What I've Just Realized | minsul.

Chapter 1: The Unexpected

A phone rang early in the morning, its continuous buzz filling the room with noise. It lasted for about a minute; still no one seemed to be disturbed by it.

Silence.

Then the phone rang again for the second time.

Key sat upright, annoyed with the non-stop ringing and pulled his covers away from his legs. He strode across the room and took hold of it."Ya! Who's phone is this?" He exclaimed.

Everyone was startled with his voice. It was Jonghyun who replied first. "Not mine. My phone has been out of battery for about two days. I keep on forgetting to charge it." He said as he try to fight his sleep off.

"Minho, is this yours?" Key turned his gaze to the man who's still getting up from his bed.

Minho snatched the phone from Key's grip. "Go back to sleep."

"Then it's yours."

"Yes." He replied, trying not to sound impatient. "I'm going to get this." He opened the door and went outside."

* * *

Outside, cold air hit him right away; the winter breeze seeped through his jacket, tingling his skin that gave him goosebumps. He rubbed his arms for a second before he finally paid attention to his phone.

"Hello? Who's this?" He said, his breath came out in a white cloud.

"Hi Minho." A pause. "Sorry did I wake you up?" The voice asked. A female's voice.

His eyes widened. He knew that voice. He froze for a moment, obviously not expecting to receive such call, not from her to be precise. It's been a while since he last spoke to her.

"Are you still there?"

"I-uh, I'm sorry." He shook his head. "No it's fine. You didn't disturbed me at all." He lied.

"I see." The voice chuckled. For a moment he thought he could somehow sense the feeling of nervousness in her voice while speaking with him.

"It there something wrong?" He asked, cutting the tension between them.

"No. Nothing like that." She sighed. "I just—well I just want to ask if you're about to do something today."

"Today?" He thought for a while. Taemin said he wanted to buy wrappers and Christmas decors today with us, he thought. "Well, we just have this sort of shopping later. Why?"

She hesitated for a moment. "Well, today's... today's my birthday. Manager allowed me to rest and celebrate it. But my friends are really busy and because we're not in Korea due to the tour, I can't be with my family. So I'm asking you if you could celebrate it with me."

It's her birthday? How can I not know that? "Well, sure. I'll just change and I'll fetch you."

"Really? You can come with me?" Her voice lightened up. "Thank you!"

"Sure, no problem." He said, and smiled to himself.

* * *

"I'm hungry." Taemin rubbed his eyes and stood up. "Aren't all of you hungry? It's almost 9 am. We should grab some breakfast before going to the mall." He said. "Hyung, can you go with me to the grocery?" He pouted his lips.

Jonghyun looked at him through slitted eyes. "Don't you dare use your aegyo on me, Taemin. Just buy it by yourself."

Taemin faced Key. "No, not me either." He said immediately, knowing he'll be asked next.

The front door opened and Minho entered the room, smiling from ear to ear.

"Hyung, can you—" Taemin started, but Minho cut him off.

"Sorry I need to go somewhere. I can't come with you to the mall either." He said as he went straight to his bag. "Or maybe I'll go with you up until the end of the street only, since you're going in the same direction." He added.

He frowned. "Fine." He paused. "Then I should just buy and eat chicken by myself." He sauntered his way to the door. "Hyung, I'll wait for you outside."

Onew, who was sitting limply on the couch, was suddenly filled with excitement. "I'll come! Wait for me!"

Taemin wasn't shocked by Onew's response. "I knew you'd go with me." He muttered and giggled.