It was almost 7 o’clock and Shin Hye and Geun Suk just left Hong Ki’s after chatting the afternoon away. They also watched some episodes of FNC entertainment’s reality show because Hong Ki insisted. She ended up laughing a lot seeing her friends act awkward on screen.
‘I thought you had dinner plans, why are you going home?’ Geun Suk asked Shin Hye as he drove.
Remember, you’re a bad liar. ‘My friend is coming over and we’re just ordering in.’ Yes, just leave the ‘who’ and you’re technically telling the truth.
Geun Suk didn’t reply and continued driving.
When they arrived at Shin Hye’s building’s basement, she unbuckled her seatbelt and turned to him. ‘Oppa, thanks for this afternoon. I had fun,’ she told him.
Geun Suk smiled. ‘Me, too. I really missed hanging out with you. We should do it more often if you and I are both not busy.'
Shin Hye nodded. ‘Although that's going to be hard. We’re both getting busier and busier.’
‘We still have that CF though,’ Geun Suk reminded her. ‘We can hang out after that.’
‘Ah, you’re right,’ Shin Hye tilted her head. ‘Was that finalized already? Joon oppa told me about it a few days ago.’
‘I think so. I already signed the contract. Haven’t you?’
‘Not yet. But it’s probably final if Joon oppa hasn’t told me otherwise…’
Just then, Shin Hye’s phone rang. It was Min Ho.
‘Yobuseyo?’ She answered softly.
It took a while before he spoke up. ‘Why aren’t you getting off yet? That’s Jang Geun Suk’s car, right? I can tell because it’s fancy.’
Shin Hye’s eyes widened as she looked around the parking lot from inside the car. ‘You’re already here?’ She immediately regretted her response because Geun Suk also started looking around.
Just then, Shin Hye noticed Min Ho’s car parked just a few meters away from Geun Suk’s car. Min Ho slowly lowered down the window, exposing half of his face. Omo… why are you doing that? STOP. STOP. Alarmed, she turned to Geun Suk, who was now squinting his eyes, looking in Min Ho’s direction.
‘Who is that?’
‘Ahh, my friend,’ Shin Hye replied. ‘Thanks for driving me here, oppa. I’ll see you in a few weeks. Bye,’ she said hurriedly as she reached for the car handle.
‘Is that Lee Min Ho?’
Shin Hye already had one foot out the door when she turned back to Geun Suk, her face pale. ‘Eh?’
Geun Suk looked at her, then at the phone in her hand. Shin Hye realized that she hasn’t hung up yet, and the screen was wide open for Geun Suk to see. She stupidly saved Min Ho’s number as Kim Tan. She immediately put the phone in her ear, but she knew that Geun Suk already saw.
‘I’m coming over,’ she said to Min Ho.
‘I heard him. He knows it’s me. It’s rude to just sit here,’ Min Ho replied. Shin Hye heard him hang up and anticipated what was coming next, although she hoped that he wouldn’t. His car door suddenly opened, and Min Ho stepped out. This time, Shin Hye looked around to see if anybody else was at the parking lot. Thankfully, no one was around. I’m going crazy. This is crazy.
‘Oh. It’s really him,’ she heard Geun Suk say. Shin Hye shifted her gaze from Min Ho who was slowly approaching the car, to Geun Suk who had an unreadable expression on his face. She came back to her senses and got out.
‘Oppa,’ she said to Min Ho, closing the car door. He smiled warmly and walked up to her. He was already standing beside Shin Hye when Geun Suk stepped out of the car.
Geun Suk faced them and smiled. ‘Annyeonghaseyo.’
Min Ho walked over to him and stretched out his hand. ‘Annyeonghaseyo, sunbae.’ He bowed his head slightly.
‘Sunbae?’ Geun Suk chuckled. ‘Just call me Geun Suk. We’re the same age, after all,’ he took Min Ho’s hand and shook it.
Min Ho looked down and laughed. ‘Ahh yeah, yeah.’
At this point, Shin Hye was standing fixedly on the spot. The two men were exchanging pleasantries but there she was, staring at them with no clue what was happening.
‘Shin Hye,’ Min Ho called out to her. She snapped out of it and smiled awkwardly before walking over to them.
‘Ah… uhh… so you know each other of course,’ Shin Hye started to say. She looked at Geun Suk who was smiling cheekily in front of her. ‘We… uhm. We’re…’ she looked up at Min Ho standing beside her, who was also grinning, waiting for her to finish her sentence. She let out a laugh. ‘You see, the thing is…’
‘We’re having dinner,’ Min Ho interjected. ‘Would you like to join us?’
Shin Hye's eyes widened at Min Ho's question. She tried to play it cool so Geun Suk doesn't notice.
Geun Suk paused, as if thinking it over, before chuckling and waving his hand. ‘Anya, anya. I don’t want to intrude. I just came to drop Shin Hye off.’
‘You’re not intruding,’ Min Ho replied. ‘We’re just going to order in and hang out anyway. We can have a few drinks after,’ he smiled. ‘What do you think?’
Geun Suk looked at Shin Hye, his expression waiting for her sign of approval. Shin Hye knew that Geun Suk was begging to eat dinner with them – it was written all over his face. The whole night is going to be amusing for him. Any chance to get close to anyone – especially Min Ho – he was going to take. And it was a rare opportunity for him to tease her and get a few laughs out of it.
She glanced at Min Ho who also looked thoroughly entertained by the situation. He was probably dying to ask Geun Suk questions about her. Her gentleman boyfriend forgot his manners and invited another man into her house. She knows that he means well, but they are definitely going to have a lengthy discussion about this later.
Only two things can happen tonight: they’re either going to be grown men and have deep conversations about acting and the entertainment industry, sharing their experiences and insights;. or they’re going to act like high schoolers at my expense.
Shin Hye sighed in resignation. This is really happening.
Geun Suk took that as a yes and beamed. ‘If it’s not too much of a bother, then okay. I can join you.’
‘Great!’ Min Ho replied enthusiastically.
Great, Shin Hye thought.