[FIC] We Are Not What We Used To Be - [1/?]
Title: We Are Not What We Used To Be- chapter 1
pairing: Key/CL, TaeMinji, Jongsica, Minyul, Ontaeng
Rating: PG-13
Classified: Romance, friendship, comedy, Novel
prologue
1. Meeting You Again
She didn’t know what would be worse, the fact that Shinee would be on stage just before 2ne1 performed or that she would probably bump into him in the corridors before that happened. She didn’t want to be shaky during the performance, it wasn’t like her.
She knew the moment she saw Key every wall she had built up during the 10 months she hadn’t seen him would fall down and she’d be plain old Chaerin, the girl Key could tease and annoy to the nth degree and she also knew that he would still be shinee’s almighty Key, the diva.
He told her that day, the fateful day that started her 10month hiatus (on hiatus on seeing him not a hiatus on seeing Key on hello baby and any other show he was guesting on and any news articles) that he didn’t have anything to say to her any more. She knew he wouldn’t change, but she also knew that he had the ability to manipulate her and make her see things and do things differently.
The van stopped and she stepped outside of the van to roaring 100 odd Blackjacks that were waiting for 2ne1 to turn up. The shouting and the screaming only stopped as the door shut and they were inside the music bank hall.
CL takes a deep breath, well here goes nothing
--------
Key doesn’t know what to do, his hairs not done, he looks a mess, well he doesn’t but even then, he doesn’t look like the immaculate diva Key that everyone loves and knows, he looks like Kibum who got drenched by a bratty child.
Key spots a hat on Jonghyuns’ head and whips it off and places it on his own startling Jonghyun.
“Kibum! Stop this! Give my hat back” Jonghyun demands placing his hand out waiting for the hat to fall onto it. When he doesn’t get a response he looks at Key and sighs, He’s looking out of the window again with that can only be deemed as a dark expression.
Jonghyun wonders what is going through Key’s head right now, he’s never seen Key act this way before, well he did once, 10 months ago but he stopped behaving like a loser after a month or two, now the bad behaviour was back and it was worse.
As the car comes to a halt he feels nostalgic, there were times when they would arrive at the music shows 10 months ago excited and rearing to go, he used to get excited over the idea of seeing CL, the fierce leader, the one around whom Key could be himself. None of that mattered any more. They and both decided to go different ways, there was no way that would change.
-----------
CL was running late, they had to be on stage in less than 10 minutes, on the last minute her hair had come undone, the stylist had rushed to fix her hair. People were panicking left right and center, and suddenly CL felt very dizzy, maybe it was the fact that Key was just behind that door having getting ready to give fans a fan service stage or that her hair had barely been fixed on time, but for the first time in her 18-19 odd years of living on planet earth she felt apprehensive about going on stage, she was scared. Suddenly she felt someone grab her hand and pull her out of the panicked crowd. It was Minzy.
“Minzy!” CL exclaimed “we’re on in less than 10 minutes, what are you doing. "
Minzy looked at CL with innocent eyes, deep down in her heart she was trying to delay CL and Key’s fateful meeting, CL understanding what was happening, gently released herself from Minzy’s hold and whispered.
“I’m fine” and with a reassuring glance beckoned for her to follow.
This is it CL thought as the doors opened to enter backstage and there he was. Key was standing around talking to his members, BoA and 3 of the SNSD girls, CL’s eyes widened in surprise and her heart beat 1000 fold and her palms became sweaty. The SHINee boys began to move towards the stage and CL turned away and walked up towards her manager.
Deep down I know I’ve changed, I’m not what I used to be, and neither is he. She thought to her self as she had her final mike check and stood on standby at the bay of the stage.
Key was singing his line oh baby baby baby girl, and CL felt her hear flutter, she flushed red and turned away. Dara who was standing behind her was fangirling when CL was trying to deal with the feelings that had been evoked by seeing him again
“OMO! They look totally different to when we last saw them, during the Juliette days! They’ve changed so much! Omo! Is that Taeminnie! He’s grown so much! He’s as tall as Minho now!!!” CL rolled her eyes, distraught Key would walk past her any minute now, should she hide?
------
Key who had been born for the stage was making the fans go crazy, but his insides were squirming. Outside he was making girls faint with his smiles and inside there was fire thunder and lighting. He’d seen CL, from the corner of his eyes entering back stage, as they left to go do their fan service stage.
“She looks the same, never changes does she” Key mutters to himself as he turns his back to the stage. Turning towards the fans again he finishes dancing and bows, and starts walking towards the exit stage.
Had time been able to stop and slow down, it would have, Key’s eyes locked into CL’s the moment he walked towards the exit and CL gripped her microphone harder than she had ever held it. As he walked by he bowed to the girls and with a final glance left.
CL walked onto the stage with her members and took position as the music kicked in and zoned in. For now she had to keep her head straight, focus on the task ahead.
Singing and rapping to go away made her relate to Key and her relationship in some ways, the only difference was that they’d never been together to begin with and they’d never ever got the chance to tell one another what their hearts desired and that he’d not been the one who cheated. CL had been as oblivious to Key’s feelings as Key was to CL’s. she had to push Key out of her mind, go away Key she thought in her mind as she noticed he was standing backstage his eyes drilling into her own, some things could never happen, and KeyCl was one of them.
--------
Key stood in the sidelines carefully observing CL, it had been so long, now that he was finally seeing her live, real and raw in front of him the pain and the anger and hurt seemed to dissipate, he wanted to talk to her, not just get what he could from the internet news and TV. Key realized he hadn’t meant what he said when he told her he never wanted to talk to her again. As 2ne1’s song ended Key turned away and began to walk back to his dressing room, this definitely was not the time to be having a reunion.
Key walked into the dressing room to find Minho standing in front of Yuri his eyes blazing, Yuri was looking just as angry and just as annoyed. He closed the door quietly as he watched the scene unfold.
“I refuse” Minho shouted “I don’t see why I should be the one who has to take it off” he turned away and picked up his silver bracelet. He turned back to Yuri, we coincidently brought the same bracelet from the same shop without realizing it and now fans think we’re dating so you want me to take it off so that you don’t get caught up in a scandal with me” he took a breath before he closed his eyes “do you dislike being in a scandal with me that much noona” he shook his head and sat down sighing. “You do realize that even if I take it off it’s not going to make a difference”
Yuri sat down next to him and put a hand on his leg
“Minho listen to me, this for you as much as it is for me, you don’t want people to start talking and saying things do you, it could affect your popularity”
Minho laughed,
“Noona, people are not going to hate me for having the same bracelet as you, you do realize a lot of fans want us to date don’t you?” Yuri’s eyes widened in surprise
“What?” she said shocked
“Yea” Minho continued “they call themselves flaming pearls* internationally, they were all really excited after the bracelets were spotted, and not only that, but they went crazy over our interactions when we danced Juliette last year, and their craze just kept on building”
Yuri’s eyes widened. “omo, really?” she leaned into the sofa “I cant believe people think we’d be a match”
Minho turned around and laughed “I know right? There’s nothing between us, we’re just really good friends”
Yuri sat up straight and noticed the time.
“We’ve got to get going, where’s Sica and Taengoo” she asked looking around the room, before turning to Key who was silently observing their conversation.
“Sica noona’s probably with Jonghyun hyung and Taeyeon noona’s probably with Jinki hyung” Key replied grinning before starting to walk out “by the way Yuri noona and you to Minho” he paused as his hand touched the door knob “you two act like as though you’re a lot more than friends, are you sure you’re not hiding anything from us? You should date” and with a click of his heel Key sauntered out heading towards backstage again, it was nearly time announce the winner.
Key walked through the crowds until he found Dongwoon and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Nicole, Nana, Jinwoon, Mir and Jaejin all present. This was rare, the 91line members were generally so busy that they only had time for a fleeting hello and bye, and yet all of them were present today, and they all had the same worried expressions on their faces.
“KIBUM!” Nicole shouted making everyone who was running around look around in shock looking for where the shouting was coming from. Nicole ran up to Kibum and gave him a hug.
“Baby you’re okay right?” she asked him after releasing him, Key grinned at her and nodded as he swung his arms around Mir’s shoulder
“why would I not be okay? He said before greeting the rest of the gang. “I’ve got our line”
Gabbing Dongwoons and Jaejins hands and bid goodbye to the others and marched off to the stage.
---------
CL was standing very close to the front with the members, key was coincidently standing right behind her with Jaejin and Dongwoon. They were talking about going out tomorrow because there were no shows to record and Nicole Hara and Nana weren’t busy either, it was perfect timing because everyone was stressed or had some worries and they could relieve them together. Key who had his eyes on CL the whole time was itching to talk to her. He kept glancing over at her again and again, until Dongwoon turned Key around to face him.
“KEY! Would you snap out of it, you’ve been zoning out into god knows where for the past 2 minutes” Dongwoon said shaking him as the SHINee and Beast members looked on.
CL turned around and took a glance at Key who was staring at Dongwoon had his eyes wide open and looking very shocked,
What was he thinking aboutshe thought to herself as she turned away and began to walk on stage, suddenly a large hand gripped her small hand in its own and tugged at it forcing CL have no choice but to turn around and look at the person who was tugging at her hand
“We need to talk” Key whispered releasing her hand and walked onstage leaving Dongwoon and Jaejin shocked with their eyes and mouths hanging wide open.
*flaming pearls- yes i am the creator of the flaming pearls vows, and yes! i love minyul a lot! (not as much as ontaeng keycl or jongsica but they're very high up in my most loved het pairings :D
p.s (Taeminji and Ontaeng coming in the next chapter!) and TaeJi are going to have a big part in this ^^
pairing: Key/CL, TaeMinji, Jongsica, Minyul, Ontaeng
Rating: PG-13
Classified: Romance, friendship, comedy, Novel
prologue
1. Meeting You Again
She didn’t know what would be worse, the fact that Shinee would be on stage just before 2ne1 performed or that she would probably bump into him in the corridors before that happened. She didn’t want to be shaky during the performance, it wasn’t like her.
She knew the moment she saw Key every wall she had built up during the 10 months she hadn’t seen him would fall down and she’d be plain old Chaerin, the girl Key could tease and annoy to the nth degree and she also knew that he would still be shinee’s almighty Key, the diva.
He told her that day, the fateful day that started her 10month hiatus (on hiatus on seeing him not a hiatus on seeing Key on hello baby and any other show he was guesting on and any news articles) that he didn’t have anything to say to her any more. She knew he wouldn’t change, but she also knew that he had the ability to manipulate her and make her see things and do things differently.
The van stopped and she stepped outside of the van to roaring 100 odd Blackjacks that were waiting for 2ne1 to turn up. The shouting and the screaming only stopped as the door shut and they were inside the music bank hall.
CL takes a deep breath, well here goes nothing
--------
Key doesn’t know what to do, his hairs not done, he looks a mess, well he doesn’t but even then, he doesn’t look like the immaculate diva Key that everyone loves and knows, he looks like Kibum who got drenched by a bratty child.
Key spots a hat on Jonghyuns’ head and whips it off and places it on his own startling Jonghyun.
“Kibum! Stop this! Give my hat back” Jonghyun demands placing his hand out waiting for the hat to fall onto it. When he doesn’t get a response he looks at Key and sighs, He’s looking out of the window again with that can only be deemed as a dark expression.
Jonghyun wonders what is going through Key’s head right now, he’s never seen Key act this way before, well he did once, 10 months ago but he stopped behaving like a loser after a month or two, now the bad behaviour was back and it was worse.
As the car comes to a halt he feels nostalgic, there were times when they would arrive at the music shows 10 months ago excited and rearing to go, he used to get excited over the idea of seeing CL, the fierce leader, the one around whom Key could be himself. None of that mattered any more. They and both decided to go different ways, there was no way that would change.
-----------
CL was running late, they had to be on stage in less than 10 minutes, on the last minute her hair had come undone, the stylist had rushed to fix her hair. People were panicking left right and center, and suddenly CL felt very dizzy, maybe it was the fact that Key was just behind that door having getting ready to give fans a fan service stage or that her hair had barely been fixed on time, but for the first time in her 18-19 odd years of living on planet earth she felt apprehensive about going on stage, she was scared. Suddenly she felt someone grab her hand and pull her out of the panicked crowd. It was Minzy.
“Minzy!” CL exclaimed “we’re on in less than 10 minutes, what are you doing. "
Minzy looked at CL with innocent eyes, deep down in her heart she was trying to delay CL and Key’s fateful meeting, CL understanding what was happening, gently released herself from Minzy’s hold and whispered.
“I’m fine” and with a reassuring glance beckoned for her to follow.
This is it CL thought as the doors opened to enter backstage and there he was. Key was standing around talking to his members, BoA and 3 of the SNSD girls, CL’s eyes widened in surprise and her heart beat 1000 fold and her palms became sweaty. The SHINee boys began to move towards the stage and CL turned away and walked up towards her manager.
Deep down I know I’ve changed, I’m not what I used to be, and neither is he. She thought to her self as she had her final mike check and stood on standby at the bay of the stage.
Key was singing his line oh baby baby baby girl, and CL felt her hear flutter, she flushed red and turned away. Dara who was standing behind her was fangirling when CL was trying to deal with the feelings that had been evoked by seeing him again
“OMO! They look totally different to when we last saw them, during the Juliette days! They’ve changed so much! Omo! Is that Taeminnie! He’s grown so much! He’s as tall as Minho now!!!” CL rolled her eyes, distraught Key would walk past her any minute now, should she hide?
------
Key who had been born for the stage was making the fans go crazy, but his insides were squirming. Outside he was making girls faint with his smiles and inside there was fire thunder and lighting. He’d seen CL, from the corner of his eyes entering back stage, as they left to go do their fan service stage.
“She looks the same, never changes does she” Key mutters to himself as he turns his back to the stage. Turning towards the fans again he finishes dancing and bows, and starts walking towards the exit stage.
Had time been able to stop and slow down, it would have, Key’s eyes locked into CL’s the moment he walked towards the exit and CL gripped her microphone harder than she had ever held it. As he walked by he bowed to the girls and with a final glance left.
CL walked onto the stage with her members and took position as the music kicked in and zoned in. For now she had to keep her head straight, focus on the task ahead.
Singing and rapping to go away made her relate to Key and her relationship in some ways, the only difference was that they’d never been together to begin with and they’d never ever got the chance to tell one another what their hearts desired and that he’d not been the one who cheated. CL had been as oblivious to Key’s feelings as Key was to CL’s. she had to push Key out of her mind, go away Key she thought in her mind as she noticed he was standing backstage his eyes drilling into her own, some things could never happen, and KeyCl was one of them.
--------
Key stood in the sidelines carefully observing CL, it had been so long, now that he was finally seeing her live, real and raw in front of him the pain and the anger and hurt seemed to dissipate, he wanted to talk to her, not just get what he could from the internet news and TV. Key realized he hadn’t meant what he said when he told her he never wanted to talk to her again. As 2ne1’s song ended Key turned away and began to walk back to his dressing room, this definitely was not the time to be having a reunion.
Key walked into the dressing room to find Minho standing in front of Yuri his eyes blazing, Yuri was looking just as angry and just as annoyed. He closed the door quietly as he watched the scene unfold.
“I refuse” Minho shouted “I don’t see why I should be the one who has to take it off” he turned away and picked up his silver bracelet. He turned back to Yuri, we coincidently brought the same bracelet from the same shop without realizing it and now fans think we’re dating so you want me to take it off so that you don’t get caught up in a scandal with me” he took a breath before he closed his eyes “do you dislike being in a scandal with me that much noona” he shook his head and sat down sighing. “You do realize that even if I take it off it’s not going to make a difference”
Yuri sat down next to him and put a hand on his leg
“Minho listen to me, this for you as much as it is for me, you don’t want people to start talking and saying things do you, it could affect your popularity”
Minho laughed,
“Noona, people are not going to hate me for having the same bracelet as you, you do realize a lot of fans want us to date don’t you?” Yuri’s eyes widened in surprise
“What?” she said shocked
“Yea” Minho continued “they call themselves flaming pearls* internationally, they were all really excited after the bracelets were spotted, and not only that, but they went crazy over our interactions when we danced Juliette last year, and their craze just kept on building”
Yuri’s eyes widened. “omo, really?” she leaned into the sofa “I cant believe people think we’d be a match”
Minho turned around and laughed “I know right? There’s nothing between us, we’re just really good friends”
Yuri sat up straight and noticed the time.
“We’ve got to get going, where’s Sica and Taengoo” she asked looking around the room, before turning to Key who was silently observing their conversation.
“Sica noona’s probably with Jonghyun hyung and Taeyeon noona’s probably with Jinki hyung” Key replied grinning before starting to walk out “by the way Yuri noona and you to Minho” he paused as his hand touched the door knob “you two act like as though you’re a lot more than friends, are you sure you’re not hiding anything from us? You should date” and with a click of his heel Key sauntered out heading towards backstage again, it was nearly time announce the winner.
Key walked through the crowds until he found Dongwoon and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw Nicole, Nana, Jinwoon, Mir and Jaejin all present. This was rare, the 91line members were generally so busy that they only had time for a fleeting hello and bye, and yet all of them were present today, and they all had the same worried expressions on their faces.
“KIBUM!” Nicole shouted making everyone who was running around look around in shock looking for where the shouting was coming from. Nicole ran up to Kibum and gave him a hug.
“Baby you’re okay right?” she asked him after releasing him, Key grinned at her and nodded as he swung his arms around Mir’s shoulder
“why would I not be okay? He said before greeting the rest of the gang. “I’ve got our line”
Gabbing Dongwoons and Jaejins hands and bid goodbye to the others and marched off to the stage.
---------
CL was standing very close to the front with the members, key was coincidently standing right behind her with Jaejin and Dongwoon. They were talking about going out tomorrow because there were no shows to record and Nicole Hara and Nana weren’t busy either, it was perfect timing because everyone was stressed or had some worries and they could relieve them together. Key who had his eyes on CL the whole time was itching to talk to her. He kept glancing over at her again and again, until Dongwoon turned Key around to face him.
“KEY! Would you snap out of it, you’ve been zoning out into god knows where for the past 2 minutes” Dongwoon said shaking him as the SHINee and Beast members looked on.
CL turned around and took a glance at Key who was staring at Dongwoon had his eyes wide open and looking very shocked,
What was he thinking aboutshe thought to herself as she turned away and began to walk on stage, suddenly a large hand gripped her small hand in its own and tugged at it forcing CL have no choice but to turn around and look at the person who was tugging at her hand
“We need to talk” Key whispered releasing her hand and walked onstage leaving Dongwoon and Jaejin shocked with their eyes and mouths hanging wide open.
*flaming pearls- yes i am the creator of the flaming pearls vows, and yes! i love minyul a lot! (not as much as ontaeng keycl or jongsica but they're very high up in my most loved het pairings :D
p.s (Taeminji and Ontaeng coming in the next chapter!) and TaeJi are going to have a big part in this ^^