Korea, Saturday

Kyu Jong held out the shot glass as Haneul filled it for him. He drunk it fast and sat the glass down, his friend once again filling it.

“So, how are the states treating you? Haneul asked, digging into his food.

“Good, I am enjoying myself.”

He shook his head, “Cool, I heard your single, good job man. Do you plan on releasing it here?” Haneul asked suddenly.

Kyu Jong shook his head and took the second drink, “Ani, I don’t think so, but that could always change.”

Haneul stared at him, “You should really consider it. Is that what they told you there not to do?” He said coldly suddenly,

Kyu Jong blinked, “Huh?”

Haneul started to eat again, “You don’t want your Korean fans to feel left out you know.”

Kyu Jong frowned, “Feel left out?”

“Well think about it, you’ve gone to the states, you’ve giving them something you’re not giving your Korean fans, the ones who truly deserve it mind you, doesn’t seem fair. I’m just saying what I’ve heard. Everything that these so called “international fans” get, your Korean fans should get too, they should be the first to get it matter of fact. Don’t forget who was there with you from the beginning.”

Kyu Jong was silent for a moment, at a loss, where was this even coming from? Haneul had always been one of those friends who’d supported him right from the beginning with the group, always. This was odd for him, that he would be acting like this suddenly.

He shook his head, “I haven’t forgotten hyung, I’ll never forget.”

“Really? I hope so, everyone nowadays is going overseas and spreading our music around and they seem to forget where their loyalties lie,” Haneul said, anger filling his words.

Kyu Jong shifted uncomfortably, “Hyung it’s not like that. We know, we definitely know, but if foreigners want to listen to our music and learn our culture, isn’t that a good thing?”

“Why? So they can steal that from us too? it up and try to make it Western? Hell no! Those Americans are all the same Kyu Jong, you know that right?”

Kyu Jong frowned, shaking his head in confusion.

“They’re users, they don’t care about us or our culture, they just want to use our people for their gain. You need to be careful about who you hang out with,” Haneul stated, taking another drink.

“Hyung?” Kyu Jong said shakily.

“I heard about the guy who is helping you out, be careful, he’s since he’s not Korean, he could be trying to use you, that sister of his too,” Haneul said bitterly.

He felt his heart drop, how did he know about her?

“She may try to trap you, ya know? A young successful, rich and handsome man like yourself, she’ll try to take you to the cleaners if you let her,” Haneul said firmly.

Kyu Jong felt his anger rise, “Hyung, she is not like that.”

Haneul looked at him and chuckled, “They never are, are they? Trust me, all those American women are Golddiggers, you hear about it on the news all the time. Mark my words huh, get yourself a good Korean girl, forget about the American chick. I mean, if you wanna have a little fun with her, that’s cool, use her like she’s trying using you, just be careful to not get yourself into a…situation, then she’ll really have you where…”

“Yah!” Kyu Jong snapped suddenly, his anger reaching it’s peak.

Haneul stopped, watching him.

“She is not like that and I most certainly will not have ‘fun’ with her in the way you mean it hyung and I would appreciate it if you would stop talking about her as if you know her,” Kyu Jong said coolly.

Haneul stared at him, “Yah, who are you talking to? I’m your hyung, show me some respect! You’ve been to the states too long, their disrespect and savage like ways are starting to show through on you.”

Kyu Jong took a breath, stood, set some bills down on the table to cover his stuff as well as Haneul’s stuff, bowed and then left.

“Yah…YAH!”

~~~

Kyu Jong made his way into his apartment, shutting and locking the door before heading to the couch and slumping down. What the hell had just happened? He hadn’t been expecting that, not at all. The thought never occurred to him that Kayla would be taking advantage of him, could he really be that naive?

He shook his head, no, that’s not how she was. When she’d found out the truth about him, she’d avoided him, if she’d wanted to take advantage of him, she would’ve done so after…

Kyu Jong rubbed at his face, he shouldn’t even be entertaining Haneul’s crazy thoughts with his own, but he couldn’t help it. Did his Korean fans really feel that way? He loved all his fans, his and his groups, he didn’t want anyone to feel left out. Maybe he could speak to his management and see about releasing a Korean version of the album, that would make his fans happy.

Slipping off the bed, he made his way over to the window, looking out. The moon was full and shone brightly into his room. It was cold out, but he slid the window open and was immediately assaulted with a cold breeze. Once again, his thoughts drifted back to Kayla. It would be early morning in NY right now, so it wasn’t as if he could think she would be looking at the moon right now, thinking of him.

I know you're somewhere out there
Somewhere far away
I want you back
I want you back
My neighbors think
I'm crazy
But they don't understand
You're all I have
You're all I have

Somehow, he hoped she was, so that there’d be some sort of connection between the since they were so far apart now. Kyu Jong frowned, he missed her, he missed her a lot. While he was glad to be back home, if he were honest with himself, he’d rather be back in NY, he wanted to be with her.

At night when the stars 
light up my room
I sit by myself
Talking to the Moon
Try to get to You
In hopes you're on
the other side
Talking to me too
Or am I a fool
who sits alone
Talking to the moon

It didn’t make sense, he’d left to get away, to have some distance so he could clear his head, but now that he was back, all he wanted was to return. It’d only been a few days, but it felt like something was missing. He couldn’t focus on much of anything, he’d lost count of how many times he’d left his apartment since being home and starting to head down to see Kayla, only to remember he wasn’t in NY and she wasn’t there. His neighbors would come out and see him standing in the middle of the hallway, trying to figure out where he was, looking at him as if he were crazy, it simply didn’t make sense.

I'm feeling like I'm famous
The talk of the town
They say
I've gone mad
Yeah
I've gone mad
But they don't know
what I know

He had a little over a week before he went back and he found himself growing more and more anxious, agitated as the days past. Kyu Jong shook his head, he really was crazy, he was sure that Kayla probably didn’t spare him a single thought, she had far too much going on in her life, she wasn’t looking at the moon wishing she were somewhere else other than home. He rested his head against the window, thinking back to his visit with his Mom earlier in the week. Why would she ask if he liked her? He obviously like her if he hung out with her, he wouldn’t stay around her if he didn’t. Still, he wondered what his Mom was trying to get at. It wasn’t as if…as if…

Kyu Jong shook his head, why did he keep going there? He figured it’d stop by now, but as time went on and he got to know her better, he found himself drawn to her in a way he hadn’t been with anyone in a long time.

He looked up at the moon again and sighed, “You probably think I’m crazy too huh?”

What was he doing? He was actually talking to the moon, as if it would speak back to him and tell him he was as crazy as he felt. She was in a relationship, granted, a lousy relationship in his opinion, but it was still a relationship, nonetheless. Even though he respected it for being such, he still knew, just like he’d told his Mom earlier, she deserved better, much better than Terrance.

Cause when the
sun goes down
someone's talking back
Yeah
They're talking back

It hurt him to stand back and watch her stuffer. He couldn’t bare to think that she could be going through that right now and he wasn’t there for her to support her. Again, he shook his head, she’d gotten along without him just fine before they’d met, she was a grown woman, she could take care of herself.

Somehow though, that didn’t make him feel any better.

At night when the stars 
light up my room
I sit by myself
Talking to the Moon
Try to get to You
In hopes you're on
the other side
Talking to me too
Or am I a fool
who sits alone
Talking to the moon

~~~

Monday – NYC

Kayla made her way out of the car and started towards the building. She’d been told not to pack her lunch and now here she was, getting fast food. She didn’t like to do it too much, it wasn’t good for you of course, but it also became costly quick.

After ordering, she made her way out to her car. It was starting to get nicer out as they approached the spring months, not as cold as it had been, so she decided to eat in the car instead of going back to work to eat.

Cracking the window a bit to air it out so she wouldn’t smell chicken sandwich for a week, she started to eat. She took a sip of her drink, thinking of all the stuff she had to finish when she got back. Tonight, she also had a rehearsal for a couple of hours, she felt pretty prepared. Taking a bite of her sandwich, she looked down as her phone vibrated with a new message from Terrance. Sighing, she picked it up and responded before putting back down.

He’d called her a few times and she’d been feeling lonely, so she’d answered. He’d apologized and had set up to bring her lunch today, but of course, had cancelled earlier, which lead to her not having lunch and her current state. Kayla expected it honestly and really didn’t care, the only thing that had bothered her was that she didn’t bring her lunch, but in the end, that wasn’t really that bad, she needed this time to think.

Picking up her phone again, she looked at the time, she still had forty-five minutes left and then she looked at the date, only six days left. She set the phone down and continued eating. Kayla didn’t know when she’d started counting the days before Kyu Jong came back, maybe it was the umpteenth time she’d tried to go upstairs to see him, or maybe it’d been all those times she’d tried to call him to see if he wanted to join her for dinner. Or it could’ve been when Terrance had called several times and she’d grown weaker, needing to have someone there. Maybe it’d been when she realized that her reason for answering Terrance when she had, had been because she missed Kyu Jong so much she thought she could pretend Terrance was him when he was everything but.

Shaking her head in disappointment, Kayla stuffed a few fries in before looking out the window. Chanile for her part had figure that out a few days ago, she of course hadn’t wanted to believe it at the time, but here she was, three days later coming to terms with it.

She missed Kyu Jong, she really did. It was selfish of her to wish he was there instead of home, by rights, that where he should be and not with her helping her to be strong to stand up to her dysfunctional boyfriend and relationship. She’d done it all along before she met him, she was an adult and could take care of herself.

Do you ever hear me calling?

Cause every night
I'm talking to the moon
Still trying to get to you

In hopes you're on
the other side
Talking to me too
Or am I a fool
who sits alone
Talking to the moon

Sighing, she rested her head on the window, looking up at the sky and to her amazement, she saw the moon at twelve o’ clock in the afternoon. Kayla continued to stare at it, her thoughts still on Kyu Jong. She wished that she could close her eyes and open them, and he would be there sitting beside her. She knew it couldn’t be, but…If he couldn’t be with her, she wished she could be there with him.

I know you're somewhere out there
Somewhere far away

~~~

Seoul – Wednesday

Kyu Jong spoke intently as four pairs of eyes watched him closely. He told them all that had happened and for the first time since being home, he was actually glad to be there, not including seeing his family of course. He always felt the most comfortable with these four guys.

“Wow, sounds like things are going well for you,” Hyung Jun smiled as he took a drink of his beer.

He’d met up with s for some wings and beer, Hyun Joong’s suggestion. He nodded, taking a bite of his wing.

“Are you excited to go back? You didn’t get to do much promotion,” Jung Min said, finishing his beer and ordering another.

Kyu Jong hesitated a moment before nodding, “Ne…”

“Wow, that was convincing,” Hyun Joong smiled, taring into one of his wings.

“I am, very much actually, more than I want to be honestly.”

Hyung Jun frowned, grabbing a wing from the massive mound in the center of the table, “Wae?”

Kyu Jong sighed, “Just…I dunno, I should be happy to be home, I shouldn’t want to be somewhere that isn’t for a long period of time.”

“Why else?” Young Saeng said suddenly, taking a sip of his beer, looking over at Kyu Jong expectantly.

This time three pairs of eyes swung to his questioningly and Kyu Jong gave Young Saeng a look to which he just shrugged.

“W-well uh…It’s Kayla ssi.”

Jung Min smiled suddenly, “Do you like Kayla ssi?”

“Of course I do, I’ve told you that already.”

Hyun Joong, who was quietly stuffing his face with yet another wing, spoke up suddenly, “Ani, you actually like her as a woman and not just a friend,” he said, grabbing another wing and devouring it.

Kyu Jong cleared his throat and Young Saeng grinned.

“She has a boyfriend hyung.”

“So? That doesn’t mean you can’t like her and by the way you’ve talked about her to us, it sounds like you do,” Hyun Joong said around a mouthful of chicken.

“Ooooo KyuJongie!” Hyung Jun chuckled.

“Ani, I don’t, we’re just friends, I can’t like her like that.”

“Just because she has a boyfriend doesn’t mean you can’t like her, sounds like you can’t help it even if you want to,” Young Saeng sighed.

Kyu Jong shook his head adamantly.

“Just be happy for her with her boyfriend, I’m sure he’s a good guy,” Hyung Jun said, taking another wing.

“He is not!” Kyu Jong said vehemently.

Hyung Jun, who was in mid-chew, stopped, looking up at him.

Jung Min busted out in laughter, “Jealous?”

“No, I am serious, he is not good to her, he’s…He treats her bad, he’s not good enough for her!”

Jung Min stopped laughing at Kyu Jong’s impassioned statement, “You really mean it?”

Kyu Jong let out a frustrated breath, “Yes, I really mean it.”

“So then, why don’t you just take her from him then?” Jung Min asked casually, shrugging as if it was the obvious solution, grabbing a wing.

Kyu Jong gasped and Hyung Jun busted out laughing this time,

“JungMinah…” Hyun Joong shook his head, trying not to laugh.

“I will not!”

“Knowing our KyuJongie, he probably already is,” Hyung Jun chuckled, drinking his beer.

“I have not!” Kyu Jong almost yelled.

Everyone started laughing and Kyu Jong slumped back in his chair. Just then his phone rang, not his home phone, but his US phone. He straightened up, it could be his agent. He pulled the phone out and looked at the screen, his eyes widening when he saw the name on the display,

“Kayla”

He scrambled to answer, “Hello? Kayla ssi?”

All laughter and talk at the table abruptly stopped as all eyes were on Kyu Jong.

“K? I’m not bothering you am I?”

His heart started racing at the soft voice on the other line, “Ani, it is good to hear your voice Kayla ssi,” he said suddenly and he was rewarded with a soft chuckle.

“It’s good to hear your voice too K.”

His hands fisted up, she sounded tired and sleepy and y somehow. He looked at his watch and frowned, “Kayla, it is early morning there, what are you doing up?”

He heard her sigh softly and then heard what sounded like the rustling of sheets.

“I set my alarm to wake me up so I could call you,” she whispered.

Kyu Jong’s heart literally dropped, “Kayla, you didn’t have to do that.”

“But I wanted to talk to you, it’s been so long since we talked and it’s so quiet here without you upstairs and well…” she sighed.

He swallowed hard, “Aww Kayla, come now, sleep. We’ll see each other in a few days, ok?”

There was silence a moment before she responded.

“Ok K,” she said softly, her voice sounded sad.

Kyu Jong closed his eyes for a moment, trying to focus, “Ok then, get some sleep and have a good day at work.”

Again silence.

“K?”

“Hmm?” He responded softly.

“…I miss you, goodnight,” she whispered again before the line went dead.

Kyu Jong went still, stock still, his grip on the phone so tight his hand was shaking.

“Yah, Kyu Jongie? Are you ok?” Jung Min asked, his glass of beer half way to his mouth.

He slowly dropped his hand, letting out a breath.

“What happened?” Hyun Joong asked.

Kyu Jong lifted his head and looked at them, “She said she called cause she wanted to hear my voice, that it was too quiet.”

“Awww KyuJongie,” Hyung Jun sighed and Jung Min laughed.

“What else?” Young Saeng said suddenly

Kyu Jong brought his gaze to him, “She said she misses me,” he said softly,

They stopped, looking at him and he sighed heavily, looking down, his eyes starting to burn suddenly as a feeling of dread started to spread within him as feelings and thoughts he’d been trying to tamp down, started to well up more.

“What am I supposed to do?”

~~~

Kayla set the phone down on her nightstand and fell back on the bed. She’d promised, promised herself she wouldn’t say anything, but she couldn’t help it, couldn’t hold back from saying it. She’d purposely set her alarm to wake her up so she could call him. It’d been so good to hear his voice; she couldn’t help herself.

He was due back on Saturday and as it grew closer, the more anxious she got. It felt like it’d been forever when it it’d only been a little over a week. It felt like time was dragging, she didn’t know when it got to be so bad. When he left, she’d been fine for the most part, everyone told her she was missing him, but she thought they’d been wrong. As time passed, she realized how much he’d become a part of her life, so fast.

She missed him, she missed him so much her heart hurt. Wiping at her eyes, she rolled over on to her side, looking up at the ceiling, feeling so alone in her own apartment.

Letting out a breath, she closed her eyes, forcing sleep to come.

Song: Talking to the Moon - By Bruno Mars

Lyrics from DataFind

Video via YouTube acct:  FigureOutWhoThisIs

_____________

A/N: Oooo so much going on here right? Wow, K's of a friend who has planted that seed of doubt, even if only for a moment in a sign of potential things to come, menacing right?  A nice lunch with his band members and hilarity ensues, leave it to Min and Hyung Jun for the comic relief, I miss them so much! What a sweet phone call, these two are so in touch with each other and they don't even know it. Both going through similar things, one in a situation that doesn't allow for it and the other in a situation where he's restricted...what's to come of these two??

Until next time!

MO~

PS. Sorry again for the wonky formatting on one of the verses of the song, for some reason, it's just the one verse that keeps messing up.