You’re like rainbow that came dazzlingly into my heart..

‘Aisssh! It’s so obvious! Her ringtone is your song, your ringtone is her song! I told you two to be careful!’ Manager Han grumbled. They were just too sweet, it was making him sick.

Will you whisper to me with your sweet voice..

‘You’re just jealous that your girlfriend can’t sing!’ Min Ho threw back, unfazed by his Hyung’s complaint.

That from the beginning your heart..

‘Yah! You do realize she sang that song with/ for Lee Shin, also known as Jung Yong Hwa!’

Everyday loving me..

Min Ho made a face. He knew, but he didn’t care. It was either this, or the songs from You’re Beautiful, and if you asked him, he rather be reminded of Yong Hwa than Geun Suk.

I love you

Just be my love.

He tapped the ‘answer’ button and held up his hand to Han Hyung, “Mianhae-ah Hyung, I’m going to talk to my girlfriend, whom I haven’t seen for 37 hours.” His eyes said.

‘Jagi-yah~!’ He answered, watching Manager Han pretend to gag.

‘Oppa! Hajima! That name gives me the chills!’ He heard her laugh on the other line.

‘Wae-yo? It’s endearing!’

Ignoring his question, she steered the conversation away, ‘How did the shooting go yesterday? Did you manage to cry a lot? I already saw some in action when we filled the umbrella scene.’

Min Ho’s mind flashed back to a sick, ghostly, looking Kim Tan, face bruised, hands tightly bandaged, and salty tears streaming down his cheeks, ‘Nah, I just shed a few tears, that’s it.’

Manager Hyung rolled his eyes, and mouthed, ‘Liar!’

Somewhere in between the crying and the fighting, he had busted his mouth. Yes, mouth. As a result, he had spent the entire night and morning icing his lips and mouth to reduce swelling. No kissing My Cherry for a while…To film the scenes, he had search deep inside himself, digging out past hurts, struggles, frustrations…and present fears. One of which included losing Shin Hye.

Surprised, Shin Hye answered, ‘Chincha? Kang PD didn’t make you film and film again, until you managed to produce buckets? I read the script! It seemed like it required a lot of tears!’

Not wanting to tell all, but not wanting to lie either, he responded with a chuckle, ‘Yah! We haven’t seen each other for 37 hours, and all you can talk to me about is work?’

‘What do you want me to say?’

‘I thought about you, I miss you…things like that!’

Manager Han couldn’t take it anymore. Bam! He slammed his planner shut, rose to his feet, and walked away. The honeymoon phase of this relationship was giving him the heebie-jeebies.

‘Are you angry? What was that sound?’

‘Ani, that was Hyung.’

On her end of the line, Shin Hye squeaked, ‘HE WAS LISTENING?’

‘Wae?’

‘You said all that with him around??’

‘Wae??’

‘Opppppaaaaaa!’ Shin Hye wailed. Judging by her unsteady voice, she was also jumping up and down.

Her shyness still amused him, ‘Yah! Why are you still so shy?’

Her only response was her screaming into a soft object, probably a pillow, ‘Ahhhhhhhhhh!’ Finally, she cleared , indicating she had collected herself, ‘Oh! Oppa! I spoke to Hong Star!’

‘Mwo?’ His brain mentally processing the sudden shift in conversation, ‘Hong Star?’ He had seen on the forums somewhere that it was a nickname for one of her close friends, ‘Lee Hong Ki, FT Island?’

‘Ne! It was for Kiss the Radio! After the awards show.’

Min Ho smiled, pride welling up inside him again, ‘Ah! I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you properly! Maybe later, before the HanBam interview, if we can sneak away from the Hyungs.’

She didn’t reply for a split second, as he heard paper flipping, ‘Omo! It’s today? I completely forgot!’

‘Yah, you should note it down as “Time with Jagi”, so you’ll never forget.’

‘Chamna, you really want to be called that, don’t you?’ Her voice suddenly loud but muffled. He figured she was using her shoulder to hold her phone while she sorted out the paperwork she had in front of her.

‘I told you yeobo is fi—’  He heard hushed whispers in the background, What’s going on?

To him, she spoke quickly, ‘Oh? Oppa! I have to go. I’ve got to film a bit more with Jin Hyuk Oppa before I come to you for the reunion scene.’

‘Yah! You called me!...We barely talked!’ He barked, pouting to himself. No one’s looking at me to see, anyway.

‘Mianhae, Oppa. I just called to hear your voice~ I’ll see you soon!’ She replied cheerily, ‘I’m hanging up!’

‘Film the scene qui—’ He heard the dial tone. Aissssh! Didn’t even wait to hear me say bye!...For this, I refuse to congratulate her!

~.~

‘Ne, Anneyoung, Han Oppa!’ She's here! He stepped out from behind a few other crewmembers to see her more clearly. She was talking to his manager, but looking directly at him, a smile playing on her lips.

‘Aisssh! Look at her! She won’t even look at me when she talks!’ Manager Han complained to Manager Jun, who had just ended a call, ‘Yah! Shin Hye-ah! I’m over here!’

Shin Hye sheepishly looked back at his manager, ‘He he he, someone once told me not to look at other men.’ She joked, eyes wandering back to look at Min Ho.

‘She’s always on her phone these days. Ask your boy to stop calling her! She needs to sleep!’ Manager Jun voiced, placing an arm around Manager Han. Min Ho fell into a step beside his own manager, eyes not breaking contact from hers.

‘Yah! Your girl called my boy today! They had the most spine-chilling conversation!’

Jun Hyung barked out in laughter, while Shin Hye’s cheeks burned red.

‘If only everyday could be like this.’ Min Ho mused. ‘Hyung! You said to be careful! Don’t talk about this here!’ He scolded mockingly.

‘Aigoo! Look at this fella. Yah! You’re still not off the hook!’ His manager contended, jabbing Min Ho in the arm. ‘All four of us will need to talk soon.’

Manager Jun was clearly less upset, or affected by their relationship status, as he rose to defend the two lovers, ‘Han-ssi, they’re young. Look at them kindly. The only thing they need to do is to be careful.’ To the pair, he looked, ‘Arasso?’

Min Ho’s eyebrows rose, ‘Hyung! Then why were you protecting her so fiercely for the past week?’

He either had a very wry sense of humour, or he enjoyed seeing Min Ho in misery, because when his response came, Min Ho wanted to throttle him, ‘I didn’t want Han-ssi here to think I was being too soft with Shin Hye. He he he!’

Shin Hye chuckled in amusement, Min Ho’s face at that very moment was quite the sight. She had known about Jun Oppa’s ruse all along, but refrained from mentioning it to Min Ho, due to the promise she made to Manager Jun. He was like an older brother to her, and always had her best interest at heart. Not that Manager Han didn’t have Min Ho’s interest in mind. However, Manager Jun and her went way back, and they had a different set of dynamics between them.  

‘Yah! You got smoked!’ Manager Han said to Min Ho, patting him on the back, ‘You better be nice to Jun-ssi, or he’ll keep your girl locked up, far away.’

‘Ani-ya! It’s not like that!’ Shin Hye finally said, at the sight of a now purple-faced Min Ho.

‘Aigoo! Look at this boy!...Kaja! We need to discuss transport to the Han Bam interview later.’ Manager Jun motioned for Manager Han to follow him, winking at Shin Hye in the process. With that, the two Hyungs walked away chuckling, giving the young pair a few moments alone before filming began.

‘Aisssh! Did you know?’ When Shin Hye nodded in response, Min Ho began carping, ‘Yah! I’m your…’ He lowered his volume so no one would hear, ‘…namja chingu! You’re supposed to place me above the rest! Your allegiance is to me!’

Shin Hye giggled and whispered in return, ‘Oppa, first come first serve! Jun Oppa came first! Besides, I am loyal. I can’t toss him aside just because of you!’

‘Jugulle?’

‘Wae? Don’t you favour loyalty in a girl?’

‘Definitely! Keunde, I’d like it if the loyalty was to me!’

‘Oppa~ You can’t have everything,’ She began walking away, but managed to call out over her shoulder, ‘Or you’ll get too complacent!’

‘Yah! Eodiya?’

‘Ha Eun Unnie asked me to see her before filming…’ Her voice getting lost in the crowd.

Aisssh! First she puts the phone down on me, now she walks away from me! Definitely not offering her my congratulations.

~.~

After an hours rest after the last shooting, Min Ho was woken up abruptly and ushered into a private van, ‘Pali! You cannot be late for the interview filming!’ Manager Han roared, as he pushed him into the van. After the last episode, I’m going to sleep for an entire week.

He was still groggy from his nap, and figured he could just extend his sleep by a little more in the van. The door slammed shut, and he heard someone tap the back of the van, indicating to the driver that it was safe to drive off.

It didn’t occur to him until about five minutes into the drive that his Manager wasn’t in the van with him. Yah! Where is he? His eyes shot wide open as he began pulling out his phone. Just as he was about to click the dial button, he finally realized that there was someone else present, two seats away from him.

‘Eh? When did you get in here?’ He heard his dazed voice say.

The person offered a sleepy smile, ‘Just before you.’

‘You were in here the whole time? Why didn’t you say anything?!’

‘I was hoping to get away with it.’ A yawn was stifled, ‘So we could both sleep.’

‘Yah! I have a bone to pick with you!’ Min Ho quickly leaned forward in his seat, and raised the volume of the radio that was playing in the van. He eased back into his seat and continued, ‘One, you put the phone down on me. Two, you walked away from me. Three, you rather sleep than talk to me! Three strikes! T-H-R-E-E! I’m not congratulating you anymore!’ He held out three fingers to emphasize his point. He was very awake now.

Shin Hye didn’t seem to mind the loud music or the nagging voice; she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, ‘Oppa…tired…later…congratulate…’

‘Didn’t you get any sleep just now?’ He smiled at the image of his half-asleep girlfriend.

‘1 hour. 1 hour of sleep.’

‘Me too…it’s like we slept together!’ Min Ho exclaimed excitedly, ‘Keunde, I’m very awake now, because you’re next to me…where are the managers?’

She tilted her heard towards him, and opened one eye, ‘In a van, behind.’

‘Yah! Why do you know everything?’

‘Maybe if you made Manager Han chocolates for his birthday, he’ll tell you more things.’ She joked, finally opening both her eyes. She gave up on the idea of sleeping. ‘Oppa…I didn’t know getting into a relationship would mean less sleep!’ She whined.

She wasn’t really complaining of course. She was definitely tired, and she definitely needed more sleep. However, knowing that The Heirs filming would be ending soon, she didn’t mind it at all. Very soon, they’d have no reason to give as to why they should be spending time together. Very soon, they wouldn’t be able to see each other everyday. The smile she offered him told him so.

‘Omo, you give other men chocolates!’ Min Ho feigning betrayal, shooting her a pair of accusing eyes.

‘Aisssh! Yah! Focus on the fact th—’

‘Keunde, how did your manager manage to convince Mananger Han to let us ride together?’

She shook her head, ‘He didn’t.’

‘Mwo?’

‘Your manager did.’

‘MWO?’

‘I think you’ll need to make him two boxes of chocolate, Oppa! He’s secretly a shipper.’

I’ll thank him later. His face now sporting a cheeky grin, ‘Only if we make it together…and while it’s sitting, we coul—’

Preventing him from continuing further, Shin Hye teased, ‘Hur hur hur, Oppa, I caught snippets of your crying performance. You’re such a fibber! Where did the tears all come from?’

That earned her a few minutes of silence as Min Ho huffed and crossed his arms.

‘Aigoo! Oppa~ It’s okay, I understand, men need to cry sometimes.’ She leaned across the two seats and began pinching his sulking face, ‘Haven’t done this in awhile…smile!’

Min Ho slapped her ice-cold hands away, ‘Yah! You hands are cold!’ He quickly peered at the driver, then held her hands loosely, ‘We also haven’t done something else in awhile…’ His eyes glittering with mischief.

That was all it took as Shin Hye yanked her hands back, sat back comfortably in her own seat and pouted.

Min Ho chuckled, I’m going to miss bantering back and forth like this…these stolen moments away from the camera, from the filming crew. Just us. I feel like I’ve taken them for granted…

‘Oppa, what are you thinking of?’ Shin Hye questioned, intrigued by the wistful expression on Min Ho’s face, ‘Are you thinking of an old flame?’ She tilted her head, eyes dancing, ‘Which one?’

‘Hul, wae? Are you jealous?’ Aissssh! Why can’t this van drive itself? Then at least I can hug and touch her! ‘I’m thinking of a certain small, storage closet…’ And kiss her. ‘I’ve grown quite fond of it.’ He could see the colour rising to her cheeks, ‘What about you?’ Did you enjoy it as much as I did? ‘We’ve had quite a few kisses in this drama, which one did you think was the best?’

‘Who were you crying over, Oppa?’ Was her comeback. Clever this one.

‘Which kiss did you prefer?’

‘It must’ve been a deep hurt, Oppa~’

‘Rooftop kiss? Closet almost-kiss?...Though I think it’s better known as the air ki—’

‘Who hurt you so deeply, Oppa?’

‘Perhaps the two kisses Kim Tan gave to Eun Sang outside Mango Stix?’

And it continues…

~.~

‘How many hours did you sleep?’ The interviewer asked.

Shin Hye turned to look at Min Ho quickly, then looked away. ‘One hour.’ They said in unison.

Not wanting to waste the opportunity, the interviewer audaciously asked, ‘I’m sorry, did you guys sleep together…?’

‘Mwo? Yah!...Ani!’ Shin Hye panicked internally. ‘Act cool, act cool.’ She raised a hand to , covering her embarrassed laughter. Eager to explain, she quickly turned to the interviewer, ‘We both finished filming at the same time,’ Min Ho busied himself with his shoelace, ‘and we both started filming at the same time today so—’

‘I think I’ll feel sad once it’s over’ Min Ho suddenly said. Eh? Topic change?

To carry on the flow of the conversation, the interviewer politely asked, ‘You’re not feeling sad yet?’

‘Not yet. Park Hyung Sik who plays the role of Myung Soo just finished filming today…’

Ah~ Oppa, is so smart! Shin Hye praised Min Ho internally, glad that the direction of the conversation had steered clear of their sleeping schedule, ‘Since he finished filming today, I’m starting to feel a little sad.’

Just as Shin Hye began to cool down from the initial excitement their sleep schedule brought, the interviewer again suavely switched the conversation over, ‘What’s your favourite scene you filmed as Eun Sang and Kim Tan?’

Shin Hye offered a shy smile, ‘Does it necessarily have to be only one?’

Quick to respond, as if suddenly forgetting they were filming an interview for live television, her namja chinggu cheekily asked, ‘You want to talk about the kiss scene don’t you?’ Aisssh! He’s still not letting go of the conversation we had in the van!

Internally, Shin Hye was screaming. Externally, she continued smiling shyly, ‘No, no, no, not that one!’ Her hand raised in alarm. She turned to give him a look of gentle warning, as she continued, ‘I wasn’t thinking about the kissing scene but rather the “almost kiss”. The moment leading up to it was very tense and close.’

Much to her relief, Min Ho’s words were fairly diplomatic, ‘Me too, I prefer that scene. The “will he, won’t he” move.’

‘A lot of people called this sequence, “The Empty Kiss”.’ She added.

‘Yeah, it was supposed to be an “I’m holding off myself” action. But it turns out I was moving my lips after all!’ Min Ho explained.

Shin Hye’s mind momentarily shot back to the charged atmosphere of the storage closet. They had rehearsed the scene with Kang PD moments before filming. However, as they were shooting, when Min Ho leaned in for the almost kiss, his moving mouth gave her the impression that he fully intended to act on the kiss. Perhaps it was the electric atmosphere, the close proximity, or the feeling as if they were all on their own…whatever it was, she had wanted him to kiss her then too.

‘I wasn’t thinking about it, it wasn’t intentional.’ Min Ho’s voice continued.

Shin Hye’s mind snapped back to the present. Oppa! You’re giving them too much information to feed on! She covered her face in embarrassment, not quite sure how to stop Min Ho from saying more.

‘So it turned out to be an “Empty Kiss”. Weirdly enough, but now I know the right angle to kiss properly without my nose getting in the way.’

When Min Ho ended his dialogue with a laugh, she thought she could steer the conversation away, far away from the talk of the kiss scene, but he continued, ‘The place where we filmed wasn’t actually a film set. The aim was to create a very close, electrical, marvellous feeling.’

Behind the cameras, Shin Hye could see a half-chuckling, half-frowning Manager Han, and a smirking Jun Oppa.

‘And since it was a confined space, it really did feel rather comfortable.’

Yah! Oppa! You could’ve stopped at telling them the aim! Jugulle? Shin Hye whipped her head to face him, and hit him lightly. On the other hand, her namja chingu laughed along comfortably with the interviewer. What is this punk trying to do?

I’m going to knock his teeth out in the van!











 

Author's Note:

I know I toned down the 'heat' factor by 80 notches in this chapter, but I just really wanted to 'tap' in on their everyday conversations and interaction amidst their busy schedules, Hallyu status and lack of sleep. Their current relationship dynamics, basically; the ease and comfort between them, the lighthearted conversations...but still very much shy, and getting to know each other. 

Thank you so much for the encouraging comments, I really appreciate them :)

And in case you were wondering which song I was quoting for Min Ho's ringtone, here it is:
The Day We Fall In Love
I was hooked on the song for ages. Still am.