It was the night of the 50^th Baeksang Awards and Shin Hye was late for the Red Carpet.  It was unavoidable so she stopped worrying about it.  She talked to Yuri earlier in the week and they would sit next to each other.  Jin Hyuk Oppa would sit on the other side of her.  The guys in the seats beyond Jin Hyuk Oppa were Lee Joon from the band MBLAQ and Hyung Sik from ZE:A’s band mate, Yim Si Wan.

I am so tired, Shin Hye was thinking.  Oppa has been avoiding me, I am sure of it.  I am late to the awards red carpet because of filming delays. I really want to sleep for a whole day if given the chance.  She turned to Yuri to reply to her comment.

Shin Hye’s name was called for the female popularity award.  She was happy that her fans loved her so much.  She knew it was because they loved Cha Eun Sang and Park Shin Hye.  She was grateful that her fans honored her this way.  She was standing on the stage with Soo Hyun and Yuri.  She made a comment to Soo Hyun and he made a funny remark back to her.  She couldn’t help but respond by laughing.  Yuri was giving her a happy smile and she couldn’t help but smile. 

She gave her acceptance speech and in the back of her mind was an image of Oppa.

Later after the awards show she was sitting quietly thinking she should go home and go to bed.  Friends, idols and stars kept stopping by her table to talk to her.  She was happy to be there but she really wished Oppa could have come.  She was thinking – Oppa, my happiness is every moment, no, any moment I can spend with you.  She realized she missed him terribly.  Perhaps she should sneak over to his apartment?  Would he be upset if she did?  Should she call and ask his permission first?  With an agonized sigh, she put her head down on top of her hands.

She heard a deep voice say, “Are you missing someone?”  It was Jin Hyuk Oppa.  He was standing beside her chair; she motioned him to sit.  He told her he was on his way to a sort of impromptu meeting with a director. 

She smiled at him and wished him luck.  He thanked her and told her she should go home, better yet she should go visit the person she missed enough to sigh so loudly.

Shin Hye acted like she had no idea who he was talking about and he grinned wickedly assuring her he had no idea either.  He told her he saw her photo shoot pictures from InStyle and they were amazing.  He asked her if Min Ho had said anything about the pictures.  She again acted innocent and asked why would her?  Jin Hyuk said, “Indeed why would he?”  Laughing at her blush he left wishing her a good night.

Indeed, she thought, I wish Oppa would say he saw the pictures or that he liked the pictures.  Perhaps he is upset over the Seung Ho comment.  She sighed audibly again and decided to call it a night.  She had a late morning call for Royal Tailor and needed her sleep.  

Min Ho had an early morning film schedule.  He was so busy he had little time for anything beyond work.  He received a call on the 30^th from the detective agency.  The agent needed to meet with him that day if possible.  He couldn’t do it before the 2^nd of June so they set an appointment for late evening June 2. 

Shin Hye’s Lotte Duty Free My Wedding Day photos were release on the 31^st.  She had received compliments all day for the wedding pictures.  She wondered if Oppa had seen the pictures.  She wondered if Oppa was alright.  She had called and left a message but he wasn’t returning her calls.  She was beginning to feel anxious again and wondered if they really were a couple because it did not seem like they were.  She convinced herself she wouldn’t worry about it because she was going to IU’s concert that night to support her brother who played in IU’s band and to show her support for IU. 

That night she attended the concert with her college friend Caolu of Fiestar.  IU had a bit of fun with Shin Hye during the opening remarks; she told the audience that Shin Won was Shin Hye’s brother.  She told them Shin Hye was very beautiful and that when she walked out on the stage she saw a very pretty person in the audience.  Of course her audience put 2 and 2 together and figured Shin Hye was in the audience and started to try and locate her.  IU had great fun telling the crowd, “Yah, look at me! This is an IU concert not a Shin Hye fan meet!”  The crowd loved that the two females were friendly enough to banter words and laughed with Shin Hye as they clapped.

Min Ho on the other hand was having a lousy time.  He had avoided Shin Hye’s text messages and calls for a week.  He was resigned to the fact that he could do nothing – emotionally – until he had a report verify Shin Hye’s background.  He loathed himself for even doubting her but somewhere deep in his mind and heart there was a feeling Shin Hye and Alice Park were connected.  He would rather die than allow Alice Park any leeway or more leeway into his Father’s affections.  He suspected his Father had ambitious plans where Alice Park was concerned.  He suspected she would be introduced sooner or later as his Father’s successor.   The more he thought about it the more he was convinced Alice Park and Park Shin Hye were somehow at the center of his Father’s devious plans. 

He made a mental note to visit his Father to see if he could rattle his cage enough to get an inkling of his plans.  He wanted to know if Alice Park was at the center of those plans.  He needed to know if Shin Hye had any connections at all to his Father but hesitated to ask.  He was afraid of the answer.  If he knew the correct questions to ask, he was certain he would fear where the answers might lead.

He began a search online trying to find more about Shin Hye.  She seemed like the typical South Korean girl.  The more he searched the more frustrated he became.  She had gaps in her history but online data and information sources are always sketchy.  He really didn’t expect to find a yearly record of her life.  He did find a lot of gossip.  He had to hand it to her she was popular.  She also had some very crazy anti-fans.  They criticized everything she did - from the way she smiled to the clothes she wore; when they could find nothing else they critiqued her acting as if they were experts.

He realized that if he were searching for information about her he would find things that would irritate him even make him crazily jealous.  He watched the 50^th Baeksang Awards show – actually he only watched the parts with Shin Hye.  He approved of her dress and she was beautiful.  He knew she was downplaying her beauty as always - trying to dispel some of the anti feelings toward her.  He doubted she would ever be able to appease those so vocally disproving of her.  They were doing so because they were strong fans of other actresses.  It seemed so strange to him that women would be the harshest critics of another female.  But he supposed that is why the Korean entertainment field was like a landmine.  One had to tread carefully if they were to survive.  He was admiring how serene she looked beside Yuri in the audience.  Jin Hyuk was beside her.  He supposed that was a good thing.  He didn’t really trust him where she was concerned – actually he trusted no man where she was concerned.  One look and they were hooked.  He saw her go toward the stage after her name was called.  He noticed the look on the face of the guy standing for her to leave the seat row.  Who is that and what is with that stare?  He looked familiar – he was trying to place where he had seen him.  Since he was seated in the second row close to Shin Hye he must be an idol or star.  He would need to search to see who walked the red carpet or posed for pictures.  After a few seconds he found him.  Yim Si Wan of ZE:A - Hyung Sik’s fellow band mate.  Interesting how he is staring - really now.  He ran a search for Si-wan of ZE:A and almost wished he hadn’t.  He thought if he is younger than Shin Hye she will ignore any interest but it turned out he was 2 years older than her. 

He watched her onstage and was more than a little upset at her joking around with Kim Soo Hyun.  He knew they were college class mates, he knew they were closer friends than most people knew but still he didn’t like how easily she turned to speak to him or respond to him when he was near.  He read all the comments wishing Soo Hyun and Shin Hye would team up in a movie or drama – some even mentioned what a great match they would make in real life. 

It wasn’t like he didn’t want to be around Shin Hye, he couldn’t trust himself to not put barriers up if he were around her before he cleared up his confusion and doubts.  He needed to know in order to feel safe with her; he fully blamed his Father for this situation.  

He decided to actually go and visit his Father.  He needed to ask questions because he needed answers.  He walked through the doors of his Father’s study.  He stood silently condemning his Father with his gaze.  His Father sighed and motioned for him to sit.  Hooking his fingers together his Father raised an eyebrow as if to say “What?”

Min Ho looked down trying to gather a bit of calmness before he spoke.  “Father?  Who is Alice Park?  Who is she really?  Don’t say just my ward or my friend’s daughter who I promised to protect.  Tell me the truth.  You have held her over our heads since Hyung and I were young always with the innuendo that she was your successor.  But you would never answer the question of your successor for what?  Your business?  Can you give me a simple answer so I can have some peace in my life?”

His Father looked at his son.  He knew he was a smart man and very successful.  He had never meant to cause any harm to him but he had never been able to tell him who she was because he could not reveal the real truth – not and keep her safe.  He knew Min Ho would find it difficult to accept who she was and why he was doing this.  But it would be even harder when he found out the real truth – the whole truth.  It would probably affect her as much as him.  He had such high hopes for Min Ho and her but he didn’t know how to rectify the situation at this point. 

“Son, I have told you and your brother before and I will tell you again, you have nothing to fear from Alice Park.  She is no threat to you in the business world.  She is a world unto herself because of who she is but I cannot tell you her secrets.  I know you resent her but I don’t think it is because you think I am not unfair where she is concerned nor do I think it is because you fear she will take over the business.  I think you fear yourself.  I have a small bit of advice whether you want to hear it or not.  Son, Min Ho, listen to me, you are worrying for the wrong reasons and it is tearing you up.  You should not be trying to get over this you should simply figure how to get through it.  Listen to your heart not your mind and don’t let something you want be taken away by your own fear.  And Min Ho, before you act on anything, information or something you think you are seeing, think twice before you say something that might change your life forever.  I can offer you nothing more nor can I advise you in any other way.  Be patient and ride this out with an open heart and you might just be surprised how it turns out.”

He stood saying, “I am tired.  I think my age is catching up to me and I need to rest.  Please stay if you wish.   Good night.”

Min Ho’s arms were down to his side and he felt his fisted hands unfurl.  He was completely baffled by the conversation.  What on earth was the old man talking about?  Why so philosophical all at once?  And why did he get the feeling that his Father was not the bad guy?  He needed to go home and think through this – he really wanted to see and touch, no hug, Shin Hye but he needed to know who she was and why he suddenly felt like she was someone other than she professed to be.   He couldn’t move forward until he could move through the suspicions within his mind and heart.  He felt himself caught in a web of deceit and falsehood.  He needed quiet, calmness and honesty.  He didn’t think he had any of those in his life at the moment.  If he couldn’t have clear concise answers to the puzzles whirling in his mind and heart then he wanted nothing.  He felt his inner turmoil resembled the edge of a bad dream.