She walked into the café with her head hung low covered in a cap to disguise herself in fear of people recognizing her as the Hallyu princess.  She walked up the steps and entered the café’s secluded second floor that had private booths setup in the back for its customers to have more private conversations.  She was scanning the floor and found him sitting in a booth facing the window, people watching on a busy Sunday afternoon in Garosu-gil.  She walked up to the counter and ordered two iced Americanos and two cupcakes, one red velvet for her and one earl grey for him as he isn’t a fan of overly sweet desserts. 

‘Anneyong Young Do’ she carefully placed their snacks on the table and took a seat across from him.

‘Cha Eun Sang, long time no see.  Perhaps did I miss you?’ he got up from his seat and gave her his signature bear hug.

‘Yes, Choi Young Do will forever miss me, I’m his first love’ she beamed a smile at him while picking up her coffee cup.

‘I thought you are Lee Min Ho’s first love?’ he didn’t waste any time and went straight in for the kill.

‘Chinca?!’ she was so caught off guard by his question that she coughed up her coffee.

‘You can’t lie to me through those sparkly, loving eyes.  You only get them when you’re in love, I know from experience.  Plus you have to give the wingman some credit for tying the bow onto cupid’s arrow’ he brought two fingers up to his eye level and motioned an I’m watching you signal.

‘Woo Bin ah….shhh…don’t blow our cover’ she put her forefinger over his lips to silence him in fear that other patrons around them might overhear their conversation.

 ‘Ok I’ll keep quiet if you answer some questions’ he shrugged his shoulders while doing is signature Young Do raised eyebrow expression, she knew something was definitely up.

‘How many questions’ her eyes squinted as if she was trying to size him up and call his bluff.

‘Hmm….let me think….10’ he pursed his lips and tapped his chin as if he was in deep thought.

‘Ok but they have to be yes no questions’ she stabbed her fork into the cupcake scooping a piece into .

‘Deal’ he mimicked her and took his fork and stabbed it into the cupcake but this time a little harder than her causing a loud echo when the fork hit the plate.  He wanted to show her that he wasn’t easily intimidated by her and she should brace herself for the dangerous questions he was about to ask.

‘Question 1, have you seen him after the party?’ he raised a finger and gave her an easy question to lower her inhibition towards him and when she doesn’t realize it he’ll ask come in for the kill.

She nodded her head

‘Question 2, are you dating?’

She nodded her head without hesitation.

‘Question 3, are you exclusively dating?’

She smiled and nodded her head confidently. 

Of course we’re exclusive, do you think I would date him if we were not? I might be crazy in love but I’m not crazy.

‘Question 4, when did you start dating?’

‘I don’t have to answer that one, it’s not a yes or no question.  Ha, you wasted a question’ she pointed and giggled at him.

‘Aish…Question 5, is that cap you’re wearing his?’

She squinted her eyes and wondered how he knew.

‘I take that as a yes, I gave it to him as a present.  Question 6, did you come directly from his house to the cafe?’ he raised his eyebrows happily.

She squinted her eyes even smaller now getting annoyed of him asking a very personal question.

‘I take that as a yes too’ he smiled widely like a child in a candy store.  ‘The next two questions are inter-related.  Did you stay the night? And is that love mark from him?’

Her eyes widen and she let out a gasp.  Her hands immediately removed the scarf tied around her neck and she was shuffling through her bag to find a mirror to check on the love mark he left on her nape.  She swore she did a thorough job covering it with the concealer before she left the house.  She was quietly asking herself how the concealer rubbed off without her knowing.

‘Gotcha Ya!’ Woo Bin was laughing so hard other patrons in the café turned to their direction to see what was going on.

‘Shh….how did you know?’ Shin Hye was still recovering from the shock of being exposed of her intimate night with Min Ho.

‘You’re wearing the cap I GAVE HIM, the heater is turned up to the max in here and you’re still wearing your cashmere scarf and your face just looks glowing.  So I took a wild guess.’ He smiled wider like he just won the lottery.

‘Last 2 questions and we’re done’ Shin Hye hit her hand hard onto the table to subtly hint to him she was annoyed at him.

‘Ok Ok…sorry for being noisy.  Are you free next week?’

She nodded her head.

‘And the million dollar question of the day.  This one might be too personal and a little inappropriate for me to ask but I just want to give the disclaimer that I see you as my younger sister.’ Woo Bin paused, took a deep breath and exhaled to prepare his heart for his last question.

‘Do you love him?’

Silence.  The blinking of her eyes were her only emotion, she was deep in thought deciding how she would answer his question.  She knew it was just a yes or no question so the answer was all ready pre determined she just needed to pick one.  It wasn’t a hard question by the way it was asked, but the answer isn’t that easy.  The most simple things are the most difficult to obtain and maintain. 

She wanted to say yes with all her heart, but something in her gut jolted her and was begging her to reconsider her answer.  Maybe it was because of the uncertainty of how he felt towards her?  She knew that he liked her and was physically attracted to her, she didn’t need much confirmation about that.  But when it came to if he loves her, she didn’t know, he never dropped her any hints or flat out told her.  So once again, she let her pride get in the way and decided to air on the safe side, she was the girl in the relationship after all.

‘I don’t know’ she let out a heavy sigh and creased her forehead. ‘I know I like him.  I know I’m physically attracted to him.  But do I love him? Maybe…Am I afraid to love him? Maybe…I don’t know.  I thought this would be easy, but it’s not.  Mentally it’s harder than schoolwork and acting.  I’m putting my heart on my sleeve for him to see and its scares the living daylights out of me to be in such a vulnerable position.  To know that you’ve granted permission to someone into your life and allow him the opportunity to love and possibility hurt you, it’s scary.  But Woo Bin ah, what I do know is that today I like being around him and I want to see him tomorrow and each day following that…so maybe I do love him but I’m just too scared to admit it to myself and him.’

Shin Hye looked away and a tear escaped out of the corner of her eye and rolled down her porcelain skin. 

‘Shin Hye ah, I know it’s scary to pour your heart and soul to someone and believe that they will be part of your dreams forever.  But you have to believe in yourself and most importantly him.  I’ve said it before, you remind me of my little sister always cute and pure and I always feel the need to protect you as an older brother.  I’m here for you, whatever you need, I’m just a call and text away even if you just want to ramble, I promise I won’t say a word to him or anyone else.  All this uncertainty you’re feeling right now, you need to tell him how you feel.  I’m positive he cares deeply for you maybe more than you think you know.  You know guys have a hard way of expressing their feelings and I think Min Ho hyung is the extreme, he plays these expressive roles but in real life he’s just a normal guy who can’t express his feelings out of the fear of rejection and maybe pride.  Remember what you said that you want, a simple easy relationship with him, don’t let your insecurities override that.  Shin Hye ah you can do it, I believe in you, fighting!’

He took his thumb and gently wiped away the remains of the tear streak from her face.  He stuck his tongue out and crossed his eyes to make a silly face to lighten up the mood between them, she let out a giggle and he laughed along with her.  The people around them might have thought they were crazy but to him they were in their own little bubble and he was proud of himself that he could make her laugh and lift her spirits.

************************

His phone went off and swiped the screen to see a couple messages awaiting him.  A few were from his sister, a couple from his manager but nothing from her.  He let out an annoyed sigh it’s been 5 hours and 28 minutes to be exact, when he dropped her in front of her house after their slumber party together.  He pleaded her to stay another day but she didn’t want to get her parents, especially her appa, suspicious about her whereabouts.  He hit the standby button and immediately his phone went off again, he swiped the screen and saw a message from Woo Bin.

Woo Bin: Don’t ignore my texts you will regret it.  I’m sharing important wingman spy data!

Min Ho: Wingman spy? Did you see her?

Woo Bin: I should get the wingman MVP award J

Min Ho: Pali what did you find out?

Woo Bin: She’s free next week, her schedule is wide open

Min Ho: And?

Woo Bin: You need to talk things through with her.  She seems flustered.

Min Ho: What does that mean?

Woo Bin: You know talk about how you feel towards her

Min Ho: Can’t she feel it already? Aren’t girls suppose to be more emotionally sensitive than guys?

Woo Bin: Not this girl that your head over heels in love with

Min Ho: Thanks man! I owe you one!

Woo Bin: No problem, that’s what a wingman is for.  You can repay me by bringing me a souvenir from your trip

He swiftly got up from the couch and grabbed for his car keys laying on the glass coffee table.  After Woo Bin’s hints he decided it was time for him to define the relationship and clear the air so there wasn’t any misunderstanding and second guessing between them two.

******************

He parked his car right in front of her restaurant, he used to be petrified of being seen in broad daylight but for her he was wiling to risk it all.  He sat in his car staring into the windows to see if the last guests were getting ready to leave.  They were just wrapping up into their warm wool coats to brace themselves from the cold Seoul winter night wind that would hit them right when they opened the restaurant door.  When the elderly couple walked through the front door hand in hand to their car, Min Ho took one deep breath to gather the courage and open the door to the restaurant.

Min Ho scanned the restaurant to identify the person he wanted to have a heart to heart conversation with.  The servers were busy cleaning off tables and preparing for