Thanks again for reading, commenting, voting and anticipating the next chapter.

I've got a reference this time. I love this pre-debut video especially because of the TaeKey duo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFtm2O78qKw

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“I didn’t order all of you here to see a duo”, the leading woman says tauntingly, “you will all ...”

“No they won’t”, Kibum interrupts with a menacing undertone, “get the ing track going and fast.”

“Who do you think you are?” The woman yells back, her voice cracking in anger, “you’re in no position to ...”

“Who do YOU think you are?” Kibum cuts her off again, gritting his teeth and taking a threatening step towards her like a dark, beautiful demon.

I want to grab him before he pushes it too far and the girl actually shoots Yoogeun but she is so agitated now that she forgets about the kid and points the gun at Kibum instead.

It dawns on me that he did this on purpose: directing the woman’s anger towards himself away from Yoogeun, putting his life on the line for the boy. Isn’t that what a real father would do for his child?

I’m glad that Yoogeun for the moment is out of danger but now I fear for our Kibum. It has become a battle of mental strength. I know that he is strong-willed and tough, famous for getting things his way if it’s important. But held at gun-point ...?

Suddenly the intro to “Lucifer” starts. The girl, Yoogeun’s babysitter, has sneaked over to the sound-system and got the track going.

Taemin reacts immediately, taking his position seemingly unimpressed by the threat towards his Hyung. However the sweat on his forehead and his clenched jaw betray his cool demeanor.

But somehow the music changes the atmosphere. It’s like a real performance about to begin and I almost feel the stage-fright myself. The kidnappers too look excited although it’s hard to tell because of the masks. Even the mad-woman takes a step back in anticipation.

Before I know it I’ve started to sing the opening lines. Well if I can’t dance, I can at least sing to back my boys up.

Taemin and Key slip smoothly into the dance routine, our Maknae taking over the vocals for his part. I hear Jjonghyun behind me picking up the line and continuing the first verse. Finally Minho joins into the chorus.

The elaborate choreography for “Lucifer” was a sensation when the song first came out in 2010. Rino Nakasone and Shim-Sonsaengnim took their cues for the dance from the lyrics, implying chains and shackles making it look dangerous and desperate at the same time. I can’t help but wonder how aptly the song fits our situation right now.

We all can dance through the choreography blindfolded because it’s probably the one we have performed the most in our career. Only ... the dance is conceptualized for five people. We’ve done it with four before but the result wasn’t satisfactory. That’s why the company usually added a substitute dancer if one of us couldn’t perform. However Kibum and Taemin are on their own and although it shouldn’t even matter right now I feel uneasy. What if the kidnappers aren’t satisfied?

But my doubts are dispelled when our dance-machine effortlessly begins to free-style some parts while our lead dancer improvises a functional duo-formation. It’s mesmerizing how these two put their soul into the performance, grim, determined and at the same time absolutely gorgeous.

I’ve moved back to where Jjong has by now slipped almost to the ground, hanging on by a thread not to lose consciousness and still singing perfectly in tune. Minho is next to him not looking good himself but likewise keeping up the backing vocals. While our two dancers from hell deliver the performance of their life we look like a bunch of run-down karaoke-singers too drunk to stand.

When Jjong reaches his long note at “gidaryeon watjanha woah ...” he bends over and I catch him, worried. Minho joins with his rap-part and almost messes up when he sees Jjonggie finally passing out in my arms; but he toughs it through.  

We manage the rest of the song without Jonghyun, Taemin and Kibum finishing with an almost aggressive stance breathing heavily.

The four masked accomplices of the maniac have stood back during the performance and the girl from the box grabs one of them by the sleeve. Her friend? She takes down her mask looking defeated and embarrassed. The other three follow suit. All four can’t be much older than 16. They huddle together almost as if they themselves are afraid.

The box-girl takes a step towards the mad-woman.

“Please, Haegi Unnie”, she says softly, “please let them go. It’s over.”

Another girl moves towards Yoogeun’s chair and starts to untie him. He has been watching the performance crying silently but he looks less frightened than before.

Haegi, so that’s the woman’s name. She is still pointing the gun at Kibum’s chest. Without taking it down she releases the mask from her face and drops it to the floor: just another teenage-girl although apparently slightly older than the others and very pretty.

She doesn’t even look when Yoogeun is finally free and stumbles into Taemin’s outstretched arms. Her eyes are glued to Kibum.

“You’ve always been my bias”, she says and then screams, “ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS!”

Taemin carries Yoogeun to us and beckons the girls to follow.

“You should get outta here”, he says under his breath, “take Yoogeun, Minho and the girls and first of all JJongie-Hyung and leave. We’ll keep her busy here.”

“YOU’VE BEEN MY BIAS, YOU HEAR ME?”

I know that Taemin is right, we should get out but seeing that agitated woman aiming at Kibum’s heart I don’t want to leave.

But the girls already pick up Jjonggie, so I nod towards them and they leave, taking Yooguen with them who after a short moment of hesitation takes his babysitter’s hand.

“Minho”, I whisper, “please go, get Fishy and his father, tell them what’s going on here. And look after Jjong.”

I know he doesn’t want to leave either. But his reasoning wins as I knew it would. Good old pragmatic Minho.

That leaves just three of us with an armed maniac.