Minho's slick tongue glided effortlessly across the inside of his teeth in a side to side motion as his mind drew a blank. Yeah, Taemin is the reason behind his answer, but he's unable to go blurting about their relationship. "All I'm saying, is that if you guys get together, you shouldn't make it public until way later in your careers.... If any sources are leaked, hell would break loose, and Taemin's career would go down the drain even before he puts out his debut single." His mother's warning during a lunch a while ago had stuck around, and Minho is glad it did. Otherwise, things could have gotten out of hand.

"Why don't you stick your nose into somebody else's private life Sulli. Do you guys not understand Korean at all? Do you need it translated into another language?" The young star snapped over his shoulder. Kibum tugged slightly at his sleeve and whispered for Minho to leave, and that he was going to be drowning in a pile of if he kept this attitude up with the producer. But already submerged into his stubborn state of mind, Minho disregarded Key with the flick of his arm.

He could care way less about what ever 'punishment' he'll be taking for back-talking. What, will Mr. Kwon tell other producers that he's hard to work with? That won't stop them from hiring him, after all of the awards he's taken home in a single award show. Mr. Kwon could degrade Minho's skills he wants, and it won't make a difference. Minho will continue receiving multiple offers to star in dramas, commercials, and shows, no matter what happens.

"I won't!" Sulli darted up and slammed both hands on the table as her chair rolled backward into the wall. "I need to know if this Taemin person is the one telling you not to accept this! Is it a worker here or at your company?! I will personally go visit them!" Her eyes were lined with a thin layer of newly-produced tears. At her side, Krystal placed a hand over her friend's and cooed some pleas for her to calm down and take her seat. The producer tapped his chin a couple of times. "Unless," Mr. Kwon was relaxed in his chair now, skepticism specially coloring that one word, which indicated that he's found a sudden breakthrough in his thoughts. "Unless this 'Taemin' character is Minho's actual real life sweetie."

Was it that obvious? The way he repeatedly zoned out and called out the name of somebody who wasn't in any way related to the activity he was undergoing at the moment? There's really no need to ask those questions.

"You're a fool if you think that I'm never posted on these kinds of things. Truth is, I follow up on all of my actors and actresses; scene doubles, even." The producer smirked slyly, amused with how Minho was speechless. The tide has changed in favor of him. "The anxious woman that follows around the director with a clipboard is one of a handful of people I have chosen to keep me up to date with news around the sets. And let me just say, you're doing such an incredible job of slacking off that it seems that you've become the recent topic of interest for the crews."

"But I'm right, aren't I? That you have a girlfriend lounging around the Choi Manor, waiting patiently for her boyfriend to come back?" Minho bowed his head, holding his tongue by clamping it between his two rows of straightened teeth. Thinking that silence would be the best reply in a sticky situation like this Mr. Kwon chuckled, "I thought so. But she'd understand this right? Can you not negotiate with her? She should know that having a boyfriend who's an idol isn't always ideal."

"No! This can't be happening! Minho, you don't have a girlfriend. You don't. Nobody is waiting for you, please tell me that is isn't true-"

"I said mind your own ing businesses!" The winding ropes of blue that snake along Minho's neck bulged with the strain of his booming voice. Embarrassment livened his pale cheeks and boiling blood coursed throughout his body. Minho refused to remain in that room cooped up with the obsessive fan-girl, persuading producer, and the feelings of pressure and anxiousness suffocating him. Without even thinking, he flung the door open hard enough to decorate the wall with an imprint of a single, small circle.

"Minho!" Key yelped in result to the action. Flabbergasted, his hand traveled up and hid this gaping mouth. All attendees of the meeting watched as the door recoiled and shut out the idol who was audibly trudging down the corridor. Nobody dared to say a word until the steps had completely faded and finally, Minho's little scene came to an end with a slam across the hall. The male manager shrugged while his raised hand migrated north to brush out his eyebrows in search of slight comfort.

Slowly, he turned back to find his exact same facial expression mirrored on the others. Kibum giggled airily with the hope of starting to chip off the built up tension little by little. Instead, an aghast Sulli fell back into her chair, Krystal went to her aid with soft spoken words, and Mr. Kwon gritted his teeth while staring intensely at Key.

"I'm really, really sorry for everything! I apologize on his behalf, as well," he said as he stepped backwards, blindly bumping into the door with his bottom. Without flickering his gaze away from the producer, Kibum took purchase of the knob and turned it as he continued, "I'll be setting him straight when I get back to his room. Please forgive him, Mr. Kwon." Key was now standing under the open archway. "So, uh, until next time?" Just before his arm started to retract, Mr. Kwon stopped him with a request. "Kibum, I'd like you to let him know that I'll talk to him about it via text messaging," he said.

Kibum processed the words for a moment, and then nodded his head thoughtfully. "Text him," the younger echoed, "I'll do that." Key flashed a fake smile at the man, then a look of sympathy to the wailing Sulli. Shutting the door firmly behind him, the manager sighed deeply and scratched his head; the word 'text' reminding of a forgotten mental memo. One more thing to add to his to-do list. "I need to go find who is in charge of this place before I even try to break down the door to Minho's room. Besides, it's better to barge in with good news that will lift his spirits."

For thirty minutes, Minho paced his dressing room without breaking for one millisecond until his nerves rested at ease. Which could take a while if he proceeds to renew his anger by replaying the conversation in his brain. 

How dare they bother me multiple times after I've said my answer? But was cursing and yelling necessary to getting my point across? 

As he continued to fluster himself further, Kibum entered the room phone in hand and somewhat pleased face. "Was cursing and yelling really necessary?" He said. The younger of the cousins swiftly made a 180 degree turn on his heel "I was literally just thinking that," With his legs becoming sore, Minho plopped down on the couch nearest to him.

Key locked his home-screen of Jonghyun and stowed it away in his jacket pocket. "You rejected it for Taemin, didn't you?"

"Isn't it obvious? Of course I did. It's wrong. It's like cheating on him; he'd never do that to me." Minho kicked up his legs and elongated them until his feet met the armrest at the opposite end of the sofa.

The older avoided meeting Minho's eyes and inflated his cheeks with air, Kind-of.... Sort-of, he thought, leaning against the wall. Key balled up his hand and dug his nails into his palm to refrain from telling Minho about Taemin's lie; like he promised he would. "Well, a bit TOO obvious for somebody who should be trying to keep his almost-a-relationship in the shadows. Mr. Kwon figured it out, and you pretty much confirmed his suspicion by screaming in his face and rushing out like that."

"At least I didn't actually reveal it."

"But the fact that you've become so distracted to the point where you're saying Taemin's name out loud, makes it hard to believe that you aren't. When I went to visit the director, clusters of people were chatting about it. I've even left to another studio house, and word has gotten out." 

"I wouldn't be doing that if somebody returned my cell phone to me." Minho stressed, and stuck his tongue out at Kibum, who only laughed.

"Even if I did return it to you, do you think I would let Taemin keep his? How do you think he's passed up your hours training? Taking away his phone and chores leaves him with only one thing for him to do: train," Key counted one finger on his hand as a representative, "and study." He finished with two fingers in a peace sign.

"Speaking of training," He paused, "You better get your together by the next three days." Minho looked at his manager like he was dumb for saying that. "What? What does that mean? How is it even related to each other?" He asked.

Kibum smirked, "Taemin is polishing up his moves for his debut performance. And his 'congratulations' present from me, is you."

"I know you want to go, so I convinced the director to add a day to filming   every time you go off into that 'little world' I've been hearing so much about."

Key swears that Minho's mouth has never opened so wide before.

"But hyung-"

"Ah, ah, ah!" The manager spoke loudly and pointed a finger at the idol. "No buts! If you want to see your baby so badly, I suggest you do your best to not let him infiltrate your thoughts."

Minho sighed, knowing that this was going to be a war where the odds are stacked against him. There's no way for him to control himself! At random times he'll just find himself at a stand-still, or with an earful of angry people. But he's determined to find a way to escape the spell he's fallen victim to. "Okay."

"Nice, " Kibum clasped his hands together, excited with how this will turn out. he can't wait to see Taemin's reaction to finding Minho back. "Hopefully I'll be seeing you in three days time." The man pinched the collars to his jacket and tugged it lightly as he walked up to the door. With his hand wrapped around the cold metal, he turned to Minho again saying, "By the way, the producer is going to send you a note or something. I have a feeling he's going to keep being a pest. Good luck." And with that, Kibum vanished in the next couple of seconds.

~~~~~

, they won't even let me into the prerecording session?! Mom must have prepared some top-notch teasers and activities for this many fans to gather for Taemin. Minho thought, following a worker that was currently leading him to Taemin's dressing compartment. Walking until the end of the hall, the woman stopped, unlocked the door, and left after being thanked.

Entering the familiar room was like a breath of fresh air; squeezing a quick sigh and smile from the man as he walked in. This room, located all the way down the corridor, is referred to as 'The Rookie Room' by the staff and performers. Minho calls this whole hallway 'The Hall of Rising Stars' where literally, it is. Most anticipated and popular in the beginning, somewhat popular in between, and the newcomers in at the end. Stepping foot inside of this room brings back memories and the fluttering stomach he carried once before.

If it weren't for the deafening and desperate sounding screams of girls in the next section of the building, Minho would have stood there like a fool during Taemin's performance. Immediately, the man went for the remote to power on the television floating on the wall. Luckily, the channel was already switched to the correct music show, where Taemin stood in the center of four other background dancers.

Dressed up in attire that promoted a 'bad boy' image: bright red pants, coal black leather vest, boots, and   that thing that ruins the 'boy' part    shoulder length hair extensions. Extensions? They make him look-

The sudden start of a familiar track signaled a flick of Taemin's head to flick up as he walked towards the camera with a fierce glare.

...Irresistible.

Minho wouldn't dare to pry his eyes away from the screen; from the impressive rookie. Turns out, Taemin is doing a cover of Minho's song first, and then debuting his own song for the last performance of the night. Taemin's version of Lucifer seems to be receiving better feedback than Minho got from his own. He knows its embarrassing, but he can't feel it at the moment, since he can hear Taemin and his team cheering in the hallway.

He's coming in here to change, where do I go? Key never told me if I should reveal myself now or later! Hastily, Minho surveyed the room for spots to hide, finding none in the end. They were outside of the door now, and there was nothing to do, but stand there and look handsome. And cool; can't forget to look and act cool.

That didn't happen. He couldn't contain himself from rushing up to Taemin and enclosing him in his arms and squeezing him breathless. No, he wasn't breathless from the hug, Taemin was becoming breathless from fighting it. The chestnut-haired boy squirmed and struggled against the tight hold of Minho's but eventually broke free.

"Taemin! Taemin what's wrong with you?!" 

The younger's chest heaved up and down, the sweat on his forehead glimmering with each movement. A disgusted and confused expression looked up at Minho.

"Who are you?"