“Yah! What manager leaves his artist to sleep in the cold outside their door?” Onew yelled at the boy early in the morning when Taemin came to check on him.

“Blame yourself for getting so drunk. Be thankful I didn’t leave you in the carpark!” Taemin growled back.

The security of the block (while on his usual patrol) found Onew lying outside his door trembling from the cold. The kind ahjussi let the quivering artist into the apartment.

“Pabo! I’m going to compla-“ The older crouched down to his knees and held his temples, “My head…”

“Serves you right!” Taemin muttered under his breath.

Still, he pulled Onew up and back onto his bed to ease the hangover. He went into the kitchen to get him a glass of water, only to find the last one smashed into pieces on the floor.

Though annoyed at the mess he will have to clean up later, Taemin quickly got the aspirin tablet and a bottle of water from the fridge and headed to hand them to Onew.

“Can you still go for your scheduled recording tonight?” The manager asked softly, mindful of Onew’s discomfort.

He only nodded his head weakly, “I’ll be fine later. Are you leaving?”

“Ne, I’m going to SM to process some documents. I’ll pick up any fan mails that came in too. Be ready by 5:30pm, I’ll pick you up later.”

Taemin pulled the comfortable to cover Onew fully before leaving the place quietly. His 368^th gift would be a mug for Onew, since that clumsy man had broken the only one left.

***

“Key hyung, I’m going to the departmental store later to get some mugs. Can you come with me to help me choose, it’s for someone else.” Taemin was blushing slightly.

Kibum couldn’t help but be amused at the bashful expression that Taemin had, his cheeks a rosy pink and avoiding his hyung’s eyes.

“Is it for someone you like?” Kibum teased, already knowing he’d hit the nail.

The younger nodded, “So…? I’ll take that as a yes?”

“Alright, alright. But you need to tell me what kind of a person she is.”

“She’s…kind of overbearing and demanding, selfish and irresponsible…”

Kibum’s face changed to one of irk – why would such a beautiful sweet boy like Taemin fall for someone like that?

“But she’s actually a good person. She’s really kind and charming…deep down, I guess.” Taemin grinned silly.

He wasn’t really quite sure why hasn’t his love for Onew wavered after all that he’s been through managing the artist.

“You’re weird, Taemin-ah. But I got it, I’ll help you.” Kibum smiled kindly.

They cleared this work in the office building, collected the rest of their respective fan gifts and got into Taemin’s car, headed for the shopping mall.

“How about this?” Kibum picked out a metallic stylish mug, looking at his own reflection in it.

“Too eye-catching.” Taemin replied simply and continued his search for the perfect cup.

“This?” The diva picked out another quirky mug with tribal details on it.

“Nah…,” Taemin rejected that selection, “These are perfect!”

He held up a pair of mugs; one with a bunny on it and one with a kitty on it. Both are white mugs with a simple red heart design on the other curve side of the cup.

“Couple mugs, eh? Taemin, you sly little brat!” Key mocked the younger.

“A-ani! They just come in a set!” He tried to slither his way out of the teasing.

He snagged the mugs off the shelves and made their way to the payment counter.

“Thanks Key hyung for accompanying me, though you weren’t of much help!” Taemin did a mehrong at the elder, “Let’s go home now.”

Taemin thanked Kibum for his company again as he alighted at a lower level of the dorm building. He rode up himself, hugging his precious mugs tightly.

‘Couple mugs, eh?’

The little fan couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of Onew using the connecting mug. He had to say it wasn’t exactly planned out, it was really that it came in a set.

Dear Onew,

                I’m your #1 fan! ;)

                Here’s a mug for you! I saw it while casually shopping today. It’s a couple set, so I have a kitty one! I’m giving you the bunny one, because I thought it suits you well. Be sure to use it, I’ll be very happy!

                Saranghaeyo, hwaiting!

Yours truly,

Mint

He wrote the same note and stuck it to his carefully wrapped gift. Taemin placed the mug cautiously in the bag of fan mails he’d brought home with him, preparing to bring it over next door while Onew gets ready for his night schedule.

“Onew-ssi! You ready?”

Onew swung the door open and walked away, leaving Taemin to let himself in.

“Argh, so irritating. Manager, get me a new mug.” The singer demanded, “Hate drinking from these bottles.”

Manager only hummed in response, dropping the sack of fan mails and presents on the living room table.

“You…don’t want to see what your fans sent you?” He asked indifferently.

“It’s probably the same; letters, stuffed toys, accessories…I don’t need them.”

Despite what he says, Onew rummaged through the sack with curiosity. Because the singer actually cherishes his fans; they are the ones who supported him ever since he started. That is why, no matter how horrid he is with the backstage crew, he is always kind and gentle towards all his fans. Which is what captured the heart of Taemin, too.

 The blonde picked out a mint-coloured package, having some sorts of expectations, perhaps from the last encounter with this Mint fan.

He tore the present roughly to reveal the simple white mug.

“Just what I need!” Onew eyes widened in disbelief, “How does this fan always know what I want!”

He continued to read the note out loud: “It’s a couple set, so I have a kitty one! I’m giving you the bunny one, because I thought it suits you well.”

“Do I look like a bunny?” Onew asked himself in amusement, almost laughing, “I’ll use it, Mint-ah, be happy!”

He took the mug in his hands to give it a rinse and settled on his shelf. He admired it for a moment, still trying to convince himself about the coincidence, twice in a row.

Taemin sat at the corner of the couch, his heart warmed up like a marshmallow over the campfire – melting. He was glad, no, thrilled that Onew appreciated the modest gift. Though it did take some effort to choose, he was contented.

“Keep staring and your eyes are going to pop out of your sockets.” Taemin said impatiently, “We’re leaving.”

“You’re just jealous you don’t have a fan so thoughtful like that.”

With an eye-roll from the both to each other, they left the building headed for the recording studio. Onew was doing a variety show, appearing as one of the trio from SM, including Jonghyun and Minho.

Taemin did the usual greeting to curry the favour of the directors so that they’ll take care of the two of them well tonight. And the camera rolled.

“Onew-ssi, you’ve been rising higher and higher to the top all thanks to your fans.” One of the hosts, Lee Youngja, asked halfway through the filming, “Anything to say to them?”

“Ne, my fans are the best in the whole wide world!” His sangtae condition proved to be true with his motion of a big round circle with his hands, earning laughter from the live audience.

“Especially this one fan, Mint. She always seems to know what I need.” Onew blushed a little at the mug and the note.

“What do you mean?” The hosts were getting interested, as were the crowd in the gallery.

“Just yesterday night I broke my last mug,” He confessed, “Then today I received a pretty little mug that has a bunny on it.”

“She says it’s a couple mug,” Onew laughed out, “I’m using it now, Mint-ah!”

He waved warmly at the camera while the crowd ‘aw-ed’ at his sweetness.

Taemin glanced over to see Key eyeing daggers at him. He instinctively crouched his shoulders and turned away, intending to hide into the holding room.

“Tae-ah…” Key stopped him, “Can you tell me again, what’s the name of the girl receiving your mug?”

“Y-you won’t know her any-anyway.” The younger manager cringed.

“Really? Does his name happen to start with Lee and ends with ing Jinki?”

Taemin’s face by now was burning red from being exposed, realising the prowess of the invincible Kim Kibum.

“Your crush is Lee Jinki?” Key almost screeched out.

Taemin cupped his hyung’s mouth quickly, dragging him into the now-isolated hallways, away from eavesdropping ears.

“Don’t, don’t tell Onew that! I’ll die if he finds out!” The dongsaeng cried out in a fluster, “He doesn’t even take me seriously, imagine if he knows I’ll do anything for him!”

They both stood in silence, waiting for the other to respond.

“Tae-ah! Kyeopta!~” Kibum laughed madly with tears pooling in his cat-like eyes.

“Arasso, arasso. I’ll keep the secret. So you’d better work harder so that he recognizes you!”

Kibum took a while to settle down his hysterics before facing the pouting teenager. He held his amusement and rubbed the younger’s back soothingly.

“Key hyung, do you believe in idol-fan relationships?”

“Hmmm, that’s hard to say Taemin-ah,” Kibum smiled tenderly, “But I do believe in manager-artist relationships!”

He gave the boy a wink before returning to the studio for a wrap-up.

Annyeong! I will be flying off tonight so here's an update before I leave!

Let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading and please comment! ♥♥♥