17:02 P.M.

LEE HONG KI WAS WATCHING FROM ONE OF THE SHADOWED SEATS AS SHIN HYE FINISHED REHEARSING THE FINAL NUMBER FOR HER CONCERT. As she was about to walk off stage, her director called her over to him to have a word. The conversation seemed to have made her unsmiling expression even more grave. She nodded one last time to her PD and then turned, walking towards the wings. Even from where he was sitting Hong Ki could see the tense set of her shoulders. 

Aish this won’t do, not when she’s about to perform. This won’t do at all. He thought to himself as he stood up. He didn’t hesitate. He took a deep breath and bellowed towards the retreating figure,

“AVANT-HYE!”

Shin Hye immediately stopped in her tracks. As she was slowly turning to face his direction, Hong Ki bounded down the theater steps and up the stage. He didn’t stop until he was right in front of her. From afar she looked surprised, she even had slight a smile on her face. But now that he was standing a foot away from her he saw the bags under her eyes that were...

...shining brightly from unshed tears that were on the verge of falling.

“H-hong Ki,” she greeted weakly. He shook his head and placed his hands on her shoulders.

“Ani. It’s Hongstar to you, brat. Tsk tsk, so forgetful.” He admonished jokingly as he pulled her into his arms for a hug.

“Not here. Shin-hye ya. Act like your usual self or they’ll think something’s up.” Hong Ki whispered into her ear. 

Comprehending, Shin Hye wriggled out of his embrace and whacked his arm. “Yah! Who said you could hug me like that!” she laughed as she reprimanded him. 

Hong Ki smiled. “What can I say? Your dance number made me fall in love with you that I couldn’t help myself!”  Didn’t you see me running through the theater just to get near you?”

The smile almost slipped off her face. Instead, she smiled wider but said through gritted teeth, “You saw that?”

He nodded. “All of it.” 

That wiped her smile right off. And before she could say another word, he said, “You need to get ready! Ka ja!” Then her turned her so that her back was to him, and without his hands leaving her shoulders, he steered her towards the stage exit

Shin Hye let herself be pushed by him and together they marched to the dressing room. 

They stopped at the door and Hong Ki let her go. 

In a low voice he asked, “Does Jun-oppa and your coordi know what’s going on?”

Shin Hye nodded.

“Arasso. Get yourself in there and change into your costume or your robe or something. When you’re about to get your face done, tell your coordi to call me. We’ll talk while you’re in make-up that way, we don’t lose time. I bet you’re behind schedule as it is,” he said firmly. 

Shin Hye nodded again, knowing that there was no use arguing with him or evading him. He was one of the very few people who knew her well enough to know when something was wrong. 

She opened the door and let herself in. Hong Ki watched her go as she shut the door behind her. 

She must’ve found out something. He concluded. He leaned on the wall next to the dressing room door. But what?

* * *

17:25 pm

When the door to Shin-Hye’s dressing room finally opened and her coordi, Gong Ji-yeun, came out, Hong Ki was napping soundly. 

Ji-yeun squatted down, touched his shoulder and shook him gently. 

“Lee Hong Ki-ssi. Wake up,” 

After a few shakes, Hong Ki woke up. He blinked a couple of times and looked at the woman next to him. He was startled. “Aigoo! Mianhe Noona! Did I fall asleep? Was I out long? Did I snore? Am I drooling?” He asked the last question while furiously wiping his chin and his cheeks.

Ji-yeun laughed at his reaction and stood up. “Ani-yo Hong Ki-ssi. You’re fine,” she said, still smiling. 

Hong Ki smiled back and mock-wiped his brow. “Whew! And here I thought I was caught  in a compromising position!” 

Ji-yeun opened the door and motioned him to follow her. “Gwen chan ah. Come on, we’re ready for you!” 

Once inside, Hong Ki saw her facing a full-length mirror. His eyes met Shin-Hye’s in the mirror and she smiled shyly. Her hair was up, her face was bare, and she was dressed in a short, red dress. For a moment Hong Ki was speechless. He could never get over how stunning his friend was. 

That illusion was shattered every time she swatted his or any other guy’s arm. Hong Ki smiled brightly. That’s Shin-Hye. And he wouldn’t have her be any other way.

Hong Ki whistled. “Wow Shin-Hye. You look amazing. Seriously, no make-up and all. I’d ask you out but rumor has it, you’re already taken.

She frowned. “I’m not so sure about that,” she retorted, plopping into the nearest chair. Ji-yeun then took the opportunity to start working on her priming her charge’s face.

“Chincha?”  Hong Ki grabbed a loose chair and dragged it to a spot next to Shin Hye’s. He then flipped it around and straddled it, his chin resting on the chair’s back. 

“Talk,” he ordered Shin Hye. 

Shin Hye frowned again.

“Aigoo Shin-Hye. Hajima. I won’t be able to do your face properly with it all scrunched up like that.” Ji-yeun pleaded.

Shin-Hye took a deep breath and closed her eyes. By the time she opened them her features took on a blank expression. 

“I think he’s cheating on me,” was all she said. 

“Who?” Hong Ki asked innocently, tilting his head to the side, batting his eyelashes, and giving her his best aegyo.

Shin Hye was not amused, partly because she couldn’t move much because Ji-yeun was blending foundation all over her face.

Hong Ki straightened up and sighed. “So, how’d you find out, and more importantly, which body part of his did you incapacitate first?”

Shin-Hye and Ji-yeun couldn’t help but chuckle at his line of questioning. “Yah, Hong Ki. This is serious! How are you  possibly not being more mad about this?” 

Hong Ki shrugged, “Because Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” he said in English. At the ladies collective puzzlement, he translated and continued, “Of all the women I know, you of all people wouldn’t let a man get away with this. The strength of your revenge alone will be greater than any of our muscle power combined. Of course, I can call up my bandmates, then BEAST, not to mention Geun Suk Hyung and Team H. Perhaps even CN Blue...” he purposely trailed off, teasing her a bit.

She shot him a glare, earning her another reprimand from Ji-y