"Jongin?" Taemin stared at his roommate in shock. "What...how.."

"I followed you." Jongin stated simply. "Mind if I sit here?" He asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down before Taemin could say no. 

"Ah, hello." Onew greeted, while Taemin sat there silently, still in shock.

"Hey there, and who might you be?" Jongin asked, smiling flirtatiously at the elder. Onew fumbled, disoriented by the younger's forwardness. Hadn't Taemin said the kid was straight? 

"I'm Onew." He smiled shyly. Jongin's face immediately lit up, his smile turning mischievous. 

"So you're the one Taemin hasn't shut up about for the past five months." 

Onew's eyes grew to twice their size, while Taemin desperately tried disputing the fact.

"No, hyung, it's not like that, I've only talked about you a couple times, I mean-"

"Calm down, Tae, it's okay." On the inside, Onew was secretly elated knowing the younger talked about him, though why was beyond him. "Jongin, would you like something to drink?"

"Get me whatever Taemin usually has." 

"Okay, right away."  

Jongin smirked. Onew had fallen into that trap so easily. "So Taemin does come here often enough for you to remember his regular order." 

"Yeah, he comes here everyday." Onew said, totally oblivious.

Taemin's head dropped to the table. "I give up." He said, voice muffled by the wood. 

"Taemin?" Onew questioned.

"Go get Jongin his damn coffee." Taemin grumbled. With one last glance at the sulking boy, Onew shrugged his shoulders and turned to Jongin.

"I'll get you that right away."

As soon as his back was turned, Jongin poked Taemin.

"Yah, hyung, look at me."

Taemin lifted his head slightly and glared at his friend. "What do you want?" 

"You didn't tell me he was that attractive! I mean, look at those arms. And those thighs." Taemin's eyes widened and he angrily slapped Jongin's arm. 

"Back off! Besides, I thought you were straight. What happened to Hyoyeon?"

"I am, and shes wonderful. I'm just saying. You chose well dear brother." 

"We're not even going out!"

"Yet." Jongin said, completing Taemin's unspoken thought.

"You-" Taemin shut his mouth, instead opting for a small smile as he looked behind Jongin to the quickly approaching barista.

"Here you go Jongin." Onew said, placing the steaming cup before the youngest.

"Ah, thank you."

"And one for you." Onew said, setting another cup in front of Taemin. The dancer's face lit up in an instant. 

"Thank you hyung." The two smiled at each other as Onew took his usual seat beside Taemin.

Jongin watched the interactions between the two, amused. Time to cause some trouble.

"So Onew-ssi. Do you have a girlfriend?" A strangled sound came from Onew's throat, as if he was choking on air. 

"E-excuse me?" He coughed.

Jongin pretended to be thinking. "Okay, so, no girlfriend. What about a boyfriend?" 

Onew paled, fear in his eyes. "Of course not." He said quickly. Taemin's heart sank a bit at the elder's reaction. Was it that wrong to Onew for guys to be together? Jongin and Onew's voices faded as 'what if's' swirled around Taemin's mind. 

What if he confesses and Onew rejects him?

What if Onew hates gay guys?

What if Onew finds out about Taemin and becomes disgusted with him?

What if Onew decides he won't have anything to do with Taemin anymore?

With each 'what if', the outcome was worse than the last, and it was making Taemin nearly sick with fear.

Underneath the table, Taemin nervously played with the hem of his shirt. Onew took notice, and without thinking, he grabbed Taemin's hand and began rubbing soothing circles on the back of his hand. 

"Don't do that, you're hand will cramp up." Onew said softly.

Taemin smiled, despite the negative thoughts in his mind. 'Hes only doing it to be nice.' "Thanks." 

"You two look cute together." Jongin commented.

Onew's eyes widened in shock, while Taemin blushed hard. Suddenly, Taemin knew why Jongin had come. The younger must have thought Taemin was taking too long, and this was his idea of helping.

Oh no.

"Okay! Time for you to go!" Taemin announced. 

"I don't wanna!" Jongin whined.

"Don't make me call Hyoyeon."

"She's busy, she won't care." Jongin stuck his tongue out at Taemin, who was now debating wether he should just kill the idiot himself.

"Whatever. If you're going to stay, can you at least sit quietly? You can talk to me later."

"But-" a glare from Taemin quickly shut up the youngest, who looked down and began taking a new interest in his coffee. 

Onew was caught between a laugh and a stab in the heart watching the scene. Lately, he wasn't sure whether Taemin's presence was more comforting or painful, and it was confusing the elder to no end. Shaking the feelings off, he called for Taemin's attention.

"Oh, right, what was it you were going to tell me?" Onew asked. Taemin noticed Jongin's intrigued face and decided now wasn't the time. 

"I'll tell you later." Taemin said, looking slightly annoyed. 

Onew put a hand on Taemin's shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm sure." Taemin smiled softly, showing Onew he wasn't annoyed with him.

Jongin watched on from across the table, a smirk on his face. 

If Taemin doesn't succeed with his plan soon, I'll get them together myself. 

 

=the next day=

 

"Alright everyone, that's it for the day." Jonghyun heard a girl yell, and he sighed in relief. Finally, the wait was over, and just in time. The singer was sure he would have gone mad if he'd had to wait any longer. He was not a patient person. 

He watched as people filed out the door, walking past him without notice. Of course, he was wearing a hoodie and large sunglasses, so his silvery hair and famous features weren't really visible. He saw Taemin's twin-no, they were just roommates- pass by alone and reached out to stop him.

"What the-" the boy turned angrily towards his attacker, only to realize who it was, and his anger was replaced with shock.

"Kim Jonghyun?" 

"Yes, it's me. Is Taemin still in there?" 

Jongin nodded. "He said he wanted a bit more practice..." 

Jongyun sighed. Of course the kid was still practicing. 

"Wait... Why do you want to know about Taemin?" Jongin's eyes narrowed as he stared at the singer with suspicion and... Was that anger? What was that for?

"It's.... He's just giving me some tips on dance moves is all."

"Oh, well, I can help with that as well if you want."

Jonghyun silently cursed the boy. Why couldn't he just leave?

"No, really, it's fine. Taemin only agreed to because he stays after anyways, you go on."

"If you say so..." Jonghyun sighed in relief. "But you better not try anything." With one last suspicious glare, Jongin walked off, leaving the singer to wonder what had just happened.

Did.....Jongin like Taemin? It seemed strange, as Taemin said they were merely friends, but why else would the boy act so hostilely towards the elder? 

Shaking his head to rid the confusing thoughts, he headed inside to find Taemin going through the first few steps of the audition routine.

There was a look of complete concentration on Taemin's face, and his movements were so clean and precise, it was almost as if he was a robot. Jonghyun thought it looked a little harsh, to be honest. It didn't seem like there was that much heart. 

As soon as the music started and he began actually dancing, all those negative thoughts left Jonghyun. Not only was Taemin dancing with his body and his mind, but the singer could almost feel the emotions Taemin was feeling himself. And there was the biggest smile on his face, as if there was nothing greater in the world...

The music stopped, and Taemin sat down, panting hard, the smile still present on his face. In that moment, Jonghyun could almost imagine it wasn't Taemin he was watching, but someone else.

"You guys could be twins..." Jonghyun said to himself, but Taemin heard and turned.

"Oh? Jonghyun, you're here again?" 

Jonghyun  scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Oh, uh, yeah. I was hoping you would teach me a bit more, if you don't mind." 

"I don't mind at all!" Taemin said, perhaps a bit too eagerly. "I mean... Yeah sure, if you want." Jonghyun laughed softly. Taemin's eyes lit up as he remembered something.

"Oh! What was it you said when you first came in?" 

"Oh, no-nothing." Jonghyun stuttered, shocked at being caught.

Taemin frowned and placed his hand on his hips. "Yah, what is it? Don't lie to me, I know something's bothering you." 

Jonghyun  gulped, shocked into silence by the familiar scene. Except he wasn't with Taemin last time, he was with...

"Kibum." He said softly. 

Taemin stared at him, confused. "What?" 

"Kibum." Jonghyun repeated, and Taemin wondered if the singer had lost it.

"Umm.... My name is Taemin, hyung. Remember? Tae. Min. Taemin."

"No, I didn't mean... He's who you remind me of." 

Despite the painful look on Jonghyun's face, Taemin couldn't stop himself from asking. 

"And who is that?"

"Was."

"Huh?" Really, could the man stop with the one word answers? Taemin wasn't a mind reader.

"He was my brother. He..." Jonghyun's voice cracked, throat thick with tears. "He died in a car accident nearly three years ago."

Three years ago... Everything clicked together, like he had found the missing puzzle piece, and suddenly he understood.

"That's why you disappeared for months... Your brother died." It wasn't really a question, but he answered anyways.

"Yes." Jonghyun took a deep breath. "He uh, he was a dancer too. That's why....why you remind me of him." Tears were slowly starting to drip down his face, and Taemin knew it was time to stop.

"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Taemin said softly. Jonghyun merely nodded and looked off into the distance, as if he was seeing his memories, not the plain white wall of the dance studio. 

After a minute or two, Taemin broke the silence.

"Are you ready to start hyung?" He asked. The singer nodded, eager to forget about his past for a couple of hours with Taemin. 

Taemin smiled. "Alright. Lets get started."

 

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hi~

sorry if this chapter seems a little rough, but on the bright side: you guys know more about Jonghyun's past, and Onew's may be soon to come. I say maybe because I'm an evil author and who knows what I'll end up writing keke.

bye~