“Taemin, who’s your favorite noona from SNSD?”

The MC of the show ‘KNOW YOUR STARS’ questioned Taemin. The show’s filming was about to end, and this was probably the last or the few last questions he would ask.

All the girls tensed at the MC’s question. They all admitted, and accepted the fact that Taemin was very adorable and even though he was at least two years younger than them, he’d be someone they’d be happy with. It was all pride.

As all the girls tensed up, Minho who was sitting beside Taemin laughed and nudged him gently causing Taemin to blush. The other members also laughed and clapped, mostly Jonghyun, at Taemin’s embarrassment. SNSD also laughed along with them.

“Well,” Taemin finally said. “If I had to choose, I’d choose Sunny noona.”

This earned hoots and more laugher plus clapping. Sunny was laughing. “Is it because I can bake cookies?” she teased Taemin. “How did you guess?” Taemin asked, truly shocked. His face looked extremely priceless. Minho, laughing so hard, fell onto the floor.

Key and Onew helped him sit up. Jonghyun was also laughing very hard, leaning on Key, who was sitting next to him.

Yuri looked at Minho and Jonghyun with a sympathetic smile. Both of them..once they started laughing, they couldn’t stop. Same was for when they got mad. Tiffany, sitting beside Yuri, nudged her a little. Due to this, Yuri flushed a bit, not so much, but the camera caught it.

“Actually, I am younger than most K-pop female stars.” Taemin started but Onew interrupted. “You’re younger than them all.” Onew said, gaining laughter. “Not all! I’m older than Krystal and Ssul and Luna! ” Taemin insisted. Since this was a fact, no one else bothered to and let him continue.Nothing besides Jonghyun.

"Krystal, Ssul and Luna!" he echoed, bringing laughter to the crowd also earning a kick from his group's maknae.

“As I was saying, before I was very rudely interrupted-” Taemin glared at Onew and Jonghyun who were looking like an angel. “I am younger than MOST female stars; I can’t really have a relationship with anyone. I think it would be really awkward to have a relationship with someone older than you. Even though those type of relationships are normal, it’s awkward for me.” He said. Minho slapped Taemin’s back causing him to fall. Glaring at Minho playfully, he sat up again.

“You don’t like noonas?” MC asked. “No, I really love them, but a relationship would them would just be awkward.” Taemin tried to justify.

“Don’t worry, Taemin-ah, I understand.” Sunny nodded solemnly. “I wouldn’t have really cared whether you didn’t. Either ways, you’d have to talk to me. It’s no talking to me that makes it awkward for me.” Taemin said, earning laughter, embarrassing poor Sunny.

“Minho, you’re the second youngest. And here in SNSD, we have Seohyun who is the same age as you. Who would it be for you from SNSD?” MC asked Minho catching him totally off guard. The boy who was once laughing so hard stiffened. Cameras were everywhere, not a move was missed.

This time, Taemin nudged him and laughed, getting everyone else to laugh. Minho was blushing like crazy, even more than Taemin. “Evil maknae..” Minho whispered, no one heard it, but Taemin confirmed it by shouting, “He called me ‘evil maknae’ again!”

Everyone laughed at Minho. Yuri who was facing him, laughed lightly. Minho was so cute for her. In her opinion, also the same of many SHAWOLs and other K-pop fans, he was the best looking among all of them. The only person Yuri had told this to was Tiffany, that was also through a dare.

“Minho-ah! Don’t be so embarrassed, it’s only the girl who you should confess to in there. Also national TV.” Jonghyun joked from his side. Taemin was too busy laughing. Revenge was sweet. He and Jonghyun high-fived.

“When it was Taemin’s turn, wasn’t it Minho who was laughing the most?” the MC also joked. “Ah! Minho, there has also been a rumor that you naturally like noonas. Is that true? If it is, one of us can be the lucky girl.” Tiffany said all of a sudden.

The blush on Minho’s face was zoomed in from the camera. Taemin was having too much fun with this revenge. Key moved next to him and whispered something in his ear, making a very evil grin appear on his face. “Minho hyung, is it really Yuri noona? I heard Kyuhyun hyung also had something for her.” Taemin said evilly. Tiffany stole a glance from Yuri then added to support Taemin, “I went on a fan site a few days ago, it had somethings about Minho having a thing for Yuri~!”

Whistles, laughter and clapping echoed in the studio. Taemin was pressing so much pressure on Minho. Minho was having a loss of words, his face burning like hell. “Oh! What an interesting fact! Best friends, Kyuhyun and Minho on the same girl?” the MC said.

Yuri had joined Minho is the blushing club now. “Ah! Yuri, how could you not tell us?” SNSD was pressing on Yuri now. “Ah, noona, it is only a rumor; we have to ASK Kyuhyun hyung before we’re sure he liked Yuri noona.” Taemin said. This got sounds of disapproval from SNSD.

“Minho, you still haven’t answered!” Jessica suddenly said. All attention, once again, focused on Minho. “I..I can’t really choose..” Minho muttered.

“Minho-ah, that’s not fair! Even Taemin choose one, you also have to choose!” Key insisted from next to Taemin. Minho sent him a glare captured by the camera. “Minho glared at Key!” Taeyeon shouted. Minho exhaled loudly and turned away.

“C’mon, Minho. Just choose, get this over with!” Onew began chanting from Minho’s other side. “Min Ho! Min Ho!” Soon, with SHINee, SNSD began chanting. Minho finally gave in.

“Alright, I’ll choose!” he said. Then he began seriously looking at each one of the girls, while the MC made the suspense even longer. “Who will Minho choose? Seohyun, who is his age? Yuri, whom there has been rumors of him liking ALSO his best friend and hyung, Kyuhyun? Or would it be Sunny again, for her lovely cookies?” he said.

“Ah! I have something to say before Minho answers!” Sunny said. “Sunny! Last words before Minho’s answer; shoot!” MC said. “I’ll bake cookies for SNSD and SHINee if Minho chooses me~! =^-^=” Sunny said in a sing-song voice. This earned laughter and clapping.

“Finally, time for Minho’s answer!” MC announced as drumroll played in the set for the effect. Yuri felt her heart skip a beat. Tiffany nudged her lightly again. This didn’t go unseen to the MC.

“Seohyun.” Minho answered.

Claps, laugher, whistles and everything echoed throughout the set. “Ah, but why her?” MC asked. “I also feel the same way about noonas that Taemin does, it was probably some rumor that was on the internet.” Minho answered. Sunny got up from her seat and walked over to Minho.

After looking at him head to toe, he slapped him. “BECAUSE OF YOU, I CANNOT SHOW OFF MY BAKING SKILLS!” Sunny shouted. Everyone laughed at this as Sunny went to sit down.

“Minho-ah, no hard feelings, I only did it for the effect.” Sunny said after she sat down. “..You can slap!” Minho commented.

Yuri was smiling, but her heart felt different. She had really hoped for Minho to say her name, but he hadn’t. She had felt it as a total let down. Tiffany nudged her again. Yuri slapped Tiffany’s hand lightly and glared at her a little. The MC chose this moment to question the girls.

“Tiffany and Yuri. I noticed Tiffany nudge Yuri when Minho was about to say his girl. Also just now. Cameras show when else ever. What’s the secret?” MC asked. Tiffany and Yuri were both blushing, mostly Yuri.

Jonghyun was laughing so hard, leaning on Minho, but he slid down and fell onto the floor. Minho, who was also blushing, gave no help to his hyung who was roaring with laughter on the floor. It was poor Onew who had to haul up Jonghyun himself.

“The thing is, I was so sure that Minho would choose Yuri. Minho, Yuri and Jonghyun grew up in the same town, so I thought so. Minho would usually ask for Yuri if he called the dorm phone instead of Yuri’s cellphone, also Minho has reserved seat next to Yuri when we have dinner together. SNSD and SHINee, I mean.” Tiffany explained, stealing occasional glances from so-hard blushing Yuri.

“But now, come to think of it, if Yuri wasn’t available, he’d ask for Seohyun, and the seat is in between Seohyun and Yuri.” Tiffany said. Claps and laughter arose from all sides of the set. Minho, Yuri and Seohyun’s faces were on fire.

Tiffany leaned in and whispered in Yuri’s ear, “Sorry, for the pride.” Yuri nodded understandingly.

“Minho, is it only because you didn’t have a thing for noonas that you choose Seohyun?” MC asked. Minho seemed to blush more to this. “I..I don’t know, no?... Yuri, please don’t be hurt, but I cannot see you as a girlfriend.” Minho said to Yuri. Yuri’s head shot up at once. “No harm done, Minho-ah!” Yuri smiled. In her heart the only words echoing was ‘this is just like in the movies..’

“Also..” Minho started, but then got better mind than to tell. “Never mind.”

“Minho, just say it! You already have started!” Onew said. Jonghyun, in between Onew and Minho hadn’t been able to speak even once, every time someone had something, Jonghyun exploded laughter.

“I think I know!” Taemin said all of a sudden. “Let’s hear it!” the MC said as the camera zoomed in on Taemin’s face. Little did it catch Minho’s begging glance at Taemin not to tell. “Hyung’s trying to make me not say it, but I’ll say it.” Taemin said.

“I was the one who told Taemin to say that Kyuhyun also had a thing for Seohyun.” Key started. “Seohyun?” Everyone exploded. Key had looked as if he hadn’t caught up, until Taemin whispered it to him. “I mean Yuri! Yuri!” He said.

“Anyways, I was the one who told him to say that. That was because before debut and about a year after debut, this has been an inside fact for until now.” Key paused for an effect. “YAH! KIM KIBUM, JUST SAY IT!” Taeyeon shouted. Key, who had jumped out of his skin at Taeyeon’s voice continued.

“Pre-debut and about a year after debut, Yuri and Kyuhyun used to date.” Key said. The set exploded. SNSD was telling at Yuri for keeping it secret, Onew and Jonghyun who had no idea about this was telling at the other three.

“They..they dated until Yuri’s ex-boyfriend got caught in a car accident and died.” Key continued. This was something SNSD knew so they all gave sympathetic smiles for Yuri. “Then Kyuhyun dated Yoona for three months, but keeping their relationship secret was too difficult so they broke up.” Key said looking for Yoona.

“She’s not here today; she and Hyoyeon are filming a movie they couldn’t come.” Jessica answered Key’s unasked question. “Oh.” Key muttered.

“Anyways, to the main point, there are rumors about Kyuhyun hyung liking Seohyun noona now. I checked a fan site today, out of the blue; I never knew it could come in this handy!” Taemin grinned evilly.

“Kyuhyun is player~!” Sooyoung shouted all of a sudden. She had been quiet all program long, and all of a sudden she also exploded. “True, true.” Minho agreed, surprising everyone.

“Well, hasn’t this been an interesting episode! Not only did we find out the two maknaes Of SHINee’s ideal SNSD girl and why, but ALSO Super Generation secrets!” The MC said.

“True, true. Kyuhyun hyung is going to slaughter Key for busting all those once this airs!” Minho commented. “And once we finish filming, so am I.” Yuri said evilly, glaring at Key who ran behind Minho for protection. Both of them had finished blushing and were glaring at Key.

“With more and more excitement, the next episode of KNOW YOUR STARS will be here with Super Junior and f (x)! See you then!” the MC said and the episode ended with SNSD holding Yuri back and Key and Taemin running away from Minho. And of course, Onew helping Jonghyun to breathe after laughing so hard.

~.~.~

The memory of that episode of KNOW YOUR STARS remained fresh in Yuri’s mind. She had wanted so much for Minho to say that it was she whom he treasured most from her group. She felt so let down when he hadn’t.

At that moment, Tiffany walked into their room. “Yuri.” She hummed Ring Ding Dong as she went through her closet. Yuri exhaled loudly. What the hell was wrong with her?

“Let me guess, you watched KNOW YOUR STARS again and are disappointed in Minho.” Tiffany said, still not taking her head out of the closet. “Half. This time, I didn’t watch.” Yuri replied. Tiffany sighed, then walked over to Yuri and hugged her.

"I don't get it, Yul. Why can't you be with Minho?" she asked. "Hello?! Minho doesn't like me!" Yuri shot at the older as if she was an idiot. "Why don't you just confess then?" the older asked again. "He already said it, unnie. He doesn't like noonas." Yuri sighed and muttered. "I don't want to make myself look like an idiot in front of him."

“Look, there are plenty more fish in the sea. If I were you, I’d try to get Kyuhyun back.” Tiffany said. “Kyu has Seo. And besides have you seen those fan sites?” Yuri asked. “Seo has Yong~! Besides, fans and you heart are two different things.” Tiffany immediately and began leaving.

“Oh, by the way, no one else is home. Yoona is in her hometown, visiting parents. Seohyun and Sooyoung went for their drama's shooting, Sunny and Jessica left for shopping and I think Hyoyeon went for SPAO modeling and Taeyeon said she had a blind date.” Tiffany shrugged. 

“Thanks for informing.” Yuri sighed. “And I have nothing to do.” She said. Just then, Tiffany’s cellphone beeped. It was a text, she read it hurriedly. “Yuri, come down with me?” Tiffany asked than said and hopped away without waiting for an answer. Yuri sighed, again, and followed Tiffany down, knowing better than not to.

Tiffany walked all the way to the door and opened it to reveal three very, very familiar figures. “Takes you long enough to open the door!” one of them commented. Yuri looked over Tiffany’s shoulder and saw Kyuhyun standing there with Key and Minho at either side. Key looked like he had seen a ghost while Minho…remained eerily calm that it was..eerie.

“Kyuhyun. Minho. Kibum.” Yuri said. “Yuri. Tiffany. Going to let us in anytime soon?” Kyuhyun asked. She and Tiffany stepped aside at once and let them in. They all walked to the main room. The TV had Maknae Rebellion on, so Tiffany turned it off.

“You look like you came for serious business.” Tiffany said. They were sitting on the couch like Key then Minho then Kyuhyun. Yuri was sitting on Minho’s right side and on the arm on the chair said Tiffany. They could see each other and faces were…eerily calm. Except for Key. Who now had an eerie grin on.

“Yeah. We, as in Super Junior, went for KNOW YOUR STARS filming and found out some little things.” Kyuhyun paused and glared at Key. “And we found out that Minho here,” Kyuhyun glared at Minho. “had lied a lot.” He finished. Tiffany and Yuri looked at each other.

Tiffany fell onto Yuri’s lap; annoyed Yuri let her enough space to sit. “All ears.” Tiffany announced.

“First, I do not have a thing for Seohyun, I respect the fact that she is with Yonghwa.” Kyuhyun said, Minho and Key snickered only to get hit by Kyuhyun. Tiffany looked at Yuri with an I-told-you-so look. Yuri rolled her eyes.

“Second, Minho really does like noonas, he only said he doesn’t for the sake of preserving his pride. You know, so that he can keep his image 'I'm-a-noona-killer-who-doesn't-date-noonas. In other words, the ACUTAL playboy.” This time Kyuhyun and Key snickered and Minho rolled his eyes, since he couldn’t hit them both. Again, Tiffany gave Yuri an I-told-you-so look.

“Third, Minho chose Seohyun only because he wanted to save his pride.” Again, Kyuhyun and Key snickered. This time Minho only looked away.

“Fourth and most important, I’m not a playboy and could you please help me get back together with Yoona?” Just as Kyuhyun said the part after the ‘and’ he blushed and looked away. Tiffany grinned. “Sure thing.” Then, Yuri felt Tiffany plot something very evil.

“But…you have to help me with something. Kibummie, I’ll need your help too.” Tiffany said. Oh no… she was not going to.

“What is it?” Kyuhyun asked, he seemed to have caught up. Evil think alikes…

Yuri and Minho exchanged a glance from which Yuri noticed Minho was also onto something. “What about me? Can’t I help?” Minho asked.

“Nah, you and Yuri can stay here watch Maknae Rebellion or something.” With that, Tiffany turned the TV on, and Kyuhyun dragged Key and followed him.

Yuri was only thinking one thing. Evil, evil, evil, evil! I thought Yoong was evil…

Minho on the other hand was thinking.. Evilness runs in maknae blood. Taemin, and even Kyuhyun hyung! I wonder what Key hyung would be doing…and Tiffany noona?

“Minho..I also have a confession to make.” Yuri awkwardly broke the silence.

“Hm?”

“Promise me you won’t get mad?” Minho looked at Yuri’s eyes. They were glowing as the sunlight reflected itself on them. Her face was glowing. “I can never get mad at you.” Minho said. After a second of evoking what he said, he quickly filled up by adding, “Or any other So Shi noona.”

Yuri smiled, though inside she felt a little sad that Minho had added the ‘or any other So Shi noona.’ Else, it would totally reflect on her.

“When Tiffany said that about Seohyun…she also did it to protect our pride. SNSD’s pride. So that she can act like we-don't-care-if-he-isn't-crushing-on-Yul-but-he's-crushing-on-one-of-us and all. To make us seem..strong. Not that we're not! I mean...Aish! Nevermind. She just did it so she could protect our pride as strong girls and create that love triangle. I hope it didn’t hurt you..” Yuri said. She was playing with her fingers so much, she thought she had looked like a high school girl confessing her love.

“…I’m really sorry, Yuri.” Minho said. Yuri looked up at him. His eyes were filled with guilt. “About what?” Yuri automatically asked.

“I should have told the truth than cared about my stupid pride. It always gets in the way. It always, always ruins my chance of making things…how I want them to be.” Minho said. Guilt. Guilt was all Yuri could make out in his voice.

“Isn’t that what happens to all men?” Yuri muttered. She hadn’t meant for Minho to hear it, but he apparently did. “Speaking from experience?” Minho asked. This time, Yuri recognized hurt in his voice. “That’s what happened to Kyuhyun. He also wanted to keep his image as ‘I’m not dating anyone, single for all my fans’ and yet keep Yoona.” Yuri tried her best not to say that she was having hard time with her feelings too

“Oh..” was Minho’s reply. Yuri felt as if she had let him down. “But..you always get a chance to fix them.” Yuri added, lamely, trying to both keep up the conversation also keeping his mood up.

“Speaking from experience?” Minho asked again. This time…the emotion in his voice was unrecognizable for Yuri. Was it hope? “If I could say that..” Yuri muttered.

“Do..do you think I’d also get a chance to fix things?” Minho asked. You already have it! Yuri wanted to scream. But she seemed to be at loss of words. Even after opening to say something, it closed without any words coming out. She shrugged.

“What if I was to say…that’s it’s not really Seohyun whom I want to date in SNSD, but…but its Yuri noona?” Minho asked. Yuri opened to reply, once again, but it was only after she had done that that she realized Minho what Minho was saying.

“I would say…” After that, no other words came out of Yuri’s mouth.

“You’d say I’m crazy, right? Yeah, I must be out of my mind. I mean-” Before Minho could finished Yuri interrupted him.

“I would say, Aw! So cute!” Yuri smiled, finally finding the right words to say. Minho looked dumbfounded. “..waeyo?” he asked.

“Well, for one thing, I think its adorable how you would try to defend your pride, and even more adorable that you would come and confess to the girl. Behind cameras.” Yuri said. She couldn’t stop smiling.

Minho, on the other hand, dumbfounded, looked at her beautiful smile, how beautiful it made her. Thankfully, for him, he stepped out of his trance soon enough.

“…earlier, I said ‘what if’, now I’m really saying it. It’s not really Seohyun whom I want to date, SNSD or any other, but it’s you, Yuri noona. Has been, is and will be.” Minho said, regaining his confidence.

“…adorable.” Yuri muttered and stood up to go and hug him. But before she was able to hug him, Minho stood up. Yuri felt tiny standing in front of him. He was two years younger than her yet half a head taller. Even if he was standing, Yuri had planned to hug him…but he took her hand and held them in his.

Minho was holding her forearms, firmly enough for her not to escape his grasp but gentle enough not to hurt her. They both stared at each other’s eyes for some time. For them, time hadn’t gone by. Slowly, Minho’s face started lowering down. Before Yuri knew it, their lips were touching.

Yuri got lost in the softness of Minho’s lips. So soft and smooth, tender and passionate.  Minho had the same feeling for that of Yuri’s lips. He was not such a critic, but he knew he loved it. Her lips tasted like strawberry, and he had never felt such silkiness in his entire life, or so he could say.

Their lips parted after sometime. “Why me, Minho? Why me?” Yuri asked soundlessly. “I was being twofaced. But I want you to know it has always been you. Because..You’re you. And being you…you’re my noona. Hell no way am I ever lending you away to anyone.” Minho replied.

Minho grabbed Yuri’s head, brushing away from hair on her face and began to lower in for another kiss. He had enough lies, he had enough lied, it was time he was honest. And once he was going to be…no one was stopping him.

Yuri let herself sink deeply into Minho’s arms. Was this what she wanted? Was this the love she was jealous Seohyun might have gotten? No. She knew. This was much more. She was his noona. He was her dongsaeng. And they loved each other. No hypocrisy could come between this noona and dongsaeng.