Annyeonghaseyo, yeoreobun?

No, I'm not changing ship. I will never be a MinShin (LMH and PSH) because I never saw any spark in them. I just put him in to be a third party.

I was not intending to put a female third wheel for this, but since you guys asked for it, gwaenchanhseumnida. ^_^ No worries, it will not be Seo Hyun. It will be a different girl, a noona with an fiery appeal to younger guys, Yong Hwa included. ^_* Don't worry, the noona will make someone turn a new leaf.

****

While the guys were out comforting Yong Hwa, Woori was with Shin Hye at a bar for the Happy Hour. Instead of being happy, Shin Hye was sharing her guilt. She did not want to hurt Yong Hwa, she asked his forgiveness, but he just kept mum at it. And saying he was all right, it did not sit right with her. Yong Hwa did not seem all right with it, he was hurt, but he wouldn't give her any satisfactory answer.

"Give it time. Give him space to forget you and accept the ordeal," Woori told her as she forked some tapa with a toothpic. "He had been in love with you for a long time..."

"For... for a long time?" was Shin Hye's astonished query. She could not believe she had not seen the signs.

Woori rolled her eyeballs before shaking her head, "Both of you are best friends, and you don't know???"

Shin Hye shook her head sadly. It was sad to see her best friend heartbroken over the fact that she could not love him back. Yet, what saddened her was also due to the fact that she had hurt him a lot of times without her knowing it.

"Why is fate being cruel to me?" Shin Hye burst into tears. "It would have been better if it was some other guy, but why is fate being like this to me and my... my best f...friend..."

Woori noticed how Shin Hye stammered over the last sentence. It seemed like Shin Hye was taking it hard that it was her own best friend that had fallen in love with her.

"Aigoo, love is difficult," Woori sighed.

Woori handed out some tissue paper at her friend to wipe the tears, and Shin Hye did wipe her tears. However, she noticed the smudged mascara and excused herself to go to the restroom. As she was about to stand up, she bumped against someone.

"Ah, joesonghamnida..." Shin Hye cringed while bowing.

As she looked up, the man held her on the arms, giving her a very worried look.

"Gwaenchanhayo?" a tall man with handsome features asked her.

Shin Hye saw that the man was so good-looking that she could not help but stutter and blush.

"Ah... y..ye," she replied before apologizing again.

"Animnida," the man started, saying he was all right.

The man walked away to the farther end of the counter, and Shin Hye's gaze followed him. But then, when the man sat down, her gaze landed back at her friend, who looked weirdly at her.

"What was that about?" Woori whispered. "You were crying over your best friend, and now you are starry-eyed over that stranger!"

Shin Hye apologized before going to the restroom.

****

After fifteen minutes of retouch, Shin Hye went back to their place and continued chatting with Woori.

"Girl, I realized I should not be guilty for not reciprocating my best friend's feelings," Shin Hye started.

Woori raised an eyebrow before making a face. "Does it have something to do with the stranger just now?"

"Ah? Ani!" Shin Hye denied before smiling like an idiot. "Well, I guess I have found my soulmate."

Woori scoffed. "You said the same thing before about Jong Hyun."

"Eh????" was Shin Hye's shocked response. She did not know where Woori got the info.

"Jung Shin told me," was Woori's playful jealousy. "Heck, he even told me you thought my Hyukkie was your soulmate!"

"This is for real, Woori-ya," Shin Hye replied while casting a palm up like making a promise.

"How many soulmates do you have?" Woori asked, joking. "Your soul sure is flirtatious."

"Woori-ya!" snapped Shin Hye, pouting her lips.

But then, as she looked at the handsome stranger, the man was looking at him with a cocky smile, as if he was interested in her. Shin Hye bit her lips as she looked away and tucked some hair behind her ears.

What do you expect in a bar?

"Omo, don't give me that look!" Woori hissed before turning to look at the man.

The man asked something at the bartender before standing up to go to their table. Shin Hye froze to see the man smiling at her and Woori.

"Why are pretty ladies being alone at a bar?" he asked them. "By the way, I'm Lee Min Ho."

The two women also introduced themselves, Woori in an accommodating but reserved way, and Shin Hye in a subtle flirtatious way. The bartender came with a tray of a bottle of whisky, three glasses, and a bucket of ice, and placed the tray on the table. Min Ho took his place beside Shin Hye, who could not stop looking at him.

The three of them began to talk first of business stuff. The ladies learned that Min Ho was an accountant at a company two blocks away from their office, while Min Ho learned that Shin Hye was a copywriter and that Woori was a programmer. He subtly hit on Shin Hye, who was open to the advances. Woori took note of this, feeling like it was on a bad side.

If she were to choose between Min Ho and Yong Hwa for Shin Hye, she'd choose Yong Hwa. Not only because they were friends but because Yong Hwa was a gentleman. Min Ho, for her, was more of too suave and cocky. Good thing her Min Hyuk wasn't anything like that anymore.

"Shin Hye-ssi was crying early today," Min Ho pointed out. "Wae geuraeyo?"

He handed a cold glass of whisky at Shin Hye, who took the glass and sipped the drink daintily.

"Ah, that one, just some things personal," she told him.

Woori cleared involuntarily. Min Ho had no right to know that yet. After all, they just made his acquaintance recently. Both Shin Hye and Min Ho turned to look at her.

"Wae?" Shin Hye asked.

"Ah, eopseo... some dust must have clogged my trachea," Woori lied at her.

Really, it did not sit right with her. It was clear as day that Shin Hye was enjoying Min Ho's company, and that a smile was lighting up her face, something that she did not see when her friend was with Yong Hwa.

"I wish her happiness, but I wish she finds it with Yong Hwa," Woori thought to herself.

****

Min Ho offered to take Shin Hye to her pad, which she accepted. Woori declined to join, as she said she will be visiting a cousin a few blocks from the shop. As she watched the two get in Min Ho's ritzy van, Woori could not help but worry. She picked up her phone and asked Min Hyuk to come fetch her at the bar.

****

Min Hyuk fetched Woori, who shared that she had something important to say. But because Jong Hyun was taking care of the drunk Yong Hwa, it was Jung Shin who rushed to Woori's pad to discuss about the emergency. By the time he went there, he saw Woori talking with someone over the phone, and Woori was smiling.

"Ah, geurae? Aigoo... Min Ho-ssi is really a gentleman, ne?"

After five minutes of talk, Woori excused herself, telling her that Min Hyuk came to visit her. After putting down the phone, Woori put on a grave face and told them about Lee Min Ho.

"Mwo?" asked Jung Shin. "Shin Hye... fell for a stranger?"

"I have a bad feeling about this," Min Hyuk said. "I know the stuff of bad-boy type of guys."

"Na do," Woori told them. "My first impression of him wasn't very nice. Yes, he's accommodating and friendly, but he came a bit too much of an airhead. I wonder why Shin Hye liked those kind of guys."

"She liked Jong Hyun before, remember?" Jung Shin pointed out. "And Yong Hwa-hyung didn't speak to the two of them for two weeks when he learned about that."

"And how about that time when Hyung gave me the cold shoulder when he knew Shin Hye had a crush on me too?" Min Hyuk pointed out.

"I'm not liking this situation," Woori told them. "It's... it is not something to be taken lightly."

"Is he a ?" Min Hyuk asked his girlfriend.

"Molla," Woori said. "He brought her to her pad, and I hope nothing happened between the two of them."

"Shin Hye is not that type of girl. Geokjeongma," was Jung Shin's optimistic reply.

The lovers looked at each other and wished Jung Shin was right.

****

Meanwhile, Shin Hye was smiling to herself as she held her phone. They exchanged numbers, and she was excited over their first text message. She was already settled for the night on her bed, but her heart was still fluttering at the new fling. Her night was so good that she thought she deserved to be happy.

"But... how is Yong Hwa doing?" she suddenly asked herself.

From happiness, concern swept in like a flood destroying the dam. When Min Ho bid her good night, she told him likewise before contacting Yong Hwa on his mobile phone.

****

Yong Hwa was drunk to even move, and Jong Hyun was up and about his pad, going to and fro to assist him. When the supervisor's phone rang, Jong Hyun took it and answered.

"Shin Hye?" he asked.

****

Shin Hye was glad that Yong Hwa took her call easily, but was crestfallen to learn it was Jong Hyun.

"Yong Hwa... is he home?"

"He's... asleep," Jong Hyun lied, leaving the drinking spree part. "I am here because we discussed about possible ventures for the Singapore branch."

Which was a lie, she thought. The pad was not a good place to talk about business, but she took his word for it. She bit her lips and bid Jong Hyun good night, telling him to take care of Yong Hwa for her.

"And... please tell him that... I called," she softly requested, deeply worried.

Jong Hyun did not reply as he hung up. Something must really be up. If not, Min Hyuk and Jung Shin would not go to Woori. He placed the phone on top of the bed side table and noticed the photo on top of the table. He retrieved it and stared at it for a long time, his burning eyes speaking volumes of thought.

"Shin Hye is lucky to have Hyung," he thought. "What's up with her?"

~~~~