Five days after the last time we went out together, I met Minho again. It was Thursday. Ye Eun unsurprisingly had a day out with her parents and Krystal was just plainly busy. So it was only me and Minho. Minho had night practice in SME Building. I could finally meet SHINee members personally again!

But when he opened up the dance room, I got shocked because no one was there. “Where are the others?” I confusedly asked Minho.

He furrowed his eyebrows. “Who said that the others were here?”

“So I’m not seeing your members?!” I had been waiting to see them again all this time, and this was all that I got?! Seriously?!

“Well, sorry for disappointing you…” He stuck his tongue out.

“Not funny.”

I unwillingly accompanied Minho practicing his dance and rap. This was weird in a way. Why would he need to practice? As far as I knew, SHINee didn’t plan to release anything these days.

My suspicion was proven to be right when I saw Sungmin and Kyuhyun barging in the dance room.

“Minho, ______-ah, let’s go now!” Sungmin excitedly yelled. “The others are in the dorm right now. We gotta go now to help them.”

“Wait, hyung. I need to change my clothes,” Minho answered. Then he went to the toilet.

I blinked my eyes. What the hell is going on here? I was too shy to ask Sungmin what was up, so I held my curiosity until Minho came back.

We were going downstairs and I whispered to Minho, “Mind to tell me what’s going on?”

He smiled excitedly. “Tomorrow is Jung Soo hyung’s birthday. We’re preparing a surprise for him.”

I widened my eyes. “WHAT? No I’m not going. Give me a ride home. It’s 10, anyway. Mommy’s gonna eat me.”

“No! You gotta go with us!” Minho exclaimed.

“If she doesn’t want to go, then let her be. It’ll be better without her.” Kyuhyun coldly said that.

Sungmin hit Kyuhyun’s arm. “SAY THAT AGAIN, KYUHYUN.” Kyuhyun rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything.

Kyuhyun and Sungmin then separated from us as they hopped on a black van. Inside Minho’s car, I bravely attacked him with my questions. “What are you trying to do? Why are you doing this to me?”

Minho started the engine. “Chillax. It’s not my idea. It’s Ye Eun’s.” He started driving. “She has explained all to me. About the jokes and her prediction. I sort of agreed with her, actually. Jung Soo hyung isn't as bad as you think he is. She said that it would be a joy for her if I could convince Sungmin to let you join the surprise. So I did.”

I stared at him skeptically. “A joy for her, a never ending nightmare for me. Are you high, Minho?” Then suddenly a thought popped in my mind. “Ah, I got it! You like her, don’t you?”

He giggled nervously. “Yes I like her. I like you too.”

In the end, he drove to Super Junior’s apartment. It was hard to refuse him. I didn’t have convincing argument to reject him.

Room 1101 was crowded. There were Ryeowook, Zhoumi, Henry, Kyuhyun, Yesung, Sungmin and some other pretty guys that I could recognize as SHINee members. Zhoumi, Jonghyun and Taemin sat on the floor, making posters. Ryeowook and Key were in the kitchen. Henry and Yesung were blowing balloons and putting them everywhere.

“Where are the rest?” I heard Minho ask Henry.

Henry playfully told him, “Siwon hyung and Donghae hyung are still in China. Heechul hyung is in Sukira to make the surprise less obvious. Kkk. Shindong hyung is taking the cake in the bakery. The girls are still in the dorm. They’ll come around 11.”

Onew saw me and he said to Minho, “Ya! Minho! You brought a girl! Hallo~” All of them suddenly looked at me. They smiled. Key waved his hands from the kitchen. Zhoumi shyly smiled to me.

Taemin peeked and waved his hands to me, “Hi, we’re seeing each other again~” Cutie pie! Cutie pie! I don’t regret coming here. Minho, I love you! He got out of the kitchen and approached me. “Are you a noona?”

I helplessly glanced at Minho and asked him, “What’s a noona?”

Minho answered Taemin for me, “No, she’s your age.”

It was almost the time for Jung Soo, Eunhyuk and Heechul to arrive home. The dorm was now more than crowded. Five of SNSD girls were also here. I didn’t really know their names, but I recognized one named Jessica. She introduced herself as Krystal’s sister. They both had good genes. I felt pretty inferior as everyone here was so freaking pretty and I was just an ugly duck.

Lights were turned off and suddenly the door opened. Heechul came in first then Eunhyuk, Seunghwan and lastly, the birthday boy, Park Jung Soo. No one made any sound and suddenly Zhoumi turned the lights back on, Shindong and Kyuhyun threw confetti. Ryeowook held the birthday cake and we all sang Happy Birthday for Jung Soo. I stood between Minho and Henry. I could see Heechul hugging Jung Soo. He was tearful. Wait, what? Tearful?! JUNG SOO?!

Eunhyuk gave his phone to Jung Soo. “Here. Siwon and Donghae.” Jung Soo received the phone and started talking. He thanked them and sobbed. My poor heart. I couldn’t bear to see boys crying, and there he was, the man I was supposed to hate the most, cried his heart out and genuinely thanked everyone here.

“I wish… Ki… Kibum, Hankyung and Kang… Kangin were here,” he stammered. Still sobbing. Heechul hugged him tighter. He whispered something to Jung Soo and Jung Soo started to calm down.

Ryeowook and Eunhyuk were hugging each other.

“See,” Minho said to me. “He’s not that bad. Jung Soo hyung has a very sensitive heart and he’s our role model.”

I just glanced at him without saying anything.