CHAPTER ELEVEN - -

- - protect

"So... can you explain everything to me now?"

Minho looked so confused as we walked back to the apartment. I was surprised that he hadn't asked earlier really as we were nearly halfway back. We'd left the restaurant in a rush after we'd made new living arrangements and now I was determined to go back and get Minho's stuff before taking him to SHINee's dorm.

Hopefully Sulli would be out the house.

"I guess you deserve an explanation right?" I said to him while I glanced up at him. I was pleased that he'd immediately held my hand as we'd walked out of the shop, but his eyes held uncertainty.

"Well, it would be nice."

I sighed and shook my head, where and how exactly did I begin?

"Sulli... while we've grown up together, we have a weird relationship," I started, trying to organize my thoughts, "You understand give and take right?"

He nodded, furrowing his brow.

"Our relationship is very much like that, except..." I paused as we came to a red pedestrian light, "I give, she just takes."

Some of the uncertainty disappeared from his eyes.

"It's been like that ever since we were young and I really didn't mind. Sure, she'd take my stuff and never give it back but it really was ok. Stuff is just stuff right? Besides, it made her happy and I liked seeing her happy."

Well, that was at least true.

I liked making people happy, because that showed that you weren't selfish.

I think Minho was slowly puzzling it together.

"You think she's going to try and take me from you?"

He didn't have to ask so bluntly.

I sighed and nodded, "It's her nature."

And I supposed that I only had myself to blame for it. I'd always let her have her way so I don't think she knew what 'no' meant.

I was surprised to hear Minho chuckling.

I'd thought he would've scolded me or frowned or something else. I mean, to any normal person my story would sound strange and they'd probably just shake their head at me before telling me not to overreact.

Suddenly, we stopped.

"You're a bit dense sometimes, you know that?" Minho told me as we stood in the middle of the sidewalk, people streaming around us.

"Eh?" I muttered as I tilted my head to the side.

He simply smiled as he placed both hands on my cheeks, "You don't need to worry about a thing," he said as our eyes met, "I'm a human. I'm not something she can just take because unlike stuff, I can say no."

My eyes widened.

"I'll say no for you," he finished as he leaned down to kiss me softly.

He pulled back before I could respond and I stood there, my mind trying to comprehend his words. The people on the street observed us with curious, slightly annoyed expressions, but I didn't care.

"Thank you," I said softly, but I knew he'd be able to hear.

His smile was wonderful, "Now, let's get going?"

I nodded.

Sulli was at the apartment when we returned.

But I steeled myself. I was going to be strong.

"You're back?" she said as soon as we entered.

"Yeah, just went for some breakfast," I replied while closing the door, "Key asked me to come to the restaurant."

"You had chicken for breakfast?" she asked curiously as she came into view. She was now dressed in more comfortable clothes - not her usual heels and fashion trends. She however, still looked beautiful and I tried my best not to feel inferior, "And now will you properly introduce me to him?"

She motioned toward Minho and he immediately stepped up to the offer, smiling widely as he extended his free hand towards her.

"Choi Minho," he said sweetly as she shook his hand in return.

"Choi Jinri," she charmed, "But everyone just calls me Sulli. And we have the same surname," she mused, giving him those alluring eyes of hers, "If we ever had to get married, I wouldn't have to worry about surnames."

That was Sulli for you. Not thinking before she spoke. This was how she'd enthral men, by making comments such as that to get their attention.

But Minho said he'd be on my side right?

"Ah, or we could be seen as siblings."

I resisted the urge to smirk victoriously. Instead, I squeezed Minho's hand as a way of saying 'thank you'.

Sulli was taken aback by his comment and she stood back a few steps, "Yeah..." she said as though she wasn't sure what to say next, "You aren't as tall as the Minho I met." Well that was expected. When things didn't go the way she planned, she reacted harshly. But Minho took it in his stride.

"I'm not? Well, at least I don't knock my head on doors," he smiled as he looked at me, "But didn't we need to get some stuff?" I nodded.

"Yeah, sorry we won't be here long Sulli. We're just here to grab some of Minho's stuff."

"Stuff?" she repeated, "You mean he stayed here for more than a night?"

"Almost a week," Minho grinned as we walked passed her and into my room where I'd housed all of his clothes. While it wasn't much, it was still enough to fit in a suitcase. I wasn't too worried either because I knew Key would soon be dressing him up like his own human doll.

I felt proud as I closed the door to my room and began to pack Minho's things. He sat on my bed as I did so.

"How'd I do?" he asked playfully.

I stuck my tongue out at him, "You deserve an Oscar."

He chuckled as he shook his head. I really was proud of him though and I was reassured. While he had told me back in the street that he'd be on my side, sometimes you needed more than words in order to believe. Sulli was beautiful and she was charming - one needed a strong willpower in order to resist her. And I was glad that Minho seemed to have one. When she'd mentioned the marriage thing, my heart had stopped and I'd immediately remembered the time when she'd used the very same line on a boy I'd previously liked. He'd been instantly caught.

I sighed as I zipped the bag closed. Now all we needed to do was head to the bathroom and get his toothbrush and other toiletries before we could leave. Hopefully Sulli was too stunned to question us more.

Well, she was nowhere to be seen actually. I think she'd gone to her room for the day and I was glad. The less we had to talk to her and expose Minho to her, the better.

We left soon after.

- - - - -

"Daddy, can we go the circus this weekend?"

My father looked up from his computer and offered me a half hearted smile, "I'll see what I can do Krystal. You know this is a busy week at work for me." I nodded and tried to not feel too disappointed.

My daddy was a CEO after all, he had a lot of work to do.

But also, he hadn't said no outright, so maybe we could still go. I kept this thought in my heart as we fell into silence again.

I'd already done my homework so I'd brought my magazine to read in the same room as my father. While we didn't speak much, I didn't like being alone and I'm sure he enjoyed my company too.

I hummed to myself as I read through the entertainment magazine. It was all about Disney Princesses and my mommy had bought it for me last weekend when I'd been with her.

See, my mommy and daddy didn't live together, not like most kid's parents.

They said it was because they didn't get along well together so it was better for them to live apart. I'd never really known much different and I was used to it now. I only saw my mommy on some weekends though because I mostly lived with my daddy.

I really liked living with my daddy, but I preferred spending time with my mommy because she wasn't as busy as him. When it was her turn to look after me, we did a lot of things together.

But my daddy preferred to do things by himself and he was always on his computer or his tablet doing something related to work. He said that it was because he'd started the company he needed to always keep a close eye on it. Mommy just said that he was married to the company and that he was selfish, always putting the company above his family.

I didn't like that word, 'selfish'.

It was because of that word that I didn't get to spend as much time with my daddy. So Krystal, you have to promise yourself that you'll never be selfish ok? Never put your own interests above other people ok?

I nodded to myself.

Even when Mina asks for the nice crayons at school or when Hakyeon asks for some of your food.

Never ever be selfish.

- - - - -

"So, how'd it go?"

Key and I were both currently in his room of SHINee's dorm, flopped on his bed while facing each other. This position reminded me of yesterday, when Minho and I had laid like this. I could feel slight heat staining my cheeks. He raised an eyebrow at this, but I was glad he didn't question.

"It went well," I began, "Sulli didn't ask too much. I think I scared her a little though. I've never really been so vague to her before." Key nodded, "But I was proud of Minho. He held his own against her charms." Key's feline eyes widened at this.

Even Taemin had fallen prey to Sulli's charms. While the feeling had been mutual, the relationship hadn't really lasted too long and I wasn't even sure why. I'd been very torn though because I'd wanted to comfort Taemin and be angry at Sulli, but Sulli was my friend too.

"What did he say?"

I retold the story to him and he chuckled when I mentioned Minho's responses.

"He's good. Definitely a keeper," he teased as he poked me on the forehead. I feigned pain and pouted.

"Did you tell him anything else though? He seemed pretty confused when he left here..."

"I did. I sort of explained the relationship I have with Sulli and he understood. He even told me that I didn't have to worry because unlike stuff, he can actually say no." Key smiled at this.

"That all?"

I sighed, "Yeah that's all. I still haven't told him about my father..."

Even all these years later, my father's death was a sore topic. Key was the only one who knew the full story really and Sulli only knew what my mother had told her. Telling Minho that story would be fully exposing myself to him, something I was still hesitant to do. Besides, I'd still only known him for a week. Wasn't it too soon to be divulging into each other's pasts?

"Take your time to tell him," my best friend said, breaking the silence, "He doesn't have to know yet. I mean, I only know because you were crying that one day and I think you just told me out of emotional stress."

It was true, I had pitched up at the dorm one evening, on the anniversary of my father's death, and had pretty much told him the whole story through a wall of tears. I'd needed someone and he was the one person I trusted.

"I'm glad though."

"Hmm? Glad about?" I asked, furrowing my brow slightly.

"That you've found something that you actually want for yourself," he mused with a smile. "Believe it or not, things like this make us strong. It gives us something to keep going for and something to fight for."

Well, I could definitely agree to that. I was trying to keep him away from Sulli after all, something I'd never done before.

"And as I've said before, you out of all people deserve this. You've done so much for others and sacrificed what you've wanted... it's time the tables turned."

I didn't know what to say to that. I wanted to disagree and tell him that it was nothing, but another part of me took his words to heart.

"But be careful Krys."

I was once again confused, "What do you mean?"

"You've changed, you know that right?" I nodded, "And a lot of the change is good... but don't lose yourself ok?"

"Lose myself?" I repeated softly.

"Yeah... don't become like the rest of the world. I mean, we all love you for you so don't become anyone else than that. Sometimes we have to change some things about ourselves, but we still have a core 'us' that we need to stay true to... if you get what I mean."

I think I did.

But, before I could reply, Minho stuck his head in the doorway.

"There you are," he said cheerfully as he walked inside, "I'm done settling down and unpacking." He walked to my side of the bed and sat on the edge. I turned to face him and he instantly tucked the displaced hair behind my ear. His fingers then lingered on my cheek and I relished the warmth they provided.

It was going to not having him with me almost 24/7.

I'd become so accustomed to having him in the apartment with me.

But this was for the best.

I needed to protect him.

...

Or was I protecting myself?

Key's words rang through my mind.

...

Don't lose yourself ok?

So this is the last filler-y sort of chapter before I begin adding in more drama :D I think I've pretty much planned out what's going to happen next so please expect it ^^

Then, on another note - 30 comments. Thirty. You know how big of a number that is to me? That's the reason I keep trying to update daily, just for you wonderful people ^^

And yes! The Minho Sulli was talking about was Lee Minho ^^ He isn't playing a role in here though, but I just mentioned him there :) Enjoy your Sunday everyone! (Well, whenever it becomes Sunday for you ^^)

<3