"So, I'm thinking of going to New York" Jongin told Sehun. The music was too loud and the beats were heavy on the bass. There were people out and about, dancing on the streets and waiting for the parade to pass by. There was a festival being celebrated but Jongin didn't remember which one. "New York?" Sehun asked. "What's wrong in Prague?"  "I wasn't meant to stay here beyond three months anyways" Jongin said in a small voice. Sehun's jaw tightened.

"Look. Jongin. You can't keep doing this" Sehun said indignantly. "Doing what?" Jongin asked, faking innocence. "This!" Sehun said, gesturing around him. "This thing you do where you make me feel guilty for breaking up with you" Sehun told him. "Well you wouldn't be guilty if you wanted to break up with me a hundred per cent" Jongin retaliated. "Well, maybe the only thing I do regret is coming here today. This is pathetic Jongin. We need to forget the past" he said, standing up. "I'm sorry it's not as easy for me as it was for you. Did you even love me?" he asked spitefully. "Don't you dare put the blame on me for this. You know what? Screw it. Don't call me again" Sehun said grabbing his jacket and walking away.

Jongin buried his face in his hands and took a deep breathe. He had wanted to apologize. He didn't mean to make it worse. Why was it that he could never convey what he really felt to Sehun? The bench creaked a little as someone sat next to him. It was a woman, staring straight ahead. She must have missed what transpired in her daze. Jongin noted that she was wearing formals on a declared holiday. She must not be from around the place.

"Are you lost?" he asked finally, after watching her stare at the map in her hand. It was worn out, fraying by the edges. The person must have used it a lot. Or just been careless about handling it. "I don't know where to go from here" she confessed. "I know how that feels" he replied. A silence settled in, contrasted by the hue and cry around around them.

"I'm sorry. What's your name?" Jongin asked her with a smile. "Haneul. Kim Haneul. What's yours?" she asked him. "Kim Jongin. What were the chances?" he asked her with a smile. She didn't look Korean. She looked vaguely Asian and he would never have guessed. "I get that a lot" Haneul said, pushing her hair behind her ear. "Sorry. Right. Where to go? You should probably check out the galleries or the museums in and around Prague. Or if you fancy a walk go to Letna park or check out the Lennon Wall. But that might not happen today" he said gesturing to the parade that had just entered.

"I have a history of bad timings" she said wryly. "Me too" he agreed. "Well, thank you for the advice though" she said, saluting with the map. "My pleasure" he replied. He watched her walk away, probably making her way back to her hotel.

He needed to go to New York. A city like New York would be full of stories and that was what a writer like him needed. New York would also be a break from Sehun. He still had a few days here. Next month maybe. Kyungsoo would agree. Kyungsoo was friendly for an editor. He could crash in with Zitao for a while. This really wasn't a bad idea.

"So, I totally forgot to book your tickets to LA. But the good news is I did manage to find you a flight. Funnily enough, I had to buy them in black from a teenage girl online" Yuri said. "Probably bummed out she couldn't go to Kim Jongdae's concert" Haneul said before stopping herself. "Yeah, but how did you know?" Yuri asked suspiciously. "Lucky guess. He is a famous star after all" Haneul said dismissively. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a closet fan girl. But you are too cold hearted to have 'feels' over some random extremely hot singer" Yuri said. "Some times I forget that you naturally act like a teenager and not just to insult me" Haneul deadpanned.

"Guilty as charged. And don't worry. I'm pretty sure you will be hot and passionate with a lover by your side" Yuri said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "Why are you doing this to me at nine in the morning" Haneul whined, burying her head in her file. "Because we just got the daily astrology spam mail and it says you have "love" written in your future" Yuri said, trying to hold back her laughter. "And you are extremely bored" Haneul pointed out. "And I am extremely bored, but you love me" Yuri said flashing her grin. "No I don't. Not at all. Now please go trouble Zitao for the next batch of materials he wants. We can probably book it together with the shipment for Jeffrey or Geoffrey or whatever that guy's name is and save ourselves some money" Haneul told her.

Yuri frowned. "You had to do that just when we were having fun. Maybe you really should go to that concert. Loosen up a little. scream along with other preteens who are obnoxiously erted for their age" Yuri grumbled. "Maybe I will. Now off with you. Or else my future love will change to hate" Haneul warned her. "Oh! Speaking of future love, can I set you up with Zitao's foreign writer friend. I've heard he is hot" Yuri suggested. "Get out of my cabin" Haneul groaned. "And tell Zitao to match fabrics and not random people!"

"Long flight?" Zitao asked Jongin. "Yeah. But you won't believe who I sat next to on the plane" Jongin told Zitao as he pushed the trolley ahead. "Who was it?" Zitao asked. "The one and only, Kim Jongdae. Like the really famous Kpop singer guy. I swear I could see people trying to take pictures on their phone discreetly. But he remained calm throughout. Was a fun guy to talk to" Jongin told him. "Please. Look at you trying to act all cool. I remember you downloading all his ballads while writing your last book" Zitao teased. Jongin grinned.

"Speaking of books, are you writing something now?" Zitao asked him. "Planning to. Hence New York, New York" Jongin said dramatically. "Been on a break from everything for the past few months." "I'm sorry about Sehun" Zitao put in apologetically. Jongin nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Well, time to put the past behind me. Besides, weren't you trying to set me up with someone?" he laughed. "Yeah but she was a lot of work so that idea got shot to the ground before it took off" Zitao grumbled.

Honestly, if Haneul was dating she would be on his case lesser. Secretly he knew she was the reason he met deadlines and pushed to do his best but she should really take a break. And who could be more understanding than a writer like Jongin. Sadly she had said no before he could even suggest it to her.

"Do you think I could get a concert ticket now though? I really want to see him live now" Jongin said. "We can buy it in black from random teenagers online" Zitao said with a shrug. Jongin raised an eyebrow at how easily he suggested something like that but let it go. The fun was something he had been missing for a long time.

Take my hand, let's see where we wake up tomorrow.
Best laid plans; sometimes are just a one night stand.