Shin Hye watched her manager and some of her staff talk about her schedule for the week. They showed her several pieces of clothing for her upcoming shoots. She vaguely remembered nodding and picking, but her mind wasn’t completely focused. She was still reeling from lunch with Min Ho’s family, and even more preoccupied with trying to decide whether to spring the dating news to her manager tonight or not.

She observed her Joon oppa and noticed that he looked slightly ore stressed than normal. She rested her chin on her palm and tilted her head. It’s probably not a good idea to tell him now. But if I don’t confess tonight, I won’t be able to do it this week. Min Ho oppa is definitely going to tell his manager soon – which means he’ll probably call Joon oppa faster than the speed of lightning. That will definitely get me into more trouble than if the news comes from me. I’ll have to do it tonight…but he looks so tired. Ottoke?

‘Shin Hye. Shin Hye?’

She snapped out of it and sat up straight. She looked at her manager blankly. ‘Eh?’

‘I’m telling you that we had to move to an earlier flight and we’re leaving for Hong Kong immediately after your Holika Holika shoot.’

Shin Hye furrowed her brows. ‘Hong Kong? I thought we were leaving next week?’ She grabbed her phone and opened her calendar.

‘I told you that last week. So that means the Miu Miu event is this week,’ her manager replied.

Shin Hye checked her planner and looked up, embarrassed. ‘Ahh. Mianhe,’ she said weakly.

Her manager crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. ‘What’s up with you lately?’

She blinked twice. ‘Nothing…I’m probably still having the holiday hangover.’

He shook his head, his eyes never leaving hers. ‘Ani. There’s definitely something going on with you.’

‘I’m really okay, oppa. Trust me. I’ve never been better,’ she insisted. Well, it’s kind of true. I feel fantastic.

He sighed in resignation. ‘If you say so,’ he muttered unconvincingly before turning back to the board. ‘So we’ll be attending the Miu Miu event at night – but you’ll have a short photo shoot in the morning for Elle. Don’t worry, Shin Hye, you have time to get enough sleep since we’re arriving the night before,’ he turned to her.

Shin Hye nodded her head and took note. ‘Will we have time off in Hong Kong? Like to shop and stuff?’

‘Our flight is very early in the morning of the next day,’ he said. ‘So I don’t think we can go around. But if you want to buy something, just tell me. I’ll ask someone to do it instead.’

‘Anya, gwaenchana,’ she responded. If I have to buy gifts, I have to do it on my own.

When they wrapped up, Shin Hye looked at the time and wondered if Min Ho has eaten dinner yet. She stood up and went out of the room while her staff cleaned up.

She walked to the corner by the exit and dialled. After a few rings, Min Ho picked up. She smiled and turned around to talk when out of nowhere, she came face to face with her manager.

‘OMO!’ She stepped back as her eyes widened with surprise. She dropped her hand and instinctively ended the call with a touch of her finger. She wasn’t even able to say a word to Min Ho. ‘Oppa, you scared me.’

He didn’t respond and continued to stare at her.

‘Op…Oppa, wae? Is there… something wrong?’ She stuttered, her heart was still unsteady.

‘You’ve been out of it the entire meeting. I didn’t want to say anything in front of the staff,’ he told her sternly. ‘What’s going on? If there’s a problem, you can tell me.’

Before she could even reply, her phone started ringing. Shin Hye knew who it was, but she couldn’t reject the call because that would make it seem more suspicious. She put a hand up to her manager, ‘oppa chamkan’. She answered the call. ‘Omma, sorry I ended the call a while ago. I’m still talking to Joon oppa. I’ll call you back,’ she immediately hung up.

Shin Hye’s heart was pounding. ‘Oppa…I…need to tell you that…uhh,’ she bit her lip and looked down. ‘Maybe we should go somewhere and grab dinner? I’m kind of hungry,’ she continued. Kure. I’ll do it over dinner.

‘I thought you were going home because you’re tired?’ He replied. ‘Which reminds me – I don’t even know why you’re tired when you’re last schedule was still the awards show.’ He was crossing his arms again, the way he usually does when he’s trying to process something.

‘As I’ve said. I think it’s the holiday hangover,’ she lied. Damn I hate lying. ‘But yeah, let’s just buy food and eat at my place. I still have questions to ask about… uhh, Hong Kong.’

‘Arasso. I’ll call the driver. Be ready in five minutes,’ he told her before walking away.

She sighed loudly before checking her phone. As she expected, there was a message from Min Ho.

Min Ho: Are you going to tell him tonight?

Shin Hye: I think so. I can’t delay this any longer.

Min Ho: Alright. You’ll be fine. Call me as soon as it’s over. :)

Shin Hye walked towards the entrance and tried to steady her nerves as she waited for the car. If she wants to be with Min Ho, then she has to take all the steps necessary to be with him. This is nothing compared to what I can gain, she told herself. Be brave.

Shin Hye was picking at her food but not really eating. She glanced up at her manager once every minute and tried to think of the best way to start talking. She wasn’t sure why she was so nervous. It’s not like anything was going to change about her and Min Ho’s relationship. She was simply going to tell her manager about it. But why is it so difficult?

‘Why aren’t you eating? I thought you were hungry?’

She looked up and saw her manager studying her face. She didn’t reply and ate instead. She smiled weakly. ‘I’m eating.’

He put down his chopsticks and crossed his arms in front of her. ‘That's it. Tell me now. Whatever it is. I’m not going to allow you to be like this during your shoots,’ he told her firmly.

Shin Hye sighed and pursed her lips. I have to do it now. ‘Oppa, the thing is…I don’t know how to tell you this… uhm. I’m…’ she looked at her manager straight in the eye. ‘I’m dating someone.’

He didn’t react for a while. Shin Hye thought it must have been to collect his thoughts.

‘Seolma...’ he muttered. Slowly his eyes widened as he stood up from his seat. ‘Anya... Don’t tell me it’s…’ He raked his hand through his hair. Shin Hye didn’t speak another word. He sat down again and looked at her pleadingly. ‘Okay, you’re old enough to date. That’s understandable. Just tell me it’s not who I think it is.’

‘Who do you think it is? I can’t tell you it’s him if I don’t know who's on your mind,’ she played innocent.

‘Don’t do this, Shin Hye-ah. I know you know who I think it is,’ he snapped back.

‘If I tell you he’s someone I met in the university, do you still think I would know who you think it is?’

Her manager’s expression brightened. ‘So it’s someone from your university?’

‘Ani,’ Shin Hye replied curtly. ‘I’m just trying to make a point.’

He scowled. ‘Just tell me who it is, okay?’

‘Promise you won’t get mad?’

‘Arasso.’

She was silent for a while. ‘Uhh... G-Dragon.’

‘MEO?!?’

‘Just kidding. Don’t be so uptight, oppa. I want you to support this because it’s important to me,’ she said calmly.

‘I told you already. I understand.’

‘And I want you to know that I’m really happy because he’s a great man.'

He nodded and motioned for her to go on.

'It was unexpected, but, well... I’m...dating Lee Min Ho oppa.’

Her manager kept a straight face. ‘Please tell me you’re still kidding.’

Shin Hye bit her lip and slowly shook her head.

Her manager put his hand behind his neck and closed his eyes. ‘Since when?’

‘Is that important?’

‘I just want to know how long you’ve been keeping it from me.’

‘I’m not sure,’ she said. ‘I feel like it’s been a lot longer than it actually is. Are you mad?’

He sighed loudly. ‘What’s the point of getting mad?’

‘But you’re not happy about it either. I think that's worse than you getting mad.'

Shin Hye’s manager looked at her straight in the eye. ‘To be exact, I have mixed feelings about this. I want to be happy for you, but I also know that this might not end well.’

‘Ara;’ Shin Hye replied boldly. ‘I know what’s at stake here. Do you think I haven’t thought about this every day since I’ve felt something for him? I kept trying to convince myself that what I felt for him wasn’t real and was just an effect of the drama. And when that didn’t work, I cursed myself everyday because I thought I was being stupid. When I finally admitted that I’ve fallen for him, I made a decision to keep it to myself and to stay away. It really hurt; but at that time, I thought being smart was more important than being in love.’

She took a deep breath. ‘But... when I found out that he felt the same way about me, I couldn’t ignore him or my heart anymore. How can I, when I knew that if I walked away from him, I was going to regret it – possibly to the point of hating who I am, and my job, and everything I’ve worked so hard for. Why do I even do what I do? Why does anyone do anything anyway? Isn’t it to be happy? Oppa... he makes me happy.’

He sat there, looking morose. Shin Hye wanted him, of all people, to understand. ‘Oppa, you and I... we built dreams together. You’ve alway