh!” Taemin clapped his hands.  “I got a new phone number noona! I need to get your number again!” 

She smiled gratefully at him.

“We’ll talk later Dria…” Charlie trailed off, glaring at Taemin before flitting away.

As Lex typed her number into Taemin’s phone, Taemin followed the man’s retreating back.  In as serious a voice as any had ever heard from him Taemin asked, “What was that about noona?”

Lex looked up and locked eyes with Taemin. 

“We…uh…we were having a fight…and I just wanted him to go away is all.”  The last part was said in a rush with a wave of the hand, but Taemin thought that she was trying a little too hard to be cavalier about everything – not with how scared she had looked before. 

“Sure…” he said, reaching out for her phone to type in his new number. 

“Noona…if you ever need anything…you know you can call us right?”  Taemin handed the phone back and tried to meet Lex’s gaze.  “Not just Onew-hyung and me…but all of us.  We like you.” Taemin gave one of his prize winning smiles, “You come over and bake us cookies and you’re a great friend to Onew-hyung.  It’s like you’re our real noona.”

Taemin grinned as a small smile graced her face.  “Thanks kiddo…you’re like a real dongsaeng to me too.”  She gave him a quick hug, which he had gotten used to from her, and stepped back, looking calm once again.  “Hey, do me a favor?”

“Yeah noona?”

“Don’t…” she looked at her feet, “Don’t tell Onew okay?  He would just freak out and pile this onto his shoulders as another bit of responsibility.  It’s alright, you helped sort it all out already anyway.”

She shot him a lopsided grin and Taemin pursed his lips. 

“This time noona, this time.” 

Officially one third of the way through with this story. 

What do you all think so far?