Both Taemin and Minho have to admit: juggling the job of an idol while dating one is a bit stressful. Despite that, they come to the conclusion that it's worth it when they actually get together. Between stages, practices, and photo shoots, there's little time for the couple to interact. 

Rarely, they inhabit the house at the same time. If you find Taemin resting in his bedroom, chances are that Minho is off to a commercial recording, or vice versa. Nowadays, their only form of communication is via text message. More than often, messages go unanswered for hours and sometimes, stretching out to days. The lack of discussion causes multiple problems and misunderstandings between the two.

That's the price of becoming famous, the couple, and even those around them, think very often.

~

"I have to admit," Key spoke to Jongin as he hastily poured a packet of creamer into his coffee and watched the swirls gyrate around, a red mixing stick leading it on. "it's a bit upsetting having to watch Taemin and Minho's relationship suffer because of their fame." He turned away from the free beverage bar to examine the empty cafeteria of the recording hall and sat himself down on the nearest chair. Kibum sipped cautiously at the rim of the cup and crossed his ankles as Jongin took a seat next to him.

"I agree," Jongin yawned while dipping a tea bag into his foam mug of steaming water. Wisps of pink filtered out from the miniature packet of leaves and hibiscus herbs, coloring the bland substance immeditaely. The two men watched in interest.

"Did you hear about what happened a few days ago, Jongin? The poor kids can't even go out on a lunch date without being stalked and bothered for autographs and like that." Key's tone projected with a touch of disgust as he glanced at the clock on the wall opposite from him. It read 11:30; nearly midnight

The other man chuckled, "Of course; how can I not escape gossip like that? You're forgetting that I'm best friends with Taemin and I go to the same school. A school with half of the population represented by girls," he raised the drink to his lips, closed his eyes, and tilted his head back for a gulp of the flavored tea. "fangirls, to be exact." He finished. "They never stop following me around. I come home with their words echoing in my mind. 'Taemin oppa, how is he? Is he good friends with Minho oppa?'" He imitated in a high pitched voice.

Key's Adam's Apple nodded as he giggled, his fingers tapping the outside of the styrofoam cup. "Now I feel a bit guilty for arranging your classes to be exactly the same as Taemin's," he admitted.

"I don't mind. It's not like I care anyways," Kai sighed. "but," Strangely, he lingered on a pause, looking unsure and confused about what was going through his head. Jongin spotted Key's cocked eyebrow and forced himself to finish, as this seemed like a good time to talk about what he has been hearing.
"I overheard some girls saying that they didn't look very happy together    sort of like they were fighting, I guess. Do you have any idea of what to make of that?" Kai asked.

With a solemn face, Key pondered on that for some moments before responding. "Being diligent with work while trying to have a successful love life is pretty challenging    I'm almost sure that it's because they weren't able to get the privacy that they wanted, after not being able to see each other in a while. I'd be mad too, if I were in their shoes." He blew a gust of air over his drink to cool it and cautiously held it near his lips. "I told them that they should just hang around the mansion, but no...." Key's sassy, as-a-matter-of-fact remark made the younger laugh.

"I hope that's exactly what's happening. I don't know about you, but I don't see the same Taemin anymore. He's been sulking very often."

"His comeback. He's working hard and late into the night to add the finishing touches to it. To put it simply: lack of sleep. Do you realize what the time it is right now? My aunt would murder me and Taemin if she found out where we were at this hour..."

"Where does she think you are?"

"Grocery store."

"For four and a half hours?!"

"I have pretty good alibis."

Jongin thought for a second and then nodded approvingly with smile, saying, "I can believe that."

Almost cutting off Jongin's sentence, the double doors of the cafeteria swung open to reveal the walking dead    also known as Lee Taemin.

"Coffee," He mumbled in a sleepy voice, nearly impossible to decode what he said. "where's the coffee?" Kibum and Jongin looked at each other briefly before both pointed to the free-beverage station right in front of Taemin's heavy eyelids. As the young idol sluggishly made his way towards his destination, a pounding of some sort raced down the hall approaching closer and closer. Suddenly, a middle-aged man with greying stubble on his chin appeared before the three, breathing heavily.

"S..." He hissed, "S-Stop him! He can't work any more tonight or else he will lose consciousness again!"

In the split second in took for Jongin to snap his neck to the side to eye Key, the manager had already bolted from his seat and taken hold of the weak blond around the waist. "N-No..." Taemin objected, sending a weak blow backwards to Kibum's hip. But even if his will and pride pushed him on, Taemin's body woudn't allow it any more. Key wrung one of Taemin's limp arms around his shoulder as the younger fell back into his manager's chest with a slight groan.

"Hang in there Taemin, you only have to make it to the car, then you can sleep." Key reassured him. "Jongin," He said over his shoulder as he struggled to support the idol while digging into his pocket. A couple moments later Kibum pulled out a ring of car keys and tossed it to Kai. "Pull the car around, would you?" Jongin nodded and then jogged through the first doors and out another set that led out to the front steps of the building.

After Key adjusted his grip on Taemin's nearly lifeless body, he turned to the music producer who seemed to be doing better than how he first arrived. He wasn't huffing as hard now.

"Thank you," he told the producer gratefully and the older man swatted his hand in the air. "Don't mention it," he replied.
"No, I mean thanks for putting up with this kid!" Kibum smiled. The producer only laughed and then shook his head at Taemin, who had already fallen asleep in the crook of Key's neck.

"He's been working on perfecting the high notes in his ballad. Every single time, he hits it so beautifully and with such emotion, but he's never satisfied with it. Taemin is the most hard working person I have ever worked with, to be quite honest." The man stared admirably at the sleeping boy. Key grinned as a proud parent would do if their child had won an award and thanked him again.

There was a faint honk in the distance, catching the attention of the conversing men. "Oh, that was quick." Key thought aloud and slowly roused Taemin from his nap by gently patting the side of his cheek. A second later, Taemin came through with an unhappy whine. "We'll be off now!"
In an awkward kind of limp and drag motion, the two younger boys made past the producer and towards the front doors.

"Let little Taemin get some nice vacation time    the album is completely finished." Producer called out just as the automatic doors slid open at their approach.

"Thanks again!"

~

"Taemin-ah, where were you last night?" Minho leaned in close to Taemin's face, attempting to brush a stray strand of blond hair away from his frame. Taemin only dodged the helping hand and rolled over onto the other side of his bed.
"I was working on my album." He scowled, an obvious aura of annoyance radiating off of his lean body. Minho whispered an apology and Taemin yawned it off loudly, trying to hint to his boyfriend that he was in no mood for chatting.

The older man shifted awkwardly around in the chair that he pulled up to the bedside earlier. He watched as Taemin's figure raised and lowered with every silent, blessed breath he took. In the silence, Minho couldn't help but wonder what amazing thing he did in his past to deserve a person like Taemin. But after a long while of appreciating the sleeping beauty, Minho's stomach began to seek fillings.

He shot a glance at the digital clock positioned on the nightstand, thinking, It's already one in the afternoon, Taemin... 

Nervously, he coughed and cleared his throat as quietly as he could and then began speaking in a soft voice. "Taemin-ah," he started, "do you want to go out for a late luncheon?" Minho asked in a hopeful tone. A moment passed. Taemin lazily looked over his shoulder with half raised eyelids and his eyebrows pointing into a peeved 'V' shape. And the verdict was: "No."

"....No?" Minho repeated incredulously. What?!  "L-Let's go get your favorite beef! At that one place you love downtown!" Minho tried, but once again, his offer was declined. He was absolutely dumbstruck! Minho's mouth hung open and everything! Taemin never turns down his favorite meals    especially when invited by his boyfriend that he never gets to see. Well, except for maybe now. Was it because of the arguement they had the last time they went out to eat? If it was, Minho is totally ready to make up for it.

Convincing Taemin to let Minho take him out for lunch would take a different approach.

In a split second Minho sprang into action. The grown man hopped into Taemin's bed and climbed over the mound that was his body, over to the other side to face Taemin.

"Minho! What're you-?!"

"Taeminnie~ Come and eat beef with me pleaaaaase~?" Minho begged in a cute voice; his large, round eyes twinkling with every bat of his eyelashes. Taemin lifted his matted head off his pillow to get a good look at his invador of space and privacy, an expression of disgust, rage, and unbelief in his face.
"Dammit Minho!" He raised his voice as high as his worn down and sore throat would allow him. "All I want to do in my life is sleep!"

The younger reached for a stray pillow above his head and used it to cover his eyes so his decision wouldn't be swayed by Minho's aegyo. But it was already too late. Minho had snatched the pillow and threw it somewhere unknown. But even through the dark undersides of his eyelids, Taemin was still haunted by Minho's image. It just all went down into a downward spiral now. Taemin's mind scattering as he felt the mattress shifting under him; another body's presence crawling above and trapping the poor boy.

Goosebumps arose as soon as Minho's lips hovered just above Taemin's milky-white, elongated neck. He pecked small kisses along it, gradually trailing up to his jawline, over his cheek, and pressing a final one on his lips, to which Taemin finally opened his eyes. "Yah," he said nonchalantly, even though his insides were melting.

"Please?"

Taemin stalled for a moment glaring up at the smiley man. "Fine." He sighed in defeat.

~

"Welcome!" an older woman    most likely in her late 60's    greeted Taemin and Minho as soon as she heard the front door's bell jingle lively. Today, the shop wasn't as busy as it usually was    the perfect atmosphere for two idols to go out on a lunch date. Minho shook out the umbrella, spraying water droplets around the entrance, making the hostess frown a little.

"Only two diners today, grandma. Please seat us in a corner." Taemin smiled through the thick binding of scarves around his neck. Partly because it was cold, and partly because he couldnt be spotted. The woman nodded with a heartwarming smile, picked up two menus, and led the couple into the north-eastern corner.

The menus were actually unnecessary, as they had already had their favorite meats in mind. As the feeble old woman shuffled away, a different server made an appearance and set down a kettle of steaming tea and glasses of water with condensation dripping down the sides. The men ordered their side dishes and meat carvings, now, they had to wait.

Taemin stared down into the pit of burning coals through the metal bars of the barbeque. This was the reason why this place was Taemin's top restaurant in Seoul. It reminded him of home. Of the good times at home. Nowadays, all the barbeque pits are electronic, but electronically cooked beef doesn't even begin to compare to the charred flavor you get when cooking over a real grill.

Just moments later after reminiscing a bit, the waitress returned with a platter full of dishes. She handed a bowl of white rice and japchae to Taemin, and white rice and pickled radishes to Minho. Lastly, a rectangular plate full of thinly sliced beef was set before each man.

"Please enjoy!" The waitress said enthusiastically, and happily skipped to the next table of customers, checking up on their meal.

"She seems pretty happy." Minho said over the sudden sizzling of his meat contacting the scorching metal bars. Taemin smirked, "I would be too, if I was around meat all day." Minho laughed out loud, baring all of his teeth. Taemin adored it when he did that.

The blond picked up his chopsticks and didn't even get to pick up a grain of rice before something caught his eye. A white light plastered across the top of the entrance of a building blinked on on the opposite side of the road. A dark figure rushed under the sign in a hurry. It was raining cats and dogs outside, making it nearly impossible to make out any words or lettering from that light. But whatever it said, it didnt matter. It was keeping him from eating.

"Yah, Taemin-ah! Were you even listening to me just now?" Minho sputtered with a mouthfull of radishes. Taemin shot him a surprised look and admitted that he had been distracted. The older man sighed and shook his head, flipping a piece of beef over on the grill in the process.
"I'm going to be away for a day or two again. Another commercial with Sulli."

Taemin scowled and rolled his eyes at that dreaded name.

"I know. But don't worry. I won't touch her this time, okay?" Minho winked.

"Hey!"

"Hush up and eat." Minho shoved a cooked portion of beef into Taemin's mouth before he could get another word in.

~~~~~

A/N: My lord, it has been too long! I'm so glad almost all of my finals are done~ It's been a whole rush for me these past months of school! Sports, projects, finals, music! Could my life become any more packed?? So sorry, this was as much as I could do. To be quite honest, I forgot some of the story line to this because I haven't been working on it OTL. Again, sorry if my skills are rusty. I only have one more math final a week from now. Study study study! Thank you so much for waiting! I'll try my best for you all!

~Queen S