Monster & Strangers; ontae; g
Title: Monster & Strangers
Length: 1787 words
Rating: G
Focus: Onew & Taemin
Disclaimer: SHINee not mine. This didn't happen.
Prompt: Picture prompt.
Summary: Jinki's second musical ends but he doesn't feel like celebrating.
A/N: Written for shawol_haven's Challenge 006. A rare canon!shinee fic from me. (:
Jonghyun’s phone rings, the name ‘Choijin hyung’ flashing on the screen.
“Hello? Hyung?”
“Hello, Jonghyun-ah-”
“Are you on the way back with Jinki-hyung already? Oh my god. Guys!” He shouts over his shoulder. “They’re coming! Hurry, on the double!”
“- Jonghyun! Listen to me. Tell the boys, don’t bother. Jinki’s off celebrating with the rest of the cast and crew. He’ll probably be back late.”
“- What? But he’s supposed to come home. You’re supposed to make him come home.”
“Yeah. I know. Sorry. I tried. Really.”
“- Oh. Okay.” Jonghyun tries his best to conceal his disappointment.
“I have to go to SM for a meeting now. I’ll see you tomorrow then. All of you go have a good rest. G’night.”
Jonghyun turns to face the other members and the expression he’s wearing somehow made the message clear: there won’t be any hiding in the dark as Jinki and their manager unlocks the front door, or a big fanfare as Jonghyun flips on the light while Kibum, Minho and Taemin pop confetti into the air, or a pleasantly surprised Jinki, grin tearing his face in half, while their manager inconspicuously winks at Jonghyun.
Kibum is the first to retire to the bedroom, throwing the balloon he had just blown up into the air as he gets up and mutters a curt goodnight followed by a barely audible Stupid Jinki-hyung. Minho fingers one of the colourful streamers hanging from one wall to another before finally leaving the living room, patting Jonghyun on the shoulder as he brushes past him. Jonghyun remains where he is, surreptitiously watching Taemin, whose eyes travel slowly from the banner, to the streamers, to the balloons, and finally to the unopened cake box sitting in the middle of the dining table.
Jonghyun sighs deeply before saying, “We can always do it tomorrow, Taemin.”
Taemin’s eyes drop to his lap and for an instant Jonghyun thought he was going to cry. But of course, he knows Taemin doesn’t cry. It’ll probably take a million of his own tears to be shed before Taemin will actually let himself spill just one.
“I’m going to bed, Taemin-ah. Don’t stay up too late, alright?” he says, tone gentle and concerned before turning on his heels and disappearing into his bedroom.
After counting his heartbeats to a hundred, Taemin gets up and slowly tears the banner and streamers down like they were something fragile and precious that needed special handling. Not bothering to clean up the mess he made or putting the cake back in the fridge, he shuffles to his bedroom and crawls into bed.
Kibum is already fast asleep, and though Taemin is inwardly cursing Jinki for his selfishness and utter lack of responsibility to his group members, he couldn’t stop his fingers from composing a text message to Dana.
Dana-noona, help congratulate jinki-hyung on his second musical’s success for me. it is also on behalf of jonghyun, kibum and minho, whom he had easily and completely forgotten all about. thanks noona! And if he asks, no i’m not mad. we’re not mad, at all. ^^
Taemin falls asleep minutes after hitting the send button.
*
Jinki slumps over the bar counter, half-closed eyes flickering across his phone screen in drunken stupor. His alcohol tolerance is actually pretty good, so tonight he made sure he got the stronger mixes, and as much as possible. He feels light-headed, and invisible even, hidden under the shadow of his baseball cap.
The bartender takes a look at him and says in a slightly petulant voice, “Be careful, honey. I’d stop if I were you. Alcohol can only smudge away at your problems just so. You’re still way too young.”
“Oh yeah?” Jinki’s voice slurs, irritation at the woman crystal clear. “I do what I want. For once…” he mumbles, fingers playing with the buttons of his phone.
*
Taemin wakes up to the incessant buzzing of his phone from under his pillow. With eyes opened only a fraction, he squints through his lashes against the glare of the bright phone screen.
Jinki.
“…Hello?” he answers.
“Hello. This is your friend’s phone. Your friend is drunk right now. Where are you?”
Taemin doesn’t understand what the female voice on the other line is trying to say. His mind is still fuzzy from sleep and is trying to adapt to waking. “Huh? What?”
“I’m calling using your friend’s phone. Your number is the most recently called number. He’s drunk right now. He doesn’t want to leave. Where are you? Can you pick him up?”
The urgency in the woman’s voice and the message she is trying to tell him perked him up to full awareness and he understands immediately. “Okay, tell me the details and I’ll come right away.”
Taemin slips out of bed and hunts for his jacket, beanie and wallet in the semi-darkness as he listens intently for the location of the nightclub, engraving it to his memory. Kibum stirs just as he was about to slip out, and asks in a drowsy voice, “Where are you going, Taemin-ah?”
Taemin hesitates. “Umm, I. Got a call. Jinki-hyung, he-”
Maybe Kibum doesn’t care that much about Jinki, or maybe he does but decides that sleep is more important, or maybe he simply understands what Jinki is to Taemin, because he mumbles in reply, “Ugh. Just go. I’ll cover for you if necessary.”
Taemin's grateful smile goes unnoticed in the dark, and he checks his wallet to make sure he has enough cash for two cab rides before slipping out the door.
*
From: Dana sunbaenim
Hi Taemin! What are you talking about? Jinki isn’t with us. We told him to come, we’ve booked the whole upper floor of the restaurant to celebrate, but he refused! ): I had a feeling he celebrated with the more important people in his life: you guys. ;) Wait, is this a mission or something? Have I said the magic words?
Taemin curses under his breath. Idiot Jinki-hyung. This is just so typical of him. He places his head in his hands and massages the bridge of his nose as the cab drives along. It then halts to a stop as it reaches his destination and he steps out slowly. He eyes the dimly-lit entrance to the club with uncertainty, gaze travelling up the queue of young people along the building, and stopping at the beefy bouncer at the start of it.
He gulps and approaches the bouncer. Clearing his throat, he says in a small voice, “Hi. I got a call. I’m here to pick my drunken friend up.”
He receives a condescending onceover from the bouncer, who curtly says, “He’s inside at the bar. You’re probably not authorised to go in, so I suggest you pick him up and leave right away.” Taemin mumbles his thanks and steps through the tinted glass doors.
Once inside, Taemin is hit by the loud synthesizer beats and pulsating bass bouncing off the walls and slamming into his body like strong waves. Bright lights blink intermittently, illuminating the huge room in flashes of colour. He chews on his lips as he sees throngs of bodies bouncing along to the music on the dance floor. He starts to take slow steps to the bar, studying the many faces he doesn’t recognise and how their bodies move together like everyone knew each other. Taemin scrunches his face- he doesn’t like this place very much.
He spots Jinki on a stool, upper body sprawled on the counter, while the bartender woman busies herself. Taemin comes up to her and introduces himself as he tries to nudge Jinki to wake up.
“Oh yes Taemin-sshi. Thank y-” she stops short, brows furrowing as she stares at him. Then she peers into Jinki’s hidden face, and her eyes widen. “T-Taemin-sshi!”
“-Please! I beg you, shush,” Taemin says, desperation in his voice, and the woman slowly nods, leaving the two boys alone but not without a backward glance. Taemin attempts to pull Jinki off the stool, and Jinki wakes, only to give the other boy a level-headed gaze.
“Taemin? What are you doing here? Go back to the dorm. Choijin hyung will be worried.”
Taemin frowns. Jinki has switched on his leader mode even when they’re in a place like this, just the two of them, in the current state of things. It frustrates him. And he knows what he says next can make it worse and frustrate him more. He has to tread carefully.
“Hyung, you’re following me home right now. Don’t make me waste my cab money. You know how cheap I am when it comes to things like that,” he says with a small pout. He knows Jinki is less guarded and defensive when you're being nonchalant, and Taemin’s glad they’re finally leaving that horrible place.
*
Leaning against the leather of the backseat in the cab, Taemin turns to look at Jinki, who has his head tipped back against the headrest, eyes shut.
“Why did you do that, hyung? Why did you go to a crowded place if you wanted to be alone?”
Jinki opens his eyes and stares ahead. “Crowded, yeah. But it was a crowd of strangers. I’ve never felt more blissfully alone than ever. Rather that than celebrating with the cast and crew. Or with…” he doesn’t finish his sentence but Taemin knows he is referring to him and three other boys back at the dorm, and his earlier frustration escalates, beginning to chew on his insides.
“Stop worrying about me, Taemin. I’m a-okay. It’s just this headache that’s starting to creep up on me.” And he has the cheek to turn towards him and give him a reassuring smile. Taemin’s eye twitches.
“Stop that, hyung. Just how long do you think I've known you? I’ve known you even before you became the leader of SHINee! You don’t have to pretend in front of me.”
Jinki’s practiced smile evaporates and he rolls his head to stare at the roof of the cab again, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly through his lips.
Taemin shifts his body lower and rests his head against Jinki’s shoulder. “You do know that once we get back, you have to go back to being the Jinki that they know, right? Now I’m going to give you a chance to let everything go, just for a while.” Taemin shuts his eyes, suddenly weary.
After a while he hears a quiet sniffle.
“Just let go. I won’t tell anyone. Promise,” Taemin mutters.
The frequency of the sniffling sounds increases and Taemin smiles in spite of it.
“We have chocolate cake back in the dorm. Let’s finish them all up.”
*
A/N: I’m at this phase where I feel more depressed the more I write and I just. Why am I doing this to myself. orz. Anw I simply adore Onew and Taemin’s friendship. It’s too freaking beautiful. ;__;
Length: 1787 words
Rating: G
Focus: Onew & Taemin
Disclaimer: SHINee not mine. This didn't happen.
Prompt: Picture prompt.
Summary: Jinki's second musical ends but he doesn't feel like celebrating.
A/N: Written for shawol_haven's Challenge 006. A rare canon!shinee fic from me. (:
Jonghyun’s phone rings, the name ‘Choijin hyung’ flashing on the screen.
“Hello? Hyung?”
“Hello, Jonghyun-ah-”
“Are you on the way back with Jinki-hyung already? Oh my god. Guys!” He shouts over his shoulder. “They’re coming! Hurry, on the double!”
“- Jonghyun! Listen to me. Tell the boys, don’t bother. Jinki’s off celebrating with the rest of the cast and crew. He’ll probably be back late.”
“- What? But he’s supposed to come home. You’re supposed to make him come home.”
“Yeah. I know. Sorry. I tried. Really.”
“- Oh. Okay.” Jonghyun tries his best to conceal his disappointment.
“I have to go to SM for a meeting now. I’ll see you tomorrow then. All of you go have a good rest. G’night.”
Jonghyun turns to face the other members and the expression he’s wearing somehow made the message clear: there won’t be any hiding in the dark as Jinki and their manager unlocks the front door, or a big fanfare as Jonghyun flips on the light while Kibum, Minho and Taemin pop confetti into the air, or a pleasantly surprised Jinki, grin tearing his face in half, while their manager inconspicuously winks at Jonghyun.
Kibum is the first to retire to the bedroom, throwing the balloon he had just blown up into the air as he gets up and mutters a curt goodnight followed by a barely audible Stupid Jinki-hyung. Minho fingers one of the colourful streamers hanging from one wall to another before finally leaving the living room, patting Jonghyun on the shoulder as he brushes past him. Jonghyun remains where he is, surreptitiously watching Taemin, whose eyes travel slowly from the banner, to the streamers, to the balloons, and finally to the unopened cake box sitting in the middle of the dining table.
Jonghyun sighs deeply before saying, “We can always do it tomorrow, Taemin.”
Taemin’s eyes drop to his lap and for an instant Jonghyun thought he was going to cry. But of course, he knows Taemin doesn’t cry. It’ll probably take a million of his own tears to be shed before Taemin will actually let himself spill just one.
“I’m going to bed, Taemin-ah. Don’t stay up too late, alright?” he says, tone gentle and concerned before turning on his heels and disappearing into his bedroom.
After counting his heartbeats to a hundred, Taemin gets up and slowly tears the banner and streamers down like they were something fragile and precious that needed special handling. Not bothering to clean up the mess he made or putting the cake back in the fridge, he shuffles to his bedroom and crawls into bed.
Kibum is already fast asleep, and though Taemin is inwardly cursing Jinki for his selfishness and utter lack of responsibility to his group members, he couldn’t stop his fingers from composing a text message to Dana.
Dana-noona, help congratulate jinki-hyung on his second musical’s success for me. it is also on behalf of jonghyun, kibum and minho, whom he had easily and completely forgotten all about. thanks noona! And if he asks, no i’m not mad. we’re not mad, at all. ^^
Taemin falls asleep minutes after hitting the send button.
*
Jinki slumps over the bar counter, half-closed eyes flickering across his phone screen in drunken stupor. His alcohol tolerance is actually pretty good, so tonight he made sure he got the stronger mixes, and as much as possible. He feels light-headed, and invisible even, hidden under the shadow of his baseball cap.
The bartender takes a look at him and says in a slightly petulant voice, “Be careful, honey. I’d stop if I were you. Alcohol can only smudge away at your problems just so. You’re still way too young.”
“Oh yeah?” Jinki’s voice slurs, irritation at the woman crystal clear. “I do what I want. For once…” he mumbles, fingers playing with the buttons of his phone.
*
Taemin wakes up to the incessant buzzing of his phone from under his pillow. With eyes opened only a fraction, he squints through his lashes against the glare of the bright phone screen.
Jinki.
“…Hello?” he answers.
“Hello. This is your friend’s phone. Your friend is drunk right now. Where are you?”
Taemin doesn’t understand what the female voice on the other line is trying to say. His mind is still fuzzy from sleep and is trying to adapt to waking. “Huh? What?”
“I’m calling using your friend’s phone. Your number is the most recently called number. He’s drunk right now. He doesn’t want to leave. Where are you? Can you pick him up?”
The urgency in the woman’s voice and the message she is trying to tell him perked him up to full awareness and he understands immediately. “Okay, tell me the details and I’ll come right away.”
Taemin slips out of bed and hunts for his jacket, beanie and wallet in the semi-darkness as he listens intently for the location of the nightclub, engraving it to his memory. Kibum stirs just as he was about to slip out, and asks in a drowsy voice, “Where are you going, Taemin-ah?”
Taemin hesitates. “Umm, I. Got a call. Jinki-hyung, he-”
Maybe Kibum doesn’t care that much about Jinki, or maybe he does but decides that sleep is more important, or maybe he simply understands what Jinki is to Taemin, because he mumbles in reply, “Ugh. Just go. I’ll cover for you if necessary.”
Taemin's grateful smile goes unnoticed in the dark, and he checks his wallet to make sure he has enough cash for two cab rides before slipping out the door.
*
From: Dana sunbaenim
Hi Taemin! What are you talking about? Jinki isn’t with us. We told him to come, we’ve booked the whole upper floor of the restaurant to celebrate, but he refused! ): I had a feeling he celebrated with the more important people in his life: you guys. ;) Wait, is this a mission or something? Have I said the magic words?
Taemin curses under his breath. Idiot Jinki-hyung. This is just so typical of him. He places his head in his hands and massages the bridge of his nose as the cab drives along. It then halts to a stop as it reaches his destination and he steps out slowly. He eyes the dimly-lit entrance to the club with uncertainty, gaze travelling up the queue of young people along the building, and stopping at the beefy bouncer at the start of it.
He gulps and approaches the bouncer. Clearing his throat, he says in a small voice, “Hi. I got a call. I’m here to pick my drunken friend up.”
He receives a condescending onceover from the bouncer, who curtly says, “He’s inside at the bar. You’re probably not authorised to go in, so I suggest you pick him up and leave right away.” Taemin mumbles his thanks and steps through the tinted glass doors.
Once inside, Taemin is hit by the loud synthesizer beats and pulsating bass bouncing off the walls and slamming into his body like strong waves. Bright lights blink intermittently, illuminating the huge room in flashes of colour. He chews on his lips as he sees throngs of bodies bouncing along to the music on the dance floor. He starts to take slow steps to the bar, studying the many faces he doesn’t recognise and how their bodies move together like everyone knew each other. Taemin scrunches his face- he doesn’t like this place very much.
He spots Jinki on a stool, upper body sprawled on the counter, while the bartender woman busies herself. Taemin comes up to her and introduces himself as he tries to nudge Jinki to wake up.
“Oh yes Taemin-sshi. Thank y-” she stops short, brows furrowing as she stares at him. Then she peers into Jinki’s hidden face, and her eyes widen. “T-Taemin-sshi!”
“-Please! I beg you, shush,” Taemin says, desperation in his voice, and the woman slowly nods, leaving the two boys alone but not without a backward glance. Taemin attempts to pull Jinki off the stool, and Jinki wakes, only to give the other boy a level-headed gaze.
“Taemin? What are you doing here? Go back to the dorm. Choijin hyung will be worried.”
Taemin frowns. Jinki has switched on his leader mode even when they’re in a place like this, just the two of them, in the current state of things. It frustrates him. And he knows what he says next can make it worse and frustrate him more. He has to tread carefully.
“Hyung, you’re following me home right now. Don’t make me waste my cab money. You know how cheap I am when it comes to things like that,” he says with a small pout. He knows Jinki is less guarded and defensive when you're being nonchalant, and Taemin’s glad they’re finally leaving that horrible place.
*
Leaning against the leather of the backseat in the cab, Taemin turns to look at Jinki, who has his head tipped back against the headrest, eyes shut.
“Why did you do that, hyung? Why did you go to a crowded place if you wanted to be alone?”
Jinki opens his eyes and stares ahead. “Crowded, yeah. But it was a crowd of strangers. I’ve never felt more blissfully alone than ever. Rather that than celebrating with the cast and crew. Or with…” he doesn’t finish his sentence but Taemin knows he is referring to him and three other boys back at the dorm, and his earlier frustration escalates, beginning to chew on his insides.
“Stop worrying about me, Taemin. I’m a-okay. It’s just this headache that’s starting to creep up on me.” And he has the cheek to turn towards him and give him a reassuring smile. Taemin’s eye twitches.
“Stop that, hyung. Just how long do you think I've known you? I’ve known you even before you became the leader of SHINee! You don’t have to pretend in front of me.”
Jinki’s practiced smile evaporates and he rolls his head to stare at the roof of the cab again, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly through his lips.
Taemin shifts his body lower and rests his head against Jinki’s shoulder. “You do know that once we get back, you have to go back to being the Jinki that they know, right? Now I’m going to give you a chance to let everything go, just for a while.” Taemin shuts his eyes, suddenly weary.
After a while he hears a quiet sniffle.
“Just let go. I won’t tell anyone. Promise,” Taemin mutters.
The frequency of the sniffling sounds increases and Taemin smiles in spite of it.
“We have chocolate cake back in the dorm. Let’s finish them all up.”
*
A/N: I’m at this phase where I feel more depressed the more I write and I just. Why am I doing this to myself. orz. Anw I simply adore Onew and Taemin’s friendship. It’s too freaking beautiful. ;__;