Shin Hye spent an hour on the phone convincing her mom that she's telling the truth. After her conversation with her mom, she felt as if she's been run over by hundreds of trucks.

"Alright, fine. I will believe you, but ---" her mom finally sighed.

"But what?" she asked in an exhausted voice.

"You have to come home tomorrow."

"But Mom! I made the reservation for a week." she whined.

"No. I want you here by tomorrow."

"Come on, Mom. Please? I just arrived here yesterday and I haven't had the chance to see the place yet. I promise I'll behave." she begged.

"Oh, alright! You can stay there for a week but you need to keep in touch with me everyday. I almost had a heart attack when your Auntie Han called me."

After her conversation with her mom, Shin Hye was flooded with text messages from her sister, Bom, and two close cousins Dara and Min Young. They called her up and had a call conference for more than an hour.

"Yah! Shin Hye! You naughty little girl!" her sister Bom . "You've been keeping secrets from us, huh?"

"Is it true that you eloped?" Dara squealed.

"Who's the lucky guy?" Min Young asked excitedly.

"Why didn't you tell us that you have a boyfriend already?" Bom fired at  her.

"Yeah! We thought you're the last and only member of the NBSB (No Boyfriend Since Birth) club?" Dara laughed out loud.

"Hey! Will you please stop it?" Shin Hye was finally able to get a word in. "It's not true."

"You mean Auntie Han was lying to your mom?" Min Young asked.

"No!"

"Eh?" the three girls exclaimed in unison.

"Explain!" Bom barked.

"Yeah! Spill! Spill! Spill!" Dara demanded excitedly. Shin Hye can imagine her jumping in bed while squealing ---- typical Dara.

The four of them are very close. More than sisters and cousins, they were each others' best friend and confidant. Bom, being the eldest is their leader. She's the one they run to when they are in trouble or if they need an advice. Min Young is the beauty queen and peace maker. She's sweet and soft-spoken. When they go out, she gets most of the attention, men and women alike. Dara is the group's Ms Congeniality. She's the friendliest of the four. Leave her in a room full of strangers and she ends up having a crowd with her. Shin Hye is the group's black sheep. The rebel. The one most likely to cause trouble. And when she gets into trouble, it's always the other three girls who comes to her rescue.

"What exactly happened Shin Hye?" Min Young prompted.

"Alright! Let me start from the beginning." Shin Hye said dramatically. "I was at the airport ---"

"At the Incheon International Airport or there in Indonesia?" Dara cut in.

"Here in Indonesia, of course." she answered. "So, as I was saying, I was at the airport, so happy to escape from Mom-----"

"You know, Mom is still peeved at you for escaping from her, er, I mean leaving without asking her permission." Bom informed her.

"Yeah, I know." Shin Hye sighed at the interruption. "So, as I was saying earlier before the two of you cut me off again, I was at the airport, savoring the sweet smell of freedom and excited to start my adventure," she began recounting again. "I was about to step in the cab when a rude guy got in ahead of me. I---"

"Is he cute?" Min Young giggled.

"Does it matter? He's rude!" she snapped, irritated at their constant interruption.

"I think he is 'coz you didn't answer me with a simple 'yes' or 'no'."

"Whatever!" she muttered grumpily. "Anyway, to cut the story short, we've had several more unpleasant encounters that day."

"Hhhhmmmm.... sounds intriguing." Bom .

"Are you going to let me finish my story or not?" she growled, losing patience with them.

"Sorry!" the three chorused, but their tone indicated that they were having fun provoking her temper. Maybe it's their way of punishing her for leaving without saying anything to them about her plans.

"We'll behave, promise!" Min Young sounded a little bit contrite. "Please continue."

"Fine! So as I was saying AGAIN, we had several more unfortunate encounters. We unfortunately met again at the hotel." she paused for a few seconds, waiting to see if they were going to interrupt again. When no sound came from the three, she continued. "The receptionist informed him that there was no vacant room left. That moron suddenly grabbed me and claimed that he is my husband."

"WHAAAAATTTT???!!!" the three girls exclaimed, then suddenly giggled. 

"That was not funny at all!" she snapped at them.

They were so busy laughing that they did not hear her. She had to shout it out again three more times before they sobered up, enough to take her a little bit seriously.

"Oh Shin Hye, loosen up a bit." Dara told her, still giggling quietly.

"Yeah!" Bom agreed. "If you think about it, it's quite hilarious actually."

"No, it's not. It was embarrassing!"

She didn't tell them about the stolen kiss. She knew for sure that they will and interrogate her if they knew about it. They will only ask all sorts of questions that she didn't want lo answer, like: 1.) Was he a good kisser?; 2.) Did he smell fresh?; 3.) Did he use his lips or with tongue? eeewww!!!; 4.) How long did it last?; and the worst question that they will ask and she knew she didn't want to analyze or think about is 5.) What did she feel when he kissed her?

She knew they will ask her all these questions 'coz they'd already asked that when Min Young had a similar experience. Nah, no way was she going to think about that kiss or analyze her feelings with that kiss! No freaking way!

"So, did the two of you sleep in the same bed?" Min Young asked, bringing her back to their conversation.

"Of course not!" she immediately denied, her voice quivering with guilt.

"Hhhhmmm.... really? Why don't I believe you?" Dara teased.

"Yes! Me too! I think you're lying sister dear. Your voice quivered and it's a sign that you're not telling the truth. You know you're a terrible liar."

"Yah! What's with all, this interrogation? I don't want to talk about it anymore."

Min Young, the peacemaker, finally made the two stop with their teasing. Shin Hye sent a silent thank you to Min Young for saving her, but her gratitude lasted for only a few minutes. Min Young, though a peacemaker, is also the one who usually ask the most uncomfortable and direct questions.

"Are you attracted to him?" Min Young asked.

"Whaaa--- whaaattt?!" she stuttered as she blushed. She's thankful that they can't see her. She was sure her face is burning bright red. "No, of course not! That's a ridiculous question!"

"Someone's babbling! And it can only mean one thing: Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!" Dara sang off-key, taunting her.

"I'm not babbling! And I'm not guilty!" she denied hotly. " I'm not attracted to that babboon! I'll never be attracted to him! Never! Never! Never!"

"Eh? Why are you protesting too much? If you're not attracted to him, as you say you're not, then you shouldn't be this flustered."

"Yah! I don't want to talk to you anymore. Bye!" Shin Hye said in irritation, ending the call.

 

**********************************

 

At the cottage next to hers, Yong Hwa is having similar conversation with his close friends, Min Hyuk, Jung Shin, and Jong Hyun. But unlike her, he was able to keep his cool during their interrogation.

The three were laughing uproariously when he told them about Shin Hye and their enounters. 

"Ooohhh, Yong. I think you finally met your match." Min Hyuk gloated.

"Yeah! The mighty Yong Hwa brought down to his knees by a slip of a girl!" Jung Shin proclaimed in an announcer-type voice.

"She's very interesting, Yong. I'd like to meet her." Jong Hyun declared, grinning gleefully.

"Yah! She's a menace. Why would you want to meet her? You'll only end up on your knees, your breath knocked out of your lungs and thinking of committing murder or at the very least strangulation!"

"She can't be that bad, Yong." Min Hyuk, the sweetest and friendliest of the four tried to defend the unknown girl.

"Oh yes, she is." Yong Hwa insisted. "And aside from her crotch-kicking habit, she's also the mouthiest female I've ever encountered. She can't seem to stop talking." he complained.

"Have you ever thought of just kissing her to keep shut?" Jong Hyun, the naughtiest and playboy of the group suggested. "I heard it is also the most effective method."

Yong Hwa thought about the kiss he stole from her that first day. His mouth curved up in a smile as he touched his lips. He can still feel the softness of her lips on his. He didn't know why he did that, but what Shin Hye didn't know is that it was also his first kiss.

"Hey, you've been quiet for a while." Jung Shin noted slyly. "Is it because you've kissed her already?"

"No, I didn't. I was thinking of something else." Yong Hwa denied.

He didn't know why he denied kissing Shin Hye. Maybe because it felt too personal to share with his friends. He wanted to keep it between him and Shin Hye. This is the first time that he kept a secret from them.

'Aist! Why am I behaving like this?' he thought. 'Why is my heart beating fast at the thought of that kiss?'

"Yong, is Shin Hye pretty?" Jong Hyun broke into his musings. "Or y?"

"I didn't notice." Yong Hya lied.

"Oh, come on Yong. Give us more info. We want to know more about her."

"Yes, I think she's very interesting." Min Hyuk piped in.

"Alright! Alright! She's cute when she's not angry. Satisfied?"

"Not even close." Jung Shin complained. "Tell us more."

"Sorry guys. Got to go. Someone's knocking at the door." Yong Hwa lied for there was no one at the door. "Bye!"

He grinned naughtily as he hung up on his friends.

 

**************************

 

Shin Hye is sitting at the bar, drinking Piña Colada when someone sat on her right side. She looked to her right and saw a handsome young man.

"Pardon me, but is this seat taken?" the man asked.

'It's the surfer guy! He's more handsome up close.' Shin Hye giggled quietly, her lips widening in a smile.

"No, it's not." she finally answered, unconsciously batting her eyelashes.

The young man smiled at her, showing his perfectly white teeth.

"Hi, I'm Lee Min Ho." he introduced himself, holding his hand out to her.

'And he's got the most perfect smile. I wonder what toothpaste he's using, maybe I can use it too.' she silently sighed, taking his hand in hers. 'And he's got the softest hand. But it's still manly despite it's softness.' she sighed dramatically like a school girl with her first crush.

"Hi, I'm Park Shin Hye. It's nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine, Shin Hye." Min Ho said, still holding her hand in his. "I saw you watching us surf this morning. I was about to approach you but you were joined by an elderly couple."

"Oh, that. They were my Mom's friends."

"Are you here alone or are you with someone, maybe your family or friends? Husband, perhaps?" he asked, looking at her with flirty eyes and smile.

'If you'll keep on smiling at me like that, I think I'm gonna melt!' she screamed silently, feeling giddy.

"I came here alone." she answered, smiling flirtatiously back at him. "How about you?"

"I'm here with my friends."

 

******************************

 

At the far end corner of the restaurant, a pair of eyes was watching them. Yong Hwa frowned when he saw the way they were flirting with each other.

'Yah Shin Hye! Why are you flirting with that guy when you're supposed to be married to me?' Yong Hwa thought in irritation.

He's had his eyes fixed on her from the moment she came in, watching her every move. He didn't understand why he misses her. His new cottage seemed eerily quiet without her incessant chatter. His bed felt cold and empty without her. When she's not around, he had the urge to look for her just to and bicker with her. He's never felt more alive, more entertained than when he's exchanging words with her. She's a refreshing addition to his dull and dreary life, maybe because all the people around him are fawning over him and trying to please him, and she doesn't. She's not in awe of him or trying to please. In fact, she's the only one who assaulted him, ever.

'Sheeesshh!! Yong Hwa!' he berated himself. 'That kick on the crotch must have done damage to your brain as well if you're suddenly missing that witch!'

He glared at the pair when he heard Shin Hye laugh out loud. She's obviously enjoying flirting with him.

His eyes sparkled mischievously, his whole body tingled in anticipation as an evil plan took shape in his convoluted mind. With a wide grin, he stood  up and walked towards the pair.

 

**********************************

 

Shin Hye was laughing at Min Ho's jokes when someone took the empty seat on her left. She swiveled her head to the side, still smiling widely and saw the smirking face of her nemesis. The smile immediately wiped off her face.

"Hi! May I join you?" he asked with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"NO!" Shin Hye hissed softly at him, too low for Min Ho to hear.

"Sure, no problem." Min Ho replied. "I'm Lee Min Ho and this is Park Shin Hye."

Min Ho is unaware of the tension between the two.

"I'm Jung Yong Hwa. Nice to meet you." Yong Hwa said, shaking Min Ho's hand and turned to grab Shin Hye's hand and kissed the back of her palm.

"Your girl's very pretty. You're a lucky guy." he told Min Ho blandly, pretending not to know Shin Hye.

"Yeah, she's very pretty." Min Ho agreed. "But, unfortunately, I'm not her boyfriend. We just met a few minutes ago." Min Ho said with a slight smile on his face.

"Really? That's too bad for you. Maybe I have the chance to win her heart, right Shin Hye?" he asked her, taunting her with his smirk.

Shin Hye clenched her teeth in irritation. She knew why he was here. He was trying to ruin her perfect night.

She bared her teeth at him in a fake smile, like an alligator smiling at its prey before attacking it, and said sweetly: "Sorry, but scarecrows are not my type. I prefer men who look like men and not like a malnourished little boy."

'Yah! I don't look like a scarecrow!' Yong Hwa thought in irritation, wanting to strangle her. 'You're going to pay for that remark!'

With a snarl on her face and a flip of her hair, she turned back to Min Ho, obviously snubbing Yong Hwa. Min Ho looked surprise at the obvious antagonism between the two.

"Please continue with your story about your surfing expedition." Shin Hye urged, smiling sweetly at him as if nothing happened, completely ignoring Yong Hwa.

"Uhh... uhh, yeah well...." Min Ho stuttered.

But Yong Hwa won't be ignored. He went to stand next to Shin Hye and spoke to Min Ho, trying to push her out of the conversation.

"Min Ho, aside from surfing, what sports do you like? Do you like boxing, perhaps?" Yong Hwa asked, stepping a little bit in front of Shin Hye.

"Oh yes. I love boxing. I'm a big fan of Dela Hoya." Min Ho, typically male, answered enthusiastically.

"I like the way Pacquiao fights. He's a very exciting fighter." Yong Hwa exclaimed.

Shin Hye, not to be outdone, grabbed Min Ho's attention.

"Hey, Min Ho. I was thinking, maybe you can teach me how to surf. I've always wanted to learn how to surf. If that's okay with you?" she smiled, batting her eyelashes.

"Yeah, sure. Maybe we can start with your lessons tomorrow?"

"Did you hear that Pacquiao and Mayweather was supposed to fight again, but that it won't push through." Yong Hwa cut in.

'Yah! This guy really knows how to kill the mood.' Shin Hye thought nastily, glaring daggers at Yong Hwa.

"Will you please stop butting in and leave us alone? You're being a nuisance." Shin Hye snapped.

"If you're not interested in boxing as we both are then you should find someone else to talk to." Yong Hwa snapped back.

"We were talking first. You're the intruder. So get lost!" she snarled.

"Do you know each other?" Min Ho asked suspiciously.

"NO!" "YES!" they both exclaimed at the same time.

"Huh?"

"No, we don't know each other!" Shin Hye denied.

"Yes, we do!" Yong Hwa claimed. "We even shared a bed last night."

"It was your fault why we had to share that bed." Shin Hye scowled at him fiercely.

"No, it's not. It was yours." Yong Hwa fired back, but deep inside he was grinning with glee for baiting her. "If you didn't make me stumble I would have gotten that last vacant room."

"Yah! You're the one who caused all the troubles."

"Hey, I'm the one who always end up in pain during our encounters. You've already pulled my hair, pummeled me and kicked me!"

Min Ho, the poor guy, looked at them with a confused expression. His head snapping back and forth like a pingpong ball as they fired at each other. He closed his eyes, feeling dizzy looking and listening to them.

'These two are psychos!' Min Ho thought in alarm. 'I better get out of here before I get infected with their craziness!'

Without a word to them, he slowly got out of his chair and sneaked away. The two stopped bickering when they realized Min Ho was gone.

"Where -----" Shin Hye mumbled, looking for Min Ho. They saw him at the door hurriedly sneaking out the door like the fires of hell were at his heels.

"Look what you've done!" she blamed him. "You drove him away!"

"It was your craziness that drove him away." he shot back, his eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Gggggrrr! You always ruin my day!" she growled.

She stood up and grumpily stomped out of the restaurant, her mood ruined.

 

*************************************

 

Shin Hye inhaled the night breeze trying to calm her temper. She's so irritated with Yong Hwa for ruining her night. With a last glare at the general direction of the restaurant, she walked back towards her cottage.

"Rum pa pa pum, Rum pa pa pum, Rum pa pa pum, Man down.... Rum pa pa pum, Rum pa pa pum, Rum pa pa pum, Man down!" she hummed Rihanna's song 'Man Down', thinking of Yong Hwa while singing, looking at the ground. Her voice was so low and ominous that it sounded like a funeral dirge. "mama, mama, mama I just shot a man down in central station, In front of a big old crowd... Oh why, oh why -----"

Her singing stopped short when she saw two burly men blocking her way.

"Look what we have here." burly guy one said. "A beautiful woman wandering alone at night."

"Well, aren't we lucky tonight?" burly guy two purred. "Come on, babe. Let's have fun together."

Shin Hye felt her heart slam rapidly with fright. She took a step back as they advanced towards her. 

"Don't be scared, little one. We won't hurt you as long as you cooperate."

"Don't come near me!" she cried out, holding her hand out in warning. "My husband is just behind me."

"So what?" burly guy one taunted.

"He's a black belter.... uhm... uhm... judo master. And he'll kick your if you harm a single strand of my hair." she boasted.

"Really? Then call him. We want to challenge him."

"And if we win, you're ours."

'Darn it, Shin Hye! You're in another mess again! How are you going to save yourself this time?'

Like an answered prayer, she heard footsteps approaching behind her. She looked back at her unsuspecting, would-be savior and saw..... Yong Hwa?!!!

'This is not the time to be choosy, Shin Hye!' she admonished herself.

Yong Hwa's eyes widened in surprise when she eagerly grabbed his wrist, pulling him to her side.

"This.... this is my husband." she told them.

The men's jaw dropped when they saw Yong Hwa then suddenly started laughing like crazy.

"That's your husband? The black belter, judo master?" he sneered.

"Yes, he is! And he's going to beat the two of you single-handedly."

"What kind of trouble have you gotten me into this time, Shin Hye?" Yong Hwa hissed at her.

"You're about to find out! And besides, I had no choice. They were threatening me and I said that I had a black belter judo master husband." she hissed back.

"What? Are you crazy?"

"A little."

"So, you're a judo master, huh?" burly guy one asked. "Let's see how good you are." 

He positioned himself in a fighting stance.

"If we're going to get out of this alive, I'm going to kill you Shin Hye." Yong Hwa hissed.

"Then you better think of a way to get us out of this mess so you can kill me." she hissed back.

"You're pretending to be my wife, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"As my wife, you will listen and obey me, right?"

"Right!" she said begrudgingly. The thought of obeying him is very hard for her to take.

"What are you two whispering to each other?" burly guy two asked.

"Oh, nothing. We were just declaring our love for each other and saying our goodbyes in case you kill us." she muttered sarcastically.

"Are you crazy? Stop giving them ideas!" Yong Hwa growled under his breath.

"Well, this mess is driving me crazy."

"Fine! Remember: listen and obey your husband, right?"

"Right. Why?"

"Then you better listen and obey me when I say........ RUUUUNNNN!!!!"

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her with him as they sprinted away from the two goons while they shouted and chased them.

Shin Hye didn't know how long they've been running. It felt like hours when it was only a few minutes before they finally lost the two goons. They stopped behind a big cottage, their breathing coming in short huffs, feeling their knees weaken in exhaustion.

"You owe me, big time!" Yong Hwa glared at her.

"Sorry." Shin Hye said, still trying to catch her breath.

They looked at each other while trying to calm themselves, then started laughing hysterically.

"Oh, man! That was fun!" Yong Hwa declared.

"If you're the suicidal type, then it would be fun."

"You have to admit they look funny when they ran, what with their bulging stomach and waddling gait. They look like pregnant males who was cursed." Yong Hwa said, laughing hard imagining the goons chasing them.

"Alright! It was kinda funny, now that we're out of danger." Shin Hye agreed, laughing with him. "Thank you for saving me."

"You're welcome. And thank you, too."

"Why?"

"I've never had so much fun and felt this alive before I met you. I guess, what I'm saying is... I like bickering with you."

"Yah! You really have a twisted sense of humor." Yong Hwa raised his eyebrow at her. "Fine, I admit it that bickering with you is fun."

"Friends?" he said, holding his hand out to her.

"Friends." she replied, shaking his hand.

 

---

 

 

A/N: Hi guys!!! Here's another update for you! Hope you enjoy reading it =)

 

makebelieve: they definitely will fall for each other... I won't have it any other way =)

miss-hitomi: Yong Hwa is very naughty here... I like this side of him =)

JulianKevin: yeah, she is jealous... in the next chapter, they will be back to Seoul (spoiler alert? hehehe)

laz_15: thank you for the thumbs up... i will continue to write this fic 'coz I have so much ideas on my mind on how I want this story to progress... but I might not be able to update it as frequently... although I'll try =)

doll13, latish78: don't worry chingu... i won't stop writing... i'll finish it to the end =)

kevinlhen: thank you for patiently waiting for my updates.... hope you enjoy this chapter =)

mssweet821: thank you for always supporting my fics... it really means a lot to me that you've been there since I started writing =)

Deborah: it's alright chingu... take your time in reading... i'm glad you like it =)

bluein: yeah, Yong Hwa is really naughty... and Shin Hye will not back out too... I love it too when they bicker... I think it's exciting hehehe =)

citaphils: I don't know if I'm that funny in person 'coz I only open up to my family and friends.... but I have an over active imagination hehehe and I love to read.... thank you for your words of comfort and for understanding... hope you like this chapter =)

Chooky: hi chingu, thanks for the thumbs up... and thank you for that make up idea in chapter3... hope you like this chapter too =)

100percentASIAN: they will be together chingu... but as to when... well, i hope you'll keep on reading my fic to find out hehehe =)

filipino-korean: thank you for liking it.... i'm glad you enjoyed reading it... you're right about the pic... yong hwa looked annoyed at shin hye and she didn't seem to care hehehe =)

sailormoon87: I'm glad that I made you laugh... i guess I did a good job so far hehehe (i'm crazy!!!) =)

 

 

Thank you for all your support!!! Please leave comments, comments and more comments

 

HAPPY READING!

 

graeye82