As soon as Min Ho pulled over one block away from Woo Bin’s house, Shin Hye’s phone started ringing.

‘Oh, Woo Bin-ah,’ Shin Hye answered brightly. ‘I’m coming, I’m coming! Still on the road though.’ ‘Min Ho oppa?’ She glanced at him and gave him a smile. ‘I don’t know. He isn’t there yet?’ ‘Arasso. I’ll see you in a bit.’

She hung up and looked at Min Ho quizzically. ‘Ottoke?’

‘Just tell him we ran into each other outside his house,’ he told her as he leaned his crossed arms on the wheel.

‘I don’t know. Both of us late and coming in at exactly the same time? I wouldn’t buy it,’ she shook her head.

Min Ho bit his lip. ‘How about you go in first, then I’ll come five minutes after?’

‘That’s practically the same thing, oppa.’

’Fifteen minutes?’

Shin Hye thought about it then nodded her head. ‘Okay, I guess that’s enough. Hopefully, people are too busy at the party to notice.’

‘So why do we have to come separately then? Are you really going to leave me here?’ Min Ho’s eyes pleaded.

‘Oppa, we can’t risk it,’ she touched his arm before opening the door. ‘I’ll see you inside.’

Min Ho sighed as he watched Shin Hye make her way to Woo Bin’s house. He checked the time and realized the party was going to be over as soon as the sun comes up. He didn’t mind though, because tonight had already been perfect. Nothing can ruin the best New Year ever.

When fifteen minutes were up, he got out of the car and walked to Woo Bin’s door. He rang the doorbell, and after a while, Sung Joon greeted him. They gave each other slight bows before Min Ho entered. ‘Sunbaenim,’ Sung Joon said playfully. He smiled and gave his arm a little tap. ‘Woo Binnie?’

‘He’s in the kitchen. I think Shin Hye just arrived, too,’ he told him as he took a swig from his beer bottle.

Min Ho looked at Sung Joon and didn’t recall him being in Shin Hye’s list of ‘friends.’ He decided he liked the guy.

As he made his way to the kitchen, several actors and models Min Ho recognized greeted him. Ya, Woo Bin is popular, he told himself. He was surprised to see Kang Min Hyuk leaning by a wall talking to someone who he thought was probably an idol.

‘Oh, Min Hyuk-ah, you made it!’ He gave him a high five.

‘Yes, hyung. I just came from Gayo Daejun,’ he replied. ‘I was bummed I couldn’t really hang out a lot during filming. Just making up for lost time,’ he continued as he scratched his head.

Min Ho turned to his companion and smiled. Min Hyuk noticed and made the introduction right away. ‘Ah right, sorry. Hyung, this is Jonghyun, my band mate. This is Lee Min Ho hyung.’

Jonghyun bowed reverently. Min Ho chuckled at the awkwardness. ‘Ya, we’re at a party, not a meeting.’ The two guys laughed and suddenly he felt a little old. ‘You were in A Gentleman’s Dignity, right? So you’re from CN Blue, too…’ he nodded his head. Suddenly, he remembered that Min Hyuk’s band was on Shin Hye’s list. Oh no. If they’re here, then that means…

‘Oh. He’s here,’ Min Hyuk looked to the door. ‘Hyung!’ Min Ho turned around and saw Jung Yong Hwa approach them. He may not know all the members of CN Blue but he definitely knew him. Min Ho suddenly wished he just went straight to the kitchen. How can a kitchen be so strangely far from the door?

Their eyes met, and immediately Yong Hwa bowed. ‘Annyeonghaseyo, Jung Yong Hwa imnida.’ Min Ho smiled and stretched out his hand. ‘Lee Min Ho imnida.’

Min Hyuk cleared his throat, while Jonghyun stifled a laugh. ‘Hyung, don’t be so awkward. This is a party,’ he told Yong Hwa, echoing what Min Ho just said to him. Min Ho laughed uneasily and excused himself. ‘Nice to meet you both. I’ll just look for Woo Bin. Have fun.’

Min Ho was suddenly feeling like there were too many guys in the party.

When he finally got to the kitchen, he saw Shin Hye and Woo Bin standing and talking over a table. Shin Hye was already holding a wine glass. Woo Bin saw him and stood up straight, spreading his arms, ‘WAH, someone famous just arrived!’ A couple of the guests turned to him and clapped their hands as Min Ho scowled at Woo Bin. He shifted his gaze to Shin Hye who giggled.

‘Oppa, you’re here?’

‘Hmm,’ he nodded, smiling, as he walked over to Woo Bin. ‘If you’re going to embarrass me like this, you have to give me alcohol,’ he stretched out his hand.

‘Ah, mian. Let me go get you some,’ he said as he walked to the counter.

Min Ho winked at Shin Hye before pointing to her wine glass. ‘Don’t drink too much. This party is dangerous,’ he told her.

‘Dangerous?’

All of a sudden, a guy came up to Shin Hye and slid his arm around her arm. Shin Hye glanced up in surprise, ‘Oh, Jong Suk-ah!’

‘Shin Hye, you’re here,’ Lee Jong Suk told her warmly. ‘Oh, sunbae,’ he raised his glass in Min Ho’s direction. Min Ho stopped himself from glaring and gave him a smile.

‘He’s been asking about you all night, Shin Hye,’ Woo Bin frowned as he handed Min Ho a glass. ‘That’s why I called you earlier.’

‘Ya, you were a goddess tonight,’ Jong Suk told her. ‘I couldn’t stop staring at you. I hope none of the cameras got that.’

Shin Hye rolled her eyes before laughing. ‘There you go again. I love your hair. It suits you.’

Min Ho looked at it and scoffed in his head. He’s not even an idol. What’s up with that hair? He sipped his wine and drank a little more than one usually does.

‘Ya, Woo Bin-ah. Don’t you have girl friends? How come these are just dudes? Where are the women? Where are the models?’ He asked him cheekily.

He noticed Shin Hye shoot him a nasty look. He glared right back.

‘What are you talking about? Shin Hye’s here,’ Woo Bin nodded in her direction.

‘It’s okay, Shin Hye, you’re enough for me,’ Jong Suk told her flirtatiously.

Shin Hye almost spat in her drink. Min Ho felt the urge to set fire to his blonde hair. Shin Hye unlinked her arm from his. ‘You can’t keep doing that, people will misunderstand,’ Shin Hye told Jong Suk then turned to Min Ho. ‘Haha. Haha. He’s usually like this, oppa. He does this to all the girls.’ She looked at Woo Bin for support.

Woo Bin nodded and turned to Min Ho. ‘He’s very strange. But charming. Girls fall for it all the time.’

Jong Suk laughed. ‘Arasso. But you’re blushing,’ he poked one of Shin Hye’s cheeks.

‘Ya! It’s just the alcohol,’ she snapped back.

At this point, Min Ho was seething. He almost didn’t notice that Yong Hwa was approaching the table. When he saw him, he pursed his lips. Great. Just great.

‘Oh, Yong Hwa, wasso?’ Woo Bin walked to greet him with a hand shake.

‘Annyeong,’ Yong Hwa told everyone. ‘Shin Hye, long time no see,’ he smiled at her before giving her a side hug. ‘Congratulations. You deserve it.’

Shin Hye gave Min Ho a glance as if apologizing. ‘Ah, yeah. Gumawo, Yong Hwa.’

‘Ya, seriously, where are the girls?’ Min Ho asked Woo Bin again as he finished his glass of wine. The other guys laughed.

‘Yoo Ji Ahn is coming with some of her friends. Don’t worry,’ he told him nonchalantly after taking a sip.

Just then, Min Ho received a text. He looked at Shin Hye who was now holding her phone and giving him the stink eye.

Shin Hye: Ya! Why do you keep asking for girls? Do you want to die?

He typed vigorously.

Min Ho: Look around. You’re practically the only girl here. If they don’t come soon, all the guys will be flocking around you. Do you want to torture me? You already have a blonde puppy following you around.

Shin Hye chuckled as she read his message. Everyone suddenly turned to her. She smiled awkwardly, ‘Ha ha ha—this is fun. Happy New Year, everyone!’ She held her glass up. The others clinked their glasses and greeted Happy New Year right back. The other guests noticed and started toasting and cheering, too.

‘Shin Hye!’ She turned around to see who called her and saw Park Se Young. She put her glass down and excitedly walked to greet her, ‘Eonnie!’ They hugged, and Se Young gave Min Ho a little wave. He waved right back and saw the two girls move to a corner to talk.

Min Ho sighed, relieved. Woo Bin then nudged him, ‘hyung, do you and Shin Hye have a thing?’ It was loud enough for Yong Hwa and Jong Suk to hear. They looked at him, waiting for his response.

He studied the three guys and laughed awkwardly ‘Ya, what are you talking about? No, we don’t.’

‘Ani, you two just seemed different at the awards show. I thought maybe you started dating when we wrapped up filming,’ he told him.

Min Ho cleared his throat. ‘You know we were all busy after filming. How did we have time to date?’

Woo Bin nodded, ‘that’s true. We all thought you two had a thing, though. Must be the drama,’ he continued, taking another sip. ‘Jong Suk-ah, you have a chance now,’ he teased his friend.

Jong Suk just smiled.

If there was ever a moment Min Ho wanted to announce to the world who he was dating, that was it. He wanted to pull Jong Suk aside and tell him he has no chance, and he will never have a chance because Shin Hye was already taken. By him. Forever. And he wanted Yong Hwa to disappear because, well, he was scared that the rumors were actually true and he can’t possibly like anyone who dated Shin Hye in the past.