Final Puzzle Piece || SKZ 9th Member

Bonding With Minho

[This is a compilation chapter. The scenes below either happened before the survival show or during the survival show]

The training was finished for the day and the members were getting ready to go home. But Minho caught sight of their new girl staying behind and practicing the choreography she just learned today in front of the big mirror. He was aware that she was still adapting to being a member of a group, and it wasn't easy for someone who had been a solo trainee for almost two years.

Minho decided to approach the girl as Jisung and Chan said goodbye to her, passing him. "Kala-ya," he called, trying to scoop her attention.

Kala stopped moving and rotated her head to Minho. "Are you going to tell me to go home too like Channie Oppa?"

"No," Minho replied. "I have an offering."

Kala cocked her head to the side in interest. This guy could be so random sometimes. "What offering?"

"I'll give you extra practice with me."

Her eyes went round hearing the main dancer's bid. "Really? Will you do it?"

"I will." He smiled in a suspicious demeanor, making Kala frown.

"Okay, what's the bait?"

"Easy. When I say we're done, then we're done and go home, deal?"

"Deal."

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

"Oh my god, they're so cute I'd die for them!" Kala growled not so girly while swiping through the pictures of two cats on Minho's phone. "What's their name?"

Minho chuckled in amusement, it wasn't every day he encountered someone who was so thrilled seeing his cats. "This one is Soonie. Just remember he had these strips on his legs."

"Mhm mhm." Kala nodded excitedly, indicating she was paying attention to Minho's description of his cats.

"And this is Doongie. You can recognize him from his orange nose," Minho pointed out.

Kala stared at the two cats with an expression full of adoration and fondness. Her fingers caressed the screen phone. "They're so lovely."

Minho's gaze lingered on her in wonder. "You love cats so much why don't you have one?"

She sighed sadly, looking up at him. "I want to. I really want to. But I'm afraid I can't stay committed to taking care of them and would end up abandoning them."

"You won't," Minho deflected her statement without hesitation.

"That's a strong claim. How'd you know?"

He shrugged. "I just know. I mean, knowing you bring cat food everywhere you go to feed the stray cats and now looking at you like you'd protect Soonie and Doongie from anything is just showing you'd be the best owner a cat could've had."

Her mouth curved into a smile and her eyes twinkled. "You think so?"

"I know so."

"Oohh~" Kala nudged Minho's shoulder playfully. "You're quite a sweet guy."

"Only for you." He winked, not realizing he just made the younger girl blush.

Kala cleared her throat and focused back on SoonDoong's pictures on the phone. "I want to meet them, oppa."

"Sure. How about when we get our first holiday, I'll take you to my parents' house?"

"Yes please!"

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

Kala took off her shoes and followed Minho inside. It was the very first time she visited the members' dorm. Unlike what she expected, the dorm was pretty neat for a place that had 8 boys in it, and it obviously bigger than her and Ryujin's unit.

"Kala-ya! You're here?" Felix who was in the living room watching K-drama 'Descendants of the Sun' with Hyunjin and Jeongin was the first to notice her and Minho entering. They were carrying some plastic bags full of groceries.

"Annyeong." Kala waved her hands. "Minho Oppa invited me. We're going to cook together." She lifted the plastic bags slightly, showing them the food ingredients.

"Woah, our best chefs are gonna cook together? We're gonna have a blasting dinner tonight, right hyung?" Jeongin being the third party for Hyunjin and Kala, as usual was just trying his best to involve the two in a decent conversation.

But Hyunjin who wasn't ready was caught by surprise. "Huh? Y-yeah. Can't wait."

"Here, let me help you." Felix was in Kala's aid right away, taking over the plastic bags in her right hand.

"Thanks, oppa." Kala tailed Minho and Felix to the kitchen where Seungmin was already there making coffee.

"Hi, Kala," Seungmin acknowledged her presence. "I don't know you'll be coming."

"Seungmin Oppa, annyeong," greeted her back. "Minho Oppa asked me to cook and have dinner together in here."

"Oh yeah? What'd you guys want to make?" Seungmin peeked into the plastic bags Felix just put down on the counter.

"I'll go with whatever Kala wants to eat," Minho answered, placing the plastic bags next to where Felix had put the rest and started taking out the ingredients one by one.

"Why me? We cook for all the members." Kala had a crease on her forehead, grabbing the cabbage from Minho's hand to wash it.

"I never said that. I said I want to cook and have dinner together with you only, not the other," Minho bluntly spoke with the most unbothered face.

"Ah, hyung... let us join too," Felix whined unacceptably, wanting to also have dinner together.

Then Minho laughed. "Kidding. What do you want to eat, Yongbokie?"

While the two boys were discussing the dinner menu, Kala had to pretend she was busy washing the cabbage to hide her face which turned crimson.

And then there was Seungmin, who despite her efforts, still easily noticed the color change on her pale skin.