“You said yes right? Please tell me you said yes,” Chanile said.

“Well, no…I haven’t given him an answer yet.”

“No? Girl are you crazy?! He’s asking you to go to another country with him, you can get away from all this craziness for two weeks! No Terrance for two weeks! I know you’d better go!”

“I can’t possibly accept that ticket, it’s way too much Chanile. I mean, it’s a round-trip ticket, do you know how much that costs?” Kayla frowned.

“So? You’d rather he loses that money by you not going? I doubt he’d be able to get a refund. Look, forget the cost, don’t insult him like that. He bought the ticket because he wants you to go with him, you’d be offending him more by turning him down simply for the fact of the cost. If you’re gonna say no, say no for the right reasons,” Chanile said firmly.

Kayla sighed, “C’mon Chanile…”

“No, if that’s the only reason, it doesn’t even qualify as a reason. If money were an issue for him, he wouldn’t have done it in the first place and he wouldn’t have done it if he didn’t feel you deserved it,” she reasoned.

Kayla rubbed her head; she really didn’t know what to do.

“What’s this really about sweetie?” Chanile asked softly.

She sighed, “I dunno, I’m just uncomfortable with this. So much has happened, my head is spinning. It doesn’t seem right to just…I dunno run away from my problems. It’s not like they won’t be waiting for me when I come back, why bother?”

“Because you need a break, we all need to get away sometimes, you’re no exception. Kyu Jong sees this, and he wants to help you, you should let him. Hell, I’d do it if I could, but aside from dinner and a movie night, my hands are tied.”

Kayla shook her head, falling back onto the bed, letting out a deep breath, “Thanks Chanile, just you listening is enough, trust me. K being the great friend he is is enough, just him.”

“I’m sure he knows that, you’ve never treated him as if he has to be more, you and I both know that.”

She closed her eyes, it was too much, she was just overwhelmed. She did want to go, did that make her a bad person? Was she taking advantage of K? She couldn’t get that thought out of her head.

~~~

Three Days Later – Wednesday

Kyu Jong quickly signed his name on the album and posed for a picture before waving bye to the fan and heading into the van. He was exhausted and he still had the rest of the week for promotions to get through and then he went right after to record his cameo in the TV show which would only be a one-day shoot. Then he had a few days off before he met with management to see how everything had gone with his album and from there, decide what his next steps would be. He was ready to go home for the day though, he was exceptionally tired for some reason. He needed to go home and call his parents since everything had happened, they really hadn’t talked much. He wanted to tell them that he was hoping to come home for a visit next month, maybe he should wait until he heard back from Kayla.

Rubbing his head, he sighed. He hadn’t heard from her for a few days and he was worried that that wasn’t a good sign of things to come. He knew he would end up going either way, but he really wanted her to come with him. He reaction had been better than he expected. Part of him worried that she would laugh. It didn’t seem like her style and really he knew better, but still, he couldn’t help but worry.

Kyu Jong wanted to call her and see how she was doing, try and gauge where she was at, but he didn’t want to pressure her in any way. He desperately wanted to have her go with him now. She had been nice enough to show him her home, now he wanted to do the same.

Once back at the company, he headed in to get his coast and then hailed a taxi back home. The weather was finally starting to improve, the Winters there were brutal, much like his home. After arriving back at the building, he headed up to his townhouse, making his way in. Slipping into his slippers and headed back to his room to get changed. After changing, he made his way out, deciding to call his parents after all, he just wouldn’t mention potentially coming to visit.

Kyu Jong grabbed his phone and went to press the speed dial when he got a text message from Kayla asking him to come down to her place, saying that she needed to talk to him.

He chewed on his lip before telling her he’d be right down.

~~~

Kayla started pacing back and forth nervously. This was the right thing to do, wasn’t it? She’d been over and over it in her head, going back and forth with her decision. Kayla knew she couldn’t, shouldn’t keep him waiting for too long, it wasn’t right. He could have plans, things he wanted to do, but couldn’t until she gave him her answer.

There was a knock at the door, and she yelled out for him to come in and then there was Kyu Jong, looking apprehensive about being there and what she wanted to tell him.

“Come on in, I was just making dinner, have a seat at the table and keep me company,” she smiled.

Kayla made her way into the kitchen, getting a large pan out as well as some veggies. Kyu Jong sat at the table, and she added some broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms and started sautéing them.

“Can you stay for dinner maybe?” She asked as she continued to move the vegetables around in the pan.

He smiled and nodded, “Sure if you’d like.”

“Great!”

They chatted while she made the dinner, pouring alfredo sauce along with some pasta that she also cooked up, into the pan with the veggies and mixed them all together. She plated them both a healthy portion with some garlic bread and sat next to him and they ate.

Kyu Jong sang her praises about how good the meal was after finishing. He gave her an inquisitive smile and she knew she couldn’t put it off any longer.

“So K, I know you’re wondering why I called you here, besides for dinner, which was a spare-of-the-moment decision I’m glad I made.”

Kyu Jong chuckled, “Ne, me too.”

She smiled, “Good. Anyway, the reason I texted you was about what you asked me a few days ago, about going to South Korea with you for my birthday,” she started.

He nodded, “OK.”

Kayla sighed, “I don’t…I’m not really sure of…” she stopped, shaking her head.

Kyu Jong frowned, and she gave him an apologetic smile.

“Sorry, I’m just trying to figure out how to do this. Ya know, when you asked me, I was really shocked, surprised, and overwhelmed.”

“Mianhae Kayla,” he said softly.

“Nah, it’s not a bad thing K, really. Along with that shock or surprise, I was also excited,” she went on.

Kyu Jong looked a bit more hopeful.

“The idea of getting away, literally far away, is and was appealing. I don’t know if this is wrong if I were to go, would that be taking advantage of you? Using you for an escape?” She questioned quietly, shaking her head again.

“But Kayla ssi, I asked you, you are not using me for anything,” he reasoned sadly.

“Chanile said something similar and so did Shane. I’ve been thinking about it so much, trying to figure out what to do. I want to make the right choice for the right reasons.”

“Whatever you decide will be right for you Kayla, do not worry if you are making the right choice.”

She chuckled, looking away, “How are you so understanding?”

Kyu Jong shrugged, “I’m not really, I just know what it is to doubt yourself to the point of frustration.”

Kayla looked at him, “You always seem so sure of yourself.”

Kyu Jong shook his head vehemently, “I am not Kayla, not at all.”

“I did apparently,” he winked.

She shook her head in amusement, “Well with all that said, yes K, I’ll go with you to South Korea,” she blurted out suddenly.

Kyu Jong stilled, his eyes widening, “Really Kayla?”

“Yeah, if the offer still stands.”

“Of course it stands Kayla, I’m so happy you’ve decided to come with me,” Kyu Jong said, he was positively beaming.

She was a bit surprised; she didn’t know he’d be so excited about it.

“There’s so much I wanna show you, so much I wanna share with you. I’m very happy Kayla,” Kyu Jong smiled, reaching out to take her hand.

Kayla could feel herself blushing, “Really?”

“Ne, thank you, Kayla.”

She smiled, giving his hand a squeeze, “Thank you for inviting me.”

~~~

Over the next few weeks, Kayla started to get ready for her pending trip. She made sure her passport was in order, decided to go out and get a new wardrobe, and was pleased to find that amidst all the drama, she’d lost a significant amount of weight, having gone down three pant sizes. She hadn’t realized she’d been barely eating and been working even more to distract herself. While it wasn’t the ideal way to lose weight, it still had happened.

Between packing and getting ready, she also did some research on South Korea and its culture. Needless to say, she was a bit intimidated about a couple of things. She wanted to ask Kyu Jong about it but didn’t want him to know, she wanted to be fully prepared. While the etiquette of some things scared her, there were other things as well that could pose problems. She’d have to rely on her street smarts to pull her through.

One thing that she did read that stuck with her, was that you brought gifts for the parents. This was typically done when dating and while she and Kyu Jong were most certainly not dating, what if she happened to meet them and didn’t have anything? She didn’t want to embarrass Kyu Jong in front of his family. So she’d decided to get a few small things for his parents and even though it wasn’t mentioned, his sister too, she wouldn’t leave her out.

Kayla looked over at the bag that held the gifts and smiled, hopefully they’d like it. If she didn’t end up meeting them, she’d find someone she could give it to. There was one more thing she had planned, just had to make sure it was ready by the time they left.

It was almost the end of June and it was Friday and Kayla offered to host movie night. She was getting everything ready, she was making chicken with mac & cheese and fries. Chanile and Kyu Jong were bringing dessert.

By the time they arrived, she had several batches made and was finishing up throwing a huge salad together. Chanile put her dessert in the fridge and Kyu Jong put the cookie tray on the table along with some pastries.

After finishing the chicken, she made a ton of French fries before bringing it all out and over to the coffee table where she’d already set out some snacks. They ate and watched a drama they’d been watching over the last month or two, determined to finish it before Kyu Jong and Kayla went away.

Once they finished eating dinner, they finished the drama while having dessert. A few hours later, Chanile prepared to leave.

“Well Kyu Jong, I probably won’t see you before you leave, so have a safe trip and take good care of Kayla, make sure she relaxes,” she stated firmly.

Kyu Jong nodded, “Ne, do not worry, I will,” he smiled.

“I’m relaxed now though,” Kayla frowned.

Chanile rolled her eyes and bid Kyu Jong goodnight and then left.

Kyu Jong turned to her and smiled, “Thank you for dinner, the chicken was delicious.”

“I’m glad you liked it, I hear Korean fried chicken is really good too. I hope to get a chance to try it.”

Kyu Jong face lit up, “Of course! There is so much I have planned for us. I’m hoping you’ll enjoy yourself, Kayla.”

She waved him off, “You know I will. I’ve never been out of the US before, well except for Canada so I’m really looking forward to it.”

They said their goodbyes and the next several weeks went by in a blur and before Kayla knew it, it was the day of her flight. Because of the drastic time difference, they would be leaving in the afternoon and should be arriving tomorrow morning in Korea. Now that things were actually happening; she was growing more and more anxious and nervous. Kyu Jong was due to arrive any time so they could head to the airport.

Kayla really was nervous, it was one thing to go to Canada, but it was quite another to go to a place where she couldn’t speak the language or read the words, she was completely powerless. Granted she’d have Kyu Jong with her, but still. The thought of all of this was really starting to terrify her. Was it too late to back out?

Just then there was a knock at the door, and she jerked up off the couch and headed over, pulling the door open to see Kyu Jong smiling broadly at her.

“Ready Kayla ssi?” He asked excitedly.

She nodded, hurrying over to get her bag, wheeling it over along with her carryon. They made their way out, she checked once more to make sure she had her important documents before they got into the taxi. A short time later, they arrived at the airport and made their way in. Once they checked their bags they headed over to the waiting area.

“Would you like something to eat Kayla?” Kyu Jong asked.

“No thanks, K.”

He looked over at her, “Are you ok Kayla?”

She looked over at him, “Why? Do I not look ok?”

Kyu Jong smiled, “Honestly Kayla, no, you don’t, you look scared to be honest.”

“That’s cause I am,” she nodded.

“Oh Kayla,” he frowned.

“Sorry, can’t help it, I’m going to a country where I don’t speak the language, know the culture, cannot make my way around independently, it’s scary,” she sighed.

Kyu Jong nodded, “I understand.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t want to sound ungrateful, I’m trying hard not to, I’m just apprehensive.”

“I know, I truly do know. I’ve gone through the same thing many many times and you know what? I had someone to help me through it though and make it so much easier. I hope to be that to you like you have been to me,” he said softly.

Kayla looked over at him and smiled, “Aww, thanks K.”

Their flight eventually boarded and they took their seats, getting settled for the long flight. They had a non-stop flight of about 15 hours, so she’d brought plenty to keep herself occupied. To be honest, though she didn’t know how much of that would work for her, she feared she was too nervous to really focus on anything for any amount of time.

She wasn’t used to so much space, it was nice to have room to move around. She was also thrilled to find out that the seats folded down into mini beds, she hoped to experience that at some point during the trip if she could relax long enough to sleep.

After they settled, they waited for take off.

“How ya doing Kayla?”

She nodded, “I’m good K, feeling really good.”

Kyu Jong raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

“No,” she nodded again and he chuckled.

“Just take it easy, it’s a long flight, just try to enjoy it and we’ll be there before you know it,” he smiled.

They took off shortly after and she looked over to see that Kyu Jong had already fallen asleep. She watched him closely, he looked so calm and peaceful, like this was second nature to him and she supposed it was. He was technically going home, this was indeed, nothing for him. He would be the one at an advantage there and she would be totally reliant on him.

Letting out a breath, she slumped back in her seat, trying to wrap her mind around what was about to come. It did feel good to get away, but she was still scared. She was glad she was going through this with Kyu Jong, she honestly couldn’t think of anyone else she’d rather be with.

Turning, she looked out the window, all she saw now were clouds. It’d only been a few minutes, but she knew she was already far from home. In just a few hours, she would be in a whole different country.

The next time she set foot on solid ground, she would be in South Korea.

___________

A/N: And here we are, yet over another year later, and lo and behold what do we have? An update! Wow! I'm not even going to say anything anymore as I fear it would sound like an excuse, insincere and dishonest and I don't want that. I will continue to say that I will continue to try to do better, but life has been...*sigh*. Trust me when I say that no one, absolutely no one knows more than me that I need to do better.

In any case, if you are by chance reading this, I will also say THANK YOU for reading. For still being here, even with the extremely inappropriate lack of updates to this story. I have not forgotten it and I think about it constantly. I want to say that there will be more consistent updates, but I will not set expectations and make promises I cannot keep. There will be more updates, I just don't know when. So if you do choose to stay with me and I definitely will not blame you if you don't, but if you do, just know as I always say, it may be a while as you all know it takes me FOREVER to post...anything. I'd like to think and hope that I make it worth the long wait when I finally do, but that is up to you to decide. 

This is a semi-exciting chapter, but not really. The next chapter does pick up a bit and going forward, it should hopefully, start to be something you look forward to again as with prior chapters that had actual action in them.

Once again if you are reading this, thank you for reading and still being here and supporting Kyu Jong and Kayla, they appreciate it as much as I do. Take care and Happy New Year to all!!