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Sulli's POV

Sulli splashed her face with cold water and then looked at her reflection in the mirror. Water dripped from her long hair and flawless face.

Ottoke… I haven’t slept so there are dark circles under my eyes.

Sulli rubbed her eyes.

I need to hurry – the department meeting is in an hour.

The models and staff were going to meet in the conference room and then depart for the airport. Their show was a two-day event in Busan – it meant another two sleepless days for Sulli. 

She dried her face distractedly.

For some reason, she could not stop thinking about Minho.

-Flashback-

“Be my dongsaeng.”

Bwo? Is this some sort of new pick-up line he’s trying?

“W-why?”

Minho didn’t answer as he put his pants back on. Sulli looked away to prevent herself from staring at his toned legs. 

“Even though you have had a lot of brothers, I have never had a younger sister. So just play along with me. I’ll treat you well”

Actually, Sulli knew that Minho would have grown up very lonely if it weren’t for Taemin.

“But why do you want me specifically?”

Minho hesitated, lost for words. Finally, he just smirked.

“You are not y enough to be my girlfriend.”

--

Sulli pouted to the mirror.

I am really not y at all. It’s no wonder Minho just sees me as a childish dongsaeng. But I shouldn’t be bothered.

Sulli quickly finished getting ready.

Although Spring was coming quickly, it was still cold outside. Sulli hated the cold so she put on a fleece sweater and wrapped herself in a big scarf.

Haha, look at me all bundled up. I have no curves at all. 

But I don’t care. I just have to work hard and do well for everybody in SM. Fighting!  

Without another thought, she picked up her suitcase and pink notebook before leaving the house.

--

“Here is the agenda for today and tomorrow’s shows. Out of courtesy, we must also be in the audience for the other departments’ shows, so I have prepared formal wear for all of you in the closet. Don’t forget to pick it up on the way out” Sulli said.

All the models and staff members were gathered in the conference room.

Minho stood in the back with his arms around Jonghyun. Sulli was glad to see that Minho had become friendly with the models and staff very quickly. As expected from the charismatic Minho.

“Does that mean I get to see Luna?!” Onew asked as his eyes lit up. Sulli nodded.

“Wait, you said you would tell us the concept for our Spring catalogue. We are all curious”

Sulli nodded and opened her pink notebook.

“Spring is about being young and fresh and innocent, so I wanted our concept to be a Return to Childhood. What do you all think?”

Everyone nodded eagerly except Minho. A dark look had come over him. His entire face was pale and his jaw was clenched.

Sulli's eyes skimmed past him, although her heart filled with concern.

What’s wrong, Minho?

“Although it wouldn’t be a return to childhood for Sulli, since she is still a child, don’t you think?” Jonghyun said.

Everyone in the room laughed as Sulli blushed. Everyone sees me as a child.

“Childhood has a special place in Sulli’s heart. Don’t they say that Sulli’s first and only love was from her childhood days?”

“Bwo?! Who told you that?!” Sulli exclaimed, her heart racing.

Everyone was surprised by her over-reaction.   

“It’s a rumor everyone has heard. Your grandmother once came to visit, and we all wanted to know who was Sulli’s ideal type but your grandmother said you gave your heart away long ago” Key said.

“We all thought she was just joking because she didn’t want any of the guys too get to close to the innocent Sulli. But is it true?”

“I don’t love you. You’re not beautiful and you’re not good at anything, so don’t say you love me anymore. It’s so burdensome.”

As he ran away into the sunset, little Sulli felt hot tears start to gather in her eyes.

Sulli shook her head. She couldn’t lose herself to foolish memories right now. She had to be professional.

“It’s not true. We want a more youthful concept purely from a business standpoint. I was going to tell you the news later, but we are actually expanding our brand to an international market. The Spring show will be presented in London, New York, and Paris. The Return to Childhood theme will appeal to young students in these countries”

An outburst erupted in the room. Some people were excited while others were earnest.

We’ll be huge! But what if other countries aren’t impressed? We get to travel! But what if we aren’t prepared? This is going to be such a new experience! But also a lot of work…

Sulli’s head was buzzing when her phone vibrated with a text from the director.

“Everybody! The company vans are at the entrance! Head out!”  

--

“Sulliiieeee!”

Krystal came running over to Sulli from the entrance to the airport.

She threw her arm over Sulli’s shoulder. Sulli giggled as she turned to face Krystal. As usual, Krystal looked gorgeous and Sulli’s heart was filled with affection.

“Be quieter! People will notice you even if you’re wearing sunglasses”

Then, Victoria showed up with Amber and Luna trailing behind.

“Sulli, you didn’t come home again for two nights in a row. Please stop overworking yourself”

Victoria eunnie put her hand on Sulli’s shoulder.

"Ah, I went home for a few minutes today to get ready, but you were already on your way here, eunnie"

“Sulli, where’s Onew?!” Luna asked.

“Luna, all you think about is Onew, huh? You haven’t seen Sulli in over a week, but you don’t even greet her” Amber said, nudging Luna.

It feels so daebaek to see my friends again. 

“Let’s board the plane. Sulli sits next to me!”

Krystal looped her arm around Sulli’s and started dragging her away.

“Wait, let me just go tell the Menswear models to wait for me when we arrive at Busan, so that I can give them instructions before we head to the hotel”

Sulli walked quickly to the area where the Menswear models and staff were gathered.

“Everyone, wait for me after we land because I have important directions-- Wait, where’s Minho?!”

“He is still outside, talking on the phone”

The pabo is going to be late for the flight.

Sulli bolted outside and looked around for Minho.

There was nobody there except a homeless man sleeping on the sidewalk. He was old and thin, wearing a shabby coat that was barely thicker than paper.

Sulli gave in to her soft heart. She took off her big sweater and placed it on the homeless man.

“Ya! What are you doing?”

Sulli jumped. She turned around quickly and came face-to-face with Minho.

“M-Minho!”

Sulli stuttered, partly because she had been frightened and partly because she was shivering from the cold.

“You’re going to catch a cold!”

Sulli was wearing a thin shirt that let all the wind blow right through. She wrapped her arms around herself and buried her chin into her scarf.

“It’s okay! It will be warm on the plane. We’re going to be late for our flight, oppa! Come on!”

Sulli tugged on Minho's arm and held onto his wrist to drag him into the airport.

Before stepping into the airport, Minho took off his jacket and wrapped it around Sulli. His arms stayed around her shivering body for a few moments before he let go.

“You have a lot of oppas, but you’re my only dongsaeng so I have to take care of you, you know.”

“I know you have him and me, but you’re my only dongsaeng so I can cherish only you, you know.”

--

Sulli and Minho ended up boarding the flight later than all the others.

Krystal had saved a seat for Sulli right behind the seat Jonghyun saved for Minho.

“Sulli, where did that jacket come from?” Krystal asked curiously.

“Minho lent it to me because I lost my sweater” Sulli mumbled.

She did not want Krystal to get the wrong idea and feel hurt. But Krystal didn’t look bothered. Actually, she was playing with her hair rather obliviously.

“Ah! Krystal, I have your shorts”

Sulli pulled out the shorts she had worn that morning in the studio.

They were so short and thin that they might as well be , especially because they were edged with lace. Sulli couldn’t believe she had even put them on. And that Minho had seen her wear them... 

She could hear him smirking in front of her. 

“I’ve been looking everywhere for these!” Krystal exclaimed as she snatched the shorts. 

“You left them in the Menswear studio that time the director made you change out of them because they were too inappropriate”

Krystal and Sulli laughed.

“Hey, look, that’s Minho. I wonder where Yuri is”

Krystal and Sulli heard someone whisper from the seats across the aisle.

“Don’t you know that they broke up a few days ago?”

“What a shame. They were such a perfect match, SM’s most beautiful couple”

“Yeah, but he’ll probably forget about Yuri just like he forgot about Krystal”

Sulli immediately turned to look at Krystal’s face, searching for any sign of sadness.

She reached over and squeezed Krystal’s hand. Krystal simply stared ahead without any emotion. 

“Don’t listen to what they think. They don't know what they're talking about”

“What they said is true. I was just one of a million” Krystal said with a low voice, so that Minho would not hear her.

“He must have cared. He was very sweet to you” Sulli whispered.

“No… In reality, I knew he didn’t truly care about me. I was just being blind”

“What do you mean?”

“Even when he was holding my hand or saying kind words, it was like he was seeing right through me. And he was just always so manly and charismatic all the time that it seemed like he was putting on an act. He didn’t seem to have any soft or natural side at all. It was impossible to get truly close to him so it was easy to get over him”

Sulli thought about Minho’s confidence on the runway. She thought of the way his face could be arrogant sometimes. She remembered his words to her: "You're not y enough to be my girlfriend." 

Could it be that Minho always had his guard up?

But then Sulli thought of his peaceful face when he was sleeping. She thought of how cutely he blushed when he had to take off his pants. She remembered how strong his arms felt when he wrapped her in his jacket. How gentle he looked when he said... 

"Be my dongsaeng"

“I’m so tired, Krystal. Let me sleep for the rest of the flight, please?”

She leaned on Krystal’s shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling Krystal’s fingers braiding her hair playfully as she slept.

Sulli felt like she had barely slept a minute when a flight attendant announced the plane’s arrival.

Everyone filed into the aisle impatiently. Sulli was right behind Minho, and her body kept being pushed against his.

Without a jacket, he was wearing a thin sweater. Sulli could feel the contours of his strong back. She was tempted to press herself against the warmth of his body and go to sleep.

I am feeling light-headed…

Finally, they all got off the plane. Sulli stepped uneasily.

Do I have motion sickness from the plane ride? Why do I feel dizzy?

Sulli and Krystal finally had to separate. Sulli began to walk shakily to where the Menswear models were gathered.

Everything is blurry…

Finally, Sulli arrived to where the group was.

She leaned on a column, feeling a bead of sweat form on her forehead. 

“Sulli, I was just giving the guys instructions. When we arrive at the hotel – oh no!”

“What is it?” Sulli asked, panting slightly.

“We forgot to get reservations for Minho because he just transferred into the department…”

Sulli groaned inwardly. Another hassle…

“Sulli, it looks like Minho will have to room with you tonight.”

“BWO?!”

Sulli exclaimed, just as she out, collapsing into someone’s strong arms. 

-- 

let me know how it is! I know there's a lot of boring dialogue and it might be confusing because some of the italics mean flashback. 

love love love you all! happy lunar new year!