Seriously, SM is starting to piss me off.

First they made us happy by giving us a collab project at the MBC GD, but they paired me up with Amber instead of with her; then they played musical chairs with all of us at SBS GD, as well giving Shinee weird clothes to wear; after that they made me do a y dance with Yuri noona at the awards, when it is her that I'm nominated with.

And all this on top of making us learn two new choreo for Shinee and SM 7 and  putting us in back to back appearances yet again.

Seriously, I don't really mind it all that much and in fact I enjoyed the new dances.

And keeping Key company once in a while with over the top fashion is ok too.

But telling us not to come together to the awards when it was clear we were vying for the couple prize just takes the cake!

And we've been looking forward to this all month long.

Come on...!

The fans expected it of us, and what could be a better camouflage than the couple awards?

And again I repeat, we are not a couple, damn it! At least not yet, I think.

Do I want to be a couple with her?

Well I don't know, ok. So stop asking me!

I'm too young to be worrying about this. And she's literally still a baby.

She's my hoobae, for crying out loud. Naturally I'm close to her. I've always been close to her. To all of them. So why make it so blatant to separate us like this.

In fact, SM is being so obvious that even the fans are questioning it.

There! In your face, SM.

So what if I enjoy hanging out with her and  like to ruffle her hair. So what if I constantly fawn over her whenever I can. So what if we talk on the phone a lot, lately.

I mean, I call Nikhun hyung all the time, and no one made a fuss.

Chincha, they are really putting too much into the equation.

So now I'm rushing down the red carpet, lucky for having to escape one of those mandatory Q&A sessions, looking for her.

She texted that she has arrive and that she was already with Hyun Woo at the arrival lounge.

Hyun Woo, I love the guy.

But I also know that secretly, he thinks she's cute.

Heck, all guys think she's cute. Who wouldn't? Unless you are totally gay. But even if they were totally gay, they would still find her cute.

Aish... Maybe I should find myself an uglier girlfriend.

Girlfriend? Aikk... I seriously did not say that.

Ani Ani. Doengseng. She's my doengseng.

She's my hoobae. My sister. My tomboy drama co star. My tall dance partner. My...

Oh my...

She's beautiful. She's a princess.

"Oppa! You've arrived."

She came running towards me, leaving Hyun Woo behind.

No, don't do that. People will see and SM will know... Unless, well, if you really want to.

My arms opened automatically at her approaching figure, stopping short of giving her a full fledge welcome hug to just holding her by both of the elbows. After all we just saw each other yesterday at the GD pre recording.

Amber was right.

We always greet each other in an over enthusiastic way like we have not seen each other for years. Well, to me it sure felt that way. I used to be with her 24/7 on the set, what do you expect?

"You're here?" I smiled.

Well, genius, isn't that obvious? Lucky for me this cutie didn't think so.

Nor does she think it weird to simply link her arm in mine to pull me towards Hyun Woo.

"Neh, oppa. We are having juices before they let us in. We are sitting together."

"Umm," I nodded and smiled. "By the way, doengseng, you are so ungrunjylike today."

Sulli laughed bashfully, understanding that I meant it as a joke.

Great job, Minho-kun, I smiled. Keep it cool and brotherlylike - because the truth is a complete opposite.

She looks like a goddess.

Ani. She is a goddess!

A tall, beautiful goddess in white.

If anyone says that I've been smiling like an idiot for the past 10 minutes instead of scowling like a mob boss like I did earlier, I wouldn't be surprise.

She's so cute...!

But what's with the off shoulder style.

These Cordi noonas, I tell you. Don't they know it's winter.

Would it be much if I were to lend my jacket as we wait?

Naah... That'll be too much, won't it?

Sigh... But damn, she is beautiful. And so different from the other girls here with that Goo Jae Hee hair of hers.

Thank god the girls' wardrobe is improving by leaps and bounds lately.  A far cry from the colour explosion that they like to impose on the poor f(x) girls.

It must be their way of revenge on the idols for getting all the fame and fortune while they are stuck with the mundane job of dressing us.

Bad news for us, they seem to have set their eyes on Shinee next.

"Ya, hyung," Hyun Woo greeted me with a hug.

"Wah, you look great, Hyun Woo," I smiled.

This lad is so different from his Eun Gyul persona. Still sweet but often shy, making me take the lead in our many appearances together.

But he'll go far, with that natural acting talent of his.

Yes, I'm quite fond of this lad, as long as his secret crush on her remains a secret.

"Kaja? Shall we go in?" I said as the usherette politely invited us into the main ceremony hall.

+++

"Komawo, noona."

"Neh," Yuri answered abruptly as she walked away from me after we got to the backstage.

We just finished our Latin dance together.

What? What now? She looked like she was gonna cry.

Did I do any wrong move?

I don't think so.

I did just as how we were taught.

I'm sorry of I could only practice 3 times with her despite her many calls for us to practice more.

But I had other dances, more difficult ones, to practice.

I did practice lots with the Latin dance hyung, though.

In fact, I know I did it better with her, cause she's lighter and smaller.

Aish.. Women.

Speaking of women, I wonder how she took it?

I did tell her I was asked to partner Yuri noona for the performance.  I just didn't tell her of the details of it, that's all.

She looked OK when I told her about it last week.

But then again, perhaps she didn’t really care, really mind, whom I danced with.

Well, I mind whom she dances with.

I told Key not to make her do stupid couple like moves on stage for their song yesterday, unlike our dear Taemin.

He milked the opportunity for what it was worth.

But sadly for the poor guy, Krystal was totally oblivious to the fact. Ha ha...

Yeah, as if I'm faring any better.

But coming to tonight's performance, I did manage to look at her from the stage and as usual she looked as spaced out as ever.

Just like during MAMA.

Aish... Chincha, women.

Can't you at least pretend to be jealous?

+++

I seriously have to talk to the Cordi  Noonas.

I mean seriously.

They dressed her like a clown one day and with barely nothing the next.

Not only is the shoulder bared in this cold weather, but the skirt?

Just make it any shorter, why don't you?

Apparently Suzy wore this last year too.

Well, yeah... but is our Suzy a 169 cm'er too?

Of course she's a vision of loveliness with the little piece of cloth you call a dress.

But not out here in the open.

And that weird ahjussi beside her kept on looking down her legs.

Who is he anyways?

Just a two-bit producer who desperately needs a haircut!

"Oppa, could you call  the waiter for me, please," she suddenly said. "I need a refill of water."

"Neh," I smiled like a besotted sunbae that I am.

Maybe I should just casually drape a napkin on her knees or something.

Yeah, I'll do that.

"Waiter!"

+++

I won? Oh, I won. Of course, everybody wins at these awards.

But what made me really feel like a winner was the smile she sent me off to stage with.

Ahh, such pride. For me?

At least this time I didn't have to look for you across a sea of faces.

You are right beside me this time.

You made me win, didn't you know that.

A newbie? Me?

I have been singing for 5 Years and acting for 3.

But why do they acknowledge me now?

As a newbie, non the less.

Because I was paired with you.

Because our chemistry exploded on screen.

Because you, as usual, made it so easy.

Because it was meant to be.

+++

So I flirted with her on stage.

So, sue me.

All I did was smile at her and she had to act all coy like that.

Tell me if you can resist that shy bend of her head.

And I was proud of her.

So I showed it. My pride for her.

Do you think acting is easy.

It’s a 24/7 job that makes you pull every emotion out from the pit of your belly.

Which she has a very nice one I may add.

Smiles.

She was good as Goo Jae Hee.

And she deserves the award.

But anyways, the flirting was so subtle no one would notice it.

Seriously, no one.

Only us.

+++

I sighed for what could be the 100th time that night, rubbing my neck tiredly.

We are all alone at last. Just the industry people.

No fans or fan cams.

And lovely SM decided to grant us our wish.

To go for supper with Hyun Woo, with no chaperon.

"I'm ready oppa."

She emerged from the ladies.

"Great. We are going in my car, ok."

Again her smile drove my worries away and I too smiled down at her.

"Yours have been sent home and Hyun Woo's omma will fetch him from the cafe later."

"Ok," she smiled again as she matched my step down the hallway, towards the foyer. "Owh, but my jacket is in the car."

"Chincha? It's ok, you can take mine," I said, shrugging my overcoat to drape it on her slim shoulders.

My dress jacket enough to ward off the cold. The jacket and her sunny smile. Yeah, get corny sunbae, why don't you?

But you're doing good, Choi Minho, act nonchalant like you have not been itching to wrap your warmth on her all night.

Not to mention to shield her smooth shoulders from the other vultures out there.

"Kaja," I smiled again. "Hyun Woo, let's go. Sorry to keep you waiting, bro."

+++

She kissed me.

On the cheek.

Very quickly.

Before she ran up the steps towards her dorm.

As a wish good night.

Is there any security camera?

Even if there is, I don’t care.

Can I not wash this cheek till next year?

Tomorrow, ani, today is already the next year, you idiot.

Sigh...

Ok, I give up.

I admit - I like her.

Ani, I love her.

There, I've said it.

But I'll probably tell her that next year 

My Princess Bride, I'll tell you 'I love you' next year.