‘Yah! Oppa! Someone may come in!’ Shin Hye cried, shocked from Min Ho’s sudden hug.

‘Mianhae, Shin Hye-ah. I just wanted to give my girlfriend our first hug as a couple.’ He said into her hair, his hand sliding to hold the nape of her neck.

His sweet words made her forget about the unlocked door. Smiling, her hands slowly circled his waist, and linked at his back, ‘We’ve hugged before, Oppa.’

‘Ne, but it was as Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sang. I want to hug you as Lee Min Ho, unscripted.’ With Shin Hye still in his arms, Min Ho conversationally discussed, ‘When are you going to change my name in your phone from Kim Tan to Lee Min Ho? Or better yet, Namja Chingu. No wait, how about, Jagi? If you desire, I’ll even accept yeobo.’

Shin Hye chuckled into his chest.

‘Yah! Why’re you laughing? I’m serious!’

‘Ani, I was just tickled by the little conversation you were having with yourself.’ Shin Hye said, shifting her head such that one of her ears was against his chest instead. ‘I didn’t expect you to want to be addressed by such cheesy names.’

‘Aisssh!’ Not giving her any chance to escape, the hand that was holding her nape moved to fiddle with her exposed ear.

‘Oppa! Hajima!’ Min Ho held on to the hug tightly, despite her struggles. 

'You know, I’m beginning to think that you tease me this often because you actually like me to touch your ears.’

‘OPPPPAAA! Hajimaaaaa!’ Her hands unlinked, desperately trying to dislodge herself from Min Ho.

Not wanting their first hug to end, Min Ho relented. With his free hand, he pulled one of her hands back around him, then the other. ‘Arasso, arasso. Let’s just savour this moment first.’

~.~
 

The door flew open, causing the embracing lovers to quickly pull apart, ‘Yah! What’s going on here?!’ It was Min Ho’s Manager. He didn’t look too pleased. In fact, he looked absolutely pissed. ‘This doesn’t look like rehearsal. How long has this been going on?’ He stepped into the dressing room, quickly closing the door behind him, and locking it.

‘Hyung…please lower yo—’ Min Ho began, while deliberately stepping further away from Shin Hye.

‘Yah! I asked you a question!’

Shin Hye shrunk down into the sofa, hand holding her face. Her shaking hands felt icy cold against her face. She hadn’t expected the elders to find out so fast. With eyes closed, she began ruminating about all the ways they could’ve avoided this situation.

Min Ho wasn’t doing too well himself. Until today, they had been really carefully. Moreover, even when they were all alone, they barely engaged in any kind of physical contact, let alone physical intimacy. However, of all days, today, the one day they decided to indulge themselves in some form of couple-like behaviour, they ended up getting caught.

‘What were the chances?’ Min Ho puffed out from under his breath. In a more audible voice, Min Ho announced, albeit brazenly, ‘Give or take 3-weeks.’ Shin Hye and himself never got round to discussing what plan of action they’d take if any of the elders did find out of them. However, he didn’t want her thinking he was ashamed of them. He also wanted his Hyung to conclude from his answer that he meant business. He wasn’t planning on letting go of Shin Hye just because his Hyung raised his voice a bit.

‘Neo Micheoseo? At the height of your career? At the height of both your careers? Anyone else could’ve caught you just now! ANYONE!’ His hyung barked out, positively livid.

‘To hell with the height of our careers! What is life without love and happiness?’ scoffed Minho, silently of course.

However, Manager Han’s voice softened when he directed his next question to Shin Hye, ‘Shin Hye-ah, does your hyung know?’

Shin Hye looked up and caught Min Ho’s gaze, voice caught in . Instead, she shook her head in reply.

Manager Han let out a long sigh, gears working in his head. ‘You’re official?’ He asked. He may have caught them in each other’s arms, but until it was confirmed, it could be assumed that they were just acting on their feelings, without the label of “Boyfriend” and “Girlfriend”.

‘Yes.’ Min Ho answered plainly. There’s no use in hiding it now. He reasoned. I’m just hoping that with all the positive outcomes honesty has afforded Shin Hye and I these past few weeks, honesty will will once again, help sort this out quickly, preferably with a good ending.

‘Just like that? Yes? You’ve got nothing else to say?’

Min Ho opened his mouth to speak, but Shin Hye beat him to it. It was probably better that she did actually, she was much better with words and controlling her emotions than he was. ‘Ani, ahjussi. He probably has a lot to say. But it’s probably best that he didn’t. It’d only make this situation even more uncomfortable.’ She gave Min Ho an apologetic look and continued, ‘I think I speak for the both of us when I say that we are very sorry that we kept you and Manager Jun Oppa in the dark. We understand that part of your anger comes from the fact that as Min Ho’s manager, you are expected to know of his comings and goings, who he speaks to, who he calls, what he tweets, which magazine he shoots for…and most of all, about his relationship status. Thus, the fact that you were kept in the dark, not only jeopardized Min Ho’s career, but your own as well.’

Manager Han’s face had relaxed; resulting in Min Ho letting out the breath he was holding.

Shin Hye took this as a good sign and found enough confidence to press on, ‘It was self-centred of us. We shouldn’t have, but we did. We can’t change that. Now, I can’t speak for Min Ho Oppa in regard to his feelings. But I can tell you that I really like Min Ho Oppa, and I hope, in time, you will be able to look on us kindly. I always had the interest of our careers at the back of my head, and I do not want to jeopardize any of our careers.’

Min Ho’s heart swelled with pride, a feeling he experienced very often whenever he was around Shin Hye. This girl is mine.

Shin Hye stood, and bowed slightly, ‘Please accept my apology. I understand if you need time to think it through…but when you are ready, we hope to work together with you in ensuring this relationship is both successful and not damaging to any our futures.’ Min Ho could tell she was feeling rattled, despite her calm exterior. The unconscious pursing of lips, and fiddling of her ring told him so. 

Dayum! How does Manager Jun ever get any word in with her? I don’t even see how Hyung can say ‘No’ now! Min Ho mused.

True enough, the only reply Manager Han could offer was a grunt.

Min Ho gave his Hyung a second or two to gather his thoughts before he finally offered his own apology, ‘Mianhae, Hyung.’

After a long while, Manage Han gravely said, ‘I will have to tell Manager Jun.’ Shin Hye nodded; Min Ho bit his lip. ‘I won’t tell him today. But I will, within this week. Don’t do anything stupid until then. In fact, it’d be even better if you guys don’t meet in enclosed rooms until we figure this out. Arasso?’

 Shin Hye meekly asked, ‘Will you tell the companies?’

‘Not yet. They’ll need to know eventually. But it can wait.’

‘Gomawo, ahjussi.’

‘Ne.’ Manager Han acknowledged and then moved to unlock the door, ‘Come out quickly.’ He stepped out of the room and closed the door softly behind him.

After what had happened, it would be expected that there’d be a lot to say.

However, neither of them said anything after Han Hyung’s departure. Manager Han had basically, indirectly told them to discuss whatever they had to discuss today, within the confines of this enclosed room, because they may not get a chance to again for a while.

The thought that they wouldn’t get moments together like the one they had before Manage Han walked in, saddened them. It frightened them. Yet, they were not ready to kick and scream, and shout to the world the status of the relationship just so they could be together whenever they pleased. They knew better. They knew they weren’t the conventional couple. Conventional couples only had their parents to worry about, to please. They had their parents, their managers, and their companies, the media, and the fans. They also knew that to some extent, the success of their relationship lied in the hands of their managers. All it took to keep them apart was to rearrange their schedules, making it impossible for them to ever meet.

I’m a man. I should speak first. As the man, I should break this silence…Aisssh! I sound so masochistic! Min Ho’s mind was turning like clock work, trying to find the right words to say. She was so perfect just now, speaking on the behalf of both of us. I suddenly feel like any words I say now will be inadequate.

‘Th-thank you.’ Min Ho broke out.

Shin Hye peered at him curiously, ‘Oppa, you say “Thank you” a lot.’

‘Ah…I am thankful. Everyday. I’m not as great with words, probably why you had to make the first move, and why you had to help me with dealing with my little jealousy outburst…’ Shin Hye offered him a small, encouraging smile, edging him to continue. ‘I’m just really glad that you stayed and spoke for Us. I was really scared for a while that you’d bolt when Han Hyung barged in on us.’ Then he chuckled, ‘…I guess you could say my thank-you’s is my way of saying, saranghae-yo.’

Shin Hye froze. Her face suddenly blank. She stood next to the sofa, silent.

‘No-not that all my thank you’s be-before were me saying, th-that—’ He could tell he startled her. Pabo-ya! You went from inadequate to too much information! ‘I…I just mea-meant that, uh, of late, I’ve been feeling th-that way.’

No response.

‘At least tell me if that you’re not irked about what I said?’

Shin Hye shook her head.

Pabo-ya! 'Don't do anything stupid', Manager Han said. And I went and did just that. Granted he was refering to other things, but still... Embarrassed that the first time he said those words, ended with her frozen cold, he tried to steer her mind away from his abrupt confession, ‘We should ah…discuss about our problem…’ How can we? With those three words hanging in the air…

She must’ve been thinking the same thing because the only reaction she offered were two blinks of the eye.

‘Yea, you’re right. There’s not much to discuss…we should just wait till we speak to our Hyung’s.’

She nodded slowly, avoiding his gaze.

‘Bu-but our main aim is to stay together right?’ Her silence worried him. He’d never scared a yeoja away with such endearing words before. She might just be the first.

Suddenly her phone began buzzing, breaking the silence on her end of the room.

I want to be your boyfriend.
Do not be scared. Say yes.
Only to you, a man like me is so kind.
There is no other that is same as me, you should know.
So will you be my girl friend? Don’t keep me in suspense.
Say yes.
I will not see other girls.
Hey, are u willing to be my girl?

Her ringtone was his song. The song he sang to her in the back of her chauffeured van. Hearing it gave him some hope.

‘Jun Oppa?’ Her voice came, a few notches higher than usual. Covering the speaking end of her mobile, ‘Mianhae, Min Ho-ssi. Can I be excused?’ She spoke to him, but not actually looking at him.

‘Ne, Go ahead. I’ll catch you later.’ He said, watching her vigilantly as she quickly exited the room.

Our first hug found out by the first witness, Han Hyung, and my first failed love confession. Yah! Honesty. What happened?