II Woo was keeping an eye on Min Ho.  So far he had not said anything.  His eyes looked suspiciously wet.  But as long as he behaved – well II Woo didn’t want to think too much about what he should do if Min Ho decided to say something to the couple.

The guests moved into the conservatory and were seated by the ushers.  Shin Hye and Ying Ye were seated at the head table.  Zhi Qiang was moving about and keeping tabs on how things were going.  He noticed that the champagne had been poured and soon the couple would be expected to toast.  He managed to grab a flute and filled it with ginger ale so bubbles would appear.  He moved toward his seat next to Shin Hye and deftly exchanged her flute of champagne with his flute of ginger ale.  Shin Hye and Ying Ye saw him and Ying Ye immediately knew what was up.  Ying Ye leaned in and whispered in Shin Hye’s ear.  “Zhi Qiang just exchanged your champagne for I suspect ginger ale.  Don’t worry you can drink it with no harm.”  He pulled back and put a kiss on Shin Hye’s cheek and messed with a strand of her hair.  It looked so natural and Shin Hye blushed.  She blushed because she knew her family was watching and she felt embarrassed by all the lies and trickery. The blush was noted by Min Ho and he began a slow burn.

Min Ho did not sit when directed to the table with his name card.  He shook his head no and stood at the back of the room.  A few people stopped by and spoke.  He went through the motions of chit-chatting but he never took his eyes off Shin Hye.  He was waiting for a chance to tell her something.  He had thought about it long and hard.  He could not find fault with anything he did or said.  He had thought it over so many times.  So in order to salvage his pride he had to tell her something.  He didn’t listen to the toast or the risqué talk.  He could tell that everyone was having fun and that Shin Hye was head-over-heels in love with his replacement.  What a joke he thought.  He noticed where the bathrooms were and moved in that direction.  He was in a small hallway and he knew Shin Hye would make it there sooner or later.  He stood there looking out a small window for another 10 minutes when he heard a woman’s heels clicking on the stone floor.  There was a chance it wasn’t her but 50/50 it would be her.  And he was right.  He saw her hurrying toward the women’s room.  He stepped out and she ran into his chest.  “Excuse me,” Shin Hye said without looking up.  When he didn’t move she looked up.  He saw the pupils of her eyes expand.  He heard her sharp in-take of breath and he noticed her hand move to her stomach.  How odd he thought.  Did she think I would hit her?  So this is what she thinks of me?

“Oppa?” Shin Hye whispered. 

“Don’t Oppa me.  I am not your Oppa.  Evidently you had more than one Oppa during the time I thought we were exclusive.  How the hell does a woman pretend she loves a man while having the same relationship with another man behind his back?  What does that make her? Huh? Shin Hye? Would you like for me to tell you the words?”

Min Ho grabbed the back of her nape and brought her lips to an inch of his and then shoved her backward. 

“I came only to tell you that I am glad you found someone else.  I was rather tired of you anyway so this saves me the melodrama of getting rid of you.  But really, Shin Hye, you had to find someone who looks like me?  Did having 2 men who look alike make the cheating easier? How pathetic can you get?  Actually you disgust me.  Have a merry little life you two-timing ….” He trailed off the words because he just couldn’t quite say them.  He was so angry he did not trust himself.  And he turned to walk away.  Odd he thought the words didn’t make me feel any better.  He saw Ying Ye headed toward the hallway and slipped into the men’s bathroom across from the women’s. 

“Shin Hye,” Min Ho heard Ying Ye say, “how do you feel?  Is something wrong? Let me check your pulse.”  Min Ho heard nothing for a second and then he heard, “You need to rest.  Our little one has had enough excitement for the time being.  Let me hurry up our departure.  I am sure everyone is waiting for us to go on our honeymoon.  Won’t they be surprised when we give them our surprise news in a few weeks?”  He heard Shin Hye’s soft voice but could not figure out what she said.

Ying Ye told Shin Hye to go ahead to the bathroom and they would leave as soon as she returned to the main venue hall.  She went in one of the stalls and locked the door.  She sat on the seat and tears started to flow.  How could he think those things of me? He knew my heart.  Then she thought I suppose it does appear that way to him.  I must forgive Oppa because he will miss out on having this child.  So she finished in the bathroom and left.  As she started down the hall Min Ho came out of the men’s bathroom.  He grabbed her wrist and said, “I can’t understand you Shin Hye.  I will never understand you.  Why?  That’s all I want an answer to from you.  Why?”

Shin Hye felt drained.  She couldn’t do this any longer.  “Oppa, I am sorry. I am really, really sorry.  Please I must go.  My husband is waiting for me.  Good bye and good luck Min Ho Oppa.”

Shin Hye pulled her wrist free and quickly walked away her heels tapping loudly as she rushed down the hall.  She came back into the room and looked around for Ying Ye.  She spotted him talking to her Appa and Eomma.  Shin Hye stopped and composed herself.  She put a smile on her face and moved toward her family.  She walked up to Ying Ye’s side and put her hand on his arm.  He looked at her and smiled.  “Darling Shin Hye, I was wondering where you were.  My dear, Zhi Qiang tells me we can’t leave until we have a dance together. I also believe it is the Father’s privilege to have the first dance?”

Zhi Qiang was at the microphone and he was definitely a born MC.  He informed the crowd that Shin Hye and her Father would dance the first dance of the evening.  A lovely tune started to play in the background and Shin Hye’s Appa took her hand and led her to the dance floor.  They were half-way through when Ying Ye tapped Shin Hye’s father on the shoulder.  Her Appa smiled and handed her over to Ying Ye.  They moved around the floor as if they had danced together forever.  Shin Hye was praising him for his flawless dancing.  He laughed and told her his Mother could be thanked for that.  They were looking at each other and smiling.  Ying Ye told her Zhi Qiang said he refused to dance with her because he would look like an ostrich with his head out of the sand.  He told her it was humorous because Zhi Qiang said it and flipped his imaginary girl hair.  She could see Zhi Qiang doing that and her tinkling laughter filled the area around them.  It was an amazing laugh and the men around her smiled and felt the pull.  Ying Ye shook his head and told her she was really dangerous.  She smacked his arm and their Mothers’ hearts were satisfied.  Another song started and Shin Hye was pulled from friend to friend.  She danced with so many friends she lost count.  Ying Ye could tell she was tired and at the point of dropping.  He checked his time and found Zhi Qiang. The plan was for Zhi Qiang to come the following day to avoid any talk.  Zhi Qiang made a point of asking Ying Ye loudly enough to be heard if it wasn’t time he and the new bride made their escape?  Ying Ye took the hint and went to find Shin Hye. 

He found her waltzing around the floor with one of her friends and told her they had to leave.  She told her friend good-bye and followed Ying Ye.  Ying Ye led her to where both sets of parents were standing and talking.  He heard some of the conversation and gathered both sets of parents were hoping Shin Hye would get pregnant during the honeymoon.  He smiled thinking their wish would come true. 

Shin Hye hugged both sets of parents and told them she would call them within the next few days.  They would be in Hawaii for 7 days and she needed the time to pull herself together.  Shin Hye and Ying Ye slipped out the side door and ran for the car.  The area in front of the church and conservatory was filled with paparazzi and fans.  Hong Ki saw them and yelled to the wedding crowd that Shin Hye was slipping out the side and away.  The guest poured out to release balloons and blow bubbles.  The Li Industries guards helped them make it to the car.  Shin Hye stood for a moment before getting in the car and waved to her friends and fans.  Ying Ye thought they should put the paparazzi to good use and leaned down toward the shorter Shin Hye in what appeared to be an intimate moment.  He whispered, “We need to give them a picture to seal the deal.  Shin Hye get on your tip-toes and kiss me.”

She was shocked for a moment and then complied.  It was acting after all.  She looked up at Ying Ye and thought you look so like my Min Ho Oppa.  She rose up on tip-toes and putting her hands on each side of Ying Ye’s face kissed him on the mouth.  Pulling away she said with one of her signature dimpled smiles, “Is that what you meant?”

Ying Ye looked down at her and laughed.  Shin Hye’s fans later wrote about that moment on their fan site.  The fans swore it was the deepest iest male laugh ever.

The newlywed couple got into the car and drove toward Ying Ye’s house to gather their luggage and to change clothes.  Ying Ye took Shin Hye’s hand and said, “My dearest Shin Hye, I think we are going to be the best of friends.  You, Zhi Qiang and I, along with our baby will be happy.  I think you are one in a million and you should be glad I am gay otherwise you would be in trouble.”  Shin Hye looked into his eyes and she saw his sincerity. 

“Ying Oppa.  I will call you Ying Oppa from now on.  I am glad we found each other.  You and Zhi Qiang are priceless friends.  Let’s be a family from now on.”

They were gathering their luggage in the foyer when Zhi Qiang made it home.  He was full of gossip about events that occurred after they left the reception.  “Shin Hye do you know not fewer than a dozen men got drunk and cried over you getting married?  It was actually funny.  Geun Suk cried that he saw you first but you put him in your friend-zone and he could never get out.  Then the strangest thing, I overheard II Woo and Min Ho talking.  II Woo was telling Min Ho that enough was enough.  He told him to stop saying the hurtful things about you and to just start over.  He told him it was his own fault for not marrying you when he had the chance.  Now what do you think of that?”

Shin Hye liked Zhi Qiang.  He was definitely the female of the couple.  She laughed saying, “I would rather hear the gossip about who is dating who secretly.” 

“Really? Well I can tell you that too.”  He was merrily filling Shin Hye on what he had heard as they walked to the car. 

Shin Hye was laughing at the things Zhi Qiang was telling her.  She hugged him much to his delight.  “Zhi Qiang, let’s be family from now on.”

The couple waved to Zhi Qiang who was mumbling about something getting in his eyes.

Shin Hye and Ying Ye were on a private jet.  It belonged to a business associate of his Father’s.  He had offered to let them use it since he needed the jet to be in Hawaii in a couple of day’s time.  It worked out perfectly for Shin Hye.  She settled into the plush seat and went to sleep.  Ying Ye pulled a light blanket over her and realized it seemed like she really was family and that they had know each other for years.  He settled down for a nap also.

They arrived at the private Princeville Airport.  They would stay for the night at the resort in the city of Hanalei.  The next day they would leave by yacht to a small island off the North Shore.  Zhi Qiang would join them the following day.  Ying Yi’s Father had made sure the pantry and refrigerator at the island house was fully stocked.  There would be no cooks or housekeepers for the time the house was rented.  Shin Hye had wanted it that way so that Zhi Qiang could join Ying Ye.  She enjoyed cooking and Ying Oppa told her that Zhi Qiang was an excellent cook.  Shin Hye had high hopes for the week ahead.

Zhi Qiang arrived the following day.  He immediately hugged Shin Hye and asked how the baby was doing.  Shin Hye laughed at how her life had changed.  Ying Oppa had been telling her what she needed to know about being pregnant.  They were trying to figure how she would act when it was time for her to “be pregnant”.  Ying Oppa had it all figured out by dates.  He knew when she could begin to act pregnant when they got back and how to pull off the pre-mature birth.  The first night all three were there they cooked out.  Ying Oppa told her she should begin to swim as exercise.  He asked her if she had thought about how she would like to deliver the baby.  She wanted to go with natural childbirth and Ying Oppa agreed.  But he told her if she should have problems during delivery he would make sure everything for a caesarean section was preformed correctly.  Zhi Qiang volunteered to help coach her with Lamaze lessons.  Shin Hye asked how he knew Lamaze and he told her one of the funniest stories she had ever heard.  She was laughing so hard she thought she would pee on herself.  She ran for the bathroom and Ying Ye hugged Zhi Qiang and thanked him for what he was doing.

Zhi Qiang preened under Ying Ye’s praise.  “Ying, I truly like Shin Hye.  She is not like other women.  She is such a breath of fresh air.  Ying, do you realize you will be a father?  I will be an Uncle?  We will be a family – you, me, Shin Hye and our baby.  I will from now on refer to the baby as our baby and don’t try to keep me from saying our baby.”

Shin Hye was returning to the deck when she heard Zhi Qiang.  Shin Hye’s heart fluttered with the love she was feeling for the two wonderful friends chatting away about loving her baby and being a family with her and the baby.  She was so emotional lately and started bawling.   Ying Oppa and Zhi Oppa rushed to see what was wrong.  Their concern only made her cry harder.  “Shin Hye what is wrong?  Ying, should I call emergency services?  What is wrong Shin Hye?  Please don’t cry.”

Shin Hye reached for a napkin and blew her nose.  “You two are just too awesome.  I am so happy with you both.”  And she continued to cry.  The father-to-be and the uncle-to-be patted her back as they said comforting words.  Zhi Qiang looked from Shin Hye to Ying Ye and said, “Ying do you realize you and I have changed since Shin Hye entered our lives?  Everything is different now and everything is better even under these circumstances.”

The week passed quickly.  Shin Hye had been pampered beyond belief.  She had begun breathing exercises coached by Zhi Oppa.  Her years of singing and dancing were a bonus for her.  She was in top physical shape and Ying was sure a delivery would be easy for her.  He was concerned that she had begun throwing up in the evenings.  It wasn’t bad but enough that she had lost weight.  He assured her that all pregnant women do not follow any imaginary manual that existed in the netherworld.  He told her no two women followed the same pattern when pregnant.  He told her to not listen to any old wives tales about how or what she would do.  He had seen pregnant women throw up for 36 weeks and he hoped Shin Hye would not be the same.  It was taxing on the woman’s physical and mental health.

Zhi Oppa was sitting on the deck that stretched out over a section of the Pacific Ocean.  The breezes were soothing and Shin Hye had been slathered with sun block by Zhi Oppa.  He was slowly filling the space of a best girlfriend.  She had fallen in love with both Oppas and she was so grateful for them.  Zhi Oppa noticed she had started placing her hand over her stomach and smiling.  He was chatting away about designing furniture for the new nursery Ying Oppa would add soon.  Shin Hye wanted touches of red in the room but not in a scary way.  Zhi Oppa was telling her they needed another female in the house so she must produce a niece for him.  Ying was standing by the door to the deck listening to Zhi chat away and he felt a sense of peace and harmony.  Shin Hye had really changed his life.  How one man’s misfortune could become another man’s fortune was a puzzle.  He felt pity and sorrow for Lee Min Ho at that moment.  He knew that no matter how much pity he felt toward Min Ho he realized he didn’t want Shin Hye and Min Ho to reconcile.  He was thinking how tangled this has become.  He knew Shin Hye would not forgive or forget that the person she loved had chosen a job over her love.  It was just not in the human psyche.  And no longer than he had known Shin Hye he realized she was no door mat.

Zhi Oppa was packed and ready to leave.  The yacht to take him back to the mainland and the airport was waiting.  He hugged Shin Hye again and told her to be careful.  He looked at Ying Ye and smiled, “Take care of our Shin Hye, hey?”

Shin Hye waved as the yacht pulled away.  She and Ying Oppa would leave tomorrow evening.  They would take a commercial flight home to Seoul.  Shin Hye had felt so relaxed and now she was starting to dread the return to the city where Min Ho Oppa lived.  Shaking her head she went to pack her clothes. 

They arrived the following morning – very early.  They had hoped to avoid media attention by slipping into the country in the wee morning hours.  Unfortunately that did not happen.  There were fans and paparazzi gathered waiting on the newlyweds.  If nothing else the week away had done wonders for Shin Hye and Ying Ye.  They had become comfortable with each other.  They knew the parts they were playing – they had practiced touching and being natural.  Ying Ye was in front of Shin Hye and as they entered the lobby of the airport he turned and took her hand to help her.  She beamed a smile at him.  The cameras flashed and the pictures splashed across media outlets showed a glowing and happy couple. 

Min Ho was on the set of his latest drama.  He was not his usual self.  He was not cutting up while joking with the cast and crew.  His manager was concerned.  Something was eating at Min Ho and he suspected it was Shin Hye’s betrayal.  He wished he knew the behind the scenes of that drama.  His job now was to try and get Min Ho back to his old self.  He suspected it would be some time before he put Shin Hye behind him and moved on.

Min Ho’s new show was a police action drama.  Min Ho’s character was a police detective.  The premise would be his character was slowing rising in the police ranks when he comes across an old unsolved murder case.  His character would become consumed with solving the crime and bringing justice to the murdered woman.  As his knowledge of the case expanded he would learn she was pregnant and close to birth when she was found murdered but no baby was ever found.  It was an interesting premise and he had been eager to play this character.  He was thinking that maybe as the character developed he could think more about that and less about Shin Hye.  Just the thoughts of her name made him hang his head.  He just couldn’t figure it out.  He knew there had to be a better explanation than ‘I found someone I love better’.  He knew Shin Hye – really knew her and this was not the way Shin Hye would act.  What was going on in that mind of hers?  He raked his hair for the 3^rd time in a row.  I have got to stop this and study my script.  He opened the script to the scene he would act that afternoon and slowly began immersing himself in his new character. 

Min Ho became Police Detective Sergeant Qing Seung Hwa.  Sergeant Qing.  The scene about to be acted would define his character and how his fans would react to him.  In the scene he has been searching the area of an abandoned house.  He had traced the ownership of the house to an old man who lived on an isolated estate far from Seoul.  He knew the mystery surrounding the death of the young pregnant woman lie within these ruins.  His job was to painstakingly sort through all the facts known about the young woman and trace her life from the time she entered this household to her last known whereabouts.  His character was a single male with no girlfriend.  Would his character find love while searching for the clues of a long forgotten mystery crime?  That is what he wanted to portray to his watchers and fans.  He wanted his heart to show.  His problem would be a nagging thought always in the back of his mind about Shin Hye and her abnormal behavior.

Shin Hye’s life at the Yi household was settling into a norm.  She wanted to continue fulfilling her contract obligations for as long as she could.  Her pregnancy did not mean she was disabled.  She was not the sort of woman that gave up when a little morning or evening sickness decided to hit her.  Her producer was overjoyed at the look Shin Hye was able to portray these days.  She looked like a woman blooming under the love of a man.  She would end her Enprani and Holika Holika contract in December.  Jung II Woo made her nervous because he was too observant and he was Min Ho’s best friend.  She wasn’t sure when she would start showing but Ying Oppa told her with her build and healthy practices she should not start showing for at least another 7 weeks.  Ying Oppa said first time mothers usually show later but no two women are the same so he could not pinpoint with any accuracy when she would show.  She was actually looking forward to being able to acknowledge her pregnancy.  She might not be able to say Min Ho is the baby’s father but she could proclaim her baby’s existence.  She had started trying to get use to saying Ying Oppa was the baby’s father so it would become a natural thing for her to say.  A slip of the tongue would be the ending for her. 

II Woo arrived at the set for the latest Holika Holika commercial.  Shin Hye was chatting happily with the producer.  He had to admit she looked fantastic.  Her beauty was undeniable.  He could understand why Min Ho was so puzzled.  He was puzzled because something wasn’t adding up.  He saw the glow on Shin Hye’s face.  She looked better than ever and she looked happy and he was trying to think of the word to describe it but couldn’t put his finger on it.  Ah well, Min Ho’s woes would fade with time.  He was happy for Shin Hye but sad too.  He lost a bit of his belief in happy love forever with the break-up of Min Ho and Shin Hye.  Putting a smile on his face he moved toward Shin Hye and the producer.

“Shin Hye, my dear, how are you?  You look beautiful as always.  Has PD Hime told you his new concept for our latest commercial?  I like it and it suits how you look.”  He chatted away but Shin Hye kept her guard up while responding to II Woo.  The commercial would be a new concept of a married couple and their anticipated life together.  They filmed for three hours and the producer called a break.  Shin Hye was tired but she didn’t look any the worse for the hours.  She sank into a chair gratefully.  There was a bit of excitement at the entrance and she looked up to see Ying Ye and Zhi Qiang.  She smiled and waved.  Zhi Oppa had coffee and tea for everyone.  Ying Oppa took a container of tea from the box and brought it to Shin Hye.  He placed it beside her and bent down to kiss the top of her head.  She smiled at his acting cleverness.  As she looked up with a big smile on her face she saw II Woo and the puzzled look on his face.  Ah I am glad I did not let my guard down she thought.

Ying Oppa sat down in the chair next to her and said, “I remembered this morning that II Woo is your commercial partner and thought a bit of reinforcement would not hurt.  Are you upset with Zhi and me?  And how do you feel?”  He was in fact worried about the stress Shin Hye was under.  He knew she had not made up her mind whether to continue acting or whether to be an Eomma full-time.  He would advise her if she asked but he admired her ability to decide her own fate even in the face of such adversity.  “Shin Hye, Zhi and me, we are always here for you.  If you need to you can lean on us.”  With that he reached over and squeezed her hand standing up.  Smiling down at her he placed his hand on her head and went in search of Zhi so that he could get back to the hospital.  Shin Hye picked her tea up and sipped it slowly.  She felt blessed at that moment and she unconsciously placed her hand on her stomach while smiling.  The gesture and look did not go unnoticed by II Woo who filed the image away in the back of his mind.

Shin Hye was thinking that she hoped the day’s shoot would end soon.  She wanted to go home and soak in a tub of warm water and sleep.  She noticed that she wanted sleep more and more.  Smiling she thought my baby wants sleep these days!  What a wonderful thing to be able to love a baby.  She was basking in the glow of her acceptance of the new life growing inside her.