One campfire scene, one poolside scene, two recording room scenes, one hand pulling scene, two light kisses, and a emotional hug scene later, Min Ho and Shin Hye still hadn’t addressed the issue concerning their mutual feelings for each other.

Instead, they have been skirting around the issue, returning to their playful teasing’s, and their light flirtations. Each time Min Ho tried to bring the issue up, Shin Hye’d find a way to avert his attention, or to invite someone to join their conversation. Despite his anxiousness to talk things over, he found her attempts to avoid the inevitable, imminent conversation rather endearing. Thus, he indulged her each time.

What are they? Were they exclusive? Could they risk it? If they did become exclusive, whom should they tell?

Min Ho had some experience with dealing with dating a celebrity. He had a rough idea what to expect when and if the media were to find out. He wasn’t sure what was Shin Hye’s experience, and he hoped to find out when they finally breached the topic.

~.~

‘This is a turning point for Eun Sang and Kim Tan. Eun Sang has finally opened up a bit to Kim Tan, and Kim Tan isn’t about to let her crawl back into her shell after today. Kim Tan is aware of Eun Sang’s fear, but he also knows that the only reason why he feels this alive again is because of Eun Sang. He’s ascertain that their relationship can power through any obstacle, but Eun Sang still isn’t too sure. He’s got quite a forward going nature, which Min Ho-ssi has conveyed very well so far.’ Kim Eun Sook said, offering Min Ho an approving nod.

‘His confidence and forward-going nature contrasts Eun Sang’s. She places logic above her emotions, and abides by the expectations of others above her own. She’s a tough girl, but she always knows her place in the world, making her appear weak at times. Kim Tan wants to break open all the doors that are holding both of them back, but Eun Sang comprehends that it cannot be done hastily. I’ll need you two to convey this to audience in the coming episodes.’ Eun Sook continued.

It was their weekly meeting with Eun Sook. Just so that they were all on the same page on how Eun Sook had imagined the characters to be played out. Sometimes, time willing, they’d sort out minor details or suggested possible outcomes for the characters. Eun Sook also took this time to give the actors and actresses an idea of what is to come, just so they could prepare in advance.

‘Up until now, both of you have played Eun Sang and Kim Tan excellently. Now, it’s time to step up the cute factor, we need more chemistry! More importantly, viewers will be wanting more skinship...’ Eun Sook paused for a while then looked at Shin Hye directly, ‘…So I wanted to check with you if you’re comfortable with one kiss scene that may involve some mouth-to-mouth action?’

Shin Hye felt her stomach flip. Mouth-to-mouth…with Kim Tan? With the Kim Tan that is played by Min Ho. The Min Ho whom she confessed her feelings to? The Min Ho who teasingly suggested they lip-locked…and more? Yea…yea she could do that. She could, right?

‘Whatever is necessary,’ Shin Hye managed to say, her words professional, and her voice steady. Unlike the crazy beating of her heart. 

~.~

Concurrently, just inches away, Min Ho suffered from similar tummy flips.  

He didn’t care who else was in the room, or how obvious he was, he had turned to look at Shin Hye directly. He wanted to see the emotions, if any showed, on her face. If she felt anything like how he was feeling now, he was sure he’d be able to pick out a hint or two of slight nervousness, mixed with anticipation.

Don’t get him wrong, he wasn’t too pleased by the fact that he’d be lip locking with Shin Hye on the small screen, for million of viewers to see. In fact, he was a little disappointed that their first, proper kiss will be televised to audiences on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Unless they skipped the shy, courting phase and jumped straight to the I-can’t-get-my-hands-off-you phase…, which wasn’t going to happen anyway, their first proper kiss wasn’t going to be a private one. But he’d be lying to himself if he said that he wasn’t anticipating kissing her. Just her. Min Ho kissing Shin Hye.

Shin Hye’s face gave nothing away, ‘Whatever is necessary.’ She said. However, upon closer inspection, Min Ho could see a slight blush painting her cheeks, and her eyes exposed how flustered she really was by Eun Sook’s question. Innocence.  

I’ll be entering unchartered waters. Her lips, my flag. Min Ho mused to himself. Well, sort of. I refuse to count the other screen kisses she has had with Se7en, Geun Suk and Shi Yoon. Those aren’t counted. As far as I know, and I hope I’m right…I, Lee Min Ho, will be teaching her the art of—’

‘Min Ho-ssi, I am assuming you’re okay with it? You’ve had a number of such scenes yourself.’ Eun Sook interrupting Min Ho’s wayward thoughts.

It was Min Ho’s turn to colour, Aisssh! Shin Hye doesn’t need to be reminded of that! ‘Ah, yes…yes, I’m okay.’ Stammered Min Ho. He noticed Shin Hye holding back a snicker from the corner of his eye.

Eun Sook nodded, looking pleased with herself, ‘Good, good. Kang PD and I were thinking of staging it in the same storage closet you guys filmed in before. The air-kiss scene was done so well, the atmosphere was spot on.’ she said, her head bent over some papers.

The young pair glanced at each other. Min Ho gulped. Shin Hye shifted in her seat uneasily.

Oh, that closest. Min Ho raked his fingers through his hair. Kim Eun Sook sure knew how to write a scene.

‘Alright, I think that’s all there is for today! Thank you so much for the good job so far!’ Eun Sook said, rising to her feet.

Min Ho stood with Shin Hye, ‘Kamsahamnida!’ They said in unison and bowed.

Eun Sook tittered and crooned, ‘Aigoo! You’re even in tune with one another!’

~.~

Outside, in Shin Hye’s van, on the way back to their next filming venue, Min Ho abruptly quizzed, ‘Aside from all your screen kisses, have you had any other kisses?’ Music was playing fairly loudly from the van’s stereo, so he wasn’t too worried about the driver being able to hear their conversation.

He caught her off guard, he could see. Her phone slipped from her hand and fell to the car floor, ‘Where…where is this coming from?’ Came her reply.

‘Just wondering.’ He recalled an earlier conversation with his Manager about him not being ‘the first’. This was his not-so-discreet way of finding out what ‘first’ his Hyung may have been talking about.

‘Is…is…is it important?’ He could almost see the gears working in her head. Chamna, why is she being so hesitant?

‘Yah! Why aren’t you answering? What are you trying to hide?’ Min Ho studied her closely. She bit her lip, embarrassment showing.

‘You’ve had had others haven’t you!’ His words sounded more accusing than questioning than he had intended.

‘Ne?’ She squeaked. Then suddenly, as if his last few words finally sunk in, ‘Yah!—’ She barked, ‘…“You’ve had others haven’t you” sounds like I’ve played around and cheated on you!’

Min Ho chuckled at the realization. She’s right, it did come out wrong. ‘Ani! You know I didn’t mean it that way.’

She looked at him with narrowed eyed, a hint of humour played on her lips, ‘What did you mean?’

She’s trying to avoid answering the question. Sly little fox! ‘Let me rephrase my question. Ahem. Park Shin Hye, have you properly kissed another man before?’

‘Oppa~ Why’re you asking these questions all of a sudden?’ She whined, ‘Yah! You’re not even my boyfriend!’

Feeling impish, Min Ho saw how he could work the conversation to discussing their mutual feelings for one another. They had time. They were caught in a jam anyway. It’d take at least an hour to get back to their filming venue, judging by the long line of cars. ‘Shall I be your boyfriend?’

‘You want to be my boyfriend…so you can ask me who else I’ve kissed?’ Shin Hye said slowly, trying to understand the logic behind his question.

‘Maybe.’

‘Maybe? You maybe want to be my boyfriend so you can find out how many other guys I’ve kissed?’

In response, Min Ho suddenly broke into a familiar tune, ‘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 girlfriend? Don’t keep me in suspense. Say Yes~ I will not see other girls. Hey! Are you willing to be my girl?—’

Shin Hye clutched her tummy and broke into laughter, ‘Oppa!...Why are…you…singing your…song? Geumanhae!’ she managed to say in between barks of laughter.

I could do this everyday. He mused, ‘I wanna be your boy friend. Do not be scared. Say yes~’

‘Oppa! No more—’

‘Hey! Are you willing to be my girl? I want you to be my girl~’

Tears were streaming down Shin Hye’s face now, ‘Yah! Geumanhae!’ Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes filled with mirth. She grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and dabbed the side of her eyes.

Looking at her keenly, the side of his eyes wrinkled, ‘Say yes?’

After her laughter had died down, her face gradually grew serious, ‘Mianhe, Oppa. You’ve been patiently waiting for me as I dodged this conversation. And I was the one who started everything…’

He sensed her remorse. In his opinion, there was no need for it. True that he had been waiting for them to discuss them. However, he wouldn’t go so far as to fault her with wanting to postpone the discussion. It is a heavy matter…

 ‘I did give it some thought though,’ Shin Hye shared. Min Ho in a large breath. ‘And I came to the conclusion that if there’s going to be an Us…it’s going to be very difficult. No matter how I looked and turned, the chapters of Our book won’t be all pretty. That scared me.’ Shin Hye stopped and looked down at the idle hands in her lap, ‘I am sure you know why.’

Min Ho nodded. He knew why. He was all too acquainted with the co-star turned couple relationship. Even the smoothest ride would be filled with lots bumpy, unsealed back roads, ‘Yea…’ Yet, he wasn’t too comfortable with the way the conversation was headed. It sounded like her fear for the consequences was leading her to a decision he wasn’t really ready to accept.  

He wanted to take her hands in his, to offer her some physical comfort, but he knew he couldn’t. The driver may not be able to hear their conversation, but he’d be able to see their interaction through the van’s rear-view mirror. Even though company drivers aren’t supposed to divulge to the public what happens in these celebrity vans, and so theoretically, he could take her hand in his…it wasn’t a risk he was willing to take.

‘Our parents. Our managers. The company. The media. The fans. The anti-fans…’ Her voice dragged out on the last three words.

He knew. Out of all the obstacles Korean celebrity couples faced, Shin Hye was probably most afraid of the anti-fans. Negative words, threats, harassment, and sometimes attacks. These were the common activities of said anti-fans. They were plenty enough reason to convince many celebrities, some of them were his own close friends, to avoid any possible romantic relations.

Though he had found some renewed hope in the possibly of dating again after his good friend, Kim Bum openly admitted to his relationship with acting veteran, Moon Geun Young. The news of their relationship resulted in very little negative repercussions. In fact, surprisingly, majority of the netizen’s offered their hearty congratulations to this latest celebrity couple. Even big celebrities like Hyun Bin and Song Hye Kyo managed to get through their couple life unscathed.

There’s hope yet. Min Ho contemplated. ‘I think my parents are the least of our worries…’ Min Ho voiced, ‘They’re quite taken with you, really.’ He wanted to lift her mood, even if just a little. ‘I hear certain male celebrities have already gotten approval from their mothers, in regards to you.’

Humour flickered in her eyes, ‘My mom likes you too.’

‘Only your mother?’

‘Appa hasn’t decided.’ She gibed.

‘Wae? I’m handsome, I’m very financially stable, I have good morals, I have good character, and…you like me!’

Heat rose to her cheeks, ‘You’re also very self-assured, perhaps too self-assured.’ She said with a chuckle.

‘Ani, I’m simply stating the facts.’ Don’t you agree?

Shin Hye shook her head in resignation, but made no move to reply. She looked out her window and sighed deeply. Moments went by.

They hadn’t settled anything yet.

‘What should we do?’ He asked, breaking the silence between them, ‘To be honest, I’m also rather selfish.’

She was looking at him now, befuddlement plastered on her face, ‘Selfish?’

‘Yes, selfish. Selfish because despite knowing the possible consequences, I still want to be with you. I don’t want to…No, I refuse to let go of what’s in front of me.’

‘In front of you…’ Her words echoed after his.

‘I refuse to let go of you.’ Over the past week or so, his thought process had headed down the same path as Shin Hye’s. However, upon hearing her say it out loud moments earlier, and upon realizing he was about to let the most amazing girl, ani, woman slip through his fingers, he suddenly felt enlightened.

‘…Me…’ Her brows creased.

‘I’d find it unfair if I did…’ He shook his head, ‘Just because a group of people out there, who don’t really know the real me, opposes my relationship choices, I have to give up my happiness?’

‘Your happiness…’

‘No. I don’t think that’d be fair at all.’ He said more to himself than to her.

Again, she didn’t respond. ‘Would it be too selfish of me to ask you to try…to try things with me?’ He asked anyway. Screw threading the waters lightly. ‘We can’t predict the future. Living constantly in fear of the future isn’t living life to the fullest. We only have the present. And the present is looking pretty darn fine, if you ask me.’ He cringed slightly at his words. Since when did I start sounding like a cheesy, deeply enamoured chap out of a romance novel? ‘Say Yes?’ Hell, that’s because I am.

‘But the—’

‘Say Yes~?’ He sang.

‘Part of adulthood includes thinking carefu—’

‘Don't keep me in suspense. Say Yes~’

She finally broke into a grin, ‘I want to be your girl~’

Shocked, he didn’t think it’d be this easy. He expected a little bit of struggling, a bit of kicking and maybe a punch or two. Not literally, of course. ‘Chincha? I mean, I’m happy you said yes, but, chincha? It’s not to shut me up? I know my singing isn’t the greatest. You won’t hold this against me a few days from now? You can’t say I twisted your arm into saying yes.’ I want to hug her so badly right now. Just to make sure this moment is real.

She chortled at his uncertainty, a breath of fresh air compared to his earlier self-assuredness, ‘Jeongmal. I really really mean it.’

‘Yah! You just wanted me to chase you a bit, didn’t you?’ He accused as he wagged his finger at her, ‘All that was an act, wasn’t it?’

‘Ani! I was really contemplating to not give us a chance!’ She laughed, ‘But your heart-warming, though albeit cheesy speech showed me the light.’

‘Aisssh!’

‘But you should know, I’m new to this. Sometimes I may say or do things that may not be deemed appropriate…so I’ll apologize now, in advance. Also, if it’s not too much to ask…can we not tell any one about Us yet?’

He nodded in agreement as the ends of his mouth lifted, Ah! So I am sailing into unchartered territory! Only me~ I’ll make her understand~

‘Keunde, Namja chingu, in answer to your earlier question, yes, there has been others.’

He was slouching in his seat, proud of himself having snagged himself his prize girl. However, upon hearing her words, he shot up, ‘Mwo?! How many? Who? HOW?’

‘Aigoo, Oppa, don’t get too worked up, it’s bad for your health.’ His jealousy amused her.

‘How many?’

‘Just one.’

‘Who?’

She smiled.

‘Fine, don’t tell me…But how? Why?’

‘It was just a moment of pent up feelings…it was a really long time ago, and it ended as quickly as it started. I can hardly remember what it was like now.’

He narrowed his eyes; voice gruff, ‘We’re talking about kissing right?’

Her eyes widened, and her open palm met his arm, ‘Yah! Of course we’re talking about kissing!’

‘Aisssh! I was just checking!’ He groused, rubbing his arm. Man, if there’s anything I don’t miss about her, it’ll be her whacks…Ah, at least I know this is real. Speaking of which, now that they were exclusive… ‘So...we’re going back into a closet again…what d’ya say after we get out of this van, we practice a little before the real sc—’ He started.

Piak! ‘Not another word!’

‘Yah! You could’ve at least hit somewhere else!’

Shin Hye shrugged in reply. She finally bent and retrieved her now vibrating phone from the vans carpeted flooring, ‘Yeoboseyo?’

Min Ho leaned back in his seat to afford Shin Hye some privacy. He decided to take a catnap for the rest of the ride.

All in a day’s work! Discussed our situation, check! Practiced my song, check! Attained myself a girlfriend, check! He peeked at Shin Hye. Made sure the girlfriend is Park Shin Hye, check! Found out my girlfriend’s experience with men, check! Began sail to an unchartered territory…check! Boy No.1 may’ve claimed her lips first, but I claimed her heart. He slipped his sunglasses on, leaned his head back and closed his eyes, smiling.   

‘Lee Min Ho and Park Shin Hye Are in Love’ It was his own, private headline news, and it was good news. 







Author's Note:
Hello! What's happened between these two so far, what with the very straight forward confession, 
and somewhat 'easy' decision to 'go straight on' (in Kim Tan's words), probably would've been more complicated in real life. 
I don't know bout y'all, but I'd skirt around my emotions and the issue till thy kingdom come. 
Buuuut, they're not quite the conventional couple, IMO. Besides, there's no place for reality in my daydreams. Hehehe!

Thank You for the kind comments thus far!
&& To all those celebrating the Chinese New Year, 
恭喜发财!!!