Chapter 44

“Whether you play around with me or protect me; It doesn’t matter, I could be your toy – I Can”

“Hey, you guys got here first,” Young K grinned, running up to the awaiting coach towards Terry and the others.

The troupe from hotel just arrived, having started their early morning with breakfast at Young K’s parents’ house.

“Yeah, it’ll be about an hour and half ride from here, and we’ll take the heli at Naigara itself,” Terry said, ushering everyone into the 12 seater.

His girlfriend, Sam and Don were there too.

As they boarded the bus, Don flashed a personal smile towards Momo.

Momo knew Don was joining them, but that still did not make her anticipate the uneasy feeling she was getting.

What is it about this guy, that’s causing my alarm bells to ring, she asked herself, as she made sure she sat as far away from him as possible.

Cordi Kim and Sam sat with her at the last row, and all ill thoughts were forgotten as Momo indulged in an all girl chat as they drove to the falls.

***

Momo stared at Niagara’s majestic falls with a face full of awe.

Til she felt Young K stood beside her.

“Magnificent, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” she said, raising her voice slightly above the noise.

To the eye, the two of them looked like normal friends or colleagues.

No one would suspect the sweet y things Young K subjected Momo with his lips, hands and even legs that morning.

Their young hormones nearly got the better of them, until Sungjin knocked on the door to ‘wake’ them up. Especially before the others came out of their respective rooms.

The leader suspected that Momo did not return to her room by her tell tale shoes near the front door. Despite being in a western city, their Korean habits of leaving their outer footwear by the door tended to follow them everywhere.

So, like guilty teenagers caught by their father, both Momo and Young K scrambled out of bed and managed to come out looking fairly decent and innocent.

Up til then, Young K and Momo have managed to keep their private lives, private.

Again like their footwear, it has become a habit with them.

Neither of them questioning on how they should take their relationship forward, with Momo never demanding Young K to declare his feelings public, and him never requesting anything physical from Momo anymore than he should.

Both of them contented to simply be with each other, in whatever form their situation permitted them to.

And if hiding their feelings from the rest of the world was the condition, then so be it.

Yet, Young K could never hide his happiness whenever he was with her.

At least not from his warm smile or the looks he sent her way, nor the subtle brush of his hands against hers.

He was relieved the whole North American tour went by smoothly; happy he got to spend quality time with his parents and that his father gave his approval at long last. But most of all, he was glad to have Momo with him and that he was helping her achieve her dream to see the world in his own little way.

“So, if you have it, you can tick Niagara off your bucket list.”

Momo laughed. Her spoken English was almost perfect now, and she was learning the coloqial phrases more and more from Young K and Jae.

Her Korean too, for that matter.

At the same time, the boys’ Japanese was good enough for them to hold a solid interview with the Japanese press when they debut soon.

It was true that your language prowess will improve by leaps and bounds only through interacting with those who spoke the same language.

“Yes, I can,” she smiled. “If only my family can see this with me.”

“You can bring them here for a holiday one day. I’ll take y'all to meet mom and dad, and omma can cook her most delicious dishes for them.”

Momo looked at his animated face.

It was looking happily out at the falls, yet Momo could also see the uncertainty there.

Like he was not sure himself, if that dream can really come true.

He was literally hinting of meeting up his parents with hers.

Which was the most pre-mature thing they could ever think of, at the moment.

“Brian-san…”

“Hey…” Young K cut her off before she could speak. He was afraid to hear what will come out of . “Look Mo, I know, like me, you’re worried about what’s to come. And so many have talked to me about you. Even omma – how it’s not proper about you staying with us, about you needing to go back to school, how you’re too young to be fully working…”

Young K turned towards her, glad that the others have lost themselves at the condensed touristy place, and they were left on their own.

“But I know we can work things out,” he continued earnestly. “For instance, you can go to college in Seoul. Get an apartment close to college. Work with us part time and go on tours with us. At holidays, we’ll go back Japan and visit your parents. That way, we can both work towards our respective future, and yet… still able to see each other all the time.”

That option sounded wonderful to Momo’s ears.

She has grown to love Young K more and more – if the feeling was even possible.

In her eyes, Young K was more than that up and coming idol. More than a singer composer. More than an entertainer. More than a multi faceted boy, with both a desirable character and many shortcomings.

To her, he was simply a wonderful friend, a reliable colleague and a lovable companion.

And to lose that, would be a great deficit to her.

“What say you, huh?” Young K bent slightly towards her, pleading with his beautiful eyes and soft uncertain smile. For her to say yes. “Let’s work it that way, huh Mo?”

Young K knew Momo would be strong enough without him. But him without her, was something he did not want to think about at that time.

He needed her too much.

Why exactly, he was not sure.

He was just afraid, he would break without her next to him.

Which was funny, because at most times, they went their separate ways for their respective work and responsibilities.

But just knowing she was near, or in the same building, or that she would be around in the home he went back to at the end of the day, was enough to make him calm and happy.

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Neh, yes,” Momo gave him her signature smile and a nod.

For Young K, it was almost like her saying yes to his marriage proposal.

And Happy-K could not help himself but to scare the tourists around them by giving the loudest shout of happiness and picking Momo up for an estatic twirl.