Back at FX’s dorm:

“Where have you been Sulli? Aren’t you feeling unwell?” Victoria asked Sulli who just stepped into the dorm.

Sulli: “ermm…. I went downstairs to find my medicine as I might have dropped it at the lobby while on the way back.” She stuttered, feeling apologetic that she had to lie again.

Victoria: “It is so cold outside and you are wearing so little? You better don’t catch a cold. Lucky you don’t have schedule tomorrow, quick go rest now.”

Sulli: “Neh.”

Minho woke up with a bad headache. He returned to dorm at 2am after he sent Sulli back to her dorm and only managed to catch 2 hours of sleep before he was woken up by Key.

“Minho ah, I nor na. We are going to be late for our meeting at the company if you don’t prepare now.” Key patted Minho on the back and wondered why the usual early bird is still sleeping.

Minho stirred under his blanket and recalled that they have a meeting with the company today, but his head was really heavy and he could not get up.

Sensing something amiss, Key felt Minho’s forehead and yelled: “Minho, you didn’t know you are running a fever? You better rest in since the meeting is not that important. I will let Manager Hyung know. The medicine is in the kitchen. Remember to drink lots of water.” Key gave a series of instructions before he finally left the dorm with the other members for the company.

“Eunnies, all of you have schedules today? Even Krystal?” Sulli pouted and sat up on her bed.

Amber: “Isn’t it good? I wish I can be in your shoes so that I can sleep.”

Sulli sneezed again at Amber’s comments.

Luna: “Sulli, just rest more since you have caught a cold. Build up your energy k.”

Victoria: “Neh, I have left a bowl of porridge for you, just warm it up later if you are hungry.”

Sulli lay on her bed and rest. She had really caught a cold, probably from staying out with Minho the night before.

“What is Oppa doing now? Recording? Practice?” Sulli looked at the rabbit plushie on her bed and thought to herself. Eventually, she could not resist herself to text Minho: “Oppa, I caught a cold and is resting in the dorm alone… I am bored…what are you doing now?”

Her phone rang immediately and it was Minho.

“Ohhhh Oppa….. you have time to call me today?? Or are you skiving?” Sulli is happy to receive his call, yet she enjoyed acting tough in front of Minho and giving him a hard time.

'Cough cough'. The deep low voice on the other side became lower and muffled today. “I … (cough).. am sick too, pabo.  (cough)  Will not skive at work like you. Ha.”

Sulli recalled Minho was merely wearing a thin wind breaker yesterday too: “Ken cha na? You sound bad. Are the other Oppas around to take care of you? Have you eaten your medicine?

Minho smiled with his eyes closed: “You just (cough) worry about yourself will do. Other members are at the company now. I will be well after sleeping…. So have you eaten your medicine?”

Sulli: “An duei, you can’t just sleep. You need to eat and have your medicine. That’s what Eunnie told me. I am a good kid and I have done all Eunnie said.”

Minho: “hahaha, alarsoh… I know my princess is a good kid. Then will my princess let me sleep? My head hurts from the fever.”

Sulli quickly hung up the phone and wondered if Minho will remember to eat his medicine when he wakes up.

“Oppa, are you awake?”Minho received Sulli’s call again after a few hours. Minho forced himself to sit up and realised he had slept for hours yet the headache remained.

“Ohhhh… are you feeling better?” He asked, still caring for Sulli even though he is feeling rather bad himself.

“Oppa, you have not eaten your medicine right? Why are you such a stubborn kid?” Sulli heard his voice becoming weaker as compared to the first call.

Without waiting for him to respond: she continued: “Oppa, I am leaving a bag behind this pot of plant just outside your dorm’s gate. I can’t go in without access pass so remember to retrieve the bag when you have more strength later.”

Minho sprung up from his bed immediately: “Mwo?? Or di soh? Where are you now?” and dashed to wear his cap, coat and put on his shoes while checking for Sulli’s location.

Sulli: “Below your dorm. Hahaha…don’t worry Oppa. I did make sure no one is around when I sneaked in. I will go back now in case people see me. You remember to pick up the bag later.... ”Sulli was about to leave the bag behind the pot of plant when another pair of hands grabbed her hands. It was a very pale Minho standing at the gate, still holding his phone to his ears.

Sulli hung up the call: “Oppa…..Omo…. You looked bad. She placed her hand on his forehead and yelled: “Oppa, your fever is still there?”

Minho's eyebrows twitched into a frown and flicked her forehead with his fingers: “Is this the place you should be? cough...Aren’t you a patient as well? What are you doing in the cold?”

Sulli rubbed her forehead and smiled sheepishly. She tugged at Minho’s coat and said in an agyeo: “Aniya, I only had a slight cold and I am better now so the better one must look after the weaker one. That is the spirit of KJ Family, right? and Oppa, why are you not wearing a thicker coat?” Sulli continued to nag at Minho, while taking off her grey knitted scarf to wrap it around his neck.

Minho looked at this girl who was meddling all over him and felt warmth in his heart. To be frank, he has collaborated with other female artistes before and they do have close skinships, but Sulli is the only one who has the ability to affect his emotions regardless whether it is happy or sad.

“Oppa, don’t stand here anymore, you better go up and rest. Remember my first aid bag.” Sulli shoved the bag to Minho and planted a shy goodbye kiss at Minho’s cheek before running off.”

Minho smiled, remembering Sulli’s shy expression when she kissed him on the cheek. He returned to the dorm and opened the first aid bag excitedly. There was a pink food thermo flask containing congee, another pink thermo flask containing honey water and a pack of medication. There was also a note: “Oppa, eat the congee and then the medicine. You can drink the honey water as and when you want. Get well soon!” and then there was a hand drawn heart shape and a rabbit head as the sign off.

“Minho ah, come and get your dinner, are you better now?” Key entered the dorm with the other members to see Minho sitting on the sofa playing his favourite soccer game. “Wah,,,, you looked so different as compared to the morning. Aren't you sick? Come have your dinner. You must be hungry.”

“It is ok, I have eaten already.” Minho casually replied s while still engrossed in his game.

“Huh??? You have eaten? Aren’t you not well? Are you too hungry that you actually dreamt that you have eaten?” Jong Hyun asked with his usual gag and laughed.

Dumbfounded, Minho stopped his favorite soccer game immediately and swallowed his saliva, with the thoughts in his mind “Oppsss. I must not let them know that Sulli had come earlier with food.” 

“Aniyaaa, I ermmm... I am just not feeling hungry.” Minho smoked s with a lame reason, then quoted that he is tired and went back to his bed.  

Key was already in the room, engaged in his routine net surfing. “Ya Minho, this’s a nice coloured thermo flask, where do you get it? I thought I have seen it somewhere before.” Key held the thermo flask, really mesmerised by the sweet pink colour.

“Yaaaaaaaaa, return it to me!” Minho grabbed the flask away from Key in lighting speed.

 “Yaaaaa, do you need to be so rough? It is just a thermo flask. You are acting so strangely.” Key yelled back.

The usual Minho would have retorted given his ‘never want to lose’ attitude, but he kept quiet today as there is a more important task now which is to keep Sulli’s bag, love note as well as her love in a safe place.

The weather in Seoul turned colder as they approached the end of the year. Today Shinee has to go to Japan again for a showcase.

 “Is that a new scarf you are wearing, I don’t remembering seeing that before.” Jong Hyun asked as Minho stepped into the van.

Minho touched the grey scarf that belongs to Sulli. Before he could respond, Key cut in:”He has a lot of new and strange things recently. Hyung, have you seen his pink thermo flask?”

Taemin laughed: “Pink thermo flask? That’s interesting for Minho Hyung.”

Minho swear he would have thrown his bag at Key for being nosey if he could.

“Aniya, it was a gift from a fan.” Minho explained coolly. “What’s the problem with a pink thermo flask anyway?”

Key looked at Minho suspiciously: “Is it really a fan? You were so worked up when I merely want to take a look at the flask last time.”

Taemin: “ahhhhh…. Come to think about it, hyung has been quite busy with your phone activities, was it the fan?”

Jong Hyun: “Ohhhhh… our Minho seems strange huh.” He stared at Minho in his eyes and paused. With a serious tone, he said: “Ok Minho, tell us.”

Minho gave a startled face: “Mwo… tell what…” He looked at all s with an innocent face. The members continued to stare at him.

“What???? There is really nothing to tell… jinjiat! You all are actually the strange ones.” He tried to cover his jittery with his laughter.

Onew “Yuri?” “Krystal?”

Key: “or someone from KARA? After School?”

“Ya!!!!! Stop it!!!!!! I really have nothing to tell.” Minho yelled helplessly while the rest broke into a huge laugh. They just like to tease Minho as he is always so serious to explain himself.

“Minho ah, Ken cha na … If you don’t want to say now, you can tell us next time.” Jong Hyun again and started to laugh.

Minho’s POV

This is getting dangerous. The members are suspecting something. I mustn’t let the cat out of the bag. He texted Sulli immediately: “I am going to Japan again. Members suspecting I am seeing a girl, so will not be texting you too often. Be good and see you soon.”

After reading Minho’s message, Sulli understood how he felt. Her FX members were also wondering why she is so busy with her phone and even suspected she is seeing Hee Chul or Taemin. She agreed with Minho too that they had to cut down their phone activities if they wish to keep their relationship safe.