“Why not we just end here?” How much emotional struggle did Sulli had to cope with in order to gather enough courage to say these words.

She didn’t dare to look at Minho and continued to have her back turned against him, trying to hold back her tears.

“Sulli… look at me…”

Sulli felt Minho’s pair of eyes hovering above her head but she continued to stare past his shoulder. She could feel her own eyes welling with tears. She bite her lips, clenched her fists and hope the tears could somehow flow backwards to her eyes.

Sensing no response from Sulli, Minho placed both his hand on Sulli’s cheeks, lifting her face to meet his.

When Minho saw the continuous tears flowing uncontrollably down that fair white face, he pulled Sulli into his embrace and hugged her tightly. “Whei yo, did Jong Hyun’s news scare you? Believe in me. We will not end up like them. I will protect you and I will never ever let go of your hands.” Minho reassured her, wrapping her in both his arms.

Sulli just stood motionlessly, continuing to let her tears fall on Minho’s shoulders, but only for a short while. She broke the hug abruptly and wiped her tears with her back of her hands: “Oppa, eunnies will be back soon, you better get going.”  

“Sulli…” Minho walked towards her but she backed away.

“Oppa, don’t come closer. I am serious. Eunnies are going to be back anytime. Just go, will you??”

Seeing Minho had no intention to leave, she pleaded again:  “Please??”

Minho left the holding room, can’t bear to see Sulli pleading him. He is still worried for Sulli yet he really didn’t know what he could do to reassure her. In fact, Minho is afraid as well. He saw the consequences of Jong Hyun’s incident and understood the seriousness if things are not controlled well … but Minho knew one thing for sure – no matter what happened, he is not letting her go and he is determined to keep to this promise.  

Finally it came to the end of the concert when all the artistes had to perform the finale. Minho spotted Sulli from a distance and saw Sulli‘s troubled face no matter how much she tried to cover it with a fake smile.

He walked closer to where she was standing; hoping to talk to her, but Sulli kept backing away from him to join the other idols on the other end. Minho decided he can’t play hide and seek on stage with all the fancams around. He stood alone dejectedly, totally distracted throughout the finale. He pretended to talk to Chang Min and Yun Ho but his eyes were always looking out for Sulli.

Yunho: “Come, let us gather to thank the audience.” It is a normal practice for KJE artiste to gather and bow to the audience as a form of gratitude and Yunho summoned all KJE artistes to gather. Victoria had already gathered the FX girls in line.

Minho and Taemin were the only lost sheeps who were separated from the other Shinee boys. Onew signalled them to quickly walk over to join them beside FX and Minho saw this as a golden opportunity to get close to Sulli.

Minho pushed Taemin who was standing beside Sulli to the side, and slotted himself naturally in between them. When it was time to bow, he clasped her hand and gave her hand a tight squeeze. In the split second when they both had their heads bowed towards the audience, Minho whispered to Sulli: “I am telling you again that I will never let go of your hand.”  

They both stood up after bowing and Sulli looked at Minho in a daze. If Victoria hadn’t pulled her along to leave the stage, she would probably had continue to stand there and look at Minho forever.

FX’s Manager: “Anyone keen for supper?” The respective groups had washed up and changed, preparing to leave the broadcast venue. FX’s manager was asking if anyone wanted to join them for supper since they are hungry.

Key: “Supper???? Count me out hyung, I am more tired than hungry with all our crazy flying schedule, I just want to go back dorm to sleep now.”

TVXQ, Taemin, Onew and Jong Hyun had all expressed that they wanted to return to their dorm too.

Minho was tired but thinking that Sulli is going for supper, he agreed to join in, hoping to have a chance to talk to her again.

Minho went into FX’s van since the other van will need to send Shinee members back to their dorm. He looked around for Sulli in FX’s vehicle, only to see Krystal, Luna and Amber around.

Minho: “Mwo, only you three? Where are the rest?”

Krystal: “Oppa, it is only the few of us. No one else is coming.”

Luna: “Neh Oppa, Sulli said she is not well so Victoria had gone back with her.”

“Asishhhh… Choi Sulli.... this girl! Jinjiat!!!! She escaped again.” he thought to himself.

Minho: “erm... I am sorry girls. I feel very tired suddenly and I will go back dorm to rest. Please help to tell your manager.” He got off FX’s van quickly and thankfully he managed to catch Shinee’s van to return to Shinee’s dorm.

“Hyung, I am going to the gym.” Minho prepared to make his way out again 5 minutes after they returned to their dorm.

Onew: “What? At this hour? Is the gym even open? Are you really that keen to beef up your body and build those muscles? Aren’t you tired?” It was already past mid-night and the other members were preparing to catch some sleep as they finally got the chance to rest after a series of hectic schedules.

Minho: “The normal gym we go to runs 24 hour. I can’t sleep anyway, might as well use my time wisely.”

Onew nodded since he knew Minho is always so determined when he set his goals on one thing. He merely thought Minho wanted to quickly build his body to look better on screen and didn’t suspect much.

Minho started his car engine and headed out, but the destination location on reflected on his GPS is not the gym.

Sulli lay in her bed and looked at the ceiling, staring into space. “New message from Rabbit’s Owner: Come out now. I am downstairs.” Her phone beeped.

Sulli sat up on her bed, and looked at the message again. “Downstairs? This is crazy… What is he doing here?” Sulli thought. She had no intention to go down as Victoria Eunnie is around; besides, this is really crazy if they were to meet below the dorm.

“Calm down Sulli…. He will just leave if I don’t go down.” Sulli thought to herself and ignored Minho’s message.

Minho waited in his car for Sulli. 10 minutes passed and he didn’t see her at all. “This girl is really driving me crazy. Aishhhhh..” he texted her again: “If you are not coming down within 5 minutes, I will go up. I am not joking. I know Victoria Noona is with you and I will confess to her and then the company about our relationship.”

Sulli gasped after reading Minho’s second message. “Otokae.. Minho Oppa may really come up… and what shall she tell her Victoria Eunnie… ARGGGGGG…..” Her lips turned dry as she panicked, not knowing what to do. Just then, she heard Victoria bathing in the restroom....

“Eunnie, I am going out for a while, will be back soon.” And without waiting for Victoria to reply, Sulli grabbed her phone, wore a cap, her jacket and dashed downstairs.

The lift door opened at level one and she gasped when she saw Minho standing in front of her, about to enter the lift. The instant thought that came to her mind was to grab Minho’s hand and run.

They ran for five minutes before they stopped at a secluded corner at the other residential block.

Sulli began hitting Minho on the shoulder with her fists: “Oppa, you are crazy. You are really thinking of coming to our dorm? Do you really want to die?”

Minho looked at Sulli’s looks of desperation, put his arms around her immediately and spoke slowly and softly: “I already died just now when you said those words in the holding room.”  

Tears welled in Sulli’s eyes. “Then why do you still come here? You shouldn’t have come here…..” She continued to hit Minho on his chest and shoulder and even tried to struggle out from his embrace, only to make his arms go tighter around her waist and back.

Minho: “Ouch…”

Didn’t know that Minho was just pretending to be in pain, Sulli stopped her struggle and asked worriedly: “Whei? Painful?”   

Minho hugged Sulli tightly at this point, afraid that she may run away again. “Nehhh, it is painful…. My heart is in pain cause of you...”

“I know it is hard especially when I am always not around with you. Jong Hyun Hyung’s matter is shocking to me too, but I am sure you and I can overcome it.  You just have to have faith in our relationship, in yourself and… and… in me.” Minho continued and made Sulli look at him now.

“Have faith in me, Sulli. Don’t run away from me anymore. Will you?” Minho asked with his eyes fixed on Sulli.

Sulli remained motionless in Minho’s arm and had wanted to say something to oppose him when a long kiss on her lips interrupted her. This is the second time he had kissed her on her lips.

Minho: “If you dare to talk about break up again, I will keep on kissing you so that you won’t have a chance to say it at all. You can try again now if you wish.” He challenged.

Sulli finally let out a laugh after being moody for the entire day. She hugged Minho tightly who also returned Sulli’s hug with another kiss on her head.

Minho smiled: “So my Sulli is back again?” Sulli giggled and nodded in Minho’s arms.