TEAM FORMATION

Key: Amber

Amber: what

Key: Escape.

Amber: what

Key: tell your members i’ll tell the maknaes

Amber looks up from her phone and sees Key and the other members of Shinee in a rather serious discussion with Exo’s leader Suho. Key was insisting on an “escape” from practice just a week before their SMTOWN World Tour. They have talked about this before but they never got to put their plan into action. And now of all time to escape would be the best and most dangerous time to fulfill it.

Amber: You don’t have to join the maknaes. Joonmyun-oppa and the kids might get in big trouble. They might not be able to handle it well.

Key: Oh but they agreed already

Amber sighs and sees the production staff and their managers talking. Their concert will be filmed and crew were here right now for behind-the-scenes. She turns to Krystal who was playing in her phone. “Yah Soojungie,” Amber whispers but Krystal, as always, ignores her. “Soojung-ah,” she repeats but she gets ignored for the second time.

“Soojungie! Jungie. Krystal, hey. Krys Jung…” After how many attempts, the short-haired girl gave up and chooses to sacrifice her life. “Ya!” She shook Krystal which cause the latter to lose the game. “What the hell Amber?!” Krystal glared at her and gasps in disbelief. “What do you want?”

Amber shows her the conversation between her and Key. Krystal twitched her eyebrows as she read it. “That’s impossible I tell you,” Krystal states the obvious. “We can’t even escape our manager. How do you expect to escape from a whole camera crew?”

Amber shrugs and decides to tell Victoria about it who is quite fine with the idea. Krystal groans and texts her sister, Jessica. 

Krystal: Unnie. SOS

Jessica: What is it?

Krystal: Escape. Juniors. Freedom.

Jessica slightly elbows Tiffany and discusses about what Krystal said. “The juniors want an escape,” Jessica says. “Well, they deserve it,” Tiffany answers. “I’ll tell Taeyeon.”

Tiffany: Tae, the juniors want to take a break from practice. Like the whole day.

Taeyeon: Omo. Ok. I’ll tell Leeteuk about this so we can help them.

Taeyeon begins talking with Leeteuk who was already beside her. “So, our juniors are planning an escape and they’re needing all the help they could get.” Leeteuk hums in response. “I know someone who can help them big time.”

Super Junior’s leader took out his phone and started typing. “Who?” Taeyeon asks. She peeks through his phone and her eyes widen. “No way.”

Leeteuk: Abeoji, your freedom wants freedom for a day.

After half a minute, Leeteuk receives a message.

Lee Soo-man: What can I do then?

“This might be dangerous for you since you’re still rookies and you might not be able to handle the scolding the next day,” Key says to SM’s new boy group. “But come on, you deserve freedom from all the teaser promotions for your debut. You need to feel the air again. So, we’re having you in the crew. Are we good?”

The rookie boy group seems to see the sense in it and becomes very tempted to join. They do feel exhausted from all the practice and promotions. “We got one week before the tour and after that it’s back to comebacks again. Our schedule is unstoppable but if you join us-

“We’re in,” Suho exclaims. The members nod in agreement and the Shinee members smile in relief. “That was easier than expected,” Onew says.

“Vic texted me,” Jonghyun says. “She said she’ll be in the operating team with Onew and I during the escape plan. The seniors are helping us too. Yuri texted me that they’re already looking for a hideout for us. So that leaves nineteen of you.”

“Okay. Text Amber and tell her to join us at the cafe,” Key says. He stands up and leaves with Minho. “We’re going to talk about the teams in place.”

Amber eventually receives Jonghyun’s message and tells her members about it. She stands up from her seat and join Key, Taemin, and Minho. They were about to exit when Shinee’s manager blocked them. “Where are you going?” he demands. “Just downstairs, hyung,” Key calmly answers. Minho swallows his adam’s apple nervously, afraid that their manager would go nuts.

“Make it fast. Practice is in ten minutes,” the strict manager replies. The foursome exit peacefully and make their way to the cafe.

“Your manager is really scary,” Amber states. “You can say that again,” Taemin adds. They take a seat as Minho orders two caramel macchiatos and two vienna lattes. As soon as Minho takes his seat beside Amber, Key starts the first step to the plan. “So, we need to split into teams. We cannot, absolutely not, be caught in one destination.”

“First, the four of us are team leaders. I’ve heard from Victoria-noona that she’s going to be part of the operating team so we’re nineteen in total which will make one group have four.” Key takes out a pen and grabs a tissue paper from the holder. “Team 1, Alpha Team, Leader: Key.”

“Ohhhhh,” the three react in unison. “The members I chose are Luna, Sulli and Krystal.”

“What?!” they exclaims in unison, again. “Y-you took my members!” Amber shouted. The cafe goes quiet and Amber settles down. “You didn’t even take a single Exo member!”

“It would help me with my connections,” Key explains. “They will not listen to me if I don’t have something that will make me convince them. Trust me. I’m the Alpha leader.”

“You’re unbelievable,” Amber exasperates. Key sighs. “If it helps, ‘ber, you’re Beta team’s leader. You choose your members now.”

“Fine. I’m taking Minseok-oppa, Kyungsoo, Jongdae and Baekhyun,” she says. “Jongdae and Baekhyun are my fellow ’92 line and I personally know Minseok-oppa and Kyungsoo. That can help me communicate with them well.” Key takes note of it. 

“Next, Charlie team. Taemin-ah.”

“Jongin, of course. Then Chanyeol, Luhan-hyung and Lay-hyung. I know their numbers and I get to talk to them during trainee days so it’s cool,” Taemin states.

“Then lastly… Delta team leader, Minho. The rest is yours,” Key says.

“Wait a minute, you just left me with two of Exo’s leader and Exo’s maknaes!”

“-which is a well balanced team since you’re none of that, our agenda ends here and we’ve got to move out before our manager cuts our heads off. Come on.” Key stands up from his chair and the others follow. They start sprinting while Minho complains about having both troublemakers and disciplinarians on his team. They enter the practice room again with take-out cold coffee for their colleagues and their favorite teacher.

This is a rather more informal story I'm doing. This has been aging in my drafts and I wanted to continue it. Mehehehe.