This is definitely a drabble…

#85 – Serenity

Taemin scrunched his face up in silent protest at the chaos surrounding them. 

SHINee was starting off a world tour.  The first concert was in Seoul before they headed off to other countries, including Japan, Thailand, the U.S. and even Peru which had seen a dramatic rise in those interested in K-pop in recent years. 

They had practiced and practiced, running through the minutia of every intricacy of every stage and performance, but still the atmosphere was filled with a tension that was only every present on the first night.  Everyone was determined to make things somehow even better than perfect rather than risk things not going the way that they were supposed to on stage. 

Taemin sighed as people rushed around him, screaming to stylists and stagehands trying to offset the ambient noise of thousands of fans that flowed to them from the stands. 

The atmosphere did nothing to help settle the butterflies that still showed up after all of these years performing. 

Key had spent hours last night trying to calm Taemin down enough to sleep before ordering the young man to go clean something in their apartment then and wear himself out instead so that he could get some sleep. 

Taemin’s nerves jangled about as all of SHINee huddled together before the performance began.  Onew gave out last minute reminders, while the rest of them silently contemplated their parts one last time. 

Halfway through the concert, Taemin was backstage once again, freshly changed into a new outfit and splayed out on the couch, one arm thrown over his eyes in a vain attempt to block out the light and try and rest for a few moments while Onew was having his solo-stage, which Minho would follow and then it was Taemin’s turn. 

He mentally raced his lines through his head once more, but he knew this song cold.  And the dance had been practiced so many times he was literally performing it in his sleep, much to Kibum’s displeasure as some of Taemin’s popping limbs ended up jamming the man in his rib-cage.

Taemin let his legs dangle off of the couch, trying to keep his shoes free of the fabric and his left arm dangled uselessly in midair off the edge of the cushions for lack of anywhere else to put it.

He tried to block out the screaming fans, and screaming managers/stylists/stagehands, and the pounding music and his hyung’s singing. 

But he couldn’t seem to manage.

He’d get kind of close but then someone would jostle him as they bustled past, or someone would yell particularly loudly, just next to his couch.  It was just mean to do that to him, Taemin thought petulantly as he tried once more to relax.

And then he felt a cool and familiar hand grabbing his hand that was dangling off in the nether space next to the couch. 

Taemin raised his arm slight off of where it shielded his eyes and glanced to his side to see Key’s knowing smile.  The older man was sitting Indian-style on the floor next to the couch, gently lacing his fingers with Taemin’s. 

In that moment, there was no concert, no one was yelling, no music blaring or fans screaming themselves hoarse.  In that little moment Taemin found his serenity, the entire world faded away except for Taemin, Kibum and that stupid couch.

A tiny smirk grazed the rapper’s face and his free hand came up to push Taemin’s arm back down over his eyes.

“Relax, it’s your turn soon,” he said calmly, running a thumb gently over the dancer’s knuckles. 

And for a few moments Taemin had his peace and was able to calm his jumble of nerves down and get himself in the right head-space for his solo stage when the stage manager tracked him down to prepare to go on.

A pair of lips ghosted against Taemin’s temple as he stood just off stage waiting for his cue to run out.

“Knock ‘em dead!” was hissed in his ear as the signal was given and Taemin raced out to face the screaming fans, heavy base pounding like a heart beat behind him, the feel of lips still on his skin and the memory of peace anchoring him down.   

I’m switching between Key and Kibum here intentionally because they are still actively promoting SHINee at this point and Key is still a very much active part of his persona, especially as they are working on a performance.