Uhm. This chapter. I wasn't sure if I should have, but... uhm. I'll just wait for your comments. HAHA. Warning: This is *kind of* steamy. 

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‘Can I stay the night?’

It wasn’t so much Min Ho’s question that flustered Shin Hye, but the way he asked. If he had looked like he was joking around, she would’ve put up a fight, have a little, flirty banter with him, and yield in the end. He was in no condition to drive because he had been drinking, so naturally, she would have let him stay over anyway. It wasn’t like it was the first time he’d slept at her place.

But something in the way he asked her made her feel jittery. She realized it had been the first time they were really alone since they last saw each other at the meeting with the agencies. Before dinner didn’t count, because at any minute, Geun Suk would have come knocking on the door. But he was gone now, and it was just the two of them. Alone in her apartment.

She studied Min Ho’s face: his clear eyes always seemed to glint whenever he was looking at her; his tall nose made him look intimidating at times, if he wasn’t crinkling it whenever he laughed; his full lips were tender and inviting. He had always been on one of the most handsome men she’s ever laid eyes on, and here he was looking back at her, looking only at her. She missed him so much. Her heart started beating fast. She still didn’t know how to answer him. Or to put it more accurately, she knew how she wanted to answer, she was just afraid of the consequences that might follow. If I should call them consequences.

A smile slowly crept on Min Ho’s lips. ‘It’s not a difficult question, you know,’ he said softly.

Shin Hye was unmoving. Even his smile couldn’t snap her out of her daze. Not until she felt Min Ho’s arms around her waist. The sudden contact made her already unsteady heart jump. He leaned down closer, ‘I understand. You can answer that question later. Let’s hang out first, okay? I think we need to talk about a lot of things.’

Shin Hye let out a breath, relieved that Min Ho had so much sense. She simply gave him a smile and nodded her head.

Min Ho let her go and put his hands on her shoulders. He turned her around and pushed her as they walked to the couch. When they were seated, Min Ho faced her right away. ‘Okay, first thing’s first – you should treat your phone as if it were a part of your body. You can’t just leave it lying around – you know that’s our relationship’s lifeline.’ His expression was serious. 'I was going crazy not hearing from you.'

Shin Hye let out a laugh. ‘Arasso. I’ll be more attentive to my phone, as if I’m not already focused on it 24/7. Joon oppa has been complaining that all I do is look at my phone these days,’ she smirked.

‘Tell him it’s his fault for always making you work. And while you’re at it, tell my manager, too. We wouldn’t be on our phones all the time if we saw each other more often.’

She sighed. ‘Forget it. We’re already walking on thin ice with them. Remember the last time we saw each other? Which reminds me, our agencies wouldn’t be happy about tonight.’

Min Ho’s expression changed at the mention of their agencies. She, herself, had almost forgotten about that last meeting. There were so many things left unsaid when they parted. She didn’t want to bring the issues up while Min Ho was away, but now, he was here and there was time. As far as Shin Hye knew, she and Min Ho needed to sort things out.

‘What happened at the parking lot-- that shouldn't happen again, oppa. We were lucky no one was around.'

'Geun Suk was also there. We can just say you were having a friendly get-together.'

Shin Hye sighed in frustration. 'You know it's not that easy. For all we know, Dispatch is just waiting somewhere, ready to pounce.'

'Fine, fine. That won't happen again,' Min Ho replied brusquely.

'Oh right, I’m leaving for Malaysia with my friends in three days,’ Shin Hye said. ‘That’s a day before your concert. I’m still sad I couldn’t go…’

‘Shin Hye,’ Min Ho cut her short. ‘You really don’t have to go do everything our agencies tell us. Most of the time, they’re just exaggerating.’ Anxiety was written all over his face. Just a while ago, he had been happy. She felt a little guilty bringing it up, but she knew that if she didn’t, they would both be skirting around the issue longer and longer.

‘I told you, I really wanted a vacation anyway. It just worked out perfectly,’ she smiled, but she knew that Min Ho was unconvinced. He clenched his jaw and furrowed his brows.

‘Perfectly? You’re kidding, right? They’re making you go to another country just so we avoid rumors. What in the world is perfect about that?’ His voice was stern now, and Shin Hye knew he was angry. ‘I know you’re scared, but if you let them manipulate you like this, who’s to say they won't make you do it again? Are you going to Japan on Valentine’s Day? And then to America on my birthday just so there aren’t any rumors about you going to my party? Is that how we’re going to deal with all this?’

Shin Hye was feeling heavier and heavier with every word. Min Ho’s eyes don’t lie; and right now, they were full of rage. She didn’t know he would get so mad.

‘I… I thought I was… I was doing the right thing,’ her voice trembled.

‘For who, Shin Hye? For you? For us? For the agencies? Stop pretending that this doesn’t bother you.’ Min Ho’s tone was harsher now.

Rattled, Shin Hye bit her lower lip to stop the tears. ‘For you,’ she replied weakly, looking down. ‘I want you to enjoy your concert without the agency breathing down your neck. If this is the only way I can protect you, then why shouldn’t I do it?’

Min Ho didn't speak. Shin Hye suspected that he was trying to calm himself down. As they sat in silence for a while, Shin Hye focused on her hands. She was wearing the ring that Min Ho gave her after the SBS awards show.

‘That ring is something we could go back to when things become confusing,’ Min Ho had told her that night. It has never been confusing for her – she knew she wanted to be with him. But only one month in, and already they were having a tougher time than she thought. She noticed a tear fall, and she wiped it right away, trying not to look too obvious.

‘I’m new to all this,’ Shin