Chapter 1

“Leave me alone!” a high-pitched female voice hissed.
Curious, Park Jun Jin and Shin Hye Sung peeked around the edge of the movie
theater building. A petite Korean girl was glaring at a large guy.
“Aww… Hyun, you don’t mean it,” he said.
“You better believe I mean it! I’m sick and tired of you pushing me around. I
have feelings too!”
“Don’t you talk to me like that, Hyun Sook,” he growled. He reached his fat
hand up and smacked her across the face.
Jun Jin and Hye Sung leapt forward from behind the building to protect the
girl.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Jun Jin demanded as Hye Sung helped the girl
to her feet. She hid behind his back.
“You stay out of this! Hyun Sook! Come here now!” he ordered.
“No,” the girl said firmly, stepping out from behind Hye Sung. She squared her
tiny shoulders and glared defiantly at him. “All you ever do is scream and order
me around. Go find yourself another punching bag!”
The guy was quiet for a second. “Slut,” he spit out, and then walked away.
The girl let her breath out and shook her head.
“Are you okay?” Jun Jin asked her gently.
“I think so. Thanks so much,“ she replied. “I owe you guys me life!”
“Anyone would have done the same,” Hye Sung replied modestly.
“I don’t know about that…” she said doubtfully. “That’s why I owe you guys so
much more! Let me buy you a coffee or something.”
“Will do,” Jun Jin agreed. “So who are you, anyway?”
“Oh my gosh!” she exclaimed. “I’m being so rude! My name’s Kim Hyun Sook. How
do you do?”
Hye Sung smiled at her polite greeting. “Fine, thanks. I’m Shin Hye Sung and
this guy is Park Jun Jin.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Jun Jin said, bowing. “So who was that guy anyway?”
“Oh, that was Park Tae Sang. I met him a while ago, and I have no idea why I
put up with him that long. He’s such a jerk! I guess it was because he’s from
California. I miss Cali so much, especially LA, where I’m from. My parents, who
see me as extra baggage weighing them down, sent me here to “experience my
culture”. I didn’t know anyone except Tae Sang, so I guess that’s why I stayed
with him so long, “she finished.
“And now you know us!” Jun Jin said. “And you can meet our other buddy Min Woo
soon.”
“You guys are so sweet! I’ve been here almost 7 months now and haven’t found
anyone as nice as you!” she exclaimed happily, walking back to Hye Sung’s car.
After Hyun Sook bought Jun Jin and Hye Sung coffee, they headed back to Jun
Jin’s and Hye Sung’s house, which, surprisingly, was close to Hyun Sook and Tae
Sang’s own apartment.
“Hey Jin, Sung! Who’s the girl you picked up this time?” a medium height Korean
guy exclaimed as Hyun Sook walked in the door with Hye Sung and Jun Jin.
“Her name is Kim Hyun Sook,” Hye Sung introduced her. “Hyun Sook, this is Min
Woo. Don’t mind him; he’s as harmful as a marshmallow.”
Hyun Sook laughed and Hye Sung noted that she had a pretty laugh. “Hello, Min
Woo.”
“Hel-llllo Hyun Sook!” he replied, wiggling his eyebrows at her. She laughed
again.
Hye Sung gave Min Woo a Look. Min Woo made a face and mouthed “You’re no fun”
to him.
“You guys have been so nice to me, and I hate to ask you this, but—“ Hyun Sook
started.
“But you need a place to stay because Tae Sang’s at the apartment, right?” Hye
Sung finished for her. “You’re more than welcome to stay here as long as you
like, right guys?”
“Right,“ Min Woo agreed, grinning. “You’re always welcome in my bed.”
“As Hye Sung said before, don’t mind Min Woo,” Jun Jin told Hyun Sook again.
“Here, I’ll take you to the guest room. It’s not really a guest room, but since
we’re looking for another roommate, it serves as a guest room.”
“Okay,” Hyun Sook said, following Jun Jin out of the room.
“Wow,” Min Woo said after she left, “you really like her, huh?”
“Yeah…I guess so. And that’s why I want you to promise me you won’t hit on her,
ok?”
“You got it, Sung. You got it. She’s more your type anyway. It’s great that you
found her!” he told Hye Sung enthusiastically.
“I know. I know…”

Chapter 2

The next morning, Hyun Sook was up at 9 AM cooking pancakes in the kitchen.
“Yum!” Jun Jin exclaimed as he walked in. “What’s cooking?”
“Pancakes,” Hyun Sook replied. “Haven’t you Koreans ever heard or Bisquik? I
don’t know how good these will taste made from scratch…“
“Well, they sure smell wonderful!” a tall Asian guy commented as he walked in
the back door. Hyun Sook jerked her head up in surprise and quickly moved next
to Jun Jin. The Asian guy laughed. “Scared you little friend, did I Jun?”
Jun Jin smiled and said, “Eric! Where have you been? It’s been what, a month?”
“Now don’t be rude, Jin. Introduce me to the girl,” Eric answered.
“Hyun Sook, this is Eric Mun. Eric, this is Hyun Sook. Eric’s the 4th member of
our gang. But he’s been away for a while.“
“Sorry! Sorry! My sister suddenly had a baby so I went to Pusan to visit,” Eric
said. “I’m an uncle!”
“Congratulation! How do you ‘suddenly’ have a baby anyway? Don’t you get, like,
9 months advance warning?” Jun Jin asked.
“I dunno…That’s my sister for you. Now, how about some pancakes?”
“Eeek! The pancakes!” Hyun Sook shrieked and ran to the burner.
“She’s cute,” Eric whispered to Jun Jin.
“And off-limits. She’s Sung’s,” Jun Jin whispered back.
Hyun Sook held up a black circle and inspected it carefully. “Pancake anyone?”
she asked. Hye Sung walked in and laughed when he saw Hyun Sook. He went over to
help her with her pancakes. They were flicking batter around and giggling. With
Hye Sung at almost 6 feet tall, and Hyun Sook at 5’1”, she had to look up at
him. He put a dot of batter on her nose and she swatted him playfully.
“Cute, huh?” Jun Jin said.
“Cute. She’s perfect for him,” Eric agreed.
20 minutes later, the pancakes were ready and on the table.
“Where’s Min Woo?” Hyun Sook asked.
“Oh, he’s at work. HE works part-time as a mechanic for an automotive company.
He’ll be back later.,” Eric answered. All the pancakes were devoured, even the
burnt one, much to Hyun Sook’s delight. Hye Sung ate them. (“He must really like
her,” Eric commented to Jun Jin.)
Hye Sung had promised to take Hyun Sook sightseeing, so she threw on a red tank
top after breakfast and they were off!
As Hye Sung and Hyun Sook walked down the sidewalk, Hye Sung looked down at
Hyun Sook cheerfully walking next to him. She was so small, so delicate, so
perfectly formed, that Hye Sung though he was the luckiest guy on Earth to be
walking here with her. Hyun Sook looked up at Hye Sung’s tall, lanky frame, met
his eyes and smiled.
Suddenly she let out a squeak of delight and grabbed Hye Sung’s hand. “There’s
a McDonalds!” she said excitedly, pointing. “I haven’t had a burger in months!”
“Then let’s get you a burger!” Hye Sung told her, happy because she was so
excited, and also because she was still holding his hand. So they both got
burgers and fries and continued walking until they saw a park. They sat down at
a bench and Hyun Sook leaned her head on Hye Sung’s shoulder, suddenly tired.
Hye Sung looked down at the top of her head and smiled, happier than he had ever
been…











Chapter 3

*Within the next month, Hye Sung and Hyun Sook were officially dating*


“Have a good day,” Hye Sung said softly to a still-sleeping Hyun Sook. HE
kissed her forehead gently and stepped back. He gazed at her sleeping face for a
few minutes, just taking in her beauty. Dam, he though to himself, I have got to
be the luckiest guy ever! He got in his car and drove to his job at a local
graphic design business.
Hyun Sook had started taking a few classes at a community college, so her
schedule had been packed lately. Today, though, was a rare day off, and she was
determined to rest.
Still in her pajamas, she sleepily walked downstairs. As she turned the corner
in the hallway, she ran into a near-naked Min Woo. Wearing only a pair of
boxers.
“Oh my god!” she exclaimed. “I’m sorry! I thought you were at work this
morning!”
Min Woo quickly looked away from Hyun Sook and, “No, it’s my fault. I though
you were at school.” Hyun Sook glanced down and realized she was a tiny camisole
and panties. She turned bright red and shrieked, quickly grabbing Hye Sung’s
robe off a nearby chair. Min Woo looked embarrassed. “Uhh…let me grab a shirt. I
was making coffee in the kitchen. You’re welcome to join me.”
“Okay,” Hyun Sook replied, still embarrassed.
“Okay, be right back,” Min Woo said, hurrying off. Now that was interesting,
Min Woo said to himself as he slipped on a t-shirt. I’ve never seen Sung’s girl
that naked before. And what a nice sight it was, too… And even though seeing
Hyun Sook half-naked made him as excited at any other 20-year-old guy, it also
made his heart race because over the last few weeks he had realized that he was
falling deeper and deeper in love with Hyun Sook each passing day. But Min Woo
knew that Hyun Sook was Sung’s and no matter what he wouldn’t, or couldn’t,
betray Hye Sung. He would never really his true feelings for Hyun Sook, even
though it was eating at him each and every day. Just seeing Hye Sung with Hyun
Sook was painful. But he had given Hye Sung his word and Min Woo was not going
to hurt his sensitive best friend.
Back in the kitchen, Hyun Sook was feeling equally guilty about seeing Min Woo
topless. And finding him really hot topless. Oh gosh…you can’t fall for Sungie’s
best friend! That is just not done. He’s like an older brother, Hyun Sook
thought, trying to talk herself out of the thrill of seeing Min Woo like that.
But as hard as she tried to put Min Woo out of her mind, she kept comparing him
to Hye Sung.  He’s so funny, and has only been nice to me since I met him. He’s
less moody than Hye Sung. And a lot buffer. I didn’t expect him to be so…cut.
Now I have to stop thinking like this. I love Hye Sung, and Min Woo’s only a
friend. Even as she thought it to herself, though, Hyun Sook didn’t believe her
own words.
Min Woo appeared downstairs. “Hey Sook, how about some coffee?” he asked.
“Oh, sure, that sounds great,” she replied, still trying to forget her wayward
thoughts of Min Woo. He poured her a cup and she thought of the muscular, lean,
tan body hiding beneath the t-shirt. They’re just thoughts, she told herself,
it’s not like I’m kissing him or anything. She was still staring at him when he
looked from his coffee. He met her eyes and held her gaze for a long moment.
“Sook…have you…have you ever had feelings for some who’s off-limits?” Min Woo
asked softly, knowing he was entering dangerous territory, but needing to know
the answer.
“Yes,” Hyun Sook answered finally. “Yes, I have.”
Min Woo reached for her hand, and hesitantly, she reached toward him too. he
gently took it and held it to his cheek Hyun Sook sighed. “Please, Min Woo,
don’t make it hard. Think of Hye Sung.”

Min Woo bit his lip and slowly let her hand fall.
“I…I better go get ready. Hye Sung’s due back soon,” she said softly. She
turned around and almost reached the door when Min Woo grabbed her shoulder and
turned her around. She fell into his arms. He tipped her chin up with her
finger. “Min Woo…” she stared, but was silenced as his lips met hers in a fiery
explosion of emotion. At first he was tentative, his lips asking, “Is this okay
with you?” Hyun Sook responded to the unspoken question by deepening the kiss.
All thoughts vanished from Hyun Sook’s head, and Min Woo was delirious with
happiness, finally having Hyun Sook in his arms. Hyun Sook pressed her body
against his, and continued to kiss his passionately. 
Suddenly, the door swung open to reveal a very shocked Hye Sung with red roses
in his hand Hyun Sook. “What the HELL is going on?” he demanded.
“Oh my god Hye Sung!” Hyun Sook cried. “It’s not what it seems like!”
“Then what is it?” he asked slowly, trying to stay calm.
“Uhh…” Min Woo said, searching for a reasonable excuse.
“And you Min Woo! You gave me your WORD! I can’t believe it. My girlfriend and
my best friend. I’ll be at Eric’s tonight.” With that, Hye Sung turned around,
dropping the roses, and left.
“Sungie! I’m sorry!” Hyun Sook cried out. “Come back!”
He didn’t turn around.
Hyun Sook ran to the couch and threw herself down on it, sobbing. “Hey, hey,
Sung will be okay!” Hye Sung tried to comfort her. She continued to cry. Min Woo
awkwardly put his arms around her, trying to console her.
“I can’t do it!” she cried. “I can’t. I can’t hurt you and Hye Sung. I need to
leave.” She jumped up from the couch and ran to her room. Min Woo signed and
followed her. He found her hastily throwing her belongings into a suitcase.
“God Hyun Sook! I love you!” he told her. “Please stay. With me. Stay with me.
I love you.”
“And betray Hye Sung?” The question hung in the air. “I’ll be back after I
figure everything out,” she promised.
“Don’t you love me?” Min Woo said urgently. “Don’t you want to be with me? Stay
with me! Or I’ll go with you!”
“No,” Hyun Sook said firmly, not answering his first question. “I need time to
think.” She took her locket off quickly and handed them to Min Woo. “Here, keep
this until I come back. Don’t forget me. I love you.”  With that, she grabbed
her bags and ran out of the room.
“I love you!” Min Woo called after her. “I’ll find you! We’ll be together!”
This time, it was Hyun Sook that didn’t turn around.



Chapter 4

Hyun Sook had nowhere to go. She realized that after she drove away from the
house. Luckily, her parents still were sending her monthly allowances to cover
the cost of living, so money wasn’t a problem. She pulled into the parking lot
of the first decent looking apartment complex and went to the main office. “Can
I rent something?“ she asked.
“What do you have in mind?” the receptionist asked her.
“Whatever you have. I don’t care. Money is not a problem,” she answered.
“We have a small apartment on the 5th floor. It’s very small, mind you. Only a
bathroom and bedroom with a stove.”
“That’s fine. Can I move in now?”
“Yes. Let me get the paperwork.” After Hyun Sook filled out all the required
paperwork she went to her new home and threw herself on the bed. It really was a
small apartment, with sparse furnishings and a tiny bathroom. Just the kind of
place I deserve, after all the trouble I caused, she thought to herself.
For the next few months, she lived off her parents’ monthly checks. Mostly she
lay around, thinking about Min Woo.


While Hyun Sook had shut herself off from the outer world, Min Woo threw himself
into his second passion after Hyun Sook: dancing. He had always danced, and
after Hyun Sook left him he filled the void in his life with dancing. Sure, he
had searched for her, but after the first few months, he gave up. His friends
Eric, Jun Jin, and Hye Sung, who had finally forgiven him, had gotten him
interested in singing, especially Hye Sung, who was the most accomplished, and
Min Woo had brought dancing to them. Soon enough, they had formed the singing
group Shinhwa, along with Kim Dong Wan and Andy Lee. Min Woo was overwhelmed
with Shinhwa stuff, and began to forget about Hyun Sook, only to see her locket
around his neck and be reminded.
“Look alive Hye Sung, look alive! Dong Wan, that move right…there is a second
early. Min Woo, nice, nice job. Eric—quit bobbing your head! I know you’re the
rapper, but we can’t keep your head on the screen! Dong Wan—still to early!” The
director of the All Your Dreams music video was shouting orders right and left.
“Okay! That’s enough for today. You have an interview with some talk show in a
couple hours.”
Eric, Jun Jin, Hye Sung, Dong Wan, Min Woo, and Andy sighed in relief and went
to Costumes to change.
After that, they all plied into the Shinhwa Van and drove to the talk show. They
were introduced to everyone and the made up.
“Hello everyone and good afternoon. I’m here with the mage-talented pop group
Shinhwa,” Sue Kim, the show’s host introduced. After the few usual routine
questions, Sue hit upon a touchy subject. “So, has a girl ever come between and
of the member?”
Hyun Sook was at home, watching. As Sue asked the question, Hyun Sook held her
breath and waited for the answer.
  Min Woo and Hye Sung were quiet. “Well, I don’t think that has happened yet,
but I know that were all best friends and no girl could ever come between us,”
Jun Jin finally answered.
“Yeah, and I’m the only one with good taste, anyway,” Min Woo jokes,
recovering. At home in her apartment, Hyun Sook’s eyes welled up with tears and
she stiffened.
”Are there girls at home waiting for you?”
“Well, sure, there are people we miss, but I don’t think I’ve totally fallen in
love with anyone yet,” Min Woo answered.
“Speaking of your love life, Min Woo, what exactly is going on with Lee Jin
from Finkl? There certainly have been some rumors flying about you two,” Sue Kim
prodded.
“Well,” Min Woo said slowly, “We’re very close….”
“And the dates you two have been seen on?”
“She’s a sweet girl and I enjoy being with her. She may the one for me.” After
answering, Min Woo immediately felt guilty, for he knew that Lee Jin was only a
friend and Kim Hyun Sook was really his one true love. However, Min Woo and Jin
knew that the friendship they had was very good for publicity, and their
managers wanted to use it to their advantage.
Hyun Sook’s tears spilled over her eyes and she blindly grabbed the remote to
switch the TV off. All this time, she thought, miserable and angry, all this
time I’ve been fooling myself. All this time I’ve hoped that he still loved me.
But you heard him yourself, he didn’t even love you in the first place. He loves
Lee Jin, just like Hye Sung told me. I can’t believe I tricked myself for that
long. You remember when you went to visit Min Woo. You remember what Hye Sung
told you!
“Oh, I’m sorry Hyun Sook. He’s on a date with Lee Jin from Finkl. They just
left. I’ll tell him you stopped by, though,” Hye Sung had said.
“Oh, that’s fine! Please don’t mention that I came!” Hyun Sook said.
“Oh, okay, then, I won’t. So how are you doing now anyways?” Hye Sung said
easily, not noticing her concern over Min Woo and Lee Jin.
“Oh, I have an apartment about 30 minutes from here,” Hyun Sook answered
absently.
“Really? I hope you’re doing well. It was so nice to see you. You should stop
by more often!”
“Yeah, maybe I will,” she lied. “Actually, I’ll give you my number. Will you
call me sometimes to keep in touch?” she asked, scrawling a phone number on a
napkin.
“You bet! You’ll always be one of my closest friends,” Hye Sung promised,
taking the napkin.
“And hey, Sung? I’m… I’m sorry. For everything,” she said softly, looking up at
him and remembering how kind he had been to her and how she had put him through
so much agony.
“Yeah, yeah, Sook. Don’t worry. It’s all okay now. Min Woo was pretty torn for
a while there, though.”
“If he had come after me I would have stayed,” she said softly. “But that’s all
over.”
“Yeah, it’s all over now. And you take care of yourself, you hear me? I’ll call
sometime to see how’s you’re doing, okay? And please stop by soon. I’m sure Min
Woo, Jun Jin, and Eric would be thrilled to hear from their old friend. Good
luck. We miss you,” he said, smiling. Hyun Sook smiled back, blinking back
tears, and reached up to give him a hug. As she hugged him, for a minute it felt
like old times. But she remembered Min Woo and the familiar ache returned to her
heart.
Min Woo’s cheerful laughing brought her out of her daydreams. She gazed at Min
Woo’s handsome face on the television one last time, and  swallowing the last of
her pride, she picked up the phone in the kitchen and dialed her phone number in
America.  “Hey. This is Hyun Sook. Is my mom in?” she asked. “Yeah, sure, I’ll
wait…. Hi Mom? It’s Hyun Sook. It’s time for me to come home…”



After the interview ended, Min Woo, Jun Jin, Hye Sung, Song Wan, Eric and Andy
headed home, exhausted. But not too tired to not be hungry. “Man, am I
starving!” Eric exclaimed.
“Me too,” Hye Sung agreed. “I’m going to make some of my egg rolls. You guys
want some?”
“Sure, make me extra!” Eric decided heartily.
“Yeah, I’ll have a couple, too, Sung. Thanks,” Dong Wan put in.
“I’ll help you, Sung,” Min Woo offered.
As Hye Sung heated the stove, Min Woo turned to him. “Hey, Sung, you remember
Hyun Sook?”
“Yeah, sure I do. How could I not? Actually, she visited a while ago, looking
for you…”
“She DID? And why didn’t you tell me?” Min Woo asked, shocked.
“Hey, calm down Minu, she told me not to tell you!”
“I still love her,” Min Woo said quietly.
“Yeah, I suspected that,” Hye Sung replied.
“Really?”
“Yeah, and I’m okay with it. She loves you too, you know. She said that if you
had run after her she would have stayed, ” Hye Sung. “She wanted to know where
you were, and you were with Lee Jin, so that’s what I told her. But I don’t
think that was what she wanted to hear, because she seemed upset and left really
quickly. Gosh, Minu, if I had know you still liked her I wouldn’t have told her
that you were on a date with Jin.”
“God, Hye Sung! I don’t like Jin! We’re just friends!” Min Woo exploded.
Jun Jin strolled in. ‘What’s this I hear about not liking me?” he asked.
“Not you! Lee Jin!” Min Woo snapped.
“You don’t like her? I thought you two were dating!” Jun Jin said, confused.
“No! No! No, no, no, no, no! NO!” Min Woo roared and stormed out of the room.
“Oooooh, he’s touchy today, huh?” Jun Jin commented. “Now how about some egg
rolls?”


In his room, Min Woo was sulking. He decided that he was mad at Hye Sung for
not telling him and at Hyun Sook for not coming back to see him. But he was
mostly mad at himself for not going after Hyun Sook. How was I supposed to know
she would have stayed? he thought. I’m mad at both of them! But then again, he
reasoned, he could never be mad at Hyun Sook and he needed Hye Sung if he wanted
to find Hyun Sook. So he took a deep breath and put on his most charming smile.
“Hey Jin, Sung,” he greeted them, walking into the kitchen. “What’s up?”
“Uh, we’re eating egg rolls,” Hye Sung answered, puzzled at Min Woo’s sudden
change in behavior. “Want some?”
“Sure! Your egg rolls are the best, and you’re the best friend ever! You’re
very smart and handsome and charming, you know that?” Min Woo said with a smile,
taking a bite out of an egg roll. “Mmmm!”
Hye Sung rolled his eyes. “Okay, Min Woo, I know you’re not gay, so what do you
want?”
“Can’t I give one of the most wonderful people in the world compliments without
him suspecting I want anything?”
“Maybe other people can, Minu, but not you. What you want must be pretty big,
because you’re doing quite a job of buttering Sung up,” Jun Jin remarked.
“Okay, okay. I do want a tiny favor from you Sung. But really, if you think
about it, you owe me big time! Can I have Hyun Sook’s phone number? Please?” he
begged.
“That’s all you want Min Woo? Sure you can. I do owe you, after all,” Hye Sung
answered. “I think I have it somewhere. Check my phone book, okay?”
“Thanks!” Min Woo said before rushing out of the room to get Hye Sung’s phone
book. He found the phone book on Hye Sung’s desk. Kim, Hyun Sook, he thought,
running his index finger down the list of names. “Yes!” he exclaimed, finding
it. Quickly, he dialed the operator and asked for the number’s address. Jotting
it down on a piece of paper, he grabbed a coat and ran out the door.
“Good luck! Say hi to her for me!” Jun Jin called out to Min Woo.
“I will!” Min Woo yelled. Hyun Sook, I’m coming after you. Better late than
never!



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