Sulli: “Aniya, we just got closer during the drama, nothing more.” And she snatched her phone back from Krystal.

Krystal: “haha.. choi sulli, I knew you inside out. If you have no special feeling towards brother-in-law, would you be so worked up?” and she stared at Sulli in her eyes suspiciously. “No wonder our flight have been separated, perhaps management knew that many fans are starting to ship both of you as a couple and they will want to put a stop to their imagination once the drama ends. Or perhaps the management see that both of you are too close and got worried, which is why they want to restrict contact?”

“huh? Will the management do such thing?” Sulli asked in puzzled.

“Of cos… I heard from Jessica Eunnie that management will not want any of the artistes to be closely linked with a certain artiste as it affects our development in the career. Can you imagine you cannot work with other male artiste or Minho Oppa can’t work with other female artiste? That is a career suicide.” Krystal continued. “asihhhh, why are we discussing about this, is not as if you are really officially dating. Come on, let’s start our practice.” Krystal threw Sulli a suspicious look. Though she has been suspecting there is something going on between Minho and Sulli, she merely regards it as a closer oppa and dong seng relationship since Sulli denied too.

Sulli’s POV

After hearing what Krystal shared, all the more Sulli cannot admit that Minho and she are truly dating. It is normal for same label mates to have close relationship between oppa and dong seng, sunbae and hoobae, just like Yunho Oppa and Go Ara, but the word dating is definitely prohibited. Sulli really did not want to affect Minho’s career nor hers. Just as she sees some light in their relationship, things seem to be going back to square one when they can only live like Oppa and dong seng, and nothing more…

“Bi ya Ne Krystal… for not telling you the real truth. I guess I will need to now manage my display of feelings for Minho Oppa before the management try to separate us even more.” Sulli thought to herself.

++++++++++++++++++

Sulli received a message from Minho the day when she had to fly off to Singapore. “Be safe on the flight. Try to rest more since you just got a drip. See you in Singapore. Miss you.”

Sulli read the message again and again but instead of replying, she deleted the message.

“Bi Ya Ne Oppa. You have always being my guardian angel, so let me be yours from now onwards. I will not allow you and your career to come to harm.” Sulli thought to herself.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

FX didn’t get to see Shinee until when they were at the backstage before the concert. Minho had already wanted to ask Sulli if she was ok after the drip and why didn’t she reply his message, but Sulli avoided his eye contact and went over to Key instead.

Key: “Bo ya? You both had a tiff?” Sensitive Key already sensed something is not right when Sulli became so eager to stick to him.

Sulli: “Aniyo Oppa,,, I just feel like talking to you. Can’t I?”

Key: “Of cos you can, but I am not so sure if the jealous pot behind is ok.” And he gave an eye signal to Sulli, pointing to where Minho is standing.

“Oppa, help me please. Now the fans are already rumouring that we are together, if things get bigger, the management is sure to do things to separate us completely. If we are not seen together starting from now, perhaps the fans will forget in a while.” Sulli pleaded Key and gave a sheepish smile.

“Alarsoh.... I will be your shield if you need… assiiihhh.. what have I done to deserve this…?” Key sighed.

So that entire evening, Sulli kept herself busy with her FX members. When Shinee is near them, Sulli will just talk to Key.

Minho’s POV

He knew that something is just not right as Sulli seemed to be avoiding him the whole evening and he kept sticking to Key as if they have some secrets going on. He decided to ambush her before her “Electric Shock” performance since Shinee’s ‘Sherlock’ performance is just right after them.

FX was supposed to stand by at the front separate stage while Shinee remained at the main stage. As FX walked past Shinee towards the front stage, they gave their normal hi-gives to their oppas. Sulli was the last to walk past them, and as Sulli hi-five Minho, Minho took the chance to tell her that he wants to speak to her at the closing stage. Sulli didn’t even look at Minho but just hurriedly followed the rest of the FX members.

The weather turned bad just as FX started to perform. The rain hit on the girls mercilously and FX was completely drenched during the whole performance. Shinee didn’t manage to escape the ordeal too as they were already on stand by at the open air main stage where the rain started. But Minho is not worried if his make up had smudged or his clothes were wet due to the rain, his main worry was Sulli had just received a drip due to flu and she cannot be drenched anymore as they have another concert right after this.

Nonetheless, the artistes had to finish their performance regardless of rain or shine. Although the cordi noonas tried to dry the FX girls right after they finished their performance, Sulli can somehow feel her head spinning after the drench.

Victoria: “Sulli, Ken cha na? You looked pale.” And she helped her to sit on a chair.

At this time, Shinee has also returned to the backstage totally drenched.

Jong Hyun saw FX who were equally drenched and laughed: “Yahhh… why of everyone, Shinee and FX have to be the one drenched… looks like fate keeps tieing both our groups together…” and he shot a glance at Minho who kept his eyes on Sulli who was the only one sitting on a chair with a very pale face.

“What happened?” Minho went forward to check on Sulli, oblivious to the others who are standing around.

“Just catching some rest Oppa.” Sulli replied without looking up at him. “Oppa, you need to prepare for ending stage now. See, the rest of the Shinee members have left.” Sulli pointed to a far end to his Shinee members, hoping to chase Minho away.

“I will see you at ending stage then.” Minho hurriedly ran and joined s for stand by.

During the ending stage, Sulli stick to Krystal and Victoria like glue. One thing is she is really feeling quite weak and the other is she had to avoid having one to one contact with Minho. She saw Minho wanting to attract her attention but she really didn’t wish to create any sort of contact on stage that could be easily captured by fancams.

“Asihhh.. this girl jinjiat…” Minho is frustrated as whatever he did received no responses from Sulli. He can’t approach her too obviously with the rest of the KJ family members around. Somehow, he did manage to go nearer to Krystal and Victoria who were with Sulli but he merely chat with the whole group and didn’t manage to speak to Sulli at all.

The next day, breakfast was served in one of private function room in the hotel. The whole entourage will be departing for Bangkok after breakfast for the last concert.

Minho was seated with his buddies - the Kyuline (Kyu Hyun and Chang Min) and some other Suju hyungs when he saw FX arriving, other than Sulli.

Before Minho needs to ask, Chang Min had already asked where Sulli is.

“She is resting. She hasn’t been feeling too well since the rain yesterday. She has gotten another drip yesterday night, so hopefully she can last till end of the concert.” Luna explained.

Chang Min: “Omo… that serious? Alarsoh. Send my regards to her then.”

“Sulli jinjiat ken cha na?” Minho verified with Luna again, still feeling worried, but he received a slap on his arms by Chang Min.

Chang Min: “Whei yo, Luna already explained, why are you so naggy?”

Minho smiled awkwardly: “Alarsoh alarsoh.” and tucked into his food, but still feeling worried if Sulli is really feeling ok.

++++++++++++++++++++++

While everyone gathered at the lobby, waiting to board their respective vans to the airport. Minho shifted himself to stand behind Sulli: “Ken cha na? I heard you got another drip again.”

Sulli recognised Minho’s voice, and wanted to walk further up, away from him, but she felt her backpack being tightly gripped by Minho.

“Where are you running to again?” Minho’s voice turned serious.

“Aniyo.. Manager Oppa said we are supposed to move to our vans, so let go of my bag.” Sulli pleaded.

Minho saw the plaster on her wrist and wanted to ask again, but Sulli had already followed her members out to the van.

Minho had no choice, and he has no time to move to where s were, so he merely followed Sulli to walk out from the hotel then to his van.

+++++++++++++++

Though there were on the same flight to Bangkok this time round, they sat in separate sections of the plane again. Minho would have gone over to find her at her seat and check on her if the flight duration wasn’t that short.

Upon arrival in Bangkok, Sulli walked as fast as she could to prevent Minho from talking to her again.

Victoria: “Whei, why are you rushing like this? We can walk slowly since the rest are still at the back.”

Sulli: “Bi Ya Ne Eunnie, I thought I can board the bus first and then catch some rest before the rehearsals later. Alarsoh, we will wait for the other members.”

Minho was naturally scouting around for Sulli right after he got out of the plane. Thankfully, it wasn’t hard for him to spot Sulli with her height.

Minho gathered his steps and walked towards Sulli quickly and it wasn’t hard for a former dream team ACE to catch up with Sulli regardless of how fast she is walking earlier.

“Why do you keep running away from me?” Minho asked as he walked side by side with Sulli to the immigration gate.

“Huh.. orh.. Oppa… why aren’t you with the rest of the Shinee members?” Sulli pretended to look around for Shinee members but she was chekcing if there were any cameras nearby and if her members could hear them. 

“I am asking you a question, not here to answer your question.” Minho looked at her behind his shades and really wondered what has happened.

“Aniyo, hahaha.... I am not running away. I just … just feel tired.” Sulli blurted out a lame reason.

“Is it due to the rain? Are you better now after the drip?” Minho asked with concern again.

“Oppa.... there are cameras around, talk to you later.” And she walked further up to join her members, not giving Minho a chance to say more.

++++++++++++++

“Talk later” did not occur at all. Both groups were using their precious time to either rest or rehearse. Minho had wanted to tell Sulli that he is leaving for London right after the concert that night and if she would want anything from London, but till now he hasn’t even manage to talk to him for more than five sentences.

As usual, Sulli stick to her members throughout the whole evening.

“oh…. We can return to Seoul after this.”Krystal held Sulli’s hands and jumped in happiness during the ending stage.

“Neh… we can all have a good rest after this.” Sulli smiled and is glad she can finally take a break.

“Neh… even Minho Oppa and Key Oppa are going to take a break in London, I so envy them. Wish I could go with them too.” Krystal added.

“Mwo… they are going London?” Sulli’s eyes widened in surprise as she didn’t even know that Minho is going away. Well… who can she blame when she was the one who didn’t even give him time to speak….

“I guess so, you can check with Key Oppa since he is just standing there.” Krystal pointed to where Key was standing.

“Oppa, you are going London later?” Sulli shouted into his ear as the music was too loud.

“Neh, with Minho. He is going to catch a soccer match. I am going to have my photoshoot. We are leaving for the airport soon. You didn’t know?”

Sulli: “orh... alarsoh... Oppa, have a safe trip then. Minho Oppa too.”

Key: “Alarsoh... alarsoh.. I will tell him to have a safe trip.” Key giggled at how silly he has to be to tell Minho to have a safe trip when they are travelling together.

Sulli returned to where her members are and after a while, Sulli did see Minho returning to the back stage and he seemed to be looking in her direction, but she forced herself to turn her head away and continue walking aimlessly on the stage.

==============

“Minho, let’s go, we are already late for our flight.” Key patted his back to usher him to the van.

“Kibum, now there are only both of us, just tell me if there is anything wrong with you and Sulli?” Minho directly asked Key while they were alone in the van.

“Mwo? What is wrong with us? Oh Yah, she asked you to have a safe flight.” Key remembered what Sulli had told him on the stage.

“mwo? Does she need to go through you to tell me that? Why didn’t she tell me directly?” Minho is exasperated. “Has she has a change of heart, which is why she is treating me so coldly now?”

“Are you a pabo?” Key slapped Minho real hard on his arms. “Is Sulli such a girl in your eyes? What she is doing now is for you. You think it is easy for her to act coldly towards you?” Key rolled his eyes at Minho.

Minho: “Mwo? What are you saying Kibum?”

Key: “ARRRRRGGGGGG… I am not a mailbox for you and Sulli… Jinjiat… neh... she is afraid to create rumours now. Didn’t you see the forum and internet? Fans are already speculating if both of you were a couple before the drama. More and more past videos of both of you were dugged out. If this continues, the management will sure get wind of it and do something to separate both of you, alarji? She just want to prevent this from happening...”

Minho: “Asiiihhhh… why didn’t she tell me? At least I would know and play along with her.”

Key sniggered at Minho’s lack of ability to understand girls: “If I were Sulli, I would not let you know too. She doesn’t want to give you pressure.. Pabo…"