"I had a dream that I woke up in your arms."  

Min Ho's smile was indulgent as he listened to Shin Hye's sleepy voice drifting through his earbud. He wished that it hadn't been a dream.  They hadn't seen each other in almost three weeks. Their only source of contact were these short morning calls, some random text messages, and the even shorter bed time calls. He physically ached from missing her.

Their schedules these last few weeks had been crazy with the final rush to wrap up her movie and the accelerated filming schedule for his movie. In addition, there were their respective photo shoots, commercial filmings, and fan signing events both in and out of the country they had to attend. 

"How far did we get in your dreams this time?" He .  His dream twin could never seem to complete the act in Shin Hye's dreams. Poor guy.

Shin Hye's amused laughter trickled through his earbud and eased on down his spine.  Her laughter always energized him, which was what he needed right now. The filming had gone late into the night yesterday and it was well past midnight when he had finally made it to his bed.  This morning he had to wake up early for a photoshoot before heading over to the movie set.  So he needed all the energy he could get.

"You know we never quite get there in my dreams."  Shin Hye poked fun at his dream twin.

"Don't worry.  I'll make up for my dream twin next time I see you."  He consoled her.  He was looking forward to it. He longed to just hold her in his arms and snuggle.

"When is next time?"  She asked in a small sigh.  "I miss you."

Min Ho's heart raced.  It did that every time she tells him she missed him.  He wondered if that ever gets old. He hoped not.

"Hopefully this weekend.  Tonight is another late night filming."  He tried to keep her updated with his schedule when he knew it ahead of time, but lately it had been unreliable because he was at the mercy of the director.

"Stop dreaming about Kim Tan and dream about Kim Jong Dae.  Maybe then my dream twin will follow through."  He about her penchant for bad guys lately.

Shin Hye giggled.  It was their inside joke.  She had developed quite a fondness for Kim Jong Dae these last couple of months.  She barely missed Kim Tan at all. But nothing beats the real flesh and blood man himself.

"I'd rather have the real thing."  Shin Hye sighed.  She really did miss him. His schedule was so packed that he hadn't been able to stop by her place.  She could have gone over to his place and waited for him, but she didn't want to seem too needy.  Now she regretted it because it's been almost three weeks since she had seen him. 

"Yeah.  Me too."  He had been feeling lonely without her. Their daily contact via the phone was unsatisfying.  It was short and sweet, but he longed for the whole Shin Hye experience. Being with Shin Hye was a treat for his senses. Watching her cheerful expressions, listening to her animated voice, touching her soft skin, smelling her light scent, and tasting the sweetness of when they kissed.  It's been three weeks since he had been deprived of her.

They continued talking for a couple of more minutes before he had to say good bye to get to the make up room.  Another long day was ahead for him. He was lucky he had a girlfriend who understood his hectic schedule.  At least he had a chance to talk to Shin Hye a little longer this morning for some extra energy.  

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Shin Hye held her phone over her heart for a few seconds after hanging up with Min Ho.   She missed him like crazy.  These brief snippets of conversations were frustrating. She wished it were the weekend already.

She didn't know what was wrong with her lately.  She wasn't stressed, just lost and adrift.  It could be that she had finished filming for Royal Tailors and was at loose ends, but she didn't usually feel this gloomy after shooting a movie. She needed to do something to shake her out of her funk. Hanging out with friends, maybe?  Or a new hobby.  Or maybe she just needed the presence of her boyfriend.

Her mind drifted to her drunken rummagings with Soo Jin Eunni last night. Dinner with Soo Jin Eunni always cheered her up, especially when it was just the two of them eating and drinking and sharing girl talk.  

"So how is lover boy?"  Soo Jin asked.

They were sitting around Shin Hye's sofa table having just finish dinner.

"Don't call him that.  It makes him sound like a player."  Shin Hye defended Min Ho to her friend.

"How about God of Asia?"  Soo Jin shot back.

Shin Hye giggled and shook her head at that too. That one was always funny to hear. 

"It's more like Dork of Asia.". She corrected her friend.

Both girls giggled.  Everything sounded funny after a couple of bottles of soju and a few cans of beers.  That's the best time for girl talk.

"Romeo."

"Eye candy."

"Long-leg Oppa."

"Hunk."

"Hot namja."

"Ovaries buster."

" dropper."

They both ended up rolling on the floor laughing at there drunk jokes.

"Poor Min Ho Oppa.  I can't believe I let you call my boyfriend those names."  Shin Hye hugged her tummy.  It hurt from her laughter.

"Honey, I'm sure he's been called worse names by worse women than us."  Soo Jin wiped the laughter tears from the side of her eyes.

"I miss him."  Shin Hye's mood turned as quick as a wink.  She could feel tears stinging her eyes.

"How long has it been since you've seen him?"  Soo Jin asked in sympathy.

"Three weeks."  Three long weeks of being deprived.

Soo Jin propped up on her elbow and looked down at Shin Hye.

"What?" Shin Hye squinted up at her when she didn't say anything but continued to stare.

"You have it bad."  A wide smile spread across the older girl's face.

"What do I have bad?"  Shin Hye furrowed her brows.

"LOVE."  Soo Jin drawled out slowly.

Shin Hye swatted Soo Jin's arm.

"Of course I love him."  She rolled her eyes.  "You know that."

"Yes.  But I'm talking about love in big, bright, bold, flashing letters." Soo Jin heaped on superlatives, emphasizing the magnitude of love.

"I guess it would be since you are sleeping with him and letting him do delicious things to..."  She started to tease Shin Hye but was forced to break off when Shin Hye swatted her arm again...hard.

"Ow!". She rubbed her arm. "What did I say that wasn't true?"

Shin Hye scrunched her nose and shot the older girl a snotty look.

"You don't know what we do."  She didn't talk about her life.  She was too shy for that.

Soo JIn shot her an amused look.

"But I have a vivid imagination, especially when it comes to Mr. Eye and your reaction when we even hint at ."  Soo Jin informed her.

Shin Hye gave her another snotty look.

"So what's the problem?"  Soo Jin turned seriously. She could see that this wasn't a joke.  Shin Hye looked troubled.

"I more than miss him.  I ache for him."  Shin Hye admitted. She could feel the flush spreading throughout her body from embarrassment.

"Aahh...that's a problem."  Soo Jin laid back on the floor laughing at her ually frustrated friend.  She liked Lee Min Ho for pulling Shin Hye out of her shell and exploring her feminine side.

"No.  It's just not ."  Shin Hye explained.  "I just need to have him close by, feel his presence, even if it's just sitting side by side."

"I feel so needy all the time and I don't usually feel that way. I don't even know if he misses me the same way I miss him."  He had told her he missed her, but they were just words in passing.  He hadn't elaborated.  They hadn't had an opportunitiy for deep conversations in a while.

"Have you told him?"  Soo Jin was beginning to see the issue. Shin Hye was feeling insecure. She had a fragile ego.  But she didn't want to be demanding or cling.

"Yes.  I've told him I've missed him." She squinted her eyes at Soo Jin again. Of course she would tell him she missed him.  But afterwards she felt so weak and clingy. She had come off as a clinging girlfriend and she didn't want that.

"Yes.  But have you told him how much you need him?  Men like to feel needed."  Soo Jin advised.

"No. I can't.  It's embarassing."   It just gives so much power to the other person when you are needy.

"That's your pride talking. Let it go and take a leap of faith. " Soo Jin doled out love advice to the younger girl.

Shin Hye thought about that piece of advice. Was she being too proud? Min Ho must know how she felt. But then again, maybe not. She always made a joke of it when he tells her she's needy.

"I'm afraid he's going to lose interest.". She voiced her other fear.

Min Ho could have any woman he wanted.  She was sure they threw themselves at him everyday. She wasn't worried about him cheating.  He was hard-wired with a code of honor that wouldn't allow it.  But out of sight, could mean out of mind.  And after three weeks apart, he could be attracted to someone else and start to lose interest in her.

"Our phone conversations are very brief because there was always someone around. And text messages are so impersonal."  She added with another long sigh.  

"It's actually boring.  I'm boring."  She was down on herself.

"Then send him naughty texts with naughty pictures.  It'll keep the excitement in the relationship."  Soo Jin suggested.

"I will not."  Shin Hye turned to face Soo JIn with a suspicious look.

"Don't get all prude and prissy.  You don't have to send selfies...though I'm sure he would love that. Just send flirty texts with flirty pictures."  Soo Jin laughed at the shock expression on Shin Hye's face.  She was such an innocent, sometimes.  But then, that was her appeal.  That's why people love her.

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SH:  We should try out my