Reminder: Blue is Siwon, Orange is Kyuhyun, Red is Aiden, Green is Eunhyuk and Black is narration. 

Time: 1:15 a.m.

At Aiden's beach house. The lights are out, and the house is in complete darkness. Eunhyuk and Siwon are outside the house near the back shed, looking for the power generator area.

(shines his phone’s flashlight) Here. I think I found the problem.

Ah. Alright. Finally getting somewhere.

Both are quiet, and no one makes an attempt to approach the generator.

So?

What? I found the problem. You find the solution. I thought you’d know how to fix it.

Why would you assume that? And shouldn’t you know all this stuff given your line of work?

Producing documentaries? What do you think I do on a set? Change lightbulbs? You know what - let’s just try to figure it out before Aiden comes out and emasculates both of our dom-egos. Domegos. Haha.

As they fiddle with the generator in the dark...

So…you and Aiden…how long have you two been together?

Ah. Aiden. Isn’t he great? We met a couple years ago. In London. I was studying there at the time, and we met at a party. He was visiting a mutual friend of ours - they went to high school together. It was funny. I asked him for his number and he says - ‘I don’t have one.’ So I think he doesn’t want me to have it, so I stop talking to him and start walking away. Then he goes - ‘so you’re going to let that stop you?'

Haha. Nice. Zero effort, zero risk.

Yeah! Although pulling off that attitude is so much work. Anyway, it turns out he literally doesn’t own a phone. He travels so much - being a ‘TCK' - he only uses the internet to stay in touch with people.

TCK? What’s that?

You’re kidding, right? How old are you?! T - C - K. Third Culture Kid.

If you think that un-abbreviating it gives me any clue about what it means...

Haha. Alright. So Aiden’s mom is half-American and half-British but grew up in France. And his dad is Korean but grew up in London. And on top of that, his parents moved around on three continents through his teens, so much that he doesn’t have a native culture to identify with. Hence - third culture kid.

I feel like I’ve learned something of absolutely no value to me.

They both laugh.

So, man, I’m sorry about bringing up the ring thing. I was just curious. The drinking triggered my interviewing brain.

Don’t worry about it. It was a sensible question to ask…even to strangers.

Thanks, bro. And I know it’s still none of my business, but given that we are complete strangers who probably won’t see each other again, if you do wanna talk about it...

 I…uh, it’s hard to explain four years of a relationship while in the dark in close quarters with said stranger.

At that moment, the lights come on.

Did we do that?

Yeah, let’s go with that.

Look, man, if you’re going to talk to anyone about it - better a stranger than someone he knows.

They start to walk back to the house.

I guess that logic somehow makes sense. Well, Kyuhyun is wonderful. Amazing. I love him so much. But sometimes, and before this vacation sometimes was happening almost all the time, I felt like he isn’t in love with me in the same way. Don’t get me wrong - our story together - from my point of view - is wonderful. But sometimes I think about what it looks like from the outside - and what I see is a guy who went after this guy and kind of just worked his way into a relationship. And you know what I realized? He doesn’t need me. He’s the same person he was before he met me, and I’m…I guess I’m afraid if anything will really change for him if he wasn’t with me. (snaps out of it) Why am I telling you this?!

Because you’re a lil drunk, and because you have to let stuff like this out. But listening to this, it sounds less about him and more about you.

What do you mean?

Look, from what I’m hearing and seeing here - you're with a smart, independent man who doesn't expect you to meet unimaginable standards for love and companionship. You should be happy! Why would you want someone to 'need' you? Sounds exhausting. Look, don’t get me wrong, I’ve only seen you two together for a couple hours, but even I - with my rational slash cynical world-view can tell that whatever kind of love he wants, he has it with you. The real question is - are you okay with that? Is that why you haven’t popped the question?

Ah! The question. Let me tell you, buddy - this question comes with a lot of consequences. And the older you and your relationship gets, the higher the stakes. And I can’t believe I’m saying this to a 22 year old - but even at 29 I’m not sure if he and I are ready to deal with those consequences. I don’t doubt his answer - I guess I’m just not sure if he’s dying for me to ask. That’s kind of why I wanted to do this trip together, to take ourselves outside our...

At this moment, because he’s so good at finding the right moments, Aiden walks up to the guys from inside the house as they turn into it. It scares them a bit. They act like it didn’t, but there are some manly squeals.

You boys done playing scouts? Shall we go pop some champagne and cook some food?

Let’s go back in time a bit to see what Aiden and Kyuhyun are doing. Code-name for these parallel conversations: 'time-versations’. Hehe... 

Time: 1:15 a.m.

At Aiden's beach house. Aiden and Kyuhyun are in the wine cellar, in the basement, in the dark, with a phone torch (Kyuhyun's). 

Yeah, so then he asked me for my number, and I didn’t have one. So I thought I’d mess with him a bit and I go - ‘so what are you going to do abo