There goes that smile again, she always does that. Smiling all day at everyone like she knows each and every one of them. It’s not that he hates her smile, it’s just that he doesn’t like it when she smiles at the guys. He knows she’s just being her normal nice self but the guys might not think so. He hates the way other guys casually calls her name and greets her like they’ve known each other for so long. He hates the way she easily goes over to the guys and talk to them and laugh with them. And most of all he hates the way she seems to be calling everyone oppa excluding him.

Maybe because they were born on the same year, they call it the 93 line or it might be that she’s so used to seeing him almost every day that she got comfortable and just decided to call him by his name. Taemin is the maknae in SHINEE, everybody knows that. But he is still older and her sunbae so why not call him oppa too?

It bothered him a lot that he sometimes acts cold towards her, but being the usual bubbly girl she is she either ignores the cold shoulder or would just chat with the other member mostly with Onew.

He could still remember the first day he met her, he was wandering inside the SM building when he spotted an open training room. He thought all the trainees had gone home but when he peaked at the room he saw a small girl with long black hair dancing gracefully. Every move she made was close to perfection, she got good timing and rhythm. When the song was finished Taemin can’t help but clapped. And that was the start of their friendship. He thought he was the only guy she was close to or if not the closest but as time passed by and as she got to know other trainees and other SM artists she became popular especially to the older guys like Super Junior.

Even before their debut as F(x)Luna or as he still calls her Sunyoung is already close to a lot of SM artists like Eunhyuk, Leeteuk, Sungmin, Ryeowok, Onew and Key to name a few. He remembered the happiness on Sunyoung’s face when she was casted as the fifth member of F(x) alongside Krystal, Sulli, Victoria and Amber. She thought she’d never debut and was so happy to be casted as F(x) main vocals. She worked hard triple time with her singing and dancing. Sometimes when he has time he’d join her in practice, just the two of them and he’d often joked that she’s the smallest of the group. Sunyoung would just playfully hit him and tell him to wait for their debut stage, she’s going to rock the stage along with her fellow members. He knew of the tears she cried and the harsh comments she got even after trying all her best. She told him about her worries, that she’s not as pretty as the other members, that people think she and Victoria are almost the same age, that she’s short and that she’s not good enough to be part of the group. He’d always tell her that there’d always be bad comments even when you’ve done your best. That you can’t just please everybody, that sometimes you’ve got to have a strong heart and look on the bright side. Luna may be a cry baby but it’s easy to cheer her up as well.

As F(x) got more popular Luna and Taemin’s time together to practice grew less, the only good thing is they get to perform together or be on a show together. But still those times were marred by his hyungs, Onew would always steal the spotlight and would always have Sunyoung hanging for every word he says laughing hard at his jokes or just plain playing silly games with him. He’s not as great as Onew or Jonghyun in singing so he never stood a chance doing a duet with her. And dance battles were always done in groups.

That time in 2010 when they were in Idol Star filming, all members of SHINEE were present and some Super Junior members too. Sunyoung was all the time with Sungmin, if not Minho would snatch her giving her some sports advice. He watched helplessly as she was lifted up when she won the high jump. He wanted to go and congratulate her too but there were just a lot of guys around her telling her she did great or just hugging her or patting her head. The only time he got to actually talk to her was at the opening and around lunch time. The next year with the same show, he was lucky that Sunyoung was still part of the SM representatives and SuperJunior were no longer around to play with them. He got a chance to talk to her from time to time but Onew hyung and Sunyoung were always playing with each other, always talking and teasing. Krystal and Taemin joined the fun but Sunyoung and Onew were mostly alone in doing their own little games.

Even in SM town Luna was still always surrounded by other SM boys. He smiled remembering the time he distracted them by pulling his Onew hyung away from her, but the two were like magnets always trying to find each other no matter where, plus Ryeowok was not at all helping running after Sunyoung and even pouring water over her. He wanted to do that too, but felt awkward. Well it would really be awkward considering he wanted to that so he could be with her.

So he contented himself with their practice time, their unplanned just-bumping-into-each-other-in-the-practice-room practice time. He made sure it’s just the two of them, always happy that at least within the four corners of the practice room she was just his for the moment. No distractions, no fans, no members, no Onew hyung, no Super Junior.

He waited impatiently for her to show up not even bothering to play any music, he’d do it once she’s here. He saw the last stage she did on Immortal song and as she sang the last parts of the song he felt proud of her.

A gentle push on the door made him sit up straight from where he was squatting. He readied for his usual eye smile and greeting only to see a man coming in. Wait, it’s Kai and the one who followed him is no other than Sunyoung followed by the rest of the group. They were chatting like old friends and it made him wonder when did they get close like that? Sure they’d seen each other here in SM heck he was even the one who introduced some of the now EXO-K members to her. And why does it have to be her when he can always be friends with other girls?

“Oh Taemin!” he heard Sunyoung’s surprised voice calling out his name when they finally noticed he was there too. “What are you doing here?” she added as if they’d never met here before and practiced together. He thought she was used to them doing it together, dancing and just spending time. Well it’s true that they don’t schedule their meetings but this smallest practice room is theirs at least while they were there.

“Uhm, I’m here to practice of course,” he said with a small laugh as if he finds it funny she’d have to ask. Greetings were exchange while his eyes try not to notice the way Sunyoung seems so close to them.

“Yeah, I bumped into Sunyoung earlier and we were looking for an empty practice room she said she knows one and now we’re here,” Suho said and Taemin can’t help but notice the casual way he called her by her real name.

“Uhm Taemin you’re done with practice right?” he heard Sunyoung asked. “I saw Key oppa leaving with Onew oppa earlier.”

“Yeah, we just rehearsed,” Taemin answered. He knew he’s outnumbered and he just can’t say he was here to practice with her. So he sat on the corner with Sunyoung as EXO-K practiced. Her attention on the group though she answers him whenever he asks something.

“Wah you are all great!” Sunyoung clapped cheering for them and he too joined in. Well of course they’re good they won’t be in EXO if they’re not, but did she not see him dance as good or even better? He checked himself, he can’t be like this. He is their sunbae and it’s just right for him to support them.

Kai must have said something to annoy Luna since they’re now in a playful banter.

“I didn’t!” Luna playfully punched his shoulder. Taemin watched their banter like the complete outsider. Did he miss something? The last time he thought these two saw each other was the SMTown here in Seoul and they didn’t even had time to chat right? He watched Sunyoung most of the time and she was always with the other F(x) members or with Super Junior.

Now there’s another person he’s jealous of not because he dances better, nope he’s not that type but he’s jealous because of her. She’s already close to the senior guys and now the newest group EXO-K. All the other sunbaes say that she’s like their little sister. And he knows even his own hyungs see her as that. But he can’t help but feel that someone might just snatch her away. Seeing Kai and Luna like this, he felt pain slowly building up in his chest and he wanted to just pull Sunyoung away from all of them. But he can’t do that so he walked along with them when Sunyoung said she’s hungry and the other guys agreed that they should all grab something to eat.

The whole meal was too loud for him, everyone has something to say to her. And all he wanted to know is why she is even with them. But he didn’t dare ask so he sat and ate. And when the meal finally ended he was so glad he even offered to pay.

“Our dorm is nearby so I’ll just walk from here,” Sunyoung said. Taemin heard this and immediately offered to walk her home even after Kai said he’ll do it. “It’s okay Kai, you’re all probably tired. I’ll just have Taemin walk me home.” She refused with a smile. After saying goodbye to everyone they were finally alone. He purposely walked slower than usual to have her with him longer.

Taemin can’t remember the first time he felt it, maybe it was the time they were practicing for SMTOWN dance battle or the time they were doing the Idol Olympics or even before that. He just knew something had changed, at least his feelings for her changed.

He had known her for years, even practiced with her. She likes to hang out with almost everyone in the company whether it be girls or boys, trainees or sunbaenims. She loves to be around people. In a recent appearance in weekly idol she had blurted out that she wanted to do a duet with Onew which is her usual answer whenever she’s asked that question. But what surprised him was when she easily said another idol’s name, L.Joe to be exact.  It didn’t really affect him at all but when others start to about it especially Super Junior it totally pissed him off.

He cleared his throat before speaking. “So uhm how are you?”

Luna looked at him and laughed a bit. “I’m fine.”

“What’s funny?”

“Nothing,” Luna answered and they continued to walk.

“I see you’re getting quite well with EXO-K.”

“Yeah,” she said with a noticeable smile on her face. “I just wanted t be a good sunbae.”

“Wae? Are you that happy that F(x) is no longer the youngest group in SM?”

“Aniyo,” she said. “Why were you there anyway?” Luna quickly changes the subject.

“Did you forget already?” Taemin tried to sound hurt but failed.

“Wae? Did I miss something?”

“Haven’t we practiced together before?” Taemin stopped walking and so did she.

“Oh that, you’ve been busy and so was I.”

“I watched you in Immortal Song, you were great,” he said knowing too well that Luna loves singing much as she loves dancing.

“Thank you,” Luna said. He didn’t notice that they were already in front of their building. Time sure flies. “Uhm thank for sending me home Taemin…”

Taemin looked at her curiously. “For a while I thought you were going to say oppa.”

“Bwoh? I thought we were already passed that.”

“Why can’t you just call me oppa? I’m older even if just a little. You call everyone in Shinee oppa.”

“Because they really are my oppas,” Luna reasoned. She didn’t quite understand why Taemin brought this up again.

“What should I do to make you call me oppa?”

“Why do you want me to call you oppa?”

“Well you call everyone oppa. Everyone who debuted before F(x) that is. And you call some EXO members oppa.”

“But I like calling you Taemin,” Luna said.

“Aish this kid,” he said as he scratches his head.

Luna laughed at him. “We were born on the same year anyways. The only way you could make me call you oppa is if you were my boyfriend.” She looked like she just swallowed her tongue after what she said.

“Bwoh?”

“Uhm I’ve got to go! Thanks again Taemin!” And with that she left him.

Did she just say she’ll only call me oppa if he was her boyfriend?

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ONE DOWN TWO TO GO!

COMMENTS!

Taemin that was a bit too hard! Look at Onew's face! LOL