“Did you ever fall for someone you know you shouldn’t? Try hard to fight your feelings, but you just couldn’t? You fall deeper with each passing day, but try to hide it in every possible way…”

“You… you can even bake a cake?” Park Shin Hye asked in disbelief. She was standing in the kitchen looking at Lee Min Ho, who was now busy mixing all the ingredients with a whisk in a large bowl. After they had their breakfast this morning, he told her that he will make a birthday cake for So Ra’s birthday. Her eyes were almost pop out hearing that.

“Why do you look so surprise? I’m a very good cook you know. I used to bake birthday cake for Min Jung and…” he found himself tongue-tied for a second and realized he almost says something he shouldn’t.

Shin Hye was looking at him, waiting for him to finish his sentence. “And who?”

Min Ho cleared his throat and averted his gaze. “Erm… and myself.” He smiled awkwardly.

Shin Hye nodded as she asked again. “I heard appa said you just came back from US not long ago before our wedding. You stay in US with Min Jung?”

Min Ho stopped mixing the ingredients and looked at Shin Hye. His mouth opened slightly but nothing came out. He felt his heartbeat raced as he took a deep breath. “Hmmm…” he uttered softly. He silently let out a sigh of relief when Shin Hye didn’t continue to ask further. He bit his lips as he continued to mix the ingredients. He doesn’t want to lie but he just think now wasn’t the right time to tell Shin Hye about her.

After Min Ho was done with the mixture, he poured the batter into the cake pan and put it in the oven. He then took another bowl and started to pour in other ingredients to prepare the frosting. While he was mixing it, he took a look at Shin Hye who was leaning on the kitchen counter looking interestedly at everything he was doing. A sweet smile was curved on her lips.

Min Ho laughed softly as he dipped his index finger in the cream frosting and bring his finger near to Shin Hye’s lips. “Want to try?”

She looked at him expectantly. “I can?” She flashed him a wide smile when Min Ho nodded. But before she could taste it, Min Ho wiped the cream on the tip of her nose.

“Oppa…” She pouted her lips as she wiped the cream away. Min Ho laughed out loudly and dipped his finger in the cream frosting again. “Okay. This time I won’t tease you again. I promise.” He said cheekily.

Shin Hye took a step back and shook her head. “No. I’m not going believe you again.”

“Come here.” Min Ho said.

“No.” Shin Hye shook her head as she started to run away from him. Min Ho was now chasing behind her and both of them were laughing and running like kids in the kitchen.

The maids who were all peeking into the kitchen were laughing silently looking at their cuteness. “If Mr Park still around, he will sure be very happy seeing agasshi laughing like this.” One of the maids said.

“Oppa… please stop.” Shin Hye still screaming like a little girl trying to stay away from Min Ho. He ran after her and cornered her, leaning his hand onto the wall behind her so she was now caught in between his arms. Shin Hye was still laughing as she looked into his eyes.

Min Ho wiped a little bit of the cream on her cheek and then leaned down to it away softly. He felt her body tensed up and her eyes blinked nervously.

Shin Hye widened her eyes this time when Min Ho wiped the remaining cream on her lips as he leaned down and gently on her lips. She could feel her heart was pounding so fast as though it was about to jump out. She let out a small gasp when Min Ho pulled away and locked his gaze with hers.

He gently caressed her blushing cheeks and smiled. “I love seeing you laughing like that. You looked very beautiful when you are happy. Promise me you will laugh more from now onwards, okay?”

Shin Hye’s lips curved into a smile as she nodded and looked into his eyes. Min Ho smiled as he nuzzled his nose on her forehead. “If you keep looking at me like this, your best friend’s birthday cake wouldn’t be able to finish on time and we still have to go out to get her birthday present later, remember?” He said as he leaned over to her ear and whispered. “Stop seducing me.”

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“Are you sure So Ra can fit in S size? I think it’s kind of small for her, right.” Min Ho narrowed his eyes at the dress Shin Hye was holding.

Shin Hye patted softly on his arm. “Oppa. So Ra isn’t that fat, okay. She is about my size and I wear S size.”

Min Ho scanned her from up and down as he tilted his head. “Hmmm… let me see are you really can fit into S size.” He said as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

Shin Hye was shocked as she looked around to see anybody is looking at them. “Oppa. What are you doing?” Shin Hye pulled away from him.

Min Ho laughed. “Wae?”

Before she could say anything, a woman approached them. “Shin Hye?”

Shin Hye turned to that woman and then smiled at her. “Seonsangnim.”

The woman walked closer to her and was smiling happily. “It’s really you. Wah. Look at you. You are a beautiful young lady now. It has been 5 years already since I last saw you in my class. So, how were your studies in the university? Still playing violin now?

“Yes. I graduated 2 years ago.” She then turned to Min Ho. “She was my violin teacher since I was only 5 years old.” Min Ho nodded as he bowed at her politely.    

“He is your boyfriend?” her teacher asked as she smiled at Min Ho.

Shin Hye was taken aback by the question. “Erm… he is my…”

“Husband.” Min Ho cut Shin Hye off as he held her hand in his. Shin Hye looked at him and a shy smile was plastered on her face.

“You two looked really good together.” Her teacher laughed softly as she nodded. “Oh yeah.” She took a leaflet out from her bag and hand it over to Shin Hye. “There will be a Seoul International Music Competition next month. The deadline to apply will be end of this week. I think you should try. Among all my students I’ve teach all these years, you are one of the talented one I’ve seen.”

Shin Hye took a look at the leaflet and shook her head. “But I have never entered any competition before. I don’t think I…”       

“How you know you can’t if you didn’t try?” Min Ho cut her off. “I think this is a very good chance for you enhance your career as a violinist.”

“Yes. Think about it and get back to me. I’m sure the preliminary round would be a peanut for you.” Her teacher patted her hand softly and assured her with a smile.

Shin Hye looked at her teacher and then at the leaflet before nodded.

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Shin Hye was looking at the leaflet when Min Ho took a seat beside her in the living room.

“Still thinking about the competition?” Min Ho asked as he pulled her hand in his.

Shin Hye looked up at him and sighed. “You really think is a good idea for me to participate in this competition? I have no confident.”

Min Ho turned his body slightly to face her and caressed her cheek. “To be honest to you, I know nothing about music. But I’ve seen and heard the songs you played with your violin. It touched my heart. Winning or losing doesn’t matter at all. The most important thing is this is a good chance for you to enlarge your vision and broaden your horizons of this world. You should open up yourself and look at the outside world. Don’t lock yourself in the safety zone. You said you don’t have confident. But confidence needs you to build up for yourself.”

Shin Hye looked deeply into his eyes and tried to understand every word he was saying. She knew he was right. Since her mother passed away, her world was only revolving around her father. She just wants to keep her promise and take good care of her father. She didn’t really think about what she wants to do in the future. She has no interest in her father’s business and the only think that can make her happy is her violin. And now, her father was no longer here anymore. It’s really about time for her to think about what she needs to do next.

She flashed Min Ho a smile and nodded. “Hmmm… I’ll call seonsangnim tomorrow and ask her to register for me.”

Min Ho curved his lips in a big smile as he pulled her into his arms. He kissed gently on her hair and inhaled her sweet scent deeply.

“Wow. I think I smell love in the air.”

Shin Hye quickly pulled away from Min Ho when she heard So Ra’s voice. She turned around as she saw So Ra and Jong Suk were walking into the living room. She stood up and cleared to break the awkwardness. “You are early. I thought you two will only come at 7pm.”

“I think you are too immersed in that loving embrace of your husband and forgot the time. It’s 7pm already.” So Ra said teasingly as she walked over to Shin Hye who was blushing a deep shade of red. So Ra laughed softly before giving Shin Hye a bear hug. She pulled back after a moment and scanned Shin Hye’s face. “Hmmm… you looked so much better now. Thanks to your husband