Scenario: See request here!

Here it is! I’m sorry it took so long for the anon who anticipated this, I enjoyed writing this :) I hope you like it~

“There’s no time to be slacking off,” The room had gone so tense, you were sure everyone in there wanted nothing more than to run away. Your eyes never left the floor as CEO Yang continued, “I expected better from you girls today.”

“Yes, Sajangnim.” Yejun, the leader of your group yielded, her voice dripping in disappointment.

“Do well. See you next month.” You tipped your head up, eyes following the CEO’s heavy footsteps towards the exit as the room whirred with bows and thank yous.

As soon as the door closed, you trailed towards Yejun, just as the rest of the girls did, ready for the consolation.

“Unnie, we’ll work harder.”

“We won’t let you down, promise.”

“Mmhm. Let’s.” She nodded almost too quickly, forcing a smile. The bunch of you huddled her into a group hug when she started tearing up. Your heart sank knowing how optimistic you all were, but you should’ve known better. At YG, it’s go big or go home.

“It gets better, I promise.” An unfamiliar voice appeared.

As monthly evaluation goes, the CEO apparently thinks his own presence is not enough to turn you all into a nervous wreck, and so he invites other YG artists in for the fun. Song Minho, otherwise the rapper of WINNER, hadn’t left the room and your group were too caught up with the outcome of today’s evaluation to notice this.

“Keep working hard, it will show. Maybe not now, but it will.” He assured, voice deep but gentle at the same time. You looked down instantly as he caught you staring.

“Yes- thank you, Sunbaenim.” Bowing down hurriedly, you could’ve landed on the floor, face flat.

“You did well, CEO Yang just knows you can do more.” He smiled, and whoa, you weren’t sure if it was your depleted energy, hell, you might even be hallucinating, but you swore you heard angels sing. He was handsome, no questions asked.

Little did you know, his eyes seemed to follow their way back to you ever since he saw you today. And Minho was glad that when it did, you weren’t looking his way. True, you stood out from the rest, the fact that you didn’t look like you came from here. YG does issue out auditions outside of Korea and he guessed that you were from abroad, which was true. But what had caught his eye was your performance earlier, he could see that you possess the talent with so much potential. It was cute how you were stripped off the charisma you had on earlier, you were more reserved, quiet. And he wonders if it’s a sunbae-hoobae kind of thing or if you were naturally this way, he was curious. Definitely. 

~

Minho was on his way up, looking straight ahead as the elevator began closing in.

“No, no, please-”

It’s not that often he hears english out and about, he hadn’t realize that you came running, frantically sticking your arm in through what was left of the open space. Stumbling forward, your eyes widened seeing Minho standing by the door, finger pressed on a button as he kept the door from closing in. For you.

“S-Sunbaenim, sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

“Why are you sorry?” He asked, in english. 

“Uh-”

“It’s okay.” He chuckled, and it felt odd to have someone speak to you in anything other than korean. You’ve been so used to speaking the language daily, something that your mentors strongly suggested every time you get your tongue twisted when you sing.

You had your hands full, laptop in one and a folder of some sort in the other. Not to mention that gym bag slung across you, and he noticed how your hair was damp.

The tiny space filled up with your scent as you stepped in, vanilla, strawberries?

“Did you… go back?” He quirked an eyebrow, amazed that you’d hurried back to work, assuming for a shower, after this morning’s grueling evaluation.

Minho was struggling to put his words together, but he was trying and it was somewhat flattering. So you continued to converse, if you could even call it a conversation, in english, “Yes but only for while, just back to the dorms.”

“Oh.” He blinked a few times, his eyes darted, “Keep up the good work, you’re very skilled.” Giving up as he sighed out his mother tongue.

He was adorable, it was refreshing to see this side of him aside to how he would be on stage. You bit back a smile at this remark, “Thank you, Minho Sunbaenim.”

Ping.

You’d forgotten how your neck ached from nonstop practicing, until you bowed a goodbye, flinching as you straightened up.

“Are you okay?” His eyes scanned your face, seeing how you grabbed onto the curve of your shoulder in reflex. 

“Yeah, I am.” You lied, pursing your lips together, hard, to distract the pain. “Have a good day, Sunbaenim.”

He sees you scurry away, rolling one palm along your neck. You were overworked and it shows, Minho wonders why it bothered him as much as it did. Out of everything that being in YG has taught him, it shouldn’t even surprise him.

“Yah, do we happen to have those pain relief patches?”

The boys diverted their attention away to Minho who rushed into the studio, pacing here and there.

“Uh, I think there’s some in the first aid stash.” Taehyun eyed him by the side, curious.

“Why? You were practically sitting down the entire gym session the other day.” Seunghoon snorted. Minho shot him a glare, not like he had a great comeback anyway, as it wasn’t entirely false.

The rapper paced towards where Taehyun had pointed to, digging through the drawer as he searched. He’d excused himself earlier, and they wondered what could have possibly happened during such a short period of time, for him to actually need pain relief patches.

“Be right back.” He hollered, bolting out as quick as he went in.

~

“Unnie, this zit has a life of its own, it’s literally breathing.” You whined, and Yejun giggled, which was what you had aimed for since she’d been too somber the entire day.

“Yah, look at mine, I won’t be surprised if it starts talking.” She scoffed, it was no joke how the pressure had been breaking you out in ways other than dance routines.

“Hows your neck?” Her face fell to a serious one, she’d caught you twitch once in a while, clearly in discomfort.

“It’s nothing, I’m okay.” You beamed at her, and she looked at you apologetically. It pained her to see her group members this way, but you understood how she needed to push the rest of you in order to survive. To maybe, just maybe, get closer to the debut date that seemed to be a lifetime away.

A knock on the door brought you and the girls to a pause.

“Minho Sunbaenim?”

His name brought a deafening silence to the practice room. All eyes were on you as he called out your name, “Come see me for a while?”

The girls had that sly look and you sigh internally, knowing that they were already preparing for that dreaded Q and A showdown once you get back.

“Here, have this.” He handed you a box of something, as you shut the door gently behind. You gave a him a quizzing look,

“It’s for your neck, or shoulder?” He laughed in response.

“Oh. I’m okay really-”

“Lies.” He lets out a stifled smile. Oh god, that smile.

Minho shoved the patches over to you, securing them between your hands. The only thing that was of any concern to you was, did he just touch my hand? 

“You’re welcome.”

You wished he could stop smiling so much, and let you actually thank him yourself. But it seemed like you’d forgotten what words were.

“Sunbaenim, I-”

“Call me Minho.” He chirped, waving his goodbye as he disappeared, out of sight.

~

“Go on!” Yejun cried out a whisper, as she nudged you forward. You staggered closer to the door of the studio, where WINNER would normally be in.

“Unnie, I’m not so sure this is a good idea.” You cringed, a frown on your face. “I think I’m going to faint.”

“Yah, you were all for it just now! Besides didn’t you say you wanted to thank him?”

She was right, you were all for it when she suggested that you bring him coffee but get five, you don’t want them asking questions.

But now that you stood outside this very door, you swore you were trembling, convinced that- “I can’t! I’d rather have weekly evaluations than this.”

“Oh my god, take that back!” Yejun gasped, grabbing you by the back of your neck as you whimpered silently.

“Alright, fine.” You scrunched your face in defeat. Taking a deep breath, you mustered the courage to knock on the door whilst Yejun made a run for it. That brat, I swear to god.

You pushed the door open after that muffled come in, praying silently to not trip on flat ground with a tray of five cups of coffee, no, blistering hot five cups of coffee.

Five pairs of eyes were on you, and you mentally agreed that this was a huge mess of a mistake. Clearly, they have no idea who you were.

“Oh hey!” Seungyoon greeted, you bowed slightly, hands clenched on the tray. “Awesome performance by the way.”

Okay at least the leader recognized you.

“Thank you.” You smiled, your eyes fleeted towards the back where Minho was. He lowered his headphones to his neck, a small smile escaped his lips as you came in.

“Can we help you with anything?” Jinwoo chimed, they were very welcoming, which was supposed to be comforting. But your heart was racing, and the sight of Minho, leaning back on his chair, one leg crossed all the while leering at you that way, help me, god.

“Actually, I came here to give you this.” You walked slowly, trying so hard to not shake so much as you handed them a cup one by one.

“It’s not your birthday is it?” Seunghoon asked, and you cracked out a laugh as you shook your head no.

Minho had not uttered a word, but the look on his face was more than you needed to confirm that he was nothing but thrilled. Or at least, you’d like to think so. He leans in to take his cup and mouthed a soft thank you, leaving you in a daze.

“Enjoy, I hope it keeps you awake. We need more of your songs.” You chuckled.

“Oh so you had motives?” Taehyun asked, his eyebrows just as surprised as he sounded.

“Something like that,” You grinned, and Minho had caught how you drifted your gaze towards him, “Have a good night, Sunbaenims.”

The boys shifted their weight to turn around the second you left, ready to interrogate Minho.

“Yah, did you see that patch she had peeking out on her neck?” Jinwoo teased, directing the question to the rapper.

“Minho, spill.” Seunghoon rolled his chair towards Minho, sticking his long legs out to nudge him by the side.

Minho was deep in his thoughts, a goofy smile on his face. They didn’t know why he was staring too long at this cup of coffee, but he did.

Not only that you had drawn over the logo of the cup with your own cartoon version of Song Minho, complete with his trademark eyebrows and lyrics from his track. You’d left a note, scribbled on the side of the cup.

“Thank you for looking out for me, Minho oppa.”