You ended up deciding to call Minki – Ren from NU’EST – and ask him if he was free. This was awkward, because you hadn’t known about him for long, and you were mostly a fan of his fabulousness. He was such a fierce, y and pretty person that you were a bit intimidated – and jealous – when in his presence, but he had proven to be quite a nice guy who just had a bit of trouble expressing himself at times.

Aish… why was he the maknae? Why was your maknaedar always working…? Ugh. This was just going to be so awkward…

You anxiously pressed on his name and waited. He picked up after it rang twice, his voice sounding very bored when he picked up the phone.

“Yeoboseyo?”

“Minki? It’s me. Are you free on the 23^rd?”

“Ah, noona. Well, I’m going to shop for last minute Christmas presents… why?”

“Oh… well… I just… wanted to hang out on that day, so we could see each other before you get busy with holiday performances, but…”

“That’s all right though, if you don’t mind coming to shop with me.”

“Oh! Yeah nah, I don’t mind! Would that bother you?”

“Of course not. We’ll have to go super early though to avoid the crowd…”

“That’s perfect with me. When do you want to meet up and where?”

“I’ll come pick you up in front of your building at, let’s say… seven thirty? There are some stores open at eight, after all, so we can start there. They’re close by so we can go on foot.”

Damn. Seven thirty… that meant you would probably need to get up suuuuper early, since you wanted to look cool while walking next to the fabulous Choi Minki. That, and he was always early… often fifteen to thirty minutes early.

“Sure, seven thirty sounds fine. I’ll be ready and waiting in front of my apartment.”

“Good. I’ll see you then, noona.”

“Yep. See ya then, Minki.”

He hung up, making you throw yourself on your bed in relief. Ugh, that had been a bit awkward. You didn’t know him as much as your other biases, but you liked him a lot anyway. Ever since you had seen him in ‘Face’, you had loved and hated him at the same time. Loved because he was obviously awesome and hot, hated because he was a much better girl than you were, and it was making you jealous. If he had really been a girl, you would’ve definitely turned lesbian just to be with him. But then again, it was a proven fact that he was a guy. Those abs in ‘Goodbye Bye’ were making you drool whenever you watched the MV, and daaaamn, he looked like a real guy now, it was so weird.

And yet, he was still as fabulous as before. How did he even do that? Uuuugh. You sighed.

In any case, you needed to find a present for him now… and if you couldn’t find anything, well… you’d need to find something for him while shopping with him… damn it.

*************

You got to the front of your apartment building thirty minutes early, thinking you were in advance… only to see Ren – you kept switching between mentally calling him Ren and Minki – already waiting for you there. He looked awesome even wearing a winter coat and a scarf, what the heck…

“Minki ~” you called out.

He turned and looked at you, nodding when he saw you.

“Hey, noona. Ready to go get the last Christmas presents?”

“Sure am. Let’s go.”

You both headed towards the shopping center, Minki looking cool and pretty while you looked, well… like yourself. You knew you weren’t someone ugly, but this guy right next to you was not a good comparison to motivate yourself…

But then again, Ren would be so much more prettier – yes, much more prettier, because why not – if he smiled… but he never did. Or, well, you had never seen him do so. He had such beautiful lips… you had a feeling that his smile would be absolutely stunningly gorgeous. But you didn’t know for sure, because it never happened.

This guy was so frustrating.

“What is it, noona?” he asked, looking at you.

“Eh?”

“You look upset…”

“I’m not upset… I just thought that you’d look very super pretty if you smiled. I’ve never seen you do so.”

“Oh… well.”

He pouted a bit.

“I’m not really good at smiling.”

“This isn’t a question of being good at it or not… I’m just pretty certain you’d look super beautiful if you did. You’re not forced to do it. It was just my opinion.”

He nodded softly and you mentally slapped yourself. Minki was a boy. A BOY, not a girl. You still usually talked to him the same way you would’ve talked to your girl friends though. Was that bothering him? You hoped it didn’t…

You both kept silent until you reached the mall, in which you went. There was this very big store right there at your left when going in and it was opened already, so you went in. You looked around.

“Where do we start?” you asked him.

“Uh… in the spot where there are kitchen accessories, I guess.”

You both went there and started looking around. You were mostly there watching Ren shop, since you had already bought most of the presents for this year’s Christmas. Well, except for Ren’s present…

You just didn’t know what to buy him. You didn’t want to get him a plushie – even if that was very tempting, because he’d look adorable hugging a plushie – because you didn’t want him to feel insulted, you didn’t want to get him clothes in case they wouldn’t be perfect enough for him, you didn’t want to get him makeup because he probably had more than enough, and you had no idea of what else to get him. You had never been good at finding Christmas presents to begin with, so finding something for an idol…

“You still look upset, noona.”

“Eh?”

“I said, you still look upset. What’s bothering you?”

Ugh, you didn’t think you were that obvious. Damn it.

“Well… there’s someone I still need to find a present for. I’m not sure what to get them, though…”

“What does this person like?”

“I’m not sure, actually… I don’t know much…”

“Maybe you could just get a gift card for a store they like, if you’re not sure about the specifics?”

“I’m not even sure what kind of store would be good…”

“Damn, is that a stranger or what?”

“Somewhat? We’ve been hanging around, but not much more than that, I guess. I’m always so intimidated when we’re together…”

“Eh? Why so?”

“Just because…”

Ugh, you couldn’t tell him he was that person.

“Noona, you’ve been avoiding telling me if it’s a guy or a girl. Is there a reason?”

“Oh, it’s a guy…”

“…”

He kept silent for a moment, looking at the frying pan he had in his hands. You frowned.

“Minki?”

“Noona… do you really like that guy that much?”

“Eh?”

“You don’t really know him and yet, you want to give him something that’ll be good for him… I’m a bit envious. That guy is lucky to have noona’s attention…”

Wait… was Ren…?

“What do you mean…?”

“Exactly what I just said…”

“You just said you were envious…?”

“For obvious reasons…”

You pouted a bit, squeezing Minki’s hand.

“Minki…”

He looked away, putting the pan in the cart.

“Minki, look at me.”

He sighed a little before he looked at you. You smiled at him.

“You’re that guy I can’t find anything for. Mostly because you’re so cool and amazing that I couldn’t find anything that is cool and amazing enough…”

He opened wide eyes.

“Wait, I…?”

“Yeah, you.”

“You’re intimidated in my presence?”

“Yeah… and jealous, too. Because you’re just so fabulously pretty…”

“But noona… you’re prettier…”

You pouted.

“See?! That’s what I mean! You’re so freakin’ awesome and cool and amazing and pretty and sweet and uuuuugh!”

You turned, crossing your arms, feeling frustrated.

“I’m going. You’re just too perfect for me.”

He suddenly back-hugged you, making you freeze. Oh gawd.

“Noona, don’t go.”

He gently made you turn, and when you looked at him, you opened surprised eyes. He was… smiling. Choi Minki was smiling. Not just a little smile to please the fans with only one corner of his mouth being up… no, he was really smiling like a happy person, with BOTH corners of his pretty mouth showing happiness.

HE WAS SO HANDSOME WHY.

“Minki…”

“Noona… saranghae,” he said, and suddenly his beautiful lips were on yours.

Oh gawd.

Oh gawd.

Oh gaaaaawd.

He… he…

Choi Minki was kissing you in the middle of a store. Oh gawd.

He moved back at that moment, as if he had read your thoughts, and he patted your head. His smile had disappeared, but not the happy light in his eyes.

“Will you stay with me, noona?”

“I-I… yeah.”

“Good.”

He looked around just to make sure nobody had seen you, and he then pressed a kiss on your forehead. You always forgot that he was pretty tall despite how he looked…

“Be my Christmas present, noona. Okay?”

“… if that makes you happy, sure. But at one condition.”

“A condition?”

“Yeah. I want a Christmas present too.”

“But I don’t know-”

“Just smile for me, Minki. Okay?”

He had a very slight chuckle.

“Sure. But only once we’re at your apartment. I won’t let anyone see this smile. It’s yours only.”