Jayce:

 

It has been a month since I returned home, and I miss Joseph so much.

I never imagined he would worm his way into my heart thoroughly!

He is underneath my skin!

Ughhh! I hate that I feel like I need him! Me? Need anybody besides Jesus?

Hmmp! That is ludicrous! How could I have let this happen?

The last time I saw him it was pitiful, just sad.

 

Flashback:

My last night in Seoul

 

 

Monique had me come out under the guise of fried chicken, soju, and karaoke.

I love karaoke and the Koreans know how to do it right!

She said she would meet me there which I found to be odd considering anytime we went somewhere we arrived together and left together.

That was our rule because we had each other’s back.

No leaving any function with a guy, it is not like I would have anyway, but we made that rule and stuck by it.

She gave me the excuse of her having to work late and she would come to the spot directly after.

So, I has three hours to kill before I met her at our spot.

I took an extra-long bubble bath, already missing the luxurious bathroom in the hotel suite.

For once I flat iron and curled my hair, in the whole year I had lived in Korea no one had ever seen me with my hair straightened.

I figured hey, it is your last night here why not go out with a bang.

I even wore black liquid leggings and stiletto booties, oh yeah, I was going to do it up.

When I got to the place she was nowhere to be seen.

I looked around thinking she was in one of the back rooms.

“Can I help you?” The lady busing tables asked in the most obnoxious voice I had ever heard.

“Um yeah I am meeting my friend, can you check and see if there is a reservation for Monique or Jayce?” She looked at me like I had grown another head right in front of her eyes.

She looked around and snickered.

“Does this look like a place that takes reservations lady?”

No under normal circumstances I would have laughed it off as well but something about the way she said lady rubbed me the wrong way.

It made me thing of the scene in the “Color Purple” when the white store owner kept calling the pastor’s wife gal in that offensive tone, like she was not s fully grown college educated woman.

 

I looked at her for a second before I responded because this was my last night in Seoul, I was tired, I missed my son, and I was teeter tottering on whether I was in love with Joseph or just caught up in my emotions over some attractive male giving me attention.

What I did not need at that moment was this heffa giving me a stank attitude.

I smile my signature sweet but deadly smile, I looked at her name tag it said her name was Luyen, in English.

“Luyen is it?” I ask.

“Are you new here? Because I know for a fact that they take reservations here and I also know the owner personally and I do not think he’d appreciate your insinuating that his place is low brow.”

She swallowed hard, “Oh no I didn’t mean anything by that.” She says in a high-pitched voice.

“Yeah, you kinda did, but I will let it slide just this one time because I am in a wonderful mood tonight.” I smile at her again.

“Now if you would be so kind as to get me the hostess Chen, I’d appreciate it.” I roll my eyes.

“Sure, ma’am right away.” She scurries off like she had been struck by lightning.

“Dang I’d hate to get on your bad side.” Monique says walking from the back.

“There you are! I was about to call your ; you saw that huh?”

“Saw and heard you had that girl ready to piss her pants!” She chuckles.

“Nah she was just acting up I guess she thought I was a tourist or something.” I shrug.

“Anyhoo, you ordered yet? I am starving and fried chicken is calling my name I say rubbing my stomach dramatically.

She chuckles taking my arm in hers.

 

“Yes, ma’am I got the works it’s about to go down.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear!” I reply.

She leads me to a room I have never seen before.

“Oh, wow is this a new room? It looks huge.”

“Mm hmm.” She says vaguely.

“Put your coat in here and come in I got everything already set up for us.”

“Cool.” I turn to the left and hang my coat in the little room on side of the main room.

“Hey Moni, did you get the pineapple,” “Surprise!! Surprise!!!”

The words fall off my lips as I walk in and see my entire kitchen staff and a few of the hotel staff standing around shouting and clapping.

“Oh my God you guys scared the crap outta me!” I yell and giggle like an idiot.

Everyone cracks up and Monique comes up behind me throwing her arms around my shoulders.

“Now did you really think we were going to let you leave without a proper going away party?”

“Yeah well.” I reply and shrug sheepishly.

“Oh no, no, no that is not the Korean way!”

“Oh? You will use any occasion to have soju and fried chicken.” I sass and she grins.

“True, but this is a legitimate reason to celebrate even though we are going to miss you like crazy.” She looks like she is going to tear up.

“Don’t do it! Do not do it, I actually did a full face of makeup and got spiffed up you bet not make me ruin my makeup.” I laugh to hide my own tears that are stuck in my throat.

“I noticed and your hair honey.” She takes my hair and rubs it between her fingers.

“You need to use heat more often because this is a look boo, a look!”

 

I rub my hair and smile, “You like?”

“Like, love what do you guys think? She looks hot right?”

The hoots and hollering were deafening, and I turned six shades of red before their eyes.

“Eh I don’t know I am partial to her curls, but she’s always beautiful she’d look good in a potato sack.” Joseph says coming in.

I dang hear break my neck turning to face him and he looks good.

I am momentarily speechless at how much so.

He looks like every Korean drama male lead rolled into one.

The main and second leads you know the super-duper fine ones that wear three-piece suits, have hair coifed by the God’s and a jawline so sharp you can cut butter on it.

“You look ravishing.” He says kissing my cheek and grabbing me in a hug so tight my legs get tingly from the lack of blood circulation.

I gulp and swallow and hope the saliva in my mouth is enough to lubricate my suddenly dry throat.

“Um thank you, you’re not so bad yourself.” I say in a voice squeaky I instantly clamp my mouth shut after the words come out.

Oh my God! He raises his eyebrows in question and then smirks.

“Michelle, you look scrumptious as always.” He says giving her a squeeze.

She laughs angelically.

“Young man flattery will get you everywhere!”

“Brown noser.” Someone in the group yells playfully and everyone laughs breaking the tension that came with his arrival.

 

I ball my hands in fists to keep from reaching out for him.

I look at Michelle and she is smirking so hard I inwardly groan.

“Great, that is simply great, if she had her suspicions about us before I just confirmed then by nearly melting into a puddle at his embrace.

I smile trying to throw her off and walk over to the group to get hugs and well wishes.

This is going to be an extremely long night.

 

Two Hours Later:

 

The party is going full swing, and everyone is taking their turns singing.

I am enjoying my soju and chicken, minding my own beeswax, when