Shin Hye loves them.
Those ‘Hard Rock Café’ City shot glasses.
It’s her most prized and cherished collection.

Hard Rock Café City shot glass.

Park Shin Hye’s been collecting them since she was 19 years old. It all started when her cousin brought her a Los Angeles City shot glass and from then on, her hobby of collecting them had begun.  You can only a buy a particular city shot glass from the Hard Rock Café in that city itself. For example, Tokyo shot glasses can only be bought from Hard Rock Café Tokyo and no place else. For you to buy a New York City shot glass, you have to be in New York (well not unless you’re buying it not directly from Hard Rock).

And Shin Hye, as Yonghwa would’ve put it, is close to being a ‘crazy addicted’ woman when it comes to her collection. She has more than one hundred shot glasses now and she’s still in search for more. She trades with fellow collectors and sometimes would buy online (usually at a more expensive price) for rare pieces.

But if Shin Hye has become a ‘crazy addicted’ woman, Yonghwa had become her male counterpart.

No, he does not collect those shot glasses.
But he buys them too.

Yonghwa buys it for her.

No matter how much he complains that he couldn’t see the point of collecting it, (Yonghwa thinks there are more exciting things to collect); he still buys for her. He’d often tell Shin Hye to just buy from a fellow collector so that it’d be easy. He told her he’s paying; but she said that would defeat the purpose of collecting: which is the thrill of adding up items to the collection and ultimately, completing it.

Yonghwa whines about this but buys for her just the same.

Every time he goes out of the country, like if CNBlue is on tour, he must go to Hard Rock Café and buy a city shot glass for Shin Hye. Even his manager and the rest of FNC staff who accompanies them on tour know this.

He can’t leave without having bought any for Shin Hye.
He’d rather forget everything but not that.

He almost missed several flights back home because he’d often get lost in the city in searching for Hard Rock Café.

He even forgot what Seohyun asked him to buy in London when CNBlue went there.

Ooops.
He actually didn’t forget.

They were pressed for time and everyone is hurrying. Aside from the concert, they also filmed their ‘I’m Sorry’ MV there. There were time constraints.

He can only buy either what Seohyun asked him (a pair of Louboutin shoes) or Shin Hye’s shot glass.
Yonghwa got only one choice.

And you bet right…

Too bad, he dropped the shot glass when a fan excitedly hugged him at the airport.

Tsk tsk tsk.
He was actually contemplating on what to tell Seohyun about him not being able to buy the shoes when a fan hugged him.

He wanted to rebook his flight and go back to Hard Rock to buy another one. Good thing is that one staff bought too, and Yonghwa just bought it from him five times the original price. His manager was laughing when Yonghwa offered the amount.

“Hyung, please.” Yonghwa pleaded, “I’ll pay you triple… oh no, just make it times five.”

“Is it really that important to you?” His manager laughed.

Everybody laughed at the panicking Yonghwa. They were already at the boarding gates, waiting for the announcement that they can get in the plane that’ll take them back to Seoul. Going back to the city proper was not an option. They already have checked in and passed thru the immigration; he’ll get in trouble by going back.

“Hyung…” He pleaded some more.

“I asked you, is it that important?” His manager was still laughing, “Shin Hye will understand anyway.”

“Is it important? Well, no.” Yonghwa shook his head. “Probably it’s unimportant to me like eating and breathing… Like things that if I forego will make me dead. No, not important at all.”

He added sarcasm to his joke, but boy, he was sweet.

Awww.
Sweet best friend, Yonghwa.

He equated buying Shin Hye’s city shot glasses to eating and breathing. Things he can’t do without.

“Tell me, who is really your girlfriend, Seohyun or Shin Hye?” The coordi-noona joined the conversation. “Say, you’re all in a sinking ship and you can only save one, who will you save Yonghwa?”

Everyone was laughing but nervously waited for Yonghwa to answer. Their eyes show that they are silently betting that Yonghwa will have a hard time answering that question.

If Yonghwa’s not a cool person, he’d probably stress over the fact that, that question is actually sensitive.

Seohyun vs. Shin Hye

The girlfriend vs. The best friend.

Love vs. Life
His love vs. his life

Many times he had called Park Shin Hye ‘his life’. And that he said before he can’t live without her. Heck, he even said it once in front of Seohyun. That’s how he values his friendship with Shin Hye.

They’re that close.

Yonghwa answered quickly actually. Without batting an eyelash, he knew the answer to the question without so much thinking.

“Shin Hye knows how to swim.” He smiled, “I’ll save Seohyun.”

Oh.
The handsome leader has a point.

“But what if Shin Hye does not know how to swim?” Another staff asked prodding him.

“Ahhhhh.” Yonghwa smiled evilly, “Minhyuk will save her.”

Her?
Which one was he referring to?

“Hyung.” Minhyuk slightly protested, “There you go again…”

“Stop it, Hyung. You’re making Minhyuk embarrassed.” Jonghyun told him laughing.

The CNBlue boys kept laughing. They were actually sharing inside jokes that only them could understand. The staff were clueless and obviously disappointed that they were kept hanging by Yonghwa’s refusal to answer.

Seohyun or Shin Hye?
 

“Yup, Minhyuk-Hyung will save her.”  Jungshin chimed in. He was the one with the most evil smile among the four of them. “Or else, his birthdays will never be the same again. He’ll never have ‘happy birthdays’ anymore. She will probably haunt him…”

They laughed more loudly.

Mmmm… Birthday?

Oh, Seohyun shares the same birthday with Minhyuk, doesn’t she?

Bad Jung Yonghwa.
Bad boyfriend, Jung Yonghwa.

Good thing Shin Hye really does know how to swim.

The Breeze Restaurant
The Samaya Bali - Seminyak
Bali, Indonesia
5.p.m.

“Cheers!” Yonghwa lifted his bottle of beer.

Shin Hye didn’t do the same. She pouted at him.

“What?” He smiled at her. “I should be the one making that face. It’s our anniversary, and yet I’m here without her.”

“I said when I come back here, I’m with someone special.” She covered her face. “Just my luck.”

Yonghwa laughed loudly. “Am I not special enough, Park Shin Hye? Oh, I forgot, I am extra special. So special, that this is the third time that we’re together here. Just the two of us.”

He leaned to give her a kiss.
On the lips.

“Yong.” Shin Hye sighed.

Apparently it was not the first time that he kissed her.
And on the lips too.

She was not shocked.
Not at all.

They’re that close.

“Am I really that untrustworthy that her parents won’t allow her to be with me on this trip?” There were tears on his eyes when he asked Shin Hye. “And they knew you were coming too. They just don’t like me. Not at all.”

“Yong.” Shin Hye consoled him. “Give them some time.”

“Two years is not enough?” He almost slammed the bottle in the table. “.”

“Jung Yonghwa!” Shin Hye glared at him. 

“Sorry.” But Yonghwa was quick to apologize.

“Hey, let’s just stop whining and complaining, shall we?” Shin Hye stood up, and started to walk.

“Where are you going?” Yonghwa hurriedly drank his beer.

“Let’s walk around the beach.” She told him, smiling. “We let the ocean wash our blues away.”

Yonghwa smiled.
Now, he realized how thankful he is for having Shin Hye in his life.

She makes him smile even at his worst times and nobody can do that easily. Yonghwa is really not the type who sulks around, but when he does, expect that it’ll be long before he gets out of his sulking stage. And only Park Shin Hye has the ability to let Yonghwa come to his usual self in the soonest possible time.

They walked on to the beach side with Yonghwa putting his arms on her shoulders. The hotel they’re staying was amazing; it was even awarded as one of the top ten best hotels in the world. And the beach right in front was breathtakingly beautiful by itself.

For a more than a few minutes, they keep walking and walking but saying no words to each other.

In complete silence yet absolutely comfortable.

They’re that close.

Shin Hye was waiting for him to speak some more. The reason she wanted to walk around is that she knew Yonghwa is feeling really down and disappointed. If they stay in the bar, he’ll just vent and rant while emptying beer bottles. Shin Hye preferred he’d take out what ever feelings he has in his sober state.

“It’s unfair that they didn’t allow Seohyun…” Shin Hye began. She was looking at the beautiful beach on her right while her feet get soaked by water and sand.

He nodded, almost teary-eyed.

“It’s not fair that after all these years of being together, her parents still look at you with doubting eyes.” She added a little loudly to fight the sounds created by the waves. “And it feels so freaking bad that no matter how much you’ve taken care of their daughter, you’ve always come short of their expectations and their standards…”

Yonghwa continued to nod to every word Shin Hye was saying. She was stating facts; he was just reconfirming it. Seohyun’s parents never really approve of Yonghwa. They think Seohyun should still focus on her career and Yonghwa is actually a distraction not an inspiration. Seohyun’s Mom and Dad still thinks it was a mistake that they were paired in ‘We got Married’ and even a bigger mistake that they’ve taken their relationship off-screen. And for them, they’d rather see their daughter being with someone who has a bright and secured future.

But don’t they know Jung Yonghwa?
What’s with ‘…someone who has a bright and secured future’?

They actually prefer businessmen or professionals to their lovely daughter Seohyun. Her parents are onto believing that once Yonghwa loses his appeal, (being young, popular and handsome), and the young ones will start to replace him, he’ll be good for nothing already. They treat Yonghwa as a ‘fad’… and lucky, which hurts him even more.

“You’ve already proven your worth but they don’t notice your efforts and achievements.” Shin Hye continued to talk. “And what is more hurting is that, Seohyun never tried to fight for you.”

He nodded again, this time biting his lip, stopping himself from crying.

“They think you’re a joke and they can’t wait until Seohyun comes to her senses…”

Yonghwa still nodded. He need not speak. Shin Hye was the one telling all the feelings bottled up inside him. And if he did talk, he’ll just say the same things and probably with exact words that Shin Hye had used.

He need not talk.
But she understands him, and feels for him.  

They’re that close.

Shin Hye stopped walking and faced Yonghwa, “If I can take some of that pain, I will…”

Awww.

Then Yonghwa’s tears was about to fall. Shin Hye didn’t want to see him crying, so she pulled him for a hug for her to avoid seeing his eyes. They didn’t talk while she held him, until he finally got the courage to answer her in words and not just nods.

“I feel so bad…” He whispered in her ear, “I love her so much, Shin Hye. I do, I really do.”

“Yong.” Shin Hye pulled out from the hug. She too was on the verge of crying. She wiped his tears and told him. “Give Seohyun time. She’s younger than us, give her more time.”

He nodded.
Again.

They started walking again. This time, instead of putting his arms on her shoulder, he took her hand.

 “But if they don’t want me, what can I do?” He suddenly changed his mood realizing it’s beyond his control whatever Seohyun’s parents feel towards him. “If I don’t end up with her, I’m sure there’s someone out there for me…”

No need to look far, Yonghwa.
No need to look far.

Shin Hye smiled. At least now Yonghwa appears to be feeling better.

“And if I don’t…” He continued, “There’s still you… you never know.”

They both made faces and shook their heads at the same time, saying exactly the same words.

“Nah, never going to happen.” They both said.

“Goodness, Jung Yonghwa!” Shin Hye said laughing, “I almost got goose bumps with what you’ve just said.”

He joined her laughing though, “Yah! It sounds… it sounds… Yuck. You and me being more than friends.”

She nodded in agreement, “We can’t cross that thin line, Yonghwa. No, no, no.”

“But didn’t we say we’ll get married if we’re still single 10 years from now?” Yonghwa tugged her hand.

They looked at each other again, and said the same thing.

“Nah, never going to happen.”

“We can’t fall in love.” Shin Hye reminded him. “That would be my end. Because if we do, that’s friendship over. We’re over.”

“Yup. We can’t fall in love.” He answered in agreement, “I’m too scared to lose you to cross that thin line and fall in love with you.”

“And besides, you’re the only person who can stop me from crying.” Shin Hye told him, “And what if we fight? How can I go to you if you’re the one who made me cry? That’s simply unfair.”

They both laughed again.

It’s not the first time they’ve had a conversation like this. Crossing-over that thin line.

And they’ve always end up reminding each other that it would be a mortal sin if they decide to take their friendship to different level: that is to fall in love with each other.

Never say never, but this a ‘NEVER’ in all caps.

They both know once they seek a relationship beyond being best of friends, their most cherished and valued friendship is over. They