It’s the last day of Aom’s family visit to LA.  Kim enjoyed spending time with her and the family just like her friends did, although it’s been quite tiring to walked around under the hot summer sun. It sure has been one of her favorite moments too. It made her forget her loneliness and longing for a short period of time just like before they had gone out to Phuket. She dreads this day would come to end because she knew she’ll miss her a lot even more. But as promised, she awed Aom one dinner date with her. Definitely, prepared for it as she thought she had.

Apparently, Kim thought she had forgotten those bottled up feelings for Aom and put their past behind. That was way back before when she enjoyed her life living on the limelight. Being rich and famous. Well, as a matter of fact, she’s still rich and well-known architect but not as an actress. Her hardships have paid off well. But she was so wrong. The more that she suppresses the feelings, the more intense it becomes. The more she tried to avoid their closeness, the more the circumstances conspire in their paths. Kim still got those same tingling feelings whenever their skin touch, that same smile that melts her in an instant or just hearing her voice makes her day complete. Either way, those stares caught both of them off guard and those meaningful looks that only themselves knew about. And still craves for those addicting pink luscious lips that tastes like cherry chocolate touching hers. She’s still head over heels for Aom. And definitely, she’s still into her.

Time is really ticking slowly for Kim until to the time to pick-up Aom for their date. She felt anxious; she’d been sitting behind her desk like forever and was already tired staring all the papers, white prints and floor plans piled on top of the other ready to be reviewed and signed. She slumped her back staring up the ceiling on her swivel chair massaging her temples. She’s having that migraine again. She checked on the clock hanged by the wall but it’s just past 10 in the morning. She sighed heavily and staring at the clock thinking about random things-like her upcoming date; what would be the best date she could have with Aom. And yet, still got no idea where would she take her tonight. Bothered about the thoughts, she stood up from her chair and raked her fingers through her hair.

‘This is just great, Kim. No idea at all. Just Wow!’ she scolds herself.

Restless, she walked out of office and went straight to Zee to solicit for a proper pieces of advice. Just like her, Zee’s still hooked up and busy checking the revisions of the next project. Well, she thought Zee might have better ideas than her about this kind of stuffs.

She knocked on the open door before entering Zee’s office just to acknowledge her presence and check if she’s not bothering her at the moment.

“Zee, Can I come in?” she asked just as Zee beamed her gaze to look at Kim confused. Zee scrunched up her face looking at Kim and groaned. She too, have been drowning herself with lots of paper works and drawings to finish as soon as possible.

“Yeah, sure. Why not…” Zee replied and gestured her hand to close the door. She closes the door behind her to have a private little talk with Zee. She knew those looks in her eyes that Kim is in trouble with her ideas again. Well, crappy ideas about dates. And she was right. There’s a palpable agitation in her facial expressions. Knowing Kim, she’s a very smart and a well-driven person. She works hard for what she wants. But she’s is a little slow on this side of track. It’s more of a ‘Zee thing’ when it comes to women. She’s a genius.   

“Can you spare a minute or two for your li’l cousin here,” Kim said and made her way to sit over, slumping her whole body to the small couch facing Zee’s desk.

“What’s troubling you, dude?” she asked not bothering to even look up at Kim. Her eyes still buried into the piles of papers she’s working on. “…just talk, I’m listening,” she groaned.

“It’s about tonight,” Kim sighed heavily spreading her arms leaning the back of her head at the couch and staring blankly up at the ceiling, then closed her eyes letting another deep sigh.

“I really got no idea where to take her for dinner tonight…” she groaned loosening her tie and feeling tired all of a sudden.

“Why not try one of the fancy restaurant along downtown…?” Zee suggested putting down her pen and look at Kim slumped on her couch. Zee leaned her head lazily on her swivel chair staring at the ceiling thinking of a better idea.

“I think; she’s already accustomed to having a fancy dinner at a fancy restaurant,” says Kim flicking her tongue with the word fancy with a duh tone.

“Uh-huh,”

“I bet her bratty ex-fiancé mostly had taken her on dates like that. Thinking that they are both celebrities. I want something special that she’ll enjoy and most probably she’ll never forget.” She explains proving it not quite her idea of a special date and let out yet another deep sigh.

Then, Zee tore her gaze from her workload and kept her gaze at Kim. There was a long pause before Zee could utter something.

“Hmm, maybe… you have a good point there, dude. What do you have in mind then?” Zee nods in agreement that broke the utter silence between them.

“…maybe you can take her to the beach. I could ask Dew to help out…” she smirked.

“I mean… she could have some ideas too. What you think?” Zee coaxed and begun tapping on her phone calling Dew before Kim could react. She wouldn’t like to bother Dr. Dew with this little problem she had at the moment.

“Hi honey…” Zee greeted as she turned her chair around facing the large window behind her, looking over the city view.

“How are you? Hmm, are you busy at the moment? …That’s great! Kim needs a few favors honey ... If you can just lend a helping hand to this poor lover boy here…” she said turning her chair around facing Kim grinning.

“Hmm, alright then, we’ll be there… see you in a bit honey.” Zee said to her phone nodding in agreement while fiddling on pen in her fingers and hang up her call.

“Alright lover boy,” Zee boomed as she stood up from her chair making Kim jumped out from the couch. “You could have given me a heart attack! You, dimwit!” Kim shouted back at her.

 Zee started to fix all her things scattered on her table. “Get all your things and let’s move it. Everything you think you’ll need. Let’s go!” commanding Kim who immediately sprung to her feet and out of the room.

She rushed to her table, hastily piling her papers neatly on top of the other. Then grabbed her bag and coat that hang by her chair and run after Zee by the elevator lobby. She advised Johanne to cancel all her meetings and appointments, set it another day and she’ll take the whole day off and tomorrow. Sprinting her feet to the elevator as soon as it opened for Zee and hurriedly stepped inside panting and out of breath.

“Where… are …we… going Zee?” Kim asked in between breath as she leaned her back on the wall wiping her sweats with her sleeves.

“You know Kim; you can actually use your hanky not your sleeves. You act like a kid. Jeez, dude!” Zee said rolling her eyes and making her faces looking at Kim a little bit disoriented about her life a moment ago.

“Okay. Okay. Jeez! Can you give me a break Zee?” Kim protested and rolling her eyes at Zee.

The elevator came to a halt and opened to the basement parking area. They both headed to their cars, this time, Kim used her slick black sports BMW. She throws her things at the backseat and walk back to Zee about to stepped in her truck.

“We’ll just pick up Dew at her place before going to our destination.” says Zee starting her car engine to life. “Then get the things you’ll need for your date. I guess you need something extra special on this one.” Zee smirked looking at Kim.

“So, are you going to use your car and just follow my lead?” Zee added. And Kim just nods in agreement.

“Yup! But, I really got no idea what you guys are up to. I’m not really that macho for these kind things. I’m just a hopeless romantic. I already forgot how to,” she says shaking her head.

“Hey! Chin up dude! Where’s that old smart Kimhan I used to know when we’re younger, chasing girls back in Thailand? No. No, let me rephrase that, girls chasing you. You have to rev up your game, dude. It’s now or never.” Says Zee patting Kim’s shoulder.

“That was long time ago dude… I already buried it at the back of my head. And besides, I’ve learned to be one-woman tom. Yes, indeed I am…” Kim stated still standing near Zee’s car with her head bend low.

“Yes, I know you already are. But come to think of it, you two didn’t date yet and never had she had it with you. So, stand your ground and be a MAN! Boost it up if you want the girl for Christ’s sake, Kim! You’re not some teenage tom anymore! You’re a grown woman, I mean tom.” Zee said annoyingly then chuckled at her own comment. Kim had it already pushed her button enough for Zee to be angry the way she’s acting.

“Yes, I know,” she simply replied.

“Okay then, go to your car and follow my lead.” Zee said and close her car window and started to reverse her car out of the basement and into the main road. She dialed Kim’s number and connected her call to her car speaker for convenience which Kim automatically answered her call.

“Hello Kim…? are you following my lead?” Zee speaks as she focusses her eyes on the road.

“Yup! Right behind you, dude. Hey, Zee I got an idea...”

“Okay, let’s talk about that later.”

“But…” Wow.  Just Great.

“We’re here! You know what… just call Aom. Tell her you’ll pick her up at around 5:30. That’ll be good.” Zee instructed her as she stepped down from the truck and hanged up her call. Zee help Dew with her bag and throwing it at the back seat, then helping Dew climbed into the front seat and pecked her lips with a light kiss. They started to drift again into the traffic and into the main road leading them to Dew’s private beach house. She proceeded her call with Kim tailing from behind.

“Kim here…Hey dude! Can we just drop by the grocery store I’ll just shop a few items for the dinner tonight….and a bouquet of roses and stargazers for Aom. Let’s drop-by ‘The Arkitekto’s’ I need something from the resto.” She said while scanning through her car GPS.

The Arkitekto’s is one of the three restaurants owned by Kim serves different Asian culinary dishes. Aside from being an architect, she was also a chef. She fancied food and cooking. So she decided to invest in such business and had branched out over the years.

“Alright, where is the nearest grocery store around this area and flower shop, Dew?”

“About two blocks from here then turn right. Hey, Kim your restaurant is a few blocks away from the flower shop.” Dew replied over the phone.

“Thanks Dr. Dew…”

“Hey dude! I remembered, you have your private beach house, don’t you? Have you visited lately? How far are we from Dew’s?” Zee speaks as she reached for Dew’s hand and kissed it lovingly and looked into her deep brown eyes. She gently pecked Dew’s lips and whispered, “I love you…” Dew caress her face gently.

“Yeah, I do, just right beside Dew’s. Hey! Are you two being cheesy again? I can hear you both…” Kim said rolling her eyes again realizing that the two are doing lovey-dovey again. She could hear them giggling over the other end of the line.

“You’re just jealous, Kim.”  

“I can hear you giggling, Dr. Dew… but anyway, we can’t go there today and besides, I still haven’t cleaned it in years.” Kim sighed trying to focus on the road.

“Don’t worry Kim you’ll have your chance soon, very soon” Dew giggled over the speaker.

“But you got the key right now? And I think, it’s already furnished. We’ll have plan B. Your house got a pool facing the beach, right? Call Nan to follow right after work she’ll know what to do. We got this.” Zee replied back just as they stopped in front of one of the biggest grocery store to do the shopping.

                    _______________

“Hi K’Tae!”

“Hello Aom! How are you? Are you enjoying your trip?”

“We’re all doing good here.”

“Isn’t it your flight back tomorrow?”

“Yes, tomorrow…”

“The contract for your upcoming joint project with the Chinese Television Network has arrived yesterday. And I already sent you the schedules.”

 “What about it? Yes. I already received your email and I’ve already checked the schedules you sent me…” Aom stood looking out the window while taking the call.

“I got a few appointments when I get back… photoshoots and tapings for a product endorsement. When will be the flight?”

“Next week. Wednesday.”

“Sure, no problem…how long I will be staying there?”

“Maybe, two to three months the least.”

“Okay, let’s talk about it when I get back… but can I ask you a favor?” Aom sighed intently listening. She crunched up her face showing a bit of annoyance.

“Sure… anything just for you.”

“Okay, but can you possibly give me two or three more days to stay here and please can you reschedule my flight back to Thailand?”

“Okay. I’ll send you the details later.”

“Thanks for the help K’Tae…”

“Just don’t forget to bring home something for me.” Her manager chuckled over the other line.

“Sure, I won’t forget that… I know; I can truly count on you. See you in a few days. Bye!” she grunts and sighed deeply as she ended the call. “What a life!” she murmured.  

“P’, you okay?” Alice asked her while leaning by the door threshold. She has been observing her sister all the while talking over the phone. “Is there something wrong with K’Tae?” Alice asked and Aom shook her head in response. She knew her sister that much whenever she’s bothered with something else.

“How would you like to extend our vacation here in LA for a few days?” Aom asked her sister sluggishly while she slumped her back on the couch staring at Alice still leaning by the door.

“Of course! I would love to! You know…” she replied happily jumping to her sister by the couch. She hugged her tight but suddenly pushed Aom out of their hugs and eyed her sister suspiciously.

“Tell me P’, is there something wrong? Why the sudden change of plans? Do mom and dad know about this? Is there a problem with P’Kim?” she queried with a distrustful look over her sister.

“I’ll tell mom and dad later…” she sighed heavily.

“And there’s one more thing actually, Mike’s been bugging me lately with phone calls and messages. And he’s bugging K’Tae, too. It’s been months and yet he still can’t move on from the break up. He wants to get back with me… but you do know who I really want, don’t you?” Aom looked at her sister intently listening to her angst. It has been a bothersome; Mike’s constant phone calls and messaging is getting into her nerves already. Including those paparazzi that have been following her and they won’t give her a break. They been digging up on what really happened and why. Ever since the breakup, Aom has kept it silent and never commented about the matter; even her manager kept it private. But there’s been an issues that came out from the media about her and Kim going out. And some speculations say that Kim is the sole reason why these famous Asian celebrity couple broke up. Thus, create another buzz for her and Mike’s fans to bash Kim. Sometimes, she pitied Kim about the matter. Although, Kim chose to live her life privately and away from the roller coaster life of show business and yet issues still followed her like curse.

“Of course! Do you remember when I went to Phuket with P’Nay and P’Klui?” Aom asked Alice.

“Yes, you and Mike are still together that time. I just didn’t know what happened to the both of you back then. But there was a news that flashed your picture with Kim at a beach party. Something like that. Why?” Alice said scratching her temples trying to remember something that day before the breakup went out to the medias as fast as lightning.

“He saw me with Kim that day. He came to visited me in Phuket. Which surprised me really because I never told him where I was. And I don’t know who told him about that. Then the next day, I got really pissed and irritated by him acting like an and I br