Min-Hee studied like crazy day and night until her next joke lesson. She memorized every joke book she could get ahold of, and didn't rest because she was determined to make Luhan laugh, or at least chuckle. The practice would be like a real test. After all, Min-Hee wasn't Min-Hee if she didn't at least give her best efforts in everything, even if it was just for jokes. 

 

One night, while she was studying, Min-Hee felt her eyes water. 

 

*It's probably because I'm tired.* Min-Hee thought as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand like a small child. 

 

However, the next day, her nose was runny and she kept sneezing in class.

 

*Did someone bring a jar of pollen in the room?* Min-Hee asked herself. 

 

After class, Min-Hee carefully packed her books in her backpack as the professor made his exit out the door and the majority of the class followed in suit. She was about to exit out the door like everyone else, but stopped because she had sneezed continuously again. Once Min-Hee started sneezing, she couldn't stop. 

 

"Here." Someone handed Min-Hee a handkerchief, and she accepted. 

 

"Thank YOU!" Min-Hee said as she sneezed out the last word and blew her nose in the handkerchief. 

 

Once Min-Hee was done blowing her guts out, she looked up to see who was nice enough to acknowledge her existence on Earth. 

 

Oh. My. Stars. 

 

It was Lee Haru, the smartest guy in the university! He was also the heir to the Lee Group, the biggest and most powerful company in the world. In the modern century, Lee Haru is like an actual prince because his family was so rich, and he was smart and handsome. Sounds just like a fairy tale prince, right? 

 

But looks can be deceiving. He may be handsome, but he is the coldest man on earth. He is even colder than frozen Ötzi (the guy who lived around 3,300 BCE and found in a block of ice). Haru is also infamous for being rude and condescending towards practically everyone on Earth. Therefore, his nickname is "the Ice Prince." However, he had a fan club filled with guys who wanted to be as smart as him, and girls who simply adored him because of his looks. He ignored all the confessions he received from fan girls daily, and the homework help requests he received from fan boys. 

 

You can learn more about him on his fan site later, but now, the big problem is that Haru just spoke to Min-Hee, a girl! Haru had never spoken to a girl before, or anyone for that matter, but here he was; and he just said a word to Min-Hee. One word! That's a new record! (The previous record was zero.) 

 

"Ah. Hello, Lee Haru shi. Uh... Thank you for the handkerchief." Min-Hee her head bowed slightly. 

 

Min-Hee was screaming in her insides because she didn't know how to react in front of Haru. I mean, this was Lee Haru!

 

"Keep it," Haru said stiffly. 

 

"Um... Excuse me, but keep what?" Min-Hee asked. 

 

"The handkerchief, you idiot. I'm not going to keep something that has another person's filthy germs all over it," Haru said as he scrunched his nose and walked out of the room. 

 

Min-Hee crossed her arms and pouted. *And here I was thinking that he was a gentleman because he handed me a handkerchief.* 

.......... 

 

Haru put his hand over his chest. He had done it! He had spoken words to Min-Hee! Not A word, but WORDS! Although, his heart was threatening to burst out of his ribcage, he had done it without showing any signs of nervousness or anxiety! Well sure, he said some impolite words to her, but at least he had given her a handkerchief. That was gentlemanly, right? 

 

Haru had been crushing on Min-Hee for years now. He had fallen head over heels in love since day one of Min-Hee's life in the university. Love at first sight, some may say. 

 

Lee Haru could have cared less about school. He only went because he needed to show up at classes to receive the diploma. Haru thought that policy was stupid and unnecessary because he already knew more knowledge than the teachers. However, ever since he saw Min-Hee walk into the door in his Ancient History class, and introduce herself as the new student, he was actually looking forward to going to class! 

 

"Hello, my name is Kang Min-Hee. Nice to meet you," Min-Hee said while bowing to the class. 

 

All Haru wanted to do at that moment was introduce himself to her, offer to help her with her studies sometime, and give her a tour of the university. You know, something to jump start their relationship. Instead, what came out of his mouth was this: 

 

"..." 

 

Nothing. 

 

And that's all he said to her until today. Haru smiled as he skipped his way to his next class. 

 

What a lovesick boy.

.......... 

 

"Aigoo. Your fever is 39°C," Min-Hee's mother said. 

 

"What? But I can't get sick now," Min-Hee croaked. "I have so much to do..." 

 

Min-Hee kicked her covers and tried to get up. 

 

"See? I am perfectly fine, mother." Min-Hee swayed and fell on top of her bed. 

 

"Yes, I can see that you can barely stand. Get some rest and take the day off tomorrow," Min-Hee's mom said. 

 

"Yes, mother," Min-Hee whispered before falling into a deep slumber. 

......... 

 

Luhan was getting worried. Min-Hee had not shown up for practice today and was an hour late. What if she was in traffic or in an accident? What if she was on a date and forgot about the practice? What if she was- 

 

Sick. 

 

Min-Hee had just texted him that she was sick, and could not make it to practice. 

 

Luhan immediately panicked and asked for Min-Hee's address. 

 

Then ran all the way to Min-Hee's home.  

..........

 

The Kangs lived in a tiny apartment on the west side of Seoul. The apartment was practically empty today because Min-Hee's mother had to attend a very important business meeting. However, Min-Hee was home because of her cold. No one was around to take care of Sleeping Cutie. Until... 

 

*Knock! Knock! Knock!* 

 

Min-Hee got up and wrapped herself in a thick blanket, then answered the door. 

 

Luhan's usually perfect hair was unusually messy today. He took a few deep breathes before talking. It was obvious that he ran all the way here. 

 

"I brought some medicine," Luhan said as he held up the pharmacy bag while trying to catch his breath. 

 

"Thank you," Min-Hee said. "Come in." 

 

Luhan straightened his back and walked into the tiny apartment. Everything seemed to be labeled and organized neatly. Not a speck of dust was on the towering bookcases. 

 

"My mother is kind of a clean freak," Min-Hee explained. 

 

He only nodded in response. He was amazed at all the educational titles and shiny, framed awards that filled the shelves. On the far end of the shelf, a certain frame caught his eye. He picked it up and saw two little girls in the picture, holding hands. He immediately recognized Min-Hee on the right, wearing jeans that were too long for her and covered her shoes and a long sleeve T-shirt. She didn't have her glasses in this picture, so her bright brown eyes shined, facing the camera as she smiled shyly. The other girl, who Luhan guessed as Min-Hee's older sister, wore a white dress and fancy dress shoes and smiled brilliantly to the camera.  

 

There was no doubt about it, Jen-Hee was the main object in the picture; the picture was meant to be taken for her. 

 

Luhan scanned all the shelves. None of the awards had Min-Hee's name. They all had the name "Kang Jen-Hee" under "This award is entitled to..." 

 

The only proof that Min-Hee was part of this family was here, in this photo. 

 

Luhan turned around and saw Min-Hee blowing her nose out in a tissue. For some reason, Luhan had not felt the usual surge of excitement that he always felt around her. It was different today; this feeling. A bit lonely and melancholic and sadness and- 

 

Pity. 

 

He knew she was always alone, left behind. He knew that even today, when Min-Hee had a cold, her mother was not here to take care of her. Luhan would bet anything that if Jen-Hee was sick, Mrs. Kang would drop everything, cancel her appointments at work, and come home to nurse her back to health. 

 

But no one was around for Min-Hee. 

 

Luhan's eyes softened as he watched Min-Hee, who never complained and did her best not to bother others. She didn't ask for any selfish requests, and always thought of others first like when she was worried about racking up Luhan's phone bill with their phone conversations and her mother's meeting. She was a true angel. 

 

And when his angel is sick, Luhan would do everything to nurse her back to full health. 

......... 

 

Okay, maybe not EVERYTHING. 

 

Luhan had never cooked in his life. Back in China, his mother cooked for him, and in Exo, the meal was cooked by either D.O. or some restaurant they ordered from. 

 

Luhan spent two minutes in the spotless kitchen, trying to follow a vegetable porridge recipe from the internet, before he set off the fire alarm. Luckily, Min-Hee came to the rescue with a fire extinguisher and put out the fire. Unfortunately, this also meant that the rice was burnt into ashes. 

 

"Um... I don't think you should be cooking, Luhan shi," Min-Hee whispered. 

 

"I agree," Luhan replied. 

 

"I'll cook instead," Min-Hee said, rolling up her sweater sleeves. 

 

"No! You need to get some rest, so you'll get better," Luhan said. 

 

"I'm fine," Min-Hee said, giving him a painful smile. 

 

"No you're not, you can barely walk. How are you going to cook?" Luhan asked. 

 

Min-Hee gave in. "Okay, then how about this? I'll tell you the instructions, and you follow everything I say." 

 

Luhan smiled and nodded. 

......... 

 

"Just like that, cut the carrots into small pieces," Min-Hee said. 

 

Luhan did just as she told him. He glanced at her for a brief moment. She still managed to look cute even though she was sick, had her childish pajamas on, bed hair, and a snotty nose. Min-Hee's eyes were focused on the carrots, so Luhan turned his eyes back to the carrots too. Although he occasionally, stole glances at Min-Hee as she dictated the instructions. 

 

When the porridge was done, Luhan took a sip and found that he could actually cook and pretty well, at least with Min-Hee's help. Luhan put his spoon down and poured some porridge into a bowl. Then he picked up Min-Hee's spoon up and fed her. Once Min-Hee took the first sip, Luhan's eyes widened. He had given her his spoon by mistake! And that also means that he had just given Min-Hee an indirect kiss! 

 

Min-Hee, who didn't seem to notice anything, complimented Luhan's porridge and finished the rest of it, using Luhan's spoon. 

..........

Author's Note: Lee Haru is just an OC, so do not actually look for his fan site because you will not find it. Also, I know some people might think "Hey, Lee Haru (이 하루) means 'this day' in Korean." I know it's a funny name, but I really like the name Haru. And as for the last name... I just like the last name Lee. It's not my last name, but I just like it. :)