**This takes place before Thomas is here- during Chapter 14: Moody Broody Boys in Defender**

Minho

Alby had agreed to make Alex a runner, Newt looked a little skeptical, but he also agreed. Minho was pumped. He tried to contain his excitement. He knew without a doubt that Alex would make a great runner.

His personal feelings aside; she was smart, calm, daring but not reckless, cautious but not a sissy. She looked strong and fit; she would make a great asset to their team. Maybe she would be able to see or find something he couldn't. Because shuck knows he's run every inch of that shuck maze and couldn't find anything.

With his stomach on a wild ride and a huge smile on his face, he bounded over to the girl who still stood speechless. He wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around,

Shuck she's teeny tiny!

"SHAAAAAANKEEEET!!!" Minho yelled.

She shrieked "Ahhh! Minho! Put me down!"

Her laughter made his heart flutter.

"Hope you won't get too sick of me!" He chuckled as he placed her back down, she turned around and he gave her a smirk.

"Nah, I can always find an excuse to get out of it! I have a few other jobs." She sassed back, with a smirk of her own.

"Ouch! That hurt, right here! I can feel it breaking." He said pouting, holding a hand to his heart.

He love how fast her sass came. She didn't have to think, it just came naturally!

"Ha, didn't know MEAN-HO had a heart...but don't worry MinMin. I can always restart it if it's broken..." She sassed back, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Minho's heart stopped completely, as he smirked down at her. She flipped her hair as she spun towards the door. Minho got a delightful whiff of coconut.

He watched her swing her hips as she walked to the Council room door. She turned and looked over her shoulder at him and then winked. Minho stood there with his mouth open, hands hanging at his side lost for words for the first time. His brain wouldn't form words, but it didn't matter because his mouth wouldn't cooperate.

His body finally decided to work; his lungs started breathing and his heart started beating again. He had a warm tingling feeling in his chest.

"Did she... did she just out sass me?!" He stammered.

"She sure bloody did, ya shank." Newt came over, laughing at his friend. Minho could feel Newt watching him thoughtfully.

"You like her don't you." Newt stated.

Minho snapped his eyes to Newt.

"What? No." But he could feel the heat rising in his face.

Sure, she was shucken hot, and sassy, and hilarious, kind, fun to hang with, smelt great, genuine...okay ya, maybe I like her a bit ..

"Uh huh, ya sure, Okay. I sure bloody believe ya." Newt said, rolling his eyes, obviously unconvinced.

A very different feeling flashed through him, it felt ugly, it made him hot and angry.

"She's the only shuck girl here! Every Glader here likes her, well except Gally..."

Another wave of this weird new feeling hit him. He felt angry and hurt and sick all at once.

"Even you! I see the way you watch her!" Minho snapped, he didn't really know why he was mad at Newt, but he was. And the way Newt chuckled and gave him a look made Minho even angrier.

Newt shook his head. "Ya.. I watch her, but it's not like that, man. It's more like ...like she's my younger sister, or something."

Minho was also unconvinced that his best friend also didn't have feelings for Alex. Minho was frustrated and angry.

A pain shot through his head, and a weird world slipped through the walls that surrounded his memories.

Jealous? Is that what these weird feelings are? Why would I be jealous? Jealous of who?

He spun on his heel and stormed out of the room, leaving a confused Newt behind. Minho didn't like dealing with new feelings...they made him feel weird. He slammed the council door behind him and stomped over to the Map Room. Mapping always took his mind off things. The room was quiet and people weren't allowed in.

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He threw down his pencil in frustration. He had tried for a few hours to distract himself. But now he was frustrated with the maze and maps along with himself and whatever these stupid new feelings were. He cleaned up and decided it was time for bed.

At the top of the stairs he paused. He could see the light under the door to his old room, and he could hear faint singing coming from behind it. He paused and listened, a smile forming on his face.

The door swung open without warning, causing him to jump.

"Oh! Hey Min! Where were you at supper? I missed you!" Alex said brightly.

"Oh. Umm. I had a lot of work to do in the Map room." Minho lied, that uncomfortable ugly feeling slowly dying away when he was with her.

"Oh. Sorry Min. Is there anything I can do to help? Now that I'm a runner, I can help!" Alex smiled up at him.

Her smile brightened up every room she walked into. It always made his dark gloomy thoughts disappear.

"Ya, maybe. Once we train you up, you'll be aloud into the Map Room!"

"Ya, what do I gotta do to train?" Alex asked, pointing her toothbrush at him.

He crossed his arms. "Well... running training...we gotta get that endurance up, mental excersises, like memorizing directions and klunk." Minho said thoughtfully.

"Okay! I'm holding you to it, Mr Keeper!" Alex narrowed her eyes at him, but her bright smile gave away she was teasing.

"Oh, your going to hold me-"

A door opened and Newt stepped into the hallway, and walked towards them.

"Hey Newt!" Alex smiled at him.

"Hey Shanket. Where are you off to in your PJ'S?" Newt questioned.

Minho stood aside his arms crossed over his chest. His smile faded, and the happy feeling he had faded away.

"To brush my teeth. Just cuz I live in the Glade with you cavemen, dosen't mean I need to smell like one!" Alex teased, elbowing Minho.

He squirmed away and forced a smile. Newt glanced at him.

"Well I'm on my way too." Newt said holding up his own. "Shall we go together?"

"Sure! Bathroom party! Min? You coming?" Alex had turned to him, her bright eyes sparking.

Minho glanced at Newt again, that feeling hit again, right in the chest.

"Nah. I like my caveman musk. Thank you. You two kids have fun now." He snarked and turned away.

He winced when he heard Newt say something about making it a bathroom rave and Alex laughed.

By the time Newt came back Minho had changed and was in his sleeping bag facing the wall, pretending to sleep. He heard Newt sigh and get into bed.

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Next morning he was up early. He got ready in silance, Newt was still asleep. He grabbed his stuff and went to the kitchen. Frypan was already up and making coffee.

"Your up nice and chipper!" Frypan smiled at him.

Minho shrugged, "Couldn't sleep. Need all the coffee today."

"Comin' right up!" He boomed.

He was almost done when Alex slid onto the bench beside him holding her own mug between her hands.

"Morning." She yawned.

"Hey sleeping beauty." He said flatly, his heart wasn't really into the sass today.

"My hands are freezing! Why is it so cold!" Alex whinned.

"It's really not that cold. We just need to fatten you up."

"It is too, cold! Feel-"

And she placed her hands on his neck. He yelped. It felt like he was electrocuted. Her hands were freezing but the place her hands made contact, sent white hot electricity through his body.

"-see? Freezing!" Alex whinned.

"Ya! No kidding! Jeez Shanket."

"A little early for strangling people, no?" Jeff asked as he plunked down on Alex's other side.

"Haha. Murder is too much work, I'd have to hide the body, clean the evidence, burry the shank, and have you seen this shank?!  He'd be impossible to move once he's dead!" Alex chuckled, elbowing him.

Minho smiled at her. She just used the same line on him that Minho used on her, her first night here.

Jeff chuckled, shacking his head. Alex removed her hands from him. He felt oddly empty and cold without her chilly hands.

To the dismay of Minho, the table filled up with guys and Alex laughed and joked with everyone, Minho felt suddenly left out. He wanted all of Alex's attention. He got up to leave and he felt a chilly hand grab his, he looked over his shoulder.

"Run fast! Be safe!" Alex smiled up at him.

He smirked at her. "Always baby cakes! Always!"

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He was leaning against the shower door, while Alex showered. He was listening to her chat. He felt that uncomfortable feeling crept in. She was talking about all the funny things that happened in the MedHut or the hilarious things Newt said, how fun it was to hang with Fry. He was resentful that he wasn't here to be a part of all the funny moments with her. He was frustrated with all the guys too. He also strangely, felt like she was purposely needling him, everything was always about how this guy made her laugh, and this guy was kind, or how this other guy helped her...

"...Minho?"

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a push on his shoulder.

"Huh?"

"Minho! Let me out ya shank!" Alex laughed, pushing on the door. "Haha, your hilarious, locking me in here...now lemme out!"

He quickly stood up straight and the door swung open. A freshly cleaned Alex stood before him, she was wearing one of his old t-shirts. It was big on her, so she had knotted the extra length on her side, the collar still slipped down, exposing her shoulder. His eyes travelled down and he saw her athletic legs were bare, wearing short biker shorts. His eyes snapped up to her face.

"Like what ya see, Shank?" Alex teased. 

"Huh, ya...good that..." He muttered.

He could feel his face heating up. He actually did like what he saw, a lot. But his mind wasn't really working, it was too steeped in those weird angry, sad, resentful feelings.  

He could see her smile faulter, and the playfulness leave, replaced by concern.

"Everything okay? Was it a rough run?" Alex asked.

Her eyebrows furrowed together and a slight frown made her soft pink lips thinner. She had placed a hand on his arm when she asked, and he immidiatly felt like she had burnt him, fire was left where she touched him.

"Ya. Fine." He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Okay, well...if you need to talk...umm. I'm always here." She gave him a concerned smile.

They were quiet for a moment.

"So... running training? Does that happen soon? What do we do first?" She asked.

"Oh ya...umm, first mental excersises. We could uh...start now I guess." Minho shrugged again. He didn't really want to do this right now. His mind was off and his emotions were something he didn't deal with.

"Sure! We can meet up on the look out? I'm guessing I won't be allowed in this mysterious map room yet."

"Ya...ya sure. 10 minutes?" Minho nodded.

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Minho stood by the stairs on the platform. Alex sat with her back to him, her legs swinging the wind played with her red hair gently blowing behind her. He felt his heat speed up and then slow down and then speed up again. Minho shook his head and sat down at the edge of the lookout platform beside her.

Alex turned to smile at him.

"I didn't think you were coming! Here I brought a surprise!" Alex held out a hand.

"How the shuck did you get cookies?" Minho wondered.

"I batted my eyelashes and pouted a little, and Fry caved." Alex laughed.

Minho forced a smile.

Of shucken course. Another guy she can flirt with. Bats those long beautiful eyelashes and every guy here would do anything for her. How many others does she flirt with? Fry, Definitely Newt, Jeff..Clint...anyone really.

"Minho!" Alex called waving a hand infront of his face.

"Huh? What?" He blinked a few times.

"You zoned out. Are you sure your okay? You seem...I dunno...off." Alex frowned, worry in her eyes. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Ya. Fine. Let's get those mental maps going. When I say the directions out loud, you need to repeat them back to me. Once you have them memorized, you repeat them backwards."

Minho explained how this works, Alex nodded along, rubbing her bottom lip, her face was scrunched in concentration. Making her nose scrunch up.

"Each directoon you give, it's a turn in the maze- the further in. Backwards is the way out. Ya?" Alex said slowly.

"Ya. That's right."

They spent the next 45 minutes going over directions. They were interrupted when there was a knock on the trap door and Newt's head popped up.

"Hey guys! Didn't you hear the supper bell? Fry saved you some food! But come on! Some of the bloody builders are wantin' seconds!"

"Oh! Food!" Alex scrambled to her feet.

"Ya...I guess we're done." Minho said bitterly.

Always interupted by this shuck shank! It's like he sees or hears us and then swoops in and steals her. Just can't shucken leave us alone.

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All week Minho would get up earlier than normal, get ready and be almost done eating by the time Alex would come sit down laughing with one of the other guys. He would watch her throw her head back and laugh, or she would turn her whole body to the guy who was talking to her. Everytime she would laugh with someone else it made him cring inside. He wanted to do that, he wanted to be the one to make her laugh. He wanted to have her full attention. He got up from the table and wait at the maze doors.

He would run his frustration away. He pushed his body further and faster, to the dismay of Ben. Minho would get back to the Glade and his weird confusing swirling emotions would hit hard. He would see Alex sitting with someone else, usually Newt. They would be laughing at each other or teasing or arguing. He would spin on his heel and storm to the map room.

Alex would find him, Minho still agreed to stand outside her shower door- he still didn't trust any shanks here. Leaning on the door, listening to her talk about the other guys, and what she did all day with them, it would grate on his nerves. She would try ask about his, but what did he do? Run. He saw the same cement block walls. The same stone floor, same green ivy. Nothing was ever different. It was all the shucken same. And he hated it.

He didn't get to spend time here, with her. He never got to sit at lunch with her, he never got to take breaks with her, ask how her shift was...that was all Newt. He got to do it all.

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Their mental excersises were good. Alex was a quick learner, and memorizing directions wasn't a problem for her. But he was hesitant to go further. What if something happened? He was responsible for her; he was responsible for all his runners. He hadn't agreed to new runners since Steve, Troy, Lucas and Ethan joined the team. Minho didn't want to be the reason the whole Glad was mad if Alex got hurt out there; they would blame him. He was scared to bring her out there. He didn't want to be the reason she had nightmares, the maze would bring nightmares. It always did.

He started sitting with the runners at meal times, just to get away from her and the tornado mix of emotions. But he always caught himself stairing at her, watching her. He loved the way her eyes lit up when someone was talking, how she would tap her fork against the plate when she was chewing. Alex would catch him watching and he would always look away, trying to pretend he wasn't caught stairing at her. He would glace back and notice a frown on her face and the knife in his chest would twist. A few times he noticed Newt glanced over too, frown and then lean in to whisper something to Alex. Some ugly emotion that felt like a monster would rage inside of him.

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One evening Alex wasn't waiting for him in her room. He noticed her shampoo was missing.

He stomped over to the MedHut for a clean towel, and froze by the window. There leaning on the shower door Alex always uses was Newt. He had thrown his head back laughing loudly.

Minho just about punched the wall. He could feel the knife twisting his heart. And the anger filled his chest and head. That was it. That was the proof. He always had suspicions, he knew Newt liked Alex, even though he denied it and said he viewed her like a sister. But he new now. He watched as the door opened she stepped out and Newt threw an arm around her shoulders.

Minho stormed from the MedHut and down the stairs towards the showers.

Fine. That's how it's gonna be. Fine.

He was so caught up in his anger and hurt he didn't realize he had slammed into people until he saw a flash of red hair.

Shuck that was Alex.

Minho was so angery with himself. He slammed the shower door shut.

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Minho avoided her the next while. He couldn't stand watching her laugh and talk and be with the other guys. He sat with the Runners at all meals now. He hid in the Map room and avoided the showers when he knew she was there. He would also make sure he was always in bed and facing the wall before Newt got to bed.

One evening though he was held up talking to Ben, so he wasn't ready for bed and Newt walked in.

"Good, your awake. We need to talk." Newt said seriously as he closed the door.

"Then talk shank. I ain't stoppin' ya." Minho snapped, and turned away.

"I don't know what your bloody problem is. But cut that klunk out. Do you even see what your doing?"

"What the shuck are you talking about?" Minho snapped again, turning around, glaring at him.

Newt sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. Newt gave him such a patronizing smile he wanted to punch Newt's face.

"Everyone can see you two like each other. Stop playing whatever bloody stupid game your doing and get together. You ignoring her or whatever bloody klunk your doing is hurtin' her. I'm sure your not stupid enough to see that. So cut that klunk out." Newt said crossing his arms. Glaring right back.

"Ya? And how would you know it's hurtin' her? She tell you? Cuz your so cozy all the time?"

"Ya. She does tell me! Who else is she gonna tell? You've been a complete slint head! Grow the shuck up man!" Newtsaid calmly.

Minho growled and threw himself down onto his sleeping bag.

"Dude. Seriously. Stop being a twat." Newt sighed heavily.

Minho stayed up well into the night his mind working overtime. Once he finally fell asleep, he was late waking up, and had to get ready with an already awake Newt. It was an awkward silence in the room.

And of course it was Alex handing out lunches this morning.

"Good morning, get your beauty sleep?" She said quietly, she had no tease or playfulness in her voice like she usually did. He grabbed his lunch and shoved it in his bag, he didn't want to look at her and have that knife drive deeper into his chest.

"Morning Newtie, you keep Min from his beauty sleep? Stayed up too late playing truth or dare? Not very responsible of you, Mama Newt" She teased.

Minho looked up and glared at her and then behind him at Newt, then back at Alex, he shoved his water into his bag.

Sure. Tease and good off with Newt. Always with him.

He jogged off to the doors, ignoring breakfast all together. His stomach couldn't handle food. It was twisting and turning. He could feel a weird burning in his chest, his lungs felt tight, and a prickling feeling in his eyes. He looked over his shoulder quickly, and what he saw made him choke.

Newt was holding her, he wiped her cheeks, saying something to her when she shook her head he pulled her back into a hug. And she wrapped her arms around Newt. Minho turned back to the maze. A single tear made its way to his lower lashes.