Chapter 1 - I Can Hear the Bells
Title: Quasimodo
Rating: PG-13 (NC17 later)
Pairing: 2min
Genre: AU, angst, romance, humor, fluff
Summary: Up in the bell tower, high above the town, one lone boy rang the bells. One lone boy watched those who passed by on the streets below. One lone boy fell in love with another boy whose smile lit up his dark world.
This was it!
Taemin was finally going through with it. He had signed up for the talent show earlier on in the month and spent the past few weeks whenever he was free practicing for the show. He wanted to get every motion, every move down and perfected. His hyungs had confirmed several times that it was up to his standards, but he was still unsure. What if they were just tired of his pestering and said it was to get him to silence up?
The boy sighed as he walked out of the school gates, a small stack of bright flyers in his arms and a roll of tape as well. The teacher in control of the talent competition had asked Taemin to put up flyers on his way home to draw in more viewers on show night and the boy easily obliged.
Taemin would stop occasionally at phone polls or bus stops or station entries and tape up the bright papers carefully before walking on and stopping again when he thought it would be a good idea. All of his hyungs were busy today, having careers of their own to look forward to as Taemin learned in school.
Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dongggggggg
As he walked on, the sound of the town's bells rang throughout the city. It was four o'clock. He should start hurrying or Key-hyung would begin to worry. Taemin knew his umma would probably scold him if he arrived later than his normal time. So he began to hastily tape up the flyers, taping one in front of the bell tower.
Taemin paused, looking up... was that a black shadow that just disappeared into the tower at the top? He heard the stories, of a boy too disfigured to leave the tower. But of course that was just a rumor. It was probably just an old man who continued on his daily duties until the day he died and then the bells would die with him. Taemin frowned sadly at that thought. He enjoyed hearing the bells, they told him when to get home...
Giving out a sad sigh, the boy continued on, giving little thought anymore to the mysterious bell keeper no one saw. He knew Key was waiting, probably with dinner preparing on the stove. That alone made his stomach growl softly and he was off running, only stopping a little here and there to tape up the flyers.
********
Minho rang the bells and rushed towards the window, leaning out when he could not spot the coppery hair he had grown accustomed to see. Perhaps the boy was running late? He hoped he was alright.
Just when he was about to turn away, the familiar shock of shiny hair and the clean school uniform came into view at the end of the street. Minho watched, the boy pausing at random spots on the street to tape up bright colored flyers. The bell keeper let his brows furrow for a moment before he saw the boy stop before his tower, taping up one.
Minho watched and then the boy looked up, his bright eyes shining. The bell keeper quickly stepped back, feeling his heart hammering in his chest in hopes the boy had not seen him. The man who cared for Minho always said he should never be seen, something Minho kept to religiously. But he almost wanted this boy to see him, to meet him.
Without a second though, Minho began to descend the stairs to the front door of his tower. He peeked out of the front door, looking back and forth, making sure no one would see him. He quickly ran over to the pole and snatched the bright pink paper before returning to the darkened place he called home. He slowly smoothed out the paper on a nearby table and began to read the title. This was his chance. His chance to see the boy closer up, to never be seen himself, to learn his name. A grin split on Minho's face as he walked back up to his bells to watch the city as he waited.
Bundang High School Talent Show!
Rating: PG-13 (NC17 later)
Pairing: 2min
Genre: AU, angst, romance, humor, fluff
Summary: Up in the bell tower, high above the town, one lone boy rang the bells. One lone boy watched those who passed by on the streets below. One lone boy fell in love with another boy whose smile lit up his dark world.
This was it!
Taemin was finally going through with it. He had signed up for the talent show earlier on in the month and spent the past few weeks whenever he was free practicing for the show. He wanted to get every motion, every move down and perfected. His hyungs had confirmed several times that it was up to his standards, but he was still unsure. What if they were just tired of his pestering and said it was to get him to silence up?
The boy sighed as he walked out of the school gates, a small stack of bright flyers in his arms and a roll of tape as well. The teacher in control of the talent competition had asked Taemin to put up flyers on his way home to draw in more viewers on show night and the boy easily obliged.
Taemin would stop occasionally at phone polls or bus stops or station entries and tape up the bright papers carefully before walking on and stopping again when he thought it would be a good idea. All of his hyungs were busy today, having careers of their own to look forward to as Taemin learned in school.
Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dong, Ding Dongggggggg
As he walked on, the sound of the town's bells rang throughout the city. It was four o'clock. He should start hurrying or Key-hyung would begin to worry. Taemin knew his umma would probably scold him if he arrived later than his normal time. So he began to hastily tape up the flyers, taping one in front of the bell tower.
Taemin paused, looking up... was that a black shadow that just disappeared into the tower at the top? He heard the stories, of a boy too disfigured to leave the tower. But of course that was just a rumor. It was probably just an old man who continued on his daily duties until the day he died and then the bells would die with him. Taemin frowned sadly at that thought. He enjoyed hearing the bells, they told him when to get home...
Giving out a sad sigh, the boy continued on, giving little thought anymore to the mysterious bell keeper no one saw. He knew Key was waiting, probably with dinner preparing on the stove. That alone made his stomach growl softly and he was off running, only stopping a little here and there to tape up the flyers.
********
Minho rang the bells and rushed towards the window, leaning out when he could not spot the coppery hair he had grown accustomed to see. Perhaps the boy was running late? He hoped he was alright.
Just when he was about to turn away, the familiar shock of shiny hair and the clean school uniform came into view at the end of the street. Minho watched, the boy pausing at random spots on the street to tape up bright colored flyers. The bell keeper let his brows furrow for a moment before he saw the boy stop before his tower, taping up one.
Minho watched and then the boy looked up, his bright eyes shining. The bell keeper quickly stepped back, feeling his heart hammering in his chest in hopes the boy had not seen him. The man who cared for Minho always said he should never be seen, something Minho kept to religiously. But he almost wanted this boy to see him, to meet him.
Without a second though, Minho began to descend the stairs to the front door of his tower. He peeked out of the front door, looking back and forth, making sure no one would see him. He quickly ran over to the pole and snatched the bright pink paper before returning to the darkened place he called home. He slowly smoothed out the paper on a nearby table and began to read the title. This was his chance. His chance to see the boy closer up, to never be seen himself, to learn his name. A grin split on Minho's face as he walked back up to his bells to watch the city as he waited.
Bundang High School Talent Show!