You could have heard a mouse dance in the silence caused by his words. Shin Hye gaped at him for a second before finding her voice and croaking out, “W-what did you say?”

“I said since I’m your boyfriend-.” Min Ho gave her a long stare. Damn girl. Why does she have to make him repeat what is so obvious?

“But you aren’t.” Shin Hye prayed for patience. A whole train of it.

“I am not?” What is she talking about? Of course he is. “Of course I am.”

“No, you really are not.” Good lord, this man was stubborn. “Min Ho sshi…”

“You don’t have to call your boyfriend so formally, you know?” Min Ho gave her what he considered his sweetest smile and was riled to see her glaring at him.

“This…we…it’s just the drama, a pretend, you know?” Shin Hye gestured vaguely around them. Their pretend school, their pretend status in life, their pretend relationship. “You can have pretend feelings for me but not real ones.”

“What are you, the feeling police?” He crossed his arms and looked angry. “Listen woman, I am telling you that I am your boy- okay fine, if you are uncomfortable with boyfriend, you can call me... a special someone. Does that make you feel better?”

“No, it does not, you dork!!!” Shin Hye said in a little scream. She was THIS close to stomping her feet, preferably all over him. They had just finished shooting their closet kiss episode and now they were, well they were supposed to be driving back to the school location. Instead he had asked her manager to leave Shin Hye with him as there'd be throngs of fans outside the location and they'd be using another route. He said it'd be faster and safer. Now, he stopped the car at a convenience store and bought some snacks (because dinner had been too long away) and then had driven to a shaded spot a kilometer or so from the highway citing a need to talk to her. Shin Hye had been curious. What was so important that he had to park the car, get out and ask her to get out before he could talk about it. Turns out he wanted – damn, Shin Hye started blushing all over again.

“YOU!!” She pointed a finger at him.

“It’s wrong to point AND shout at your boyfriend.” He interrupted.

“YAAAH!!” Now she really did stomp her feet.

“Seriously Shin Hye-yah, today has been very nerve-wracking and emotional for me.” He rubbed his chest. “Do you think I go around whispering to all the women I'm having a kiss scene that I love them? I was so scared that the others may noticed and worse, interrupt.” He paused and then gave her a very suspicious look. “Don’t tell me you thought that I was just improvising and all that was just some joke.”

Shin Hye blinked and looked away. She did think he was joking, okay fine if not joking, just saying all that stuff for the sake of their chemistry and the drama. Theirs was the most popular at the moment, thanks to that so-called on-cam chemistry.

“Yah, Park Shin Hye! What kind of man do you think I am, huh?” Great, now he sounded hurt.

“Min Ho sshi…” Shin Hye faltered at the sad look on his face. “Ah.. I am really very touched by your, er, actions tonight -.”

“I don’t want to hear a but.” He crossed his arms and stuck his lip out in a gesture of rebellion.

“I don’t understand why you seem to think that tonight changes everything between us.” Shin Hye finished weakly.

“Because it does.” He frowned, stepping closer in an attempt to get her to understand his perspective. “I know this is just a drama...”

“Good.”

He took another step closer. “But you find love in the weirdest places.”

Shin Hye frowned. But continued listening anyway.

Another step closer. “Like my friend, he found love at a pet store.”

“Huh…” Shin Hye took a step back.

“And Bummie, who's also your friend, met his girlfriend while doing claypots.”

“What?”

“Yes, that’s what he says. So, can't I do the same? I found love while endlessly staring at you and finally got to confesing while kissing you in a closet. Why is that so improbable?” He took the remaining two steps and Shin Hye found herself pressed against the car.

“Min Ho ssi, let’s think about this clearly, okay?” Shin Hye swallowed. His proximity was doing weird things to her pulse.

“Oh no. Thinking is a very bad thing where you are concerned.” He shook his head, staring intently at her lips. “You’ll say stuff like, ‘I’m too young, you’re too popular Min Ho ssi, you’re a super hallyu star, blah blah blah.’"

Shin Hye wet her lips nervously. A gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by Min Ho. “Aish. Will you quit staring at my lips as though they were the last piece of candy in a box.”

“Bravo Shin Hye-yah, you said exactly how I feel. Now shut up because I’m going to kiss you.” He moved even closer. “As was my original intent.”

“LEE MIN HO!!!.” A losing protest.

“I wasted enough times just staring at you. Now be quiet.” He swooped in and kissed her so softly it felt like butterfly wings were fluttering against her lips. Lovely but not enough. “Shin Hye?”

“Hmm…?” Shin Hye dragged her eyes open to see his amused gaze on her. Horrified she dropped her eyes to the ground. Why was she behaving like a schoolgirl with her first crush.

“Please go out with me.” He still had her trapped against the car.

“Min Ho ssi..” Shin Hye gave him her very best ‘Imma-kill-you’ look. One he expertly ignored. "Don’t be silly.” Clearly exasperated now.

“I’m deadly serious.” He replied. “Okay fine. Let’s think this out if you want. You like me. I suuuuuper like you.” He paused. Then fixed his eyes on her. “You DO like me right?”

Shin Hye contemplated saying no. But then she’d never get home. So she nodded sullenly. Defeated.

“Then we should be together!” He beamed. Extremely pleased.

“What about the rest of the issues?” Shin Hye demanded, scared.

“We’ll think about them later.”

She stared at him for a long second. Could she do this? Should she do this? He raised an eyebrow waiting for her decision. If she said no, he’d let her go and wouldn’t mention it again. She knew that much.  

Before she can even say either yes or no, Min Ho has already stepped  forward and enveloped her in the warmest hug they have ever shared since the drama started. "I'm here, don't ever forget that and worry needlessly, okay?" He assured her as he knows the girl's fears as much as his own.    

"Okay.." Shin Hye closes her eyes and finally accepting the inevitable, hug the tall guy whom she had come to love the past four months.

END. Haha. Thanks for reading. ^^V