Xiah sighed. He had been trying to get the chance to talk to Iqa but she was always too busy. She was always with Masao . . . . and she was always either with a reporter or a media personality.

“Iqa sure is very popular . . . . Imagine all the press people here know her . . . .” Max commented.

The other DBSK boys all nodded. They never imagined she was such a big star. Somehow they all felt that she was even a bigger star than they were.

“It seems it's impossible to talk with her now,” Xiah said sadly.

Micky looked at his friend. He was obviously very upset that he couldn't talk with Iqa.

“Sorry . . . . Xiah. But there's nothing we can do . . . . unless she comes to us . . . . we can't possibly talk to her . . . .” Micky said to Xiah.

“I know . . . . Good thing . . . our manager is enjoying himself talking with different people or else we would have already left a long time ago,” Xiah said again with a sigh.

“Yes, that's true,” Micky replied.

Half an hour passed . . . . .

Xiah had already accepted the fact he was never going to have the chance to talk with Iqa.

“I guess . . . . I should just accept that I won't be able to talk with her . . . .” Xiah said to the other DBSK members as he sipped a glass of wine.

“You want to talk with whom? Maybe I can help . . . .” a sweet voice suddenly said.

Xiah was suddenly surprised and looked at where the voice came from . . . . It was Iqa.

“Hello . .. . Sorry I couldn't get away so easily from the press . . . . I have been wanting to chat with you guys as soon as the show was over. But someone was always trying to talk with me and was trying to get my attention . . . . And Masao was always trying to introduce me to someone . . . .” Iqa explained.

“It's all right. . . . We understand,” Xiah said with a sweet smile on his lips. Finally . . . . Iqa was in front of him.

“So did you guys like the show?” she asked.

“Yes . . . . very much. You were great!” Max said with a smile.

“Thanks . . . . While I was backstage I heard some of the models talking. . . . And they were talking about you guys. They were all saying you guys were much more handsome in person than in tv,” Iqa said with a laugh.

“Really?” Micky suddenly asked with a wide grin on his face. He was suddenly very interested in what Iqa was saying.

Iqa laughed. “Micky . . . . you’re really very cute!”

“Why?” Micky asked as if confused. He suddenly looked at Xiah . . . . who was suddenly having a gloomy look on his face.

“Well . . . .you suddenly became interested as soon as I mentioned about the other models . . . .” Iqa answered with a laugh.

“Oh. . . . “ Micky uttered.

“Well . . . . Xiah is way . . . . way cuter than Micky here,” Jaejoong said as if trying to divert Iqa’s attention to Xiah again.

All the other DBSK boys knew that Xiah had been waiting for the chance to talk with her. They all wanted to give him what they knew would make him happy.

“Xiah . . . .” Iqa uttered as she noticed that Xiah was very silent.

Xiah somehow snapped out of his thoughts and back into reality.

“I’m sorry . . . .I was thinking of something . . . . What were you saying?” Xiah asked with a smile.

Iqa smiled sweetly at Xiah. She had moved closer to Xiah and was standing next to him now.

Xiah didn’t know what to do . . . . He was very nervous as Iqa was only inches away from him. His heart was beating very fast and somehow he was feeling very cold.

“Xiah . . . . are you okay?” Iqa asked with a worried look on her face. She could sense that something was wrong with him.

Xiah tried to smile. He tried very hard to control himself. He didn’t want to look foolish in front of Iqa. He tried to control his nervousness and tried to act normal.

“Yes . . . . I am fine. How about you? Aren’t you tired? You were fantastic . . . . I never thought you were really an amazing model . . . .” Xiah commented.

Iqa laughed. “You’re very cute as well,” then she gently pinched Xiah on the cheek.

Xiah’s heart quickly stopped the moment Iqa touched his cheek. He then immediately blushed afterwards. He couldn’t explain the joy that he suddenly felt.

The other DBSK boys suddenly smiled as they all noticed the smile that appeared on his lips.

“Frankly . . . . I wanted to meet you guys again. I really enjoyed my time with you guys on the plane. I guess . . . . I just used this event to have an excuse to see you and talk with you guys again,” Iqa confessed.

The DBSK boys were surprised by what Iqa had said. They never expected her to be frank.

Iqa laughed again, as soon as she saw the shocked look on the boys’ faces.

“I mean . . . . I have been missing talking with friends. . . .And frankly I don’t have that many friends anymore . . . . Being a star has many advantages but mostly disadvantages, on my case. That’s why I feel so comfortable with you guys . . . At least with you . . . I can be open and you would somehow understand my situation and my sentiments . . . . since you are all stars as well. I hope you won’t mind me hanging out with you guys again . . . . even if one more night . . . . just tonight . . . .” Iqa said as she looked at Xiah.

Xiah somehow felt that there was a deeper meaning in what she was saying. He could see the loneliness in her eyes. Somehow he wanted to erase that loneliness and replace it with joy and love.

“We also enjoyed the time we had on the plane . . . . And we are more than honored to have the pleasure of accompanying you the whole night,” Xiah said with a sweet smile.

Iqa’a heart suddenly skipped a beat. “Please don’t be so kind. I don’t want to fall for you. . . . I can’t fall in love with you . . . .I’ve only met you . . . . And I don’t want to fall in love with anyone anymore. I am already finished with love. . . . I don’t want to be hurt anymore . . . . So please . . . . Stop Xiah . . . . Please don’t make me love you,” she said in her thoughts as she silently stared at Xiah.

Xiah was about to say something when . . . . something caught everyone’s attention. A man and a woman had suddenly entered the room . . . . Everyone started to look at the newly arrived couple. . . .and then some people started to whisper to one another.

As soon as Iqa saw the couple that walked in . . . . her heart somehow started to ache terribly. She suddenly became very pale that Xiah immediately noticed her.

“No! . . . . Please not him . . . . I don’t want to see him anymore . . . . .I can’t bear to see him now . . . . Please . . . .” Iqa uttered with fright in her eyes.

“Iqa . . . . what’s wrong? Are you all right?” Xiah asked with concern.

“I . . . . I . . . .” Iqa’s mind had suddenly gone blank. She wanted to run and hide. She didn’t want to meet the man and woman that had just walked into the show room.

“Iqa . . . .” the other DBSK uttered as they were also very concerned with Iqa.

Masao suddenly went to where Iqa was. He was obviously very concerned with her as well.

“Moniqa . . . . are you all right? I’m sorry . . . . I didn’t expect that he would come . . . . I’m sorry . . . “ Masao said.

Iqa looked at Masao. She then tried to smile. “It’s okay. We are going to meet sooner or later. I guess . . . .the time has finally come for me to face him again.”

“Moniqa . . . . be brave okay. . . . I will be here. I’ll make sure he won’t be able to hurt you,” Masao said again with concern in his eyes. He could see that Moniqa was already disoriented.

The DBSK boys were all confused as to who was the man that Iqa feared to meet. They all stared at the couple that had just entered the room. They were slowly walking to the direction that they were in.

“Moniqa . . . .I’ll take care of this . . . .” Masao said with a hard tone.

“Who is that man?” Max suddenly asked out loud.

“It’s Akira Sato . . . Moniqa’s ex-boyfriend . . . .And that girl is Reina Nakano . . . . the girl he replaced her with,” Masao answered.

The DBSK boys were all shocked by what they learned. Now . . . . they knew why she was acting very strange. . . . They somehow pitied her. . . especially Xiah. How he wanted to be the one to protect her from Akira. . . . .

As soon as the couple approached them . . . . the man had immediately greeted Iqa with a big smile.

“Hello Moniqa. . . . .” the man greeted.

Iqa didn’t know what to say . . . . or if she should say anything at all. She just stared at the face that haunted her dreams for months now.

“Hello . . . . Akira . . . .” Masao said with a very cold voice.

“Masao . . . . still trying to protect your best friend . . . I see. I was talking to her . . . .” the man said with a very cold expression on his face too.

“What are you doing here? I never invited you . . . .” Masao said coldly.

Akira laughed. “You didn’t invite me . . . . but you invited my father . . . . And since he couldn’t come . . . . I came in his place instead,” he answered bluntly.

“Hello . . . . Moniqa! Nice meeting you again . . . . I hope you already have someone new in your life,” Reina greeted with a big grin on her beautiful face.

The DBSK boys knew that Reina was making fun of Iqa. They became very disgusted with the girl. They never thought that such a beautiful woman could have such an ugly character.

“I don’t think that is any of your business . . . .” Iqa replied with a sharp look in her eyes.

Reina laughed. “I was just asking . . . . because if you haven’t met someone . . . .then maybe I can help. I can introduce you to some of my male friends . . . . I know they would be delighted to meet someone like you.”

“Reina . . . . stop it,” Akira warned.

“I’m not doing anything wrong . . . . In fact, I’m being nice to your ex,” Reina said with a smile.

The DBSK boys were very disgusted with Reina. They couldn’t believe that such a beautiful woman could have such a repugnant character.

“So? You haven’t answered my question? Are you seeing someone now? Would you like me to introduce someone to you? I hope you’re not still thinking that maybe Akira will come back to you. He’s already mine . . . . and there’s no way that he’s going back to you . . . .” Reina said again.

“I . . . . .” Iqa started to say.

“What? You already have a new boyfriend? . . . . So? I’m waiting . . . .” Reina asked.

“I . . . . I . . . .I . . . .” Iqa was trying to find the right words to say when . . . .

“She already has someone new in her life . . . . So you can stop asking her . . . .” Xiah suddenly answered.

“Really? Who? May I ask the guy’s name?” Reina asked with an eyebrow raised.

“Me . . . .” Xiah boldly answered.

The DBSK boys and Masao were all shocked with Xiah’s statement. They didn’t expect that he would be able to boldly admit his feelings for Iqa around so many people.

“Really? You’re kidding right? You’re one of the DBSK members right? So how come someone like you is going out with someone like her?” Reina asked again still unable to believe.

“What’s wrong with me going out with her? She’s much a nicer girl than you will ever be . . . .” Xiah answered sarcastically. He had already had enough of Reina’s insults.

Reina laughed out loud. “You really expect me to believe that you and her are a couple?”

“Yes . . .” Xiah replied.

“Then prove it!” Reina said.

“How?” Xiah asked again.

“Kiss her . . .” Reina said with a sly look on her face.

Xiah looked at Iqa. She was still trying to avoid looking at Reina and Akira. He could also see the tears that were starting to form in her eyes.

Somehow what he saw had made him mad. He slowly moved . . . . and gently, he took Iqa into his arms. . . . . And then he gently lowered his lips to cover her sweet lips. At first . . . Iqa was somehow reluctant to return Xiah’s kiss but as time moved on . . . . she had unconsciously started to kiss him back. Everyone who saw what Xiah had done were stunned. All of the people in the show room couldn’t believe what they were seeing.

But to Xiah and Iqa . . . .

As their lips met . . . . they somehow felt a very strange sensation overcome their bodies. It was as if their worlds had suddenly stopped and met at one end. They were in each other’s arms and they both felt that they had somehow found a place where they both felt so warm and secure. They both wanted their kiss to last longer. They both wanted to continue living in that day dream . . . . They both wanted to pretend that they truly belonged to each other. . . . .