Strangers ~ A Taemin Fic

Chapter 5

I swallow hard at the lump growing in my throat at his presence. "You did not just see me fall," I say shamefully, glancing away from him in embarrassment.

"Don't be embarrassed. You should've seen my ankle injuries from when I first started dancing," he says, straightening his posture and slowly making his way towards me. "You have incredible form by the way," he compliments, scanning my figure up and down a few times.

I found myself suddenly hugging my waist shamefully. I was too used to eyes of men on me. "Why do you continue to rehearse when you know you have it down?" He asks, clearly noticing my uncomfortableness and changing the subject.

I shrug, going over to my stuff where I pull out athletic tape for my ankle. "I mean, you saw me fall, so I clearly need more work," I sigh, slightly shaking my head at the reality of him seeing his main dancer fall 2 weeks before his music video shooting.

As I angrily tear pieces of tape, I jolt as I notice him bending down and taking a seat in front of me. He had changed his clothes to a white button up paired with a black, Louis Vuitton jacket and black ripped jeans. 'How can someone look so casual yet so expensive at the same time.'

"I can see your anger, Yuki, and I understand," he says, taking the pieces of tape from my fingers before pulling my slightly red ankle toward him. I'm pulled forward so my bare foot now rested on his lap where he began to skillfully wrap it. "I wanna try to help you as much as I can."

"Why?" I ask, suddenly clenching my teeth at the pain.

"Sorry," he murmurs, the one hand holding my calf caressing my skin with his thumb while the other one continued to wrap the ankle. "Because you're special and talented, and I want you to go far with what you have to offer," he replies, my heart beginning to pick up pace at the feeling of his gentle caresses against my smooth skin.

I pause as he finishes up and slowly removes my foot from his crossed legs. Blinking up at him, I notice true feelings in his eyes, allowing my heart to calm down. "Well, don't," I snap, standing back up and slightly limping my way back to the wall of mirrors.

"I don't want to get involved in your life and I prefer to reach becoming an idol on my own," I say in a cold tone as I practice the chorus of Criminal to distract me from his presence.

It apparently worked, for when I did a slow spin, he was no where to be found...

~

"So you're not working tonight?" Wooseok asks, my was nodding in return. "What're you gonna do with your free time then?"

I shrug, swinging my bag over my shoulder and following him out of the building. "Taemin...invited me over to his house," I stammer, choking on my own words that I can't believe I allowed to come out of my mouth. Especially to a drama queen like Kim Wooseok.

"Did he now?" He replies, a bit more subtle than usual. I glance up at him, his eyes focused on the path ahead. "A hyung such as himself, what did you say?"

"I didn't say anything," I reply, crossing my arms from the bitter cold as we walked. "I don't wanna get involved though."

I catch him glancing down at me before clearing is throat. "Maybe it's for the best," he grunts before harshly opening the doors of the dorms for me. Walking in, I check in my card and scan my ID card.

     As I do so, Manager Won struts in with her usual clipboard and papers. "Oh, Manager Won, I have my months payment," I say, catching her attention as I rummage in my bag for my envelope of my monthly check.

     "Um...you don't owe anything, Yuki," she says, flipping through her papers until she stops at all of our banking information. "You paid it all off this morning, all 4.8 million won of it, so congratulations," she smiles, patting my shoulder before continuing her way down to the management side of the dorms, or what we like to call, the "higher class."

     Wooseok appears beside me, his jaw dropped while my eyes stared blankly at the beige wall. "I thought your parents haven't paid you since training years?"

     "They haven't..."I sigh, clenching my fists in both disbelief and anger.

     "Then where the hell did you find 4.5 million won?! You don't even make 5,000 a week!" He exclaims in a low tone, following after me down  the hall and up the stairs until I reached the 4th floor. "Yuki, wait! What's going on?" He stops me, my hand grasping the knob of the door that lead to the hall of dorms.

     "I can't explain right now, Wooseok. Go upstairs," I mutter, swinging open the door and closing it behind him. Marching down the hall, I locate my room to find Yoora and Talia already in their rooms.

"You look fiery. Anything wrong?" Yoora asks, rising from her bed as I pass her room with her door swung wide open.

"Just...not my day, I guess," I lie, forcing her a smile that she gladly took as I grab my phone and begin my search for any social media account of him, since I didn't have him number, no did I want it.

I end up locating his Instagram, that I surprisingly wasn't following already since my account was run by my management. I begin to type...fast.

'How dare you meddle with my debt! I didn't need your 4.5 million won so you have not impressed me nor gained any benefit from that transaction. In fact, I refuse to let you pay! You'll get your money back by tomorrow and I demand an apology to the managers who are praising me for your work!'

Sending it, I could care less if the management saw. In fact, it would even prove the unnecessary deed he did for me. 'I won't let you try to win me over, Lee Taemin.'