Chapter Two

Taemin woke up Onew shaking him.

“Key just texted he will be here in fifteen minutes.” Onew yawned. Taemin groaned. “I know I’m tired too, but up or Key will kick my .” Onew dragged Taemin out of bed.

“okay okay! You’re giving my rug burn” Taemin over exaggerated. Onew smiled and patted Taemin on the head, before leaving. He laid on the ground for a good five minutes before he got up and changed into a pair of jeans and a shirt before heading down stairs.

“Ah there you are good, are you ready?” Key handed him starbucks before shoving a pair of shoes in Taemin’s face and dragging him to the car. “Before I forget,” Key handed Taemin a bag. He was still trying to put on his shoes as he took the bag.

“What is it?” Taemin peered into the bag.

“You didn’t have to! I was going to go buy one afterwards.” Taemin was looking down at a new Samsung galaxy note II.

“Don’t be silly you need a phone, what if I lose you? And Umma needs to provide. I haven’t been able to spoil you for four years! I have catching up to do!”

“Key what about all those care packages you sent?” Taemin laughed.

“That isn’t the same! Now play with your phone until we get there. I already programmed in important numbers. I am speed dial number one. I switched it with your voicemail, which is now number 2.”

“Yes Umma” Taemin slipped on his other shoe and started looking at his new phone. “It is so fancy!”

“You’ll get used to it, here we are” Taemin looked and saw that Key had pulled into a parking lot next to an old building. Key pushed and pulled him into the building and then into a room shouting something about to behave. Taemin looked around and was it was a hair make-up room and the ladies were bearing down on him. It was a good hour in there before he was delivered to a large studio.

“KEY I THOUGHT YOU SAID THIS WAS JUST A FITTING” hissed Taemin.

“Did I?” Key played innocent. “Here put this on.” Taemin took and garment and went behind the screen to change. Surprising the clothes fit him perfectly. Taemin stepped out and Key swooned. “Look at my baby! I knew you were the right choice.”

“What do I do?” Taemin eyed the photographer.

“Just be you. That is what I want for this, dance or something.” Key gave his a quick hug before pushing him in front of the camera man. Taemin glared at Key, who just smiled in return. It lasted until 9pm at night. Taemin had danced, looked y, acted cute, jumped, posed, smiled, frowned, had no shirt on, was oiled up, and was fierce whatever that was. Everyone seemed pleased at Taemin’s work and people kept congratulating him. He just kept telling people that he was just doing this for a friend. Taemin took a long hot shower while the crew cleaned up. It was close to 11:00pm before Key and Taemin left the studio.

“That was exhausting”

“You were great; there was so many good shots! Hmm let’s grab some food and then go home.” Taemin agreed. Key ordered an extra-large potion of chicken so Onew could have the left overs. They ate in front at the table before they both went to bed. 

Minho was reclining in his chair at Mnet’s music bank. His manager had gotten them to the performance stage early so here he was sitting idly flipping through magazines. In the past four years he couldn’t remember the last time he had this much time to relax. It was always interviews, performances, recording, public appearances, photo shoots, and TV shows. It was busy, but kept his mind away from the demons that would take over if he wasn’t busy. SM entertainment had been good to him, and he was now a house hold name in the music business.

Minho stopped flipping and looked down. He had heard rumors of his old friend Key in the fashion business and here was an article about his old classmate. As he read he found out that Key was a prominent designer for the stars in not only Korea, but Japan and China as well. Key must be doing well to get into Korean Vogue. At the bottom of the article it said that there was a 12 page spread of his newest men’s line, along with a 6 page spread of his women’s wear. Minho turned the page, interested in what the great Key Diva designs were like. He heard a muffled scream; that he guessed came from him. There standing on the next page was Lee Taemin.

Minho wouldn’t say he was plagued by Taemin, he would say that he had moved on completely. His on again, off again relationship with Yuri was always on trend for gossip. But he would admit it, but he would have Taemin sneak into his dreams at least once a week. That was the one place he couldn’t control, his dreams. Minho kept turning the pages staring at the pages, Taemin’s eyes seemed to bore into his.

When did he get back?

When did he turn into a model?

When did he grow?

How had Minho not heard about this?

Well that was easy; none of his old friends had contacted him after graduation. He would just hear snippets. The only one he saw was Jonghyun, seeing he was one of the best and most sought after music producers in the industry. But Jonghyun always ignored him when they passed. He guessed that he blew that chance.

[FLASH BACK]

“Here.” Key handed him a piece of paper, folder in two.

“What is this?” Minho turned the paper over in his hands.

“The time and place where Taemin is leaving for America. Are you going to man up and talk to him before he leaves?” Minho looked down at the ground “For God sakes, Kai is going to already be gone when Taemin leaves, just be there” Key turned around and walked away. Minho had stared at the slip of paper in his hands. Slowly he crumpled it and threw it in the trash can in his bed room. The time and day was seared into his mind, he would see a mental clock ticking down the hours. The night before Taemin’s flight he decided that he was going to go. To see him one last time.

Fate stepped in, or that was what Minho decided. The next morning Minho got a phone call from SM entertainment.

“Minho, we were so glad to hear back from you son. We think we can do wonders with you in the entertainment biz. Of course it will have to do a lot with how…flexible you are. We would love to meet with you 2pm. If you are there we will take it that you are serious about this, if not then we know that you aren’t cut out to be an entertainer.” Minho still try to comprehend everything when the phone went dead. 2pm. Taemin’s flight left at 1:45pm. There was no way he could do both.

“Taemin said he is doing this for himself, and I am doing this for myself. It isn’t like he wants me to be there” Minho said out loud to himself. That didn’t stop him from watching the clock all during the car ride to SM entertainment’s building. He told the driver to bring him there no matter what he might say later in the car, and not to let him out of the car. He looked at his cell phone as the minutes ticked by.

1:30 He could still make it.

1:35 He could still make it, if all the lights were green.

1:40 Maybe, there was a chance….

1:41 Only four minutes

1:42 Maybe he wouldn’t get on the plane

1:43 He won’t get on the plane

1:44 What if he does get on the plane

1:45 Did he get on the plane?

1:46 He is gone.

Minho knew Taemin had gone. He had to. There was nothing left for him here. Well their… Taemin’s friends, Minho doubted they would ever speak to him again.

Minho threw himself into work. SM loved him and he started out strong. His first single was a block buster, everyone loved it. He kept working long and hard. Sulli and him had ended right after his debut, she couldn’t stand all the fan girls around him. He had bounced around, and was labeled a ladies man. He had decided to stick with Yuri from SNSD, they were from the same label and she didn’t care what he did. It was good for both of their images. He made good friends within the business, and enjoyed hanging out with his new friends. Seeing Jonghyun time to time was painful, especially when he would catch Key visiting or hear Jonghyun ordering chicken. Minho avoided him and focused on work, trying to never think about Taemin or what he was doing.

[Present Time]

Minho stared at the magazine. He quietly took and rolled the magazine up and put it in his bag. He didn’t like that the whole world was going to see Taemin half-. He doubted that Kai would like his boyfriend to be showcased like this. Minho chuckled. That was Kai’s problem, not his thank God.