“Soo Hyun –“

“Hi dear! Are you OK? I’m still at Illsan. About to leave, maybe in half an hour.” Soo Hyun cut off, once he’s on the line.

“Oh, yes. I’m just fine. It just I wanted to tell you . . .” Shin Hye trail of, not sure how she should put it. “I’ll . . . be out tonight.” She say lamely. “In case you call.”

“OK!” He laughs. “Well, have fun dear! I’ve got to go . . .”

“OK! Bye! You too, have a good time.”

“Bye!” He says in cheerfully, and the phone goes dead.

Shin Hye look up to see Min Ho is watching her. She feel slightly uncomfortable under his stares as she suddenly tug her shirt. Which actually not her shirt. It turns out that Min Ho does keep a spare shirt in his office, and her shirt was so frightful. And, now, she’s wearing his soft-blue Armani shirt. It’s a slightly big for her, but still looking good on her body.

“Just saying goodbye to Soo Hyun.” She clear her throats, before explain needlessly. She was sure he’s been standing there the whole time and heard every word.

He nods, and rises his brows nonchalantly. “Shall we go?”

# #

‘This is so surreal.’ Shin Hye sighs softly. She supposed to be at the hairdresser’s right now. She supposed talking about her hair-do and trying on her tiara. Instead, she’s in a flight right now, boarding to Jeju, with a man, clearly not her fiancé.

Earlier while at the airport, she texted Jenny to tell that she’s really sorry to miss the appointment with Ah In, and will pay the whole fee. She’s not regretting what she’s doing right now, she really mean what she said in the office earlier. But, it just, the awkwardness that suddenly hitting her. She look down at the shirt she’s wearing, before glance over at Min Ho who staring at his Ipad. He looks calm despite what happened. And it happened to be that he’s also wearing the same tone of soft-blue Armani shirt under his coat. The only different is, his shirt was stripy. ‘People probably think we’re a couple.’ She silently say. ‘What if Chae Won sees us?’ Her eyes still on him. ‘No! Don’t be paranoid. We’re just. . .’ She hesitates, searching the right word. ‘Friend!’

And as like he can hear, Min Ho suddenly turn to her, caught she’s gazing at him. On impulse, she quickly look away. Turn to the window, try to appear relaxed while the truth is feeling more and more freaked out. She take a sip of coffee to calm herself and wince. ‘Gosh! Why this is too hot.’

“Shin Hye, are you OK?” Min Ho notices her winces, since he keep watching her just now.

“I’m fine.” She say without turning to him.

Sound of chuckle come out from him. “Can I be honest?” He say bluntly. “You don’t look fine.”

“I’m good!” She protest. ‘I’m just . . . you know. There’s lot going on at the moment.”

He nods. “I’m sorry we never got to go through this confrontation techniques I promised.”

“Oh, that.” She brush his apology with a hand. “This is more important.”

“Don’t just say, ‘Oh! That’.” He shakes his head. “That’s what I’m talking about you. You automatically put yourself second.” He looks frustrated.

“I don’t. I mean . . . you know.” She shrug awkwardly. “OK, whatever.” She look away, staring at the window again. Have no idea and yet energy to battle for.

For a while Min Ho engrossed with his Ipad again. Shin Hye not sure what he’s doing but his face so serious and focus. Before he suddenly put the Ipad and look at her.

“Everything OK?” She ask as she turns to him.

“I have a question for you.” He says calmly. “What is it about these Kim’s that makes you feel as though they’re superior? Is it the tittles? The doctorates? The brains?”

Shin Hye stares at her for a while. ‘Not this again.’ She swallow. “Everything! It’s obvious. They’re just . . . I mean, you respect Mr. Cheon, don’t you?” She throw back at him defensively. “Look at all this effort you’re making for him. “It’s because you respect him.”

“Yes, I respect him. Of course I do. But I don’t feel as though I’m inherently inferior to him. He doesn’t make me feel like a second-class citizen.”

“I don’t feel like second-class citizen! You don’t know anything about it. So just … stop!”

“OK.” Min Ho lift his hands up high. “If I’m wrong, I apologize. It’s only an impression I’ve got. I only wanted to help, as a . . .” He hesitates.

Shin Hye stares at him, senses that he reaching for the word ‘friend’.

“I just wanted to help.” He says finally. “But it’s your life. I’ll out.”

And, the silence fill the space between them

#  #

Shin Hye gazing down at her steaming coffee, wishing she never heard the Kim’s arguing in the church. ‘How I wish I knew nothing about this.’ She sighs helplessly. ‘Lucky me.’

She look up slightly when Min Ho takes the seat opposite to her, as he hang off from his phone. It’s Jin Kyung who calling him, just after they come out from the arrival. They’re now inside a café waiting for the driver to pick them up. Since their conversation on the plane earlier, both of them just keep silent, as much as talking what they just need to.

She glances at him, and stares at the table again. “OK.” She suddenly breaks the silent.

Min Ho look up from his phone. “OK . . . what?” He looks puzzled.

“OK, you’re not wrong.” She pauses. “About what you said in the plane earlier.”

He says nothing, just waits as he leans his back to the chair.

“But I’m not making this up in my head or whatever you think.” She says. “I overheard them.” curls of forcing smile appear at . “They don’t want Soo Hyun to marry me.” Her voice weaken as she’s spill it. “I’ve done everything I can. I’ve played scrabble and I’ve tried making conversation. And, I’ve even read Mr. Kim latest book. But I’ll never be like them. Never.” She look up at him, smile wryly.

“Why should you be?” He looks puzzled. “Why would you want to?”

“Yeah right. Why would anyone want to be a really brainy celebrity who goes on TV?”  She roll her eyes.

He keeps his gazes on her, in silent, before exhales softly. “Professor Kim has a big brain.” Says Min Ho steadily. Having a big brain is like having a big liver or a big nose. Why do you feel insecure? What if he had a huge lower intestine? Would you feel insecure then?”

Shin Hye look at him with furrows before burst out her giggling. He curls his smile, watching her.

“He’s a freak, strictly speaking.” He presses on. “You’re marrying into a family of freaks. To be in the outermost percentile of anything freakish. Next time you’re frightened by them, imagine a big neon sign over their heads, reading FREAKS!!” He make a gesture.

“That’s not what you really think.” She shaking her head, but still smiling. Her mood feel slightly better.

“It’s absolutely what I think.” His expression is serious. “These academic guys have to feel important. They give papers and present TV programmes to show they’re useful and valuable.” He look at her. “But, you do useful, valuable work every day. You don’t need to prove anything. How many people have you treated?” He ask with interest. “Hundreds?” He leans forward, both hand on the table. “You’ve reduced their pain. You’ve made hundreds of people happier.” He nod slightly. “Has Professor Kim ever made anyone happier?”

She lost in silent, stares at him as her minds working it out. ‘I’ve made hundreds of people happier.’ She feel a little glow inside, which never occurred to her before. She never have that thought in mind.

“What about you? Have you?” She can’t help asking back.

Min Ho shoots a wry smile. “I’m working on it.” He say, with undefined gazes on her. “The point is, it’s not about them. It’s about you. You and him. Kim Soo Hyun.”

“I know.” Shin Hye say at last, glued her gazes at her coffee. “I know it is.” She feel strange, hearing Soo Hyun name on his lips. It sounds all wrong.

In her thought, Soo Hyun and Min Ho are so different. It’s like they’re made out of different stuff. Soo Hyun is so shiny, so unpredictable, so impressive. But just a teeny-weeny bit self-obsessed. Whereas Min Ho is so . . . straight and strong. And generous. And kind. And, you just know he’d always be there for you, whatever.

She look up to found he is looking at her, and smiles, as though he can read her thought. Her heart experience that little tiny impulse that always does now, when he smiles . . .

‘Why I . . .’ She gasp silently at her own thought, and take a gulp of tea to cover her embarrassment. ‘How could I have that thought in mind? I should stop it now, and drop the ridiculous idea that he can read my mind and know I fancy him –‘ She pauses. ‘What? No! No. Stop it Shin Hye. Fancy? No! I do not!’

Her head shaken slightly.

“Are you OK?” Min Ho gives a curios look at her. “Shin Hye, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“H