"Hyung, can you sit down for just one second and take a rest?" Taemin asked, trotting along with the leader and greeted every single one in the halls. 

"Just one minute, it's not going to take long," Jinki beamed a bright assuring smile at Taemin. The youngest only sighed softly in response. 

"Please take care of us today," Jinki bowed for the countless time towards the staff in the mechanics crew. Taemin followed suit and bowed as well. They bowed back politely - but of course not as formally as the leader had. He went around greeting everyone that by the time he was done, they were already preparing for their stage. A simple touch-up on his makeup and they were off with the pleading voice of the maknae long forgotten at the back of his mind. 

The second their prerecording was finally done after endless tiring times of dancing and singing, the leader was off again, thanking every staff in the hall for their hardwork, and the fans for taking time to see them, and the backstage crew for their efforts, or the sound crew for their flawless effect, the camera crew, the production crew, the makeup noonas, the lighting crew, the list was just endless. Taemin frowned in deep thought, not letting the leader out of sight while he went from room to room to thank each and everyone personally. He let the leader go around knowing the eldest just couldn't let the formalities go. Instead, he got a cup of coffee from the vending machines as he took the first chance he could to pull the leader down on a seat. 

"Just sit here for a minute, alright?" Taemin urged, glancing around to know that Jinki had thanked every possible person in sight. He heaved a small sigh and handed the leader the cup of coffee and in turn took up a bottle of makeup remover and poured some on a cotton wool pad. He silently helped the busy leader remove every inch of flawless makeup padded on his already perfect face, making sure not a single spot was missing as he ran through the thick eyeliners and concealer. 

"Thanks, Tae-ah," Jinki smiled gently at the maknae. 

"You've said more than enough thank yous today. You don't have to say it to me," Taemin responded softly, putting the bottle back on the table top and dumping the dirtied cotton wool into a nearby bin. Taemin went round the seat and behind Jinki, slowly kneading his fingers against the leader's stiff shoulders. 

"Are you upset, Minnie?" Jinki asked, melting into Taemin's massage. 

"Of course not; why would I be upset for?" Taemin asked with a frown. 

"You sound upset," Jinki pointed out quickly, turning around just slightly to look at Taemin, though the youngest just pushed him back to face the front. 

"Not at you, hyung," Taemin assured, hesitating a moment before adding a near silent: "for you." But Jinki had caught the small voice just behind him. 

"What do you mean?" Jinki asked, taking Taemin's hands gently to stop the comforting kneading. Taemin took a deep breath and sigh slowly, kneeling before Jinki's seat and looking up at the leader in slight frustration. 

"They don't even appreciate what you do, hyung," Taemin ranted. "You greet and thank everyone so earnestly and all they do give a slight tilt of their heads. You take up all your waiting and resting time just bowing relentlessly to people who doesn't care and I just feel that you deserve so much better, do you see what I'm saying?" 

Jinki just chuckled lowly and ruffled the maknae's hair tousled with hair gel. "It's alright, I don't mind. It's not just about a response, it's about the appreciation and respect. Appreciation for all the work that they put in for us to be on stage. When you give thanks, Minnie, you can't expect that everyone to thank you back, do you? That's not called appreciation, that would be called fishing for compliments, don't you think?" Jinki asked gently. 

"I just don't want you to get hurt..." Taemin murmured softly, threading fingers around Jinki's slouched back and bringing their bodies together. 

"Oh Minnie," Jinki wrapped his arms around the youngest into a warm embrace, burying his face into Taemin's hair with a beaming smile. "If that ever happens, that's when I know I can always depend on you." 

I don't know why I never posted this. I wrote it like ages ago. In November actually. I think I was during the time that Onew was hurt for everybody era but for some reason (that I can't remember) I never posted it up. Hmm. 

 Updated Mar 18, 2014