l i n e a t i o n

Fate marked out their path to kinship like a cartographer mapping the galaxies; meridians transcending the moments in time they will spend together.

He felt drawn to her. Not through attraction, Taemin reminded himself, because he was certain that he would never fall for a celebrity again. Perhaps the smile he always seemed to have set into his features was a friendly gesture; and, by perchance, Jonghyun's advice was working. Perhaps Taemin had actually made a new friend, and the swelling feeling in his chest was pride in himself for achieving that much.

He could have felt the same for anyone, Taemin reassured, as the dancer meandered through the nameless faces of people towards the girl who invited him to join her that night, her smile as bright as a beacon upon a stormy night at sea. He didn't know why, after thoroughly convincing himself that he despised parties, he was laughing. He was laughing with Luna, dancing in the most unappealing way as possible, whilst complaining that his blonde mane was far too long and hurt like hell. 

Taemin went home that night without his smile faltering in the slightest.

...

The memory of the after party was still embedded in his subconscious thought in the passing weeks. Taemin had inked his hair back into a jet black, and he remembered how Luna suggested the idea to him after learning that the bleach toner had pained him. He recalled telling her how he much 'preferred darker hair over lighter hair anyway', because he was more susceptible to being caught by Dispatch: on the rare occasion that he stepped outside his dorm walls.

He remembered Luna mumbling something in response, but not being able to hear her over the near deafening bass of the music. He didn't know why his breath fell uneven as he leaned in closer to hear her, nor why Luna had shied away from him and avoided repeating what he didn't catch the first time.

Why am I still thinking about this? Taemin shook the thought out of his head as he was packing away the various belongings strewn around the practice room, preparing to leave the SM building and retreat to the comforts of his room. Before he had a chance however, his phone had rattled in the pocket of his hoodie, and it wasn't a surprise to the twenty one year old that the call had been from Jongin. 

To Taemin's mild amusement, it would seem that his friend had already planned a night out together. "We still haven't properly celebrated your solo debut, Taem. It's been three weeks since your album came out. Wonshik hasn't seen you in so long, either." The golden dancer chuckled through the line, and Taemin was quick to give in. "Fine, you two meet me by the Han River. Let me just wrap things up here." Concluding the call with a prolonged yawn, Taemin slung his rucksack over his shoulder, heaving himself out of the practice room no sooner after.

It would seem that Taemin would notice Luna around more often than he did in the past: perhaps it was because they have become closer as of recently, or fate was toying with him. The fact that the girl herself happened to be strolling by was evident enough that fate was tinkering, almost making the transition from strangers to friends too easy. "Oh, Taemin oppa, hi." Luna beamed, her own bag hoisted from her clavicles. "Were you just leaving?" The question seemed to leave the tip of her tongue effortlessly, small talk coming naturally to the girl.

Such a contrast, Taemin noted, to his own conversational abilities. "Yeah, I was going to meet up with Jongin... er... you know, Kai. And Ravi." He stuttered, the reason unbeknownst even to himself. What he went on to suggest baffled Taemin more, and his eyebrows curled the moment the words left his lips. "... Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Nothing particularly special..." Luna seemed less fazed than Taemin was, fingers brushing away the raven tresses masking her eye. "Why d'you ask?"

"Ah, well... We were just going to go to just hang out by the Han River... so... I was just wondering if you wanted to come along..." Taemin hesitantly suggested.  "... Since we're friends now, right?" He quickly added, as to not seem too pushy nor suggestive that the two had a bond any different to a mere friendship.

Luna didn't appear mindful to the dancer's suggestion however, smiling widely in agreement. "Sure thing! ... If that's okay with Kai-ssi and Ravi-ssi, that is." 

It was a somewhat relief to Taemin that the f(x) member didn't take his offer in the wrong way. "I'm sure they won't mind the extra company." He grinned as the two left the SM building together, after Luna had told her manager she would be spending some time with her newly reacquainted friend. 

...

The drive to Han River was comfortably long.

Taemin, as courteous as he could, offered to drive Luna there himself rather than to part ways and resort her to find her own way there. The silence that settled within the interiors of Taemin's car was most likely due to how late it was, neither of them bringing up more than a word or two until they reached the river.

He somewhat appreciated that Luna didn't force conversation upon him during the journey there; Taemin glanced in her direction on the odd occasion, to find Luna serenely staring out of the window. She would watch the glow of the streetlights roll by and tickle them both, and would gaze at the plum stained sky and count the odd airplane that crawled along it. 

"... Thanks, Taemin oppa." The sound of Luna's voice became somewhat uncommon during the car ride to Han River, and Taemin could only curl a brow at Luna's sudden gratitude.

"What for..?" The dancer couldn't help but grin, flexing his fingers upon the leather of the steering wheel. "It's the least I could do. Couldn't let you go there alone, right?" Taemin, confident in his analysis, didn't sense how Luna withdrew herself, almost as though he had misinterpreted her reason of thanks. 

"Mhm... I guess." Her words had rekindled the pleasant silence once more, their breaths barely audible over the smooth drone of the car engine. 

As peculiar as it sounded, Taemin didn't feel as though he was alone with a girl. There wasn't that smear of awkwardness between them that many people of the opposite gender experience when alone together. In fact, it was as though he was with Jongin, or Ravi. Was that a good thing? He pursed his lips as his car came to a halt at the parking lot beside the Han River, not being able to work out why he wasn't as awkward with Luna, as he was so sure of his tendency to be uneasy around new people.

What was so different about her? 

Taemin decided not to take much mind to his questioning thoughts, gesturing the vocalist to exit the car with him in search of his two best friends.

...

She remembered their past differently than he did.

The SM Town Concert in LA, 2010. The after party, naturally, was off limits to those under age. Soojung, being in her hometown, naturally spent the night wisely to visit the family she had so little contact with, taking Amber with her. This left the maknaes of the company as of then: Taemin, Luna, and Sulli, to spend the night in whatever way they pleased. 

Luna was aware that her fellow band mate Sulli was dating the young dance prodigy during this time. She was far from jealous of the younger girl: in fact, she greatly supported the relationship. 

At least, that was what she convinced herself prior to the night outing. 

Sulli had somewhat passively informed Luna that she would be going out with Taemin to the restaurant nearest to the hotel, Subway. "You can come too if you want, unnie." The offer lingered more dubiously than Luna would have liked, yet her growling stomach didn't hesitate to accept the proposal for her. 

"I'll just come along with you both to buy something and come back here to the hotel room." Luna wasn't oblivious to Sulli's desire to be alone with Taemin, and thus opted to be escorted by the managers guarding the three from the front, rather than to hang around the young lovers making their way behind her. 

The walk to the restaurant was cold and empty, despite the bodyguards surrounding her. Luna had lost her appetite completely by the time she reached their destination, mumbling for her manager to buy her whatever seemed fine, trying not to look too vexed as Taemin and Sulli walked through the door. 

She noticed how they were both matching, wearing grey outfits. She was wearing black.

Luna flashed a sullen smile in direction of the two lovers, choosing not to remember how they didn't hold her back from leaving.

The hotel room felt even more desolate without her members, nor the company of anyone else within SM. Slumping onto her bed, the seventeen year old allowed her restrained tears to garnish her untouched sandwich, loneliness and painful silence consuming her instead.   

...

a u t h o r ' s  n o t e

Chapter Two~ Hopefully the short flashback to 2010 wasn't too confusing here, and gave a little insight to Luna's perspective ;n; It's up to you to decide whether she cried over Taelli or the feeling of being left out ;) I'm actually learning more and more about this ship as I go, since I've only passively shipped them all this time, I haven't really investigated into their moments and such. Does anyone have any moments that they could link me, to help me piece them/their past together? ;3; I also find it super cute that you guys call them 'Tuna', it's oddly endearing ;u; Don't forget to comment/subscribe (it means so much to me sob), and look forward to the next update! ♥