She grabbed the water pitcher from the cold refrigerator and lightly kicked the door closed with her foot.  She drank a full cup of water, her daily ritual before bed to ensure that her skin kept hydrated.  As she was getting ready to close the kitchen lights and call it a day, her appa walked in.

‘Shin Hye ah, its past midnight and you’re still up’ he looked at her oddly as she never says up past midnight when she doesn’t have work commitments. 

‘I couldn’t sleep, I guess it was from going to the gym late tonight’ partly it was because of the late night gym visit that keep her endorphins high but her brain and body was awake because it was thinking of Min Ho. 

Her father rubbed his hands together and let out a big smile.  He took a few big strides to the refrigerator and opened the freezer removing a round container.

‘Well if my sleeping beauty is ready for sleep, lets have some ice cream’ he beamed.

‘Appa! I’m an actress, I can’t just eat ice cream’ she whined like a little girl.

‘Why not? Actresses have to eat!’

‘Actresses only eat raw vegetable and fruit.  Eating past midnight will make me fat.  Eating ice cream will make me fatter!’

‘Is that why they always look so miserable?’ he let out a chuckle when she giggled from his response.

‘Shin Hye first and foremost you are my daughter.  I’m not speaking to the Hallyu princess Park Shin Hye, I’m speaking to my daughter Park Shin Hye.  This is our favorite father daughter past time and I want to have ice cream with you so we are going to do it if you like it or not!’ her appa stuck his tongue out at her like she always does to him when they argue and she tries to override him.

‘Fine you win!’ she jokingly rolled her eyes admitting defeat and laughed.

He handed her a bowl of two scoops of chocolate and strawberry ice cream and they plopped themselves onto the kitchen counter.  She was her spoon enjoying the bitterness of the chocolate mixed with the sweet strawberry ice cream melting in .

‘Appa, you got home late tonight.  Was the restaurant really busy tonight?’ after her parents opened their restaurant and Shin Hye’s acting career taking of they saw each other less and less.

‘A little, I got caught up with a customer’ her appa finishing the last of the ice cream in his bowl.

‘That must have been either a regular or some celebrity to get you to stay late’

‘Neither’

‘Neither?’

‘He was a hopeless romantic.  Someone who came in ate too much, drank too much and ended up pouring his heart and soul out to a stranger’ her appa stifled a low chuckle.

‘He must have made an impression on you.  You typically don’t stay late at the restaurant.’

‘Indeed he did.  Shin Hye ah, how are things going between you and him?’ her appa decided to stop beating around the bush.

‘Good, we’re still seeing each other. I’m still happy, things are still simple to some extent.  When the time is right I’ll bring him home to formally meet the family.  I just need to sort out a few things before I do that.  I want to make sure he’s the right one before I introduce him to you.  Both of you mean a lot to me and I want to make sure he’s the only guy I have to introduce to you’ she smiled.

‘Good, I’m glad to hear things are going well and you’ve found a way to keep things simple and happy.  You shouldn’t think too much, trust your gut and go with it’ he patted her head and both of them smiled reminiscing about the good old days when she would hang around her appa in the kitchen like his assistant chef and whenever she did a good job he would pat her head.

‘He’ too busy anyways, maybe when his schedule slows down I’ll bring him home’ she shrugged.

‘I think you might be underestimating him.  Maybe you should just ask him….It’s getting late and I’m getting old.  I think it’s time for my beauty sleep’ he put his hand over his mouth to cover his yawn and walked towards the living room.

‘Shin Hye ah, you’re free tomorrow for a week right?’ he turned around abruptly and asked.

‘Deh appa, what’s up?’ she had a confused look.

‘Perfect! We decided to go on a family trip to Paris and leave tomorrow am.  Pack light since I assume you’ll be shopping there.  I left the plane ticket on your desk, omma and I have to go to the restaurant to check on a few things so we’ll meet you at the airport.   Sweet dreams princess’ without a second word and not giving her a chance to respond, he walked away.

Paris? Tomorrow? For a week? What have the aliens done to my appa? This is not the appa I know.  The appa I’ve grown to love for the last 24 years is a well thought out man.  It takes him a year to plan a vacation and lets us know 6 months in advance about our flight itinerary.  He’s never cut it this close.  Something fishy is definitely going on.  Is he trying to surprise omma for their upcoming wedding anniversary?  Hmm…yes I think that’s it, that’s the only explanation for his unusual behavior.

Shin Hye walked into her room and opened her closet to find the biggest suitcase she had.  She’s never been to Paris before but I was definitely on her list of top places to visit.  She loved the fashion, desserts, museums and ballet houses there, just thinking of it made her filled to the brim with happiness.

Ring….ring…

She smiled widely when her eyes caught the name of the caller, Tanni.  She gladly hit the accept button and answered her phone.

‘It hasn’t even been 12 hours and you miss me already’ she teased.

‘Yah! I wouldn’t miss you if you stayed at my house tonight for our second round slumber party’

‘Oppa what am I going to do with you’

‘Oh I can think of some interesting things.  You wanna hear?’

‘Ani! I’ll miss you’

‘Wait you’re using the future tense.  I’ll miss you.  Where are you going?’ he played dumb.

‘Paris!’

‘What?! For how long?’

‘A week’

‘What?! Why didn’t’ you tell me earlier? I could’ve arranged to go with you.’

‘Miane, 1 you a