“You’re dancing backup for Boa, aren’t you.” Jonghyun said as soon as Taemin walked in. It wasn’t a question, but Taemin nodded anyways, cheeks still slightly pink.

“I don’t understand. I’ve seen her live performances before. The guys were always fully clothed. What happened?”

“Tae, first of all, you watched the MBC Music Core live performances. Rules state you have to be fully clothed. Second, this is a special concert, everyone is pulling out all the stops. I’d be surprised if you did have a shirt.”

Taemin pouted. Jonghyun looked the dancer up and down, raising an eyebrow. “Although, they may have made a mistake having you dance back up for her.” He said thoughtfully.

“What? Why?” Taemin sounded hurt. Did Jonghyun not think him to be capable? or did he think he wasn’t manly enough to be back up for Boa?

“You might just upstage her, looking like that.”

Taemin blushed. “ert. I’m going.” Jonghyun laughed and pulled the younger back.

“Don’t leave yet. Besides, the show doesn’t start for another two hours. Sit with me for a while.” Taemin sighed but did as Jonghyun asked, taking a seat beside the blonde.

Over the course of the next hour and a half, the two talked about anything and everything, while hairstylists and makeup artists flitted around, making Jonghyun look perfect. Taemin was eventually shooed out and sent back to the dancer’s dressing room so that he could finish getting ready himself. As soon as the stylist had placed the last strand of Taemin’s hair into place- for Boa’s stage, he had ended up with a bedhead hairstyle- he was out of his chair and back in Jonghyun’s room.

There, he found the singer having the finishing touches made on his eyeliner. Turning to Taemin, he smirked. “What do you think? Do I look y?”

Taemin blushed. Sure, he loved Onew, but that didn’t change the fact that as a teen he had drooled over Jonghyun’s abs and crushed on the singer like every other fangirl, er, boy, in existence. All he could do was nod and hope the elder didn’t about it.

“You ready?” Jonghyun asked Taemin, grinning from ear to ear. Taemin nodded, bouncing around nervously.

“This is what I’ve waited for my whole life. Of course I’m ready.” His mouth was saying one thing, but his face told Jonghyun the truth. Taemin was freaking out.

Jonghyun hugged Taemin- ignoring the stylist-noona’s screech that he would wrinkle his clothes- and brought his face close to Taemin’s ear.

“Go get ‘em Tae-ah.

What. The hell. Was Taemin. Wearing.

That was Onew’s first thought when Boa started singing and all her backup dancers came out. Taemin had the honor of being paired up with the beautiful singer, and not one of the female dancers. Onew should feel proud seeing his boyfriend up there, but at the moment, all he could focus on was that 1) Taemin’s pants were the iest pants he’d ever seen. 2) Taemin was shirtless, and 3) Boa was all over the younger.

Onew stared up at the stage, wide-eyed, torn between being jealous and being extremely aroused. Onew watched as Taemin dropped to the ground and Boa stepped over him, and his jaw dropped. Taemin lifted his hips up as Boa raised her hands, dropping them to the ground as Boa’s arms fell back down.

Onew didn’t know whether to thank god that he was witness to this, or curse him for not being in Boa’s place. Onew could only begin to imagine what else those hips could do. Taemin stood back up, only  for him and Boa to do body rolls as they dropped to their knees moments later. They spread their legs as they went down, only to come back up again. It looked as if they were humping the floor, and Onew wasn’t sure how much more he could take.

The song was over, and Taemin was gone, leaving Onew desperate for more. He had half a mind to leave before Taemin came back and he lost his sanity, but the stronger part told him to stay. So he did, and three artists later, he was glad he had.

As the beginning of the song made way for the first verse, Onew realised something about Taemin. Sure, he could dance sensually, could do body rolls and hip s that made Onew’s mouth water, but his real strength was to tear it up with badass moves that were so precise and sharp they could cut through steel. The way his body moved with the beat, soaking up the energy of the song... If Onew thought his audition was impressive, he didn’t know what to call this. Taemin was amazing beyond words, and Onew had never felt so proud.

Slowly, the concert drew to a close, only Jonghyun and G-Dragon left to perform. Sparklers went off along the stage, followed by the first notes of Jonghyun’s newest song “Symptoms”. The lights went up to reveal Jonghyun in front, Taemin, Jongin, and two other guys behind him. Unlike the other two performances Taemin was a part of, this song was slow and smooth, the dancing still difficult, but at the same time seemingly simple. Signature Jonghyun.

For the first time since Taemin stepped foot on stage, Onew noticed something other than the dark haired dancer. He noticed Jonghyun’s face. The face that, no matter how much time had passed, remained solemn onstage, even when he tried to smile. Now however, Onew caught a glimmer of life that he hadn’t seen since the first time Jonghyun stood on stage. Onew had been so caught up with himself, he hadn’t even thought of what Taemin’s effect could be on the singer. He realized then that maybe, he wasn’t the only one whose life was changed by Taemin.

“Hey, Taemin, can I talk to you for a moment?” A female voice called after Taemin, and he looked around in surprise to see Boa there, smiling at him.

“Ah, neh Boa-shii.” Boa laughed and moved closer.

“You don’t have to be so formal Taemin. Call me noona.”

“Neh... noona?” Taemin frowned a bit, the word fee

ling strange on his lips. Sure, he and Jongin always called her noona while talking about her, but that was between them, not to her face. This was different.

Boa laughed again. “Aigoo, you’re so cute. How old are you Taemin-ah?”

“Uhm..nineteen.” Taemin thought he saw surprise cross the singer’s face, but if he had, it was too quickly concealed to ever be sure.

“Waah~ So talented at such a young age.” Boa rested a hand on Taemin’s shoulder, the softness of it foreign to him. The only hands he knew were Jongin’s, calloused palms, Onew’s thick fingers, and his mother’s talon like nails. Boa’s weren’t any of those. Her hands were soft and thin,  clear of any imperfections; the hands of a princess.

“Thank..thank you noona.” Taemin replied, a beat late.

“Say, Taemin, how would you feel about being a permanent dancer for me?” Taemin gasped, caught off guard by the request.

“Jinja? Are you...are you serious noona? Me?”

Boa laughed again. “Do you see anyone else around? Yes you. You were brilliant out there tonight, and I’ve never had so much dancing with someone.”

“That would be-”

“Sorry noona, he’s mine.” Boa’s smile faltered as Taemin felt a thick arm swing around his shoulders and pull him close. After a moment, the smile was back, although a bit forced this time.

“Come on Hyunnie, he can dance with me as well.”

“Nope. I don’t like sharing. Bye Boa.” Jonghyun steered Taemin away from the pouting woman and walked him towards the dancers’ dressing room.

“Hyung? What was that for? I had the chance to dance with Boa. Boa!”

“Trust me kid, you don’t want that chance. Besides, wouldn’t you rather stick with me?” Taemin stopped, too shocked to move.

“Wait..you mean?”

“That I want you to be a permanent backup dancer for me? Yes, that’s correct.”

“HYUNG! YOU’RE THE BEST!” Taemin screamed, flinging his arms around Jonghyun and hugging him tightly. Jonghyun laughed and ruffled Taemin’s hair.

“Calm down. We’ll talk about it more later, how about we get dressed and go home first? I’m sure Onew’s going crazy waiting for you.” Taemin nodded, smiling from ear to ear. Jonghyun smiled back before walking off to his room.

The dressing room was empty when Taemin walked in,  something he was extremely grateful for. Humming softly to himself, Taemin stripped out of his stage clothes and into his normal ones. He had just pulled his shirt over his head, reveling in the feeling of the familiar soft cotton, when he heard the door open and someone walk in. Figuring it was just Jonghyun, ready to take him home, he called out without turning around, “One minute Jonghyun.”

“I’m not Jonghyun.”

Taemin froze, chills running down his spine. He hadn't heard that voice in years, and it was one he had hoped never to hear again. Taemin turned around slowly, coming face-to-face with the person he hated most in the world.

"Hello Taemin."

"Minho." He whispered, feeling sick.

Minho smirked. "Miss me Baby?"