Love Blanket

This is for Novi. A tribute to K-Drama's best couples (according to us at least)-- KS2H and MinSun. If you are not a shipper, please read at your own risk. :p

Shin Hye asks permission from Keun Seuk to hang out with one of her favorite couples that day. Since the last Etude House filming, she hadn't spoken with or seen her Min Ho Oppa yet as the latter had been busy with filming his latest drama. Keun Seuk is aware of the closeness between the two and even delights in the fact that his supposed Hallyu nemesis is Shin Hye's close friend and good confidante. So, he obliged saying Can I hang out too? Shin Hye laughs, amused at his temporary state of envy. "Like you actually have time, Oppa? You're going to Singapore aren't you?" Shin Hye, it has always been my dream to meet Min Ho-ssi in a casual setting. This could be my chance. I want to tell him to tell his fans to like me too and I can do the same. That way I don't have to be comparing our crowd numbers in my fan meetings, since technically it is the same crowd Keun Seuk says matter-of-factly yet laden with a slight hint of sarcasm. He really doesn't fail to make her laugh and she finds him cute this way. But seriously now Shin Hye, definitely, please have fun hanging out with your other Oppa. Tell me how it goes, okay? But let me ask you this, just how many Oppas do you have exactly? And she pinches his nose and laughs again.

~~S2~~MS~~S2~~MS~~S2~~MS~~S2~~

She has spoken to Hye Sun before but only briefly when she hanged out by Min Ho's van when they were filming one of their CF. It was one of the first days of Min Ho and Hye Sun being officially together and Shin Hye can just feel the love between them. She had wondered that time when she would feel a love like that. Warm, tender, secure and comforting. She feels a tiny tinge of envy watching them since they seem to be able to weather the storm of having to hide their relationship from the media and avoiding the risk of antis. "Shin Hye-ssi, is there anything on your mind?" Hye Sun had asked then snapping her out of her musing. Her cheeks turn a little red, feeling embarrased to have been caught observing the two lovebirds. "Oh, nothing. Was I staring? Sorry, really." Shin Hye says apologizing for what she felt was an intrusion of their privacy. Hye Sun unnie smiles, "Don't worry. We didn't mind. And I think I can see what's in your mind. Shin Hye-a, trust me, someday you will find this bliss." And Shin Hye's heart fluttered a little at the thought of it, with Keun Seuk in her mind. "Someday. Will he be my someday?" She had asked herself then.

~~S2~~MS~~S2~~MS~~S2~~MS~~S2~~

It was a few days after the New Year and Shin Hye was suffering a mild case of separation anxiety from her Go Mi Nam character, but she had to film her lipstick commercial. Min Ho noticd the change in her. "Everything alright, dongsaeng?" She told him everything was fine. "You do know that your expressive eyes can't hide your heart right?" Min Ho called her bluff. She told him that it was hard to explain especially when seeing his own eyes sparkling with happiness then. It was his best year and his New Year was starting right, he had declared earlier. Shin Hye knew it was because of Hye Sun. And seeing all that she felt a little bit empty especially with her own confusion with Keun Seuk and Go Mi Nam and everything else.

"Keun Seuk-ssi is a loser if he loses you. I will tell you that much dongsaeng. But you'll be a loser too if you let him let you go just because you're afraid. What was your line in that drama of yours? Love is not love if you take away a precious person. Walk your talk Shin Hye. Sometimes you have to allow risks to be taken. Sometimes you have to make yourself vulnerable to hurt. And in all of those times, you will have people like me to get you back up when you fall. Can you trust that?" Min Ho offers some encouraging words to her.

"Kamsahamnida Oppa. I will try, but right now can I just feel like crap?" Shin Hye asks, her heart still in its pit.

"Okay, but don't take too long. For now, let's do this. Let's make you smile for the camera" Min Ho tells her as he pats her head.

Those were the days. How things have changed now. There had been times since then when she had run to Min Ho or Hye Sun unni for advice when she's trying to keep the real score between her and Keun Seuk under wraps. They had celebrated with her when she told them that she's been seeing Keun Seuk. And that they are somehow going strong. Telling them and being with them is like a secret hideout for her and she thought it always felt refreshing to have someone, actually a couple like them, who understands how this all feels.

~~S2~~MS~~S2~~MS~~S2~~MS~~S2~~

Shin Hye opens the door to Cafe Manolin and Hye Sun's brother-in-law tells her to just go straight up. The penthouse of the place was always Hye Sun's office slash date venue. She sees the two of them mulling over magazines over a cup of coffee and cake. She smiles, watching them silently again. Min Ho looks up and calls to her "Ya, stop staring and start joining us here. We're looking at your and Keun Seuk's latest Japanese magazine feature." Shin Hye turns red again. "You're looking good Shin Hye-a. He looks good on you and you on him. But tell me, what's with the handholding?" Hye Sun teases her. Shin Hye laughs at the comment. Her night will be fun. "Unni, shouldn't you be home packing for the BOF graduation thing?" Shin Hye points out. "Ah, come on, you're more important than my luggage." Without even noticing his absence from the room, Min Ho comes back with a cup of coffee in hand and a slice of cheesecake. "For you dongsaeng, seems you're finding your warmth and bliss now." Min Ho says handing her the cup and cake.

As the night wore on with their joyful stories, Hye Sun stands up from her chair and walks across the room to grab a package. "This is for you, now." Hye Sun gives the bag to Shin Hye. She opens the bag and sees a blanket. She looks up to her unni with a question in her eyes. Unfolding the blanket, Hye Sun wraps it around Shin Hye, "That got us through the early days. When love was fresh and we're wary and scared. Like love's symbol for us. Security. Warmth. Tenderness. Comfort. The same things your eyes were looking for that day back in the van. It's yours. Share it with the one that gives you bliss."


"Kamsahamnida Unni, Oppa." She says looking at both of them, overwhelmed and tears welling up from her eyes. Hye Sun hugs her, and just like that she can't wait to come home and tell Keun Seuk what they just had been given.

~~S2~~MS~~S2~~MS~~S2~~MS~~S2~~

On the phone while in Singapore, Keun Seuk asks Hye Sun how her hangout with her favorite couple went. "Oppa, we have been entrusted with something precious." she tells him as she recaps the evening. What is it? he inquires. "Look it up online. It's the one thing that crops up in all their BTS clips." she commands him. I think I know what that is. The heart blanket? Wait, they gave that to you? To us? Keun Seuk probes her. "Nae, it's ours now. We have to share it. It is their good luck gift for us." Wow, tell both of them I am extremely grateful and that I will keep my part of whatever this bargain. That thing always seemed to make them happy, comfortable and secure when they use it around each other. I'm sure we have to use it the same way? Keun Seuk catches on.

"Wow, my Oppa really is intuitive." Shin Hye says adoringly.

Hey, you always keep underestimating me. Okay then bring it the next time we get together. Actually, bring it next week when we film Garden 5. Let's see if people will figure out where they last saw that blanket. It's ours now. It's our time. Keun Seuk says as if reading what was on her mind.

Good night, Oppa. I'll see you soon. Shin Hye says on her side of the line, while clutching their treasured gift, feeling everything it represented in her own heart. Her someday had come.