Lovebug [Ontae] [1/1]
Title: Lovebug
Pairing: Ontae [Side Jongkey]
Genre: AU, Romance
Rating: PG [Language]
Word Count: 2,449
Disclaimer(s): I own nothing.
Summary: According to high school law, you haven't lived until you've loved.
A/N: Written for the darling salted_taiyaki , because she wanted to Ontae and I want to give her anything she wants.
Lovebug
They're in six four time. The instructor picked up the beat on a whim and now they all have to adjust their counting with only three days to opening night. The solo singer has the hardest time adjusting, losing his place almost instantly for the fourth time.
“Jinki, focus! It's one-two-three, four-five-six, one-two-three, four-five-six - you need to feel it,” the gray haired instructor snaps from his position below the stage.
The senior flushes in embarrassment. Any other day he would be able to pick this up, no falters or stutters, but any other day wouldn't include the solo dancer sitting, arms folded, in the front row. He's waiting for Jinki to get his part right so his dance can be added into the performance. Jinki feels the millionth drop of sweat slip-slide from his hair line, tickling the back of his ear, before leaving a slimy trail down his neck.
“Okay, picking up at 43,” the instructor orders, hands going up and falling back down sharply to signal the accompanist and Jinki to start.
The dancer watches with intelligent brown eyes.
Jinki misses his cue.
Rehearsal ends for the evening and the rest of the choir slaps Jinki on the back in passing. His closest companion, if he could even be considered that, stops in front of him with an arched brow. Jonghyun has been seething every since Jinki got the solo and his slip ups today only further fuel his argument that he's more suited for the position.
“What the hell is your problem?” The brunette snaps.
Jinki fumbles with his book bag. “Well, uh … “
Jonghyun taps his foot impatiently on the floor, waiting like a lion watching it's prey.
“I - it's going to sound ridiculous - but I was nervous, because of, well, you know … “
“No, I don't know,” Jonghyun says haughtily, although an amused smirk is starting to form on his full lips.
With an exasperated huff, Jinki lifts his hand to scratch the back of his head. “I don't know, I guess it was that dancer. I felt like he was staring at me the whole time.”
Jonghyun's arm shoots out to slap Jinki across the head. “Of course Taemin was staring at you, you looked like a complete idiot up there! Seriously, you had better come up with a better excuse or get your act together by tomorrow, because otherwise I will have no choice but to demand the solo be turned over to me.”
“His .. name is Taemin?”
With a groan, Jonghyun turns away from Jinki. “You're joking, that's all you heard out of that? Whatever, this all works out for me.”
His words fall on deaf ears. Jinki's body buzzes with with a foreign intensity - is this what having a crush feels like?
“Mom,” Jinki whines as another glop of avocado and oatmeal goop is slapped onto his face, “Is this really necessary?”
Thin lips set in a firm line, his mother fixes him with a fierce look. “My boy is not going to be on stage with a face full of acne. Those stage lights just aren't good for you! Now stop talking.”
A short sigh escapes from Jinki's lips before he's silenced by a vicious glare.
Letting his mind drift, Jinki's mind automatically shifts to only a few hours before. During his free period, he just happened to stumble upon the solo dancer - Taemin, that is, in the middle of practice. He literally fell into the auditorium when a soccer player jokingly shoved him, not knowing Jinki would topple off balance and through the nearby doors. Taemin had been at center stage, head bowed and blond bangs shading his face while his left leg was bent at an impossible angel and his arms were elegantly stretched overhead.
Jinki had cleared his throat awkwardly while picking himself off the floor. “Oh, um, so sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt … “
Blinking, the dancer straightened himself while the most carefree smile Jinki had ever seen graced his lips. “It's no problem. Are you okay?”
“I'm, uh, fine,” Jinki said hurriedly, brushing off his pants while backing up towards the doors. “I'll just - yeah, go now - Ah!” Jinki winced as his back end slammed into the heavy auditorium doors.
Taemin's eyebrows shot upwards. “Are you sure you're okay?”
Eyes looking anywhere but at the angelic face in front of him, concern plastered where blissful beauty should be, Jinki just forces a wide grin. “Completely, don't worry about me!”
He had taken off just as Taemin had been calling a farewell. He felt rude, but Jinki couldn't handle another moment under that gaze without his heart surely exploding. Just thinking about it now made him burn with embarrassment - he'd acted so ridiculously!
“Jinki, are you getting sick? You feel warm.”
“Mom!”
It had taken a lot of persuasion, but Jinki had finally managed to convince his mother he did not need a complete facial. He'd had to tell a little white lie, but really, how would she find out that practice really started an hour after he said? Besides, he needs this extra time to practice before the whole chorus comes together.
Pocketing his cellphone after reading a text from his soccer player friend Minho, apologizing for the incident earlier, Jinki strides into the choir room. He planned to take one of the practice rooms with a piano so he could pound out his part until h knew it by heart, but stopped short when he noticed the other student in the room.
“Oh wow, bumping in to each other again?” The chirp leaves the blond's lips just as he stands up from shoving his feet into an old pair of sneakers.
Jinki just smiles and scratches the back of his head. “What a coincidence.”
A bubble of laughter falls from between perfectly pink lips as Taemin glides across the room to the sound system. “What's your name, anyway?”
“Jinki,” he says, trying desperately not to be entranced by the swaying of Taemin's hips. “And you're - “
“Taemin,” they both say together, and the younger is left blinking once again.
Cocking his head to the side, Taemin shoots Jinki a questioning gaze while smiling playfully.
“I - uh, well see,” Jinki takes a settling breath, encouraged by the light, airy aura of Taemin's, “I asked Jonghyun about you yesterday.”
Taemin presses play and a song with a heavy bass line starts pounding lowly through the speakers. “And why would you do that?” He asks while making his way back to the senior, eyes dancing.
Jinki swallows past his anxiety. “You caught my eye.”
Now standing directly in front of him, Taemin peers up into Jinki's gaze. “Can you dance?” He questions simply.
“What?” Jinki splutters, expecting a little more after putting himself out there like that.
Placing his hands on either of Jinki's hips, Taemin begins swaying and dipping to the music. “Dance with me,” he chimes, eyelids fluttering shut.
Chewing on his bottom lip, Jinki wonders if he can really pull this off. He's only ever used his voice, not his body. To let the music flow through him, it's different this way. Closing his eyes as well, to focus more on the music, Jinki's hands find their way to Taemin's waist as well, setting almost naturally. Moving his arms to wrap around Jinki's neck loosely, Taemin just lets his lips tip upward as they begin to move together fluidly.
The smell of melon overrides all of Jinki's other senses. Taemin has the scent of a spring picnic - bright and inviting, slightly intoxicating. He's also soft like a cloud as Jinki's fingertips roam over smooth skin and lush locks of hair. The brunette gets so lost in the smaller teen that he doesn't take notice when the track ends and the next passes, or when the CD ends. He also doesn't realize when the space between him and Taemin is breached and they're dancing, bodies flush to one another.
A wolf whistle breaks the two from the other world they slipped to. Jonghyun steps through the door, amused smirk in place. “I see you two are getting to know each other well.”
Jinki's face flashes a bright red. “What?” He squeaks and jumps as he discovers his nose is buried in the top of Taemin's hair and his arms are completely wrapped around the smaller's frame.
The underclassman just giggles mischievously as he skips to Jonghyun's side. “You are such a meanie,” he says, innocently slapping Jonghyun's shoulder.
“Mmhm,” Jonghyun hums, “Well, director wants you two on stage - you know, for practice?”
Jinki jumps in to motion. “How much time has passed? How did I not notice?” He scrambles to check his watch for the time while hurrying forwards.
Jonghyun snickers. “Love will do that to you.”
Practice goes by flawlessly. The chorus whispers in hushed voices during short intervals of criticism that passes over their heads about just how improved Jinki sounds. The song flows from him like an ocean breeze, washing over them with the power of a tall wave. The emotions of a hopelessly in love man escape Jinki's mouth as if they were his own.
“So, it's the big night tomorrow, right?”
Taemin stops playing with his french fries and looks up with a dazed expression. “Excuse me?”
Disapproving frown in place, Kibum jabs one of his carrot sticks at the dancer. “Where has your mind been all day?”
A dreamy sigh passes from Taemin as he settles his chin on the palm of his hands. “I met someone.”
“Oh?” Kibum snaps to attention, shifting farther across the table towards Taemin, “And just who did you meet?”
“I don't know if I should tell you … “
“What? Why not?”
Taemin uses the back of his hand to hide his laughter, but his twinkling eyes reveal everything. “I can't! What if it jinxes everything?”
Kibum narrows his gaze at him. “Tell me or I will not support your crap food habit anymore.”
When it comes to his addiction to food, there is no room for argument, and seeing as Taemin can never remember to bring money of his own for fries, he depends on Kibum to support him. Just like that, Taemin spills his rapidly growing relationship with a certain senior to the school's biggest gossip and self proclaimed match maker.
It's probably one of the worst mistakes he's ever made.
“No! I do not approve of this!” Kibum exclaims, arms flailing dramatically.
Taemin itches to roll his eyes, but stops himself so as not to offend the wealthy junior. “What's wrong with Jinki?”
“What happened to Minho? You two were going to be perfect together!” Kibum wails.
Reaching across the table to pat Kibum's shoulder comfortingly, Taemin sighs as Kibum begins to sob and fan himself as he mourns the loss of 'the perfect couple.'
“So …. “
“So?”
“Are you going to ask him out?”
Jinki nearly drops the banner he is pinning up outside the auditorium. “We aren't seriously having this conversation, are we?”
“Look, I'd rather avoid the topic too,” Jonghyun says, putting his hands up in defense, “But Kibum wants to know.”
“Who's Kibum?”
Jonghyun nearly falls over in exasperation. “You don't know who Kibum is? The guy who always sits in the front row for our concerts?”
“The one who shouts your name all the time?” Jinki questions, trying to pull up the memory of the specific face in the crowd.
Jonghyun nods. “Yeah, that's him. He's close with Taeminnie and wants to know if you're serious or not.”
With a shrug, Jinki averts his eyes to the floor while fidgeting with the tack in his hand. “I don't know, I mean, does Taemin even like me?”
Releasing a snort, Jonghyun raises an eyebrow at him. “You're joking, right?”
Jinki feels a smile creeping onto his lips. “I guess you're right. Well … Yeah, yeah, I guess I will ask him out.”
Jonghyun grimaces. “Shit. I don't want to break the news to him … “
“What?”
“Oh, uh, nothing.”
Opening night gives all the members of the choirs an intangible high. Backstage, everyone jumps in place while hissing to their neighbors to be quiet despite the racket they're creating themselves. Jinki remains calm in the sea of energy while the high strung boy beside him fights to keep himself from bouncing off the walls.
“This is going to be amazing! You sound gorgeous, the choir sounds perfect, I've got this routine down! This will be flawless!”
Jinki chuckles and can't stop himself from pulling Taemin into a tight embrace. “You'd better be right,” he whispers into his ear.
Taemin stops hopping on his toes to wrap his arms around Jinki's strong back. “I am, don't worry,” he says, reassuring silent doubts he knows Jinki won't voice, “You're going to blow the crowd away.”
“Do you want to be my boyfriend?”
Heart dropping to the floorboards, Taemin pulls away to study Jinki's face. “Are you serious?”
Jinki's eyes widen. “I'm sorry, if you don't want to - “
Burying his face in the crook of his neck, Taemin shakes his head. “No, no! I want to, I just didn't think you would ask!”
Jinki's chest vibrates with relieved laughter against Taemin. “Okay then, how about I take you out for our first date after this?”
Silence falls over the choir as they begin to file into their positions on stage as the director begins to announce their opening number. Taemin winks at him in response and Jinki has to be elbowed in the rib by Jonghyun to remember how to walk.
When the opening song starts, Jinki doesn't begin singing until he catches sight of his new boyfriend behind the deep red stage curtain, ready to dance on stage. When he opens his mouth and the first note hits the mic and runs through the speakers to the crowds ears, everyone sits back, mesmerized.
It's the best performance the school has seen. Although there is one upset junior in the front row who bickers amongst his gaggle of friends that his boyfriend deserved the solo and not Jinki.
A/N:
/bows repeatedly I'm sorry! I wish it were better, but .. I really like the simplicity of it. Besides, this is like my life right now. ^o^;;
Picture credit to Mudsparrow @ deviantart.com