‘It’s too risky! Absolutely not!’

‘Why not? We’ll just be going as co-stars! The fans will love it!’

‘No! My word is final! It’s one thing to sit together in between scenes, or taking the same van to an interview…but you’re not going to the awards show together! You must have some sense!’ Manager Han rebuked.

Min Ho huffed. He and Shin Hye had been missing each other ever since the filming of The Heirs ended. The last day of filming was bittersweet for both of them, but neither had the time to stop and gather themselves since then. Aside from the charity event, and the filming after party…they had been in and out of the country. Her with Won Bin at a Chinese awards show, him shuffling between Singapore and China for various events.

His memory shifted back to a particular conversation they had in between flights,

‘Yah! He hugged me!’

‘Why did you let him hug you?’

‘Why did you let her kiss you?’

‘It was fake!’

‘The hug was friendly!’

The only thing keeping their relationship alive at this point was their constant communication via text messaging and phone calls. And while he never quite liked the idea of couple wear, Shin Hye insisted that it was the only ‘normal’ couple thing they could indulge themselves in. So he began finding himself checking what she intended to wear to the airport the night before any flight.

‘A black leather jacket, Oppa’

Or

‘I have a red plaid scarf, it’ll go well with your red plaid shirt…’   

Now, with 2014 on the horizon, their schedules would only get a lot busier. With the little time they had remaining before the New Year, he wanted to squeeze as much time with her as possible. Including attending the awards show together with his Heirs co-star, Park Shin Hye, his yeoja chingu. Was that too much to ask?

‘Yah! Why’re you silent? Are you plotting against me?’ His Manager’s words breaking his train of thoughts. ‘Chamna, you’re 26, not 8! One would think a 26-year old like you can understand the meaning of, “No”!’  When Min Ho all but stuck out his tongue, Manager Han continued, ‘Yah! I expected some gratitude for having allowed you to continue dating her! That girl gave me handmade chocolates. You! What did you give me? Socks! In all the years I have known you, I have received at least thirty pair of socks from you! The latest one must be the worst one I’ve ever received!’

Min Ho roared with laughter, the latest sock he had gifted to his Hyung was bright pink with a cartoon couple printed all over it. Even he had to admit, it was pretty atrocious.

A day after The Heirs wrap-up party, Shin Hye, himself, and the two managers had sat down in Min Ho’s apartment to discuss the more official, nitty-gritties of their relationship. What were they to do in the event the media caught on to their relationship? When should they let the companies know? Should they tell their immediate family and friends? How long were they going to keep it secret before going public?

They’d deny any rumours until Shin Hye felt more confident, more courageous to reveal their relationship to the public. The companies would be notified of their relationship status after the New Year. As of now, it’d be best if as little people as possible knew about their exclusive relationship. Aside from Yong Hwa who had guessed as much when Min Ho first met him, nobody else was to know.

‘Talk often, laugh often, bicker if you must…be a happy, normal couple as you can possibly be.’ Was Jun Hyung parting words.

‘Gomawo, Hyung!’ He had responded.

‘Just don’t produce a little Min Ho too soon, Oh? I’m not ready to babysit.’

His words earned himself a hard whack from Shin Hye, ‘Nobody says these things!’

‘What about a Little Shin Hye?’ Came Min Ho’s cheeky response. No prizes for guessing why his arm was stinging moments later.

To his Hyung, Min Ho rebutted, ‘I told that girl not to give other men chocolates!’

‘Well the girl has good sense to not listen to you. Call her, call her now. Ask her if she’ll be “your date” to the awards show!’

‘Absolutely not! It’s Christmas Eve! She’s busy!’ Min Ho acting scandalized. ‘Speaking of which, I never asked her what she’ll be doing tonight…’

‘Fine, I’ll call her!’ With that, he tapped a few buttons on his mobile.

Min Ho folded his arms and slumped in his seat. ‘How childish!’ His words falling to deaf ears.

Drring! Drring! Drring! Manager Han had placed the call on speaker.

‘Yeoboseyo?’ Her voice ringing loud and clear through the speaker. There was music in the background.

‘Shin Hye-ah? Are you busy?’

‘Ani, I’ll always have time for you Han Oppa~!’

‘Aigoo~ You really know how to sweet talk a man!’ Manager Han cooed.

Simultaneously, Min Ho quickly rose to say, ‘Yah! Why’re you talking to him like that?’

‘Eh? Am I on speaker? Wae-yo?’

No, “Hello, Jagi-yah~”, just “Am I on speaker?” Yah! This yeoja chingu! Min Ho scrunched up his face.

Manager Han took his silence as a sign to carry on, ‘Ah, Shin Hye-ah. I called to ask you for your opinion on something.’

‘Mwo?’

‘What are your thoughts on being Min Ho’s date to the SBS Drama Awards?’

‘EH? Oppa! Andwe! There’ll be too much gossip!’ Her voice a little higher pitched than usual, ‘Did you suggest this, Oppa? I thought you were more level-headed!’

On men’s end of the line, Min Ho was startled by her stark disapproval, while Manager Han was gloating for all the world to see, ‘Kamsahamnida, for believing in me. I do have to be the level-headed one, because your namja chingu thought it’d be a good idea to attend the awards show together.’

Shin Hye snickered, ‘Chamna, Mianhae, Oppa. He can be quite the daydreamer. But, even if I wanted to, I can’t.’

Min Ho grabbed the phone from Manager Han, switching it back to handset mode, ‘Wae-yo? Who are you going with? Why are you going with him?’

Han Hyung tried to grab the phone back, but Min Ho quickly rose to his feet and stepped to the far end of the room. His Hyung was attached to his phone, but not that attached that he’d get up from the couch he was lying so comfortably on.

‘Ha ha ha, I’m not going with anyone!’

‘Are you not going? Wae? Jun Hyung assured me that you’d be in attendance!’

‘Why is Jun Hyung giving you the four-one-one on my schedule!?’

‘Aisssh! That’s not important!’

‘Well…he must’ve failed to mention that I’ll be spending the first bit of the awards show at KBS.’

‘Which namja is there? Who are you meeting?’ His hand clutched the phone tighter.

Manager Han rolled his eyes as he flipped the newspaper, his face read: You’re an embarrassment to mankind.

‘Many good looking men!’ Shin Hye joked, when Min Ho growled in return, she chuckled. It was way too easy to tick Min Ho off, ‘I have to give away an award.’

‘Tell them to ask someone else to give it away!’

‘I can’t do that! It’s not polite!...I’ll be making an entrance at the SBS show before I head to the KBS awards show. I’ll hand the award over to the new winners, and I’ll be at SBS before you know it. Arasso?’

‘Don’t hold the guys arm. Woo Bin was okay. But this other man, I probably don’t know him.’

‘Oppa! What do you want me to say? “I can’t hold your arm, my namja chingu will eat you.” It’d make for a very awkward situation!’

‘Yes, say that, exactly that.’

‘Oppa~, you take care okay? Drink lots of water, I’m putting the phone down now~’

‘Wait! What are you doing toni—’

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Aisssh! She’s doing this way too often!

‘You’re the childish one.’ Manager Han said to the pouting Min Ho. ‘Give me back my phone.’













Author's Note:

It was named 'Interlude' because this chapter was me kinda transitioning from
their relationship in between filming to after filming.

*I had to do a lot of back reading the past few days, because I've sort of forgotten
what has transpired since The Heirs filming ended. So forgive me for inaccuracies!

Anyhoo, Thank You for the encouraging comments! :)