It was funny to see Lizzie be so excited about the plane after we’d checked in and boarded.  I found our section while she looked around us.

            “So, do you want the window seat?”  I looked at her.

            She looked distracted by everything, but managed to reply back.  “It doesn’t matter.  You can have it if you’d like.”

            I sat down and pulled her into the seat beside me.  “Private sections are one thing I love having.”

            She smiled.  “It is a perk, I suppose.  Does this plane have Wi-Fi?”

            “Yep.”

            Li got her laptop out and turned it on, logging into her profile.

            I leaned my chair back and relaxed.  “What are you doing?”

            “None of your business.  Look away, nosy pigeon.”

            “Ok, that’s too far.”  I started tickling her sides.

            She squealed.  “Stop, you !”  She squirmed in her seat.

            “What do you say?”

            “Sorry Eli.”

            I smiled.  “Good girl.”  I yawned and leaned my head against my arm.

            “You’re a crazy Asian.”

            I grinned.  “You’re the one who wanted to come to Korea for a month with me.”

            “You’re the one who bet two weeks first.”

            “True,” I said.

            She took out a pack of gum.  “Want a piece?”

            “Sure.”

            Lizzie slipped out two sticks of gum and held one out to me.  “Don’t go to sleep chewing it.”

            “I won’t.  I’m not that stupid.”

            She looked at me.

            “I’m not stupid.”

            She smiled, putting the strip of gum into .  “No, you’re just a dorky pigeon.  That’s all.”  She leaned her seat back as far as mine and Mr. Idol.

            I leaned my head on her shoulder so I could watch, too.

            Lizzie moved the laptop and set it to where we could both see it.

            I put the arm rest separating us up and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, smiling when she leaned her head on my shoulder instead.  “It’s only for Hoon, Dongho, Kiseop, and Soohyun, right?”

            “The first time,” she said.  “But I really love the story.  Ji Hyun Woo reminds me of Lee Joon from MBLAQ, and I really love that band, too.”

            “Oh really?”

            “Mm-hmm.  Now be quiet or we won’t be able to hear it.”

            I tugged on her ponytail lightly.  “Be nice to me.  I am letting you stay with me for a month.”

            “Not like I can’t get off this plane.”

            “You can’t.  I’m not riding in this section alone to Korea.”

            She smiled.  “Thanks by the way.”

            I smiled back.  “It’s my pleasure Li.”  I turned my attention to the screen.  I fell asleep during the middle of the movie with my arm still around Li’s shoulder.  I woke back up when the very end was on.

            “You’re awake.”

            “For now,” I yawned.  “What’d I miss?”

            “Everything,” Li said.

            “Did you sleep?”

            “Not a wink because my boyfriend wouldn’t leave me alone.  Logged off the internet and just watched Mr. Idol when I couldn’t take it anymore.”

            “Why don’t you just break up with him?”

            “It’s a long, long story.”

            “I’m here if you need me.  You know that, right?”

            She smiled.  “Thanks Eli.”

            I smiled back.  “Anytime.  So, how much longer do we have?  Do you know?”

            “Nope.  Why don’t we just enjoy the rest of the flight and not worry about time?”

            “Time is always a downer.  It passes too fast.”

            “It really does.”  She took a pair of headphones from the laptop case and plugged them into the laptop.

            “So now you’re going to ignore me?”

            “No, I’m not going to ignore you.  I just want to listen to music.”  Lizzie put the headphones on.

            I watched her open a media player.  “You have more U-Kiss songs than any other artist.”

            “The second largest quantity is Super Junior, including their subgroups and a couple solos.  Oh, I also have a couple music videos on here, too.”

            “You’re obsessed with KPop, huh?”

            “Just U-Kiss,” she exited out of the media player.  “I got a better idea.”  She went onto Youtube.

            I watched her go onto a playlist and grinned.  “U-Kiss reality shows?”

            “Well it was easy to put the shows into one playlist.  Easy way to get to Chef’s Kiss.”

            “Is that your favorite?”

            “I like U-Kiss Vampire, too, but Chef’s Kiss is my favorite.”  She clicked on the first episode.

            I put my hand over my eyes.  “I can still remember doing that.”

            She giggled.  “Oh Eli, it’s adorable!  You looked really funny doing that, though.”

            “Kevin freaked when I got the chicken, though.”

            “I would have, too.”

            I smiled.  “I wouldn’t have done that to you.”

            “Liar,” she smirked.  “You did it to them all.  I would be smart like Soohyun and run away.”

            “I wouldn’t let you, though.”

            “Whatever.  I’m going back to the video.”

            “Why are you watching the first battle?  It turns out so bad.”

            “I won’t watch the restaurant part, then.  You know,” Lizzie said, pausing the video.  “This show’s first battle proved one thing.”

            “What’s that?”

            “Guys at cooking until they are properly taught.”

            “Hey!”  I found her ticklish spot, causing her to burst out in giggles.

            “Eli!  Stop!”

            “Take it back!”

            “No!”

            “You better do it!”

            “I won’t!  I meant it!”

            “You can’t meet the guys then.”  I turned my head toward the window and crossed my arms.

            “Fine then.  I’m not talking to you till after the flight.”

            “What?!  Lizzie!  I didn’t mean it!”

            She put her hand up.

            I saw her minimize the window and turn on Super Junior music instead.

            She opened up a blog page and started a new entry.

            So I’m sitting here on an airplane with my U-Kiss bias, and I come to find out, HE’S A JERK!  It’s so sad to see fame get to people’s heads these days.  I told him I was ignoring him until the flight is over, and I’m not going to even listen to any U-Kiss song for a while.  Eli Oppa should learn better.

            I got out a piece of paper and a pen.  Forgive me, please?  I’ll let you meet all the members.

            She looked at it and hid her laptop from me, still ignoring me.

            I sighed and leaned towards the window instead, watching through it.  I could see Lizzie smile as she typed.

            Lizzie tapped my shoulder.

            I looked over.  “What?”

            She set the laptop in my lap.  “Read the whole thing.”

            I reread the first part, but saw more underneath it.

            Just kidding!  I only wrote the top part because he is looking.  There’s no way I would ever think that of Eli.  He’s a really sweet guy.  I know you other KissMes reading this must be ranting and saying, ‘how could she say that about U-Kiss’s dorky pigeon Eli Kim?!’  The truth is, I didn’t mean it.  I’m really happy that I’m with Eli on this plane, and I kind of wanted to tick him off a little.  (Mianhae Oppa.  Forgive me?  P.S. Oppa, you owe me dinner.)  I say this in parentheses because I’m making him read this once I finish typing it.

BTW, Eli, don’t say anything about my screen name…I couldn’t help myself.  But, in my defense, it would be very nice if that happened.

            I looked at the name and smiled.  Mrs. Eli Kim ♥  I thought it was kind of sweet actually.

            She was a really nice girl.  Nothing like one of those crazy fans.  Lizzie would definitely make any man a proud one.

            It was at that point that I knew, I wanted to be with her.  It wasn’t a permanent want at that time, but I really did feel sparks with her.

            I looked over at Lizzie and kissed her cheek.  “I forgive you, and I’ll make you dinner.”

            She blushed.  “Thanks Oppa.”

            “Don’t you need a picture for this post?”

            “I suppose so.”  She went into the webcam.  “Ok, ready?”

            I pulled her over and kissed her cheek while I looked towards the camera.  Her look of surprise was caught in the picture, and I smiled.  “Aww, you look so cute.”

            “That’s the second time…”  She took her computer and put the picture underneath the text, finally posting it.

            I watched her put her computer up.  “What are you doing now?”

            “I need to sleep.”

            I pulled her into my arms and held her.  “You can sleep right here then.”

            She leaned her head on my chest.  “Thank you Eli.”

            “For what?”

            “Everything.  You’ve also taken me away from somewhere that is a bad place to be right now.”

            I smiled.  “Anytime Laura.”  I watched her fall to sleep in a matter of a few minutes and felt her heart beating.  I found my camera in my pocket and laid my cheek against the top of her head.  I aimed the lens at us and closed my eyes before taking a picture.  I looked at the outcome and smiled.  It was perfect.  I put the camera up and leaned my head back, falling asleep with the teenage girl sleeping peacefully in my arms.

            “Eli, wake up.  Oppa?  We’re landing soon.”

            I opened my eyes to see Lizzie still with my arms around her.  “We are?”

            “Mm-hmm.”  She removed my arms gently and leaned her seat up.

            I did the same and yawned.  “When did you wake up?”

            “About a half hour ago.  I didn’t want to wake you, though.  I also was a little comfortable, so I didn’t want to move.”

            I smiled.  “Oh really?”

            She blushed.  “Yeah.”

            “Are you anxious to see Korea?”

            “I am.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to speak properly, even though I’m fluent.”

            I smiled and took her hand.  “You always have me if you stall up.  Besides, Kevin and AJ are both fluent in English, so they won’t mind.”

            “I don’t have to speak in Korean when I’m only with you, right?”

            “Not unless you want to.  If you only want me to hear something and Kevin or AJ aren’t there, you can say it in English.”

            “Thanks Eli.”

            I squeezed Lizzie’s hand gently.  “You’re very welcome.”

            We got off the plane and picked up our luggage.  Of course, Kevin came to pick us up because he had to be the first one to meet Lizzie.

            “Come on.  I see Kevin.”  I pulled her gently along.

            “Hi Eli hyung!”

            I smiled.  “Hi Kevin!”  I hugged him with one arm.

            “Welcome home.”

            “Good to be back.”  I stepped back, seeing Lizzie looking a little uncomfortable.  “Kevin, this is Lizzie.”

            She blushed and looked up at Kevin.  “Hi, I’m Laura Smith.”  She bowed as in Korean custom.

            Kevin smiled.  “You’re so cute!”  He pulled her into a big hug.  “Welcome to Korea!”

            She smiled and hugged him back.  “Wow, and to think there are people from America who are still nice when they leave the country.”

            Kevin pulled back.  “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

            Lizzie giggled.  “I’m joking.”

            My best friend smiled.  “I liked you over the phone, but I like you even more now.  Are you single?”

            I smacked his arm.  “She’s only just arrived and already you are hitting on her!”

            “I’m sorry hyung, is that your job?”  He took Lizzie’s bags.

            “You just stick to Sandara Park.”  I carried mine while I had my free arm around Lizzie.  I didn’t want anyone hitting on her, not even Kevin.

            “I don’t think anyone will be able to top that warm welcome.”

            “Oh just wait,” Kevin said.  “I bet Dongho will be more than friendly.”

            “He won’t call me noona, will he?  Because I’m not one.”

            I put my bag in the trunk of Kevin’s car.  “I don’t know.  He might ask.”

            “Is he as childish in real life as he is on the U-Kiss reality shows?”

            “Yes,” Kevin and I said.

            I opened the back door of the car for her and slid in beside Lizzie.  “We going to the dorm, Kev?”

            “She is staying with us.”

            “Huh?  I’m staying with you guys?  Why?”

            “It’s not necessary to stay anywhere else.  Plus, you’re not familiar with Korea, and we don’t want anything happening to you.  Right Eli hyung?”

            “Thank god the spare bed is in my room,” I murmured.

            “Aww, my Oppas don’t share a room together?”

            “Soohyun and Kiseop share one, Dongho and Kevin share another, then Hoon and AJ share the last one.  I have my own room.”

            “Why’s that?”

            I put my hands behind my head with my fingers interlocked.  “I wanted my own room.”

            “Does Dongho still have his puppy?”

            “Of course,” Kevin turned out of the airport.  “He wakes me up.  On occasions, I’ll go sleep in the spare bed in Eli’s room because the dog wakes me up.”

            “Did you sleep in my room while I was gone?”

            “I thought about it.  But Bbo Bbo didn’t wake me up.  Dongho was spending part of his time with his mom.”

            “Did you guys miss me?”

            “Of course we did.  Hoon had to bother Kiseop to play video games with him.  So Lizzie,” Kevin said.  “Who’s your bias?”

            “It’s so hard to choose with U-Kiss!  If I have to choose, it’s Eli.  See, at first, I did choose.  It was you.  You were the first member whose name I learned.  I slowly got more and more into U-Kiss, and it became hard to choose.”

            “What was the first song you heard?”

            She took out her phone and played Man Man Ha Ni.

            “Will there ever be a person to not hear that song first?”

            “I was on Youtube one day and watching a video.  A Teen Top music video.  Man Man Ha Ni’s music video was on my suggestions, so I clicked on it.  That’s where I picked you as my bias Kevin.”  She looked at her phone.  “My best friend is mad.”

            “Why?”

            “I didn’t tell him I was leaving the country.”  She started tapping on the touch screen.

            “Him?”

            “I can’t have a male best friend?”  She looked at me.

            “I didn’t say that.  I could be your best friend.”  I smiled.

            “It’s too early for that, Eli.  We’ll work up to that Pigeon.”

            Kevin smiled in the rearview mirror at me.  “I really, really like her.”

            Lizzie smiled while she looked at her phone.

            I smiled and looked at Kevin.  “Me too.  Back off dongsaeng.”  I saw Lizzie put on her headphones and watched as she stared out the window of the car while she listened to music.

            She sighed and leaned her forehead against the glass.

            I tapped her shoulder.  “Are you ok?”  I asked when she looked at me.

            She nodded, but looked uncertain.

            The rest of the ride to the dorm was quiet.  Kevin was excited we finally got there, and Lizzie had definitely cheered up.

            “We’re here!”  He got out of the car.

            I rolled my eyes.  “We’re just at the dorm.  Geez Kev, calm down.”

            “Don’t tell me to calm down!  We haven’t had a visitor in forever!”

            I opened the door for Lizzie.  “Ignore him, please.”

            She smiled.  “I don’t mind it, Eli.”

            “I do.  The guys are worse than parents are.”

            Kevin hit my shoulder.  “Don’t be a jerk.”

            I slipped on my shades and shut the trunk of his car.  “What are you missing?”

            Lizzie slipped her arm in Kevin’s.  “Don’t worry Oppa.  I won’t be mean to you.”

            “Hey!  You betrayed me!”

            “In what way, Eli?  I’m not being mean to you either.”

            I glared at Kevin from behind my dark sunglasses as we stepped into the elevator to go up.  “It is in a way,” I muttered.

            She looped her other arm through mine and kissed my cheek.  “Don’t be mad.”

            I smiled slightly.  “Fine.”

            She smiled back.  “You’re really handsome when you smile.”

            Kevin pouted.  “Hey, what about me?”

            We both looked over at him.

            “You’re too cute to be called handsome.”

            I grinned.  “I’m better than you.”

            “Whatever hyung.”  Kevin let Lizzie step out of the elevator first.  “Hoon and Kiseop are probably in the living room dying of excitement.”

            “I bet so.  Lizzie, just a warning.  Hoon and Kiseop can be pretty hyper at times.”

            “What are you talking about?  Hoon is hyper 24/7.  He’s just good at hiding it when we perform.”

            “It’s worse when he’s had sugar or alcohol.”

            “Well so are you.”  Kevin knocked on the door.  “Guys, you better be decent!”  He opened the door and put Li’s suitcase down inside the door.

            “If they aren’t, I’ll kill every one of them.”

            Li giggled and slipped her shoes off.  “You’re so violent towards them.”

            “I’ll go make sure.”

            I went around Li.  “Come on.  I’ll show you my room.”

            She picked up the bag by the side handle.  “Lead on.”

            I took a left at the first smaller hallway and opened my door at the right.  “Wow, I guess Kevin or Kiseop cleaned my room.”  I set my bag down on my bed.

            “Is it usually not clean?”  Lizzie sat on the other bed.

            “It’s organized, just not what people would really call clean.”

            “That’s what I do.”  She took out her phone and looked at it.  “I should get a new number…and a new man, too.”  She hid it under the pillow on the bed.

            I smiled.  “Bet you can especially find the second one.”

            “Hopefully.”  She stood up.  “Can I meet them now?”

            I smiled and took her hand.  “Yeah, you can.  Act like you only know English though, ok?”

            She smiled.  “I can do that.”

            I pulled Lizzie out of my room and heard voices coming from the living room.  “Living room, of course.”  I walked in and pulled Lizzie behind me.

            “Hyung you’re back!”  Hoon hugged me.  “And you brought me a girlfriend from America!”  He took Lizzie’s hand from mine and pulled her to the vacant two person loveseat.  “You’re really pretty.”

            The unexpected look on her face was pretty cute.

            “I don’t understand.  But I know who you are.”  She smiled.

            Hoon smiled.  “I like her hyung.”

            Lizzie looked at me.  “Good?”

            I gave her a thumbs up.  “Hey, where’re the others?”

            Hoon laid with his head on Lizzie’s lap, staring up at her.  “Soohyun, AJ, and Dongho had schedules.  Kiseop is still here somewhere.”  He touched her face.  “Your skin is so soft.  It’s heavenly.”

            Lizzie blushed a little.

            I walked to Kiseop and Soohyun’s room.  “Kiseop, are you in there?”

            The door opened, and the ulzzang hugged me.  “Welcome back!  Where’s the girl friend of yours who Kevin said you were bringing?”

            “She’s in the living room with Hoon.  He’s already fascinated by her.”  I led Kiseop back to the living room.  I stopped when I saw Lizzie, Kevin, and Hoon taking pictures on the couch together.  I immediately felt jealous.

            “She’s so cute!”  Kiseop said.

            Hoon hugged her.  “MY GIRLFRIEND!”  He pouted like a child.

            Kiseop put his hands up.  “I won’t take her from you, Hoon.”

            “But I just might.”  I said.

            Hoon pulled Lizzie closer.  “You can’t have her.  You and Kevin always get the attention from the girl fans.  Why can’t I just this once?”

            “Because she was my friend first and maybe I like her.”

            “Merong,” he stuck his tongue out at me.

            Kevin rounded the corner from the other half of the living room with something in his hands.  “They’re childish, huh?”

            She smiled.  “Yeah, but I like it.”

            “Don’t blame me.  Hoon’s the childish one in this dorm.”

            “You have no room to talk hyung.”  He held out a paper to me.  “Your schedule for the next two weeks.”

            I took it.  “It’s so empty.”

            “We’re on vacation.  The fan meeting is the only thing we have next week.”

            “Since when do we go on vacation for two weeks?”

            “Since maybe our manager thought we should take two weeks off and relax.  Soohyun wants to go to the beach one of the days.”  Kevin sat beside Lizzie.  “Have you ever been to the beach?”

            “I went a couple years ago to Gulf Shores, Alabama, where my sister got married.  We stayed at a rental house on the beach.  It was nice.”

            “Would you ever get married on a beach?”

            “I think I’d love an outside wedding of any kind.  A small one, though, because I don’t do well with a lot of people around.”

            “Don’t you think it’d be different if you were staring at the man you loved?”

            “I don’t know.  I don’t have one of those that I’m not related to currently.”  She giggled when Hoon laid in her lap, hugging her waist.  “He’s very clingy, huh?”

            “Yeah, sorry about that.”  Kevin looked at Hoon.  “Hyung, don’t you think you’re going overboard with the skinship?”

            “No, leave me alone.”

            Kiseop looked at me.  “Can she speak Korean?”

            I leaned over to whisper to him.  “Hoon doesn’t know she can, but yes, she can.”

            “When can she?”

            “Just talk to her.”

            Kiseop sat in front of Lizzie on the floor.  “So, how old are you?”

            “That’s rude to ask a woman’s age, Oppa.”

            Hoon sat up and looked at her open mouthed.  “You can speak Korean?”

            She giggled and looked over at him.  “Yes, I can.  I’m fluent in three different languages.  Korean is my secondary language.”

            I smiled.  “But like Kevin and me, her primary language is English.  That’s why Kevin and I get the American fangirls.”

            “It certainly heightens things.  What good is there of having a boyfriend who can’t even understand you?  Luckily I speak Korean.”  She pulled the clip from her hair, releasing her golden reddish brown locks.

            “Wah, you’re so much prettier with your hair down.”

            I rolled my eyes at Hoon’s comment.

            “I smell a jealous pigeon.”  Kevin grinned.

            “Whatever.  I am not.”

            Lizzie smiled.  “Oh, sorry Oppa.  Is Hoon bothering you with all the attention he’s giving me?”

            I pouted.  “No fair.  You and Kevin are ganging up on me.”

            She pulled out her phone and did something on it, then put it back up.

            My cell went off in my pocket, and I took it out, smiling at the text.

            You are my obsession, Pigeon. ♥

            “How sweet,” I thought.  “Well, she’s mine, too.”  That moment made me know I had to have her all to myself.  I instantly had a selfish want.

            “Yah, Kiseop, Hoon, Kevin, we’re home!”

            Kiseop left the living room to go greet Soohyun, AJ, and Dongho while Hoon just kept staring at Lizzie.

            “Hey Lizzie, why don’t I introduce you to the others now?”

            Hoon shot up.  “I’ll beat you to it hyung!”

            I stole his spot and stuck my tongue out at the door.  “Got you er.”

            “Oh Eli, you’re so evil.”  She smiled.  “I like it here already, though.”

            “Just wait till you meet the second clingiest member…”

            “Who’s that?”

            “YAH ELI BROUGHT A PRETTY GIRL HOME TO US!”  Soohyun immediately hugged Lizzie after pulling her onto her feet.

            I pulled our leader off with Hoon’s help and looked at Lizzie.  “Sorry for him.”

            “You don’t have to worry about me.  My friends are just as bad.”

            Hoon pouted and started to scold Soohyun.  “Soohyun hyung, lay off my girlfriend.”

            “How is she your girlfriend if Eli is the one who brought her here?”

            “BECAUSE I SAID SHE IS!”  Hoon hugged her.  “My girlfriend,” he said, pointing to himself first and then at Lizzie.

            “Yah, Hoon Oppa, you’re so cute when you get all pouty.”  She kissed his cheek.

            Soohyun made a face at Hoon.  “Yah, I’m so jealous.”

            “Don’t you have a dating ban anyways since you’re the leader?”

            “They lifted it, you pabo.”

            AJ walked in and smiled at Lizzie.  He held his hand out.  “It’s nice to meet you.”

            She smiled back and shook his hand.  “I’m Lizzie.”

            “I’m…”

            “Kim Jaeseop, or AJ, I know.”

            He smiled wider.  “I like you already.”

            Kevin laughed.  “Eli, maybe you should’ve waited to let everyone meet her.”

            “But I haven’t met Dongho yet, so you can’t say everyone Oppa.”

            “He’s gone to bed for a little bit.  Guess the schedule tired him out.”  AJ went over to the couch and plopped down.  “Good thing we’re on vacation.”

            Lizzie looked at him.  “Do you prefer AJ or Jaeseop?”

            “AJ is fine.  It’s much easier than Jaeseop.”

            She smiled.  “That’s what I think about my name, too.”

            “What is it?  Elizabeth?”

            “Elizabeth is my middle name.  My first name is Laura.  No one says it right, and I hate it.”  Her nose scrunched up cutely.

            “It’s a pretty name.”

            “That’s what everyone says, but I hate it.  So I’m sticking with Lizzie.”  She took out her phone and swiped her thumb across the screen.  “Hang on one second.”  She put the phone up to her ear.  Her eyes rolled as she took it away.  “Idiot, leave me be.”  Lizzie looked at me.  “Can I go to your room for a little bit?”

            “Want me to come with you?”

            She nodded slowly but surely.

            “We’re gonna go in my room guys.  The flight was long.”  I took her hand and led her out of the room and to mine.  I shut the door behind us and watched her sit on the edge of the spare bed.  “Are you ok?”

            She shrugged, staring blankly at the floor.

            I sat beside her.  “Want to talk about it?”

            “I don’t know.”

            “I guess I’ll just have to do with you what I do with my little sister.”  I pulled her onto my lap and made her lean her head against my shoulder.  My arms went around her waist.  “I take her onto my lap, and I always ask her, ‘did someone hurt you?  You know Oppa will hurt whoever did.’  If it’s not the case, I ask her, ‘then why are you so down?’  I let her talk.”

            She smiled.  “Reminds me of my older sister.”

            “Did someone hurt you?  Pigeon will take care of them for you.”

            “Yes, someone hurt me.”

            “Are you going to tell me who?”

            “Not yet.”

            “Is it your boyfriend?”

            “He will be an ex as soon as I calm down.”

            “What did he say on the message?”

            Lizzie wrapped her arms around my neck.  “He told me that he’s coming to Seoul because he found out where I was.  He had to have called my best friend.”  She sighed and buried her face in my neck.

            I her hair gently.  “It’ll be ok.  He wouldn’t be allowed to come here.”

            “He only knows that I’m in Seoul, nothing else.”

            “Well I highly doubt any seven of us would let anyone mess with you.  Especially Hoon,” I added.

            She giggled.  “I like him a lot now having met him.”

            “That’s a good thing.  I like him, too.  He and Kevin are my best friends.”

            “I hated when people were bashing him and AJ.  It wasn’t their fault Xander and Kibum had to leave.”

            “Xander and I go out to get drinks from time to time.  I’ll have to introduce you to him.”

            “Can I get off your lap now?”

            “Nope!”  I started tickling her sides and pinned her against me while I did.

            “AHH ELI!  STOP IT DAMMIT!”  She laughed and tried to push my hands away.

            I laughed and laid back with Lizzie in my side.

            She smacked my shoulder playfully.  “Dummy.”

            I frowned.  “I am not.”

            There was a knock on the door.  “Eli, we’re going out for dinner.  Get ready!”

            “Where are we going?”

            “Hoon won the argument, so you should know.”

            “Ok.  How long until we’re leaving?”

            “It’s a couple hours until dinner, but we want to go as soon as everyone’s ready so we can show Lizzie some of Seoul before dark!”

            “We’ll get ready.”  I sighed.

            “Oppa, you always feel so stressed.  You need to relax.”

            I smiled at her and kissed her forehead.  “Well with you, I do feel relaxed.  Maybe you should stay in Korea forever.”  I loved the thought actually.  She really should stay in Korea.  Or at least move here after she’s done with high school.

            “Maybe after I graduate.  You know, it’s always been my plan to come to Korea after I graduate.  Not necessarily to stay, but at least visit.”

            I smiled.  “Good thing we met then, huh?”

            She smiled.  “Yeah.”

            “You can take a shower first if you want to.”

            “Thanks Oppa.”  Lizzie kissed my cheek and sat up.  “Funny that these sheets are purple.”

            “Why’s that?”  I watched her kneel in front of her suitcase.

            “It’s my favorite color.”

            I sat up.  “Really?  Mine too.”

            She smiled.  “That’s funny.”  Lizzie stood up with a towel, clothes, and a bag.  “I won’t take too long.  I get ready really quickly for a girl.”

            “Take as much time as you need.”  I smiled and went to lie on my bed.  I stared up at the ceiling while thoughts ran through my head.  Before I knew it, Lizzie was already coming back into the bedroom and brushing her dried hair out.

            I looked up at her.  “Excuse me ma’am, but have you seen my best friend’s y girlfriend around here anywhere?”

            She rolled her eyes.  “I never told him I would be his girlfriend, Eli.  No matter how much I would love it.”

            “You can be my girlfriend instead,” I said, half playfully-half serious.

            “I don’t know.  Maybe I should be with Hoon,” she joked.

            I narrowed my eyes at her.  “You’re mean.”

            She giggled and kissed my cheek.  “Oppa, don’t say that.”

            I messed with her hair and ran away from her, going into the bathroom.

            “Eli!  You jackass!”

            I chuckled and got in the shower.  I took a quick one and toweled my hair dry, walking out to find Lizzie sitting cross legged on what would be her bed for a month.  I smiled, finding her adorable as she looked at whatever it was on her phone.

            “What are you staring at Pigeon?”

            “I don’t know.”  I put on my favorite watch.

            “Whatever, you’re such a liar.”  She stood up and slipped her phone into her pocket, along with her earbuds.  Lizzie picked up a medium sized purse and put it on her shoulder.  “All I need to do is put my shoes on.”

            I smiled.  “Ok, come on.”  I opened the door for her.

            She took my arm.  “Hide me from Hoon.”

            I chuckled.  “Why?”

            “He’s too clingy, and he might kiss me.”

            We walked to the living room.

            AJ, Kevin, Soohyun, and Dongho were on the couch.  Kiseop and Hoon were nowhere in sight.

            I sighed in relief.

            The others looked up, smiling at Lizzie.

            Dongho stood up.  “Wow, you look like a noona.  Are you?”

            Lizzie blushed.  “I’m younger than you.”

            “By how much?”

            “I’m about two years and three months younger.  I was born at the beginning of October in ’96.”

            He smiled.  “You’re very pretty.  I’m Dongho.”

            She smiled back.  “I’m Laura, but I go by Lizzie.”

            “You speak Korean so well for an American.”

            She blushed again.  “Thank you Oppa.”

            “Wow, you even know titles.  I’m impressed.”

            “Where’re Kiseop and Hoon at?”  I said.

            “They had to glance at something before we leave.”

            “Well we’ll be here forever.”  I pulled Lizzie onto the extra couch.

            She took out her phone and put one earbud in, scrolling on her phone.

            I looked at her phone and she turned the screen away.

            “Eli, quit being nosy.”

            “But I’m curious.”

            “I’m not listening to U-Kiss.  Happy?”

            “Who are you listening to?”

            “EXO-K’s What Is Love,” she smiled.

            Hoon came in and smiled, sitting on the other side of Lizzie, kissing her cheek.  “Hi baby.”  He leaned his cheek against her shoulder.

            I felt the jealousy rise up in me and held my breath, looking away.

            “…nan noman gwenchantago malhejumyon modu wanbyokhe oh baby.  I lost my mind neoreul choeummannasseultte, No hanappego modeun-geoseun get in slow motion, Nege marhejwo ige sarangiramyon. Meil geudewa sumaneun gamjongdeureul-lanwojugo bewogamyo, Ssaugo ulgo anajugo, Nege marhejwo ige sarangiramyon…”

            I looked over at Lizzie, having heard her singing.  It shocked me.

            Hoon smiled and kissed her cheek.  “So pretty.”  He stood up and pulled her up.  “Let’s go.  I want to show Lizzie everything!”

            Soohyun and Kiseop chuckled at Hoon’s childishness.

            “Alright, let’s go.”

            I followed behind Hoon, Lizzie, and AJ with Kevin at my side.

            Kevin nudged my side.  “It’ll be ok hyung.”

            I sighed.  “It’s been so long.”

            “I know.”

            We all got into the van, and Lizzie sat beside the window in the very back.  She pulled me beside her and laid her head on my shoulder when I sat down.

            I was shocked that she wanted me beside her but wrapped my arm around her waist.  “Are you ok?”

            She nodded.

            I stuck my pinky out, and she wrapped hers with mine, touching her thumb to mine.  I smiled.  “You have a beautiful voice.”

            She smiled, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.  “Thanks Eli.”  She pulled her head from my shoulder.

            “So, Lizzie, what kind of music do you listen to that’s not KPop?”  Dongho asked.

            She pulled out her iPod and removed the earbuds, putting them in her purse.  She played a song that was in English.  “This song is called Fallout.  I love it.  The band is Marianas Trench.  They are one of my favorites.”

            We took Lizzie around Seoul, and then we had dinner.  It was pretty entertaining seeing her use chopsticks for the first time.

            We were walking around after dinner.  Kiseop managed to drag Hoon, Soohyun, and Dongho away to shop, so the rest of us just walked around.

            Lizzie stretched while she walked in between me and AJ.  “It’s so nice here.”

            I smiled.  “Glad you like it.”

            She hugged my waist while we walked.  “Oppa, can’t you carry me?  I’m sleepy.”

            I chuckled.  “I would, but I don’t think someone would like it.”  I wrapped my arms around her.  “How sleepy are you?”

            “Just a little bit.”

            Someone came up behind us.  “Yah, I was calling you guys!”

            AJ laughed.  “It’s not like we could hear it Hoon.”

            “What did you do to my baby?”  He pulled Lizzie into his arms.  “What happened baby?”

            She pouted.  “Oppa!  I was comfortable!”  She whined.

            “Can’t you be comfortable with me?”

            “Hoon Oppa, let me go.  Please?”  She batted her eyelashes at him.

            “Oh fine,” he took his arms from around her.

            Lizzie hooked her arm with mine.  “My Eli Oppa,” she grinned at Hoon when he pouted.  “Hoonie, are you jealous?”

            “Yeh.”  He looked at AJ.  “Hyung, my girlfriend is mean.”

            AJ just chuckled and mussed Hoon’s hair.  “Poor Hoonmin, having his heart endure jealousy.”

            “It’s like maeil, maeil everyday…”

            Lizzie took her phone out.  “What does he want?”  She swiped her finger across the screen.  “What do you want now?”  She listened and peeked forward from under her lashes.  “Why don’t you just go away?  I told you already.  I don’t want to talk.”  Lizzie rubbed her temple.  “This stupid jackass…”  She raised her head, and it seemed like she locked eyes with someone far away.  “Even if you were to follow me, you’d never find where I’ll be while I’m here.”

            I could hear the other person on the line.

            “Is that the guy you were with the other day?”

            “So what if it is?  Why do you care?  Haven’t you learned there’s no future for us anymore?  I’m done with your .  Now leave me the hell alone.”  She tapped end call on her phone.  Lizzie huffed in anger.  “Can you guys give me a minute?”

            The others nodded and walked away when she sat down on a bench, but I felt like I couldn’t leave.  I sat beside Li and put my hand on hers.  “You ok?”

            She shook her head.

            I pulled Li into my arms and her hair.  “It’ll be ok.  I’m here,” I softly murmured, rubbing her back softly.

            “Can we leave Eli?  Jebal…”

            My heart broke, hearing the way she pleaded to me.  I stood up.  “You want to walk?  It’s probably faster than waiting for all the guys to get to the car.”

            “I don’t care.  I want to get back.”  She sighed, looking older than she really was at the moment.

            “I’ll tell the guys.”  I took out my phone and sent a quick text to Kevin.  “Are you and him through now?”

            She smiled bitterly.  “Pretty much.”  Her nostrils flared when she saw someone approaching us.  Li’s head went down.  “Haven’t you ed up my life enough?  Leave me alone.”

            “You won’t let me even try to talk to you.  Won’t you hear me out?”

            She glared up at the guy.  “Why the hell should I?  It’s pretty clear what happened.  I caught you in the act, you bastard.  Red ing handed.  Now, get the out of my life.  We’re over.  Finished.”

            “Baby…”

            “Don’t you dare ‘baby’ me.  I should’ve listened to my best friend sooner about you.  Get the hell out of my way, James.”

            “Like you’re so innocent…”

            She slapped the hell out of him then.  “I never cheated on you.  Never!  Get that through your thick head now.”  Li grabbed his shirt and pulled him down.  “Don’t you ever say anything like that about me.  You’re practically stalking me right now.  I don’t care what you say it is.  This is too far.”  She let him go.  “Eli, can we go?  I’m through dealing with his .”

            “Sure.”

            Li shoved the guy out of the way and walked past him.

            I saw the tears going down her face as we walked and wrapped an arm around her while we walked to the dorm.  I unlocked the front door and pulled her to the bedroom.  I sat on my bed with the fragile young woman in my arms.  My chest hurt when I saw the tears she cried.

            Lizzie fell asleep against my shoulder, her eyes slightly red from crying.

            I stood up and set her in the guest bed, covering her up and slipping the stuffed animal that was sitting on top of her suitcase into the crook of her arm.  I frowned and went out of the room, finding Hoon and AJ walking down the hall.

            “Is she ok?”  Hoon frowned.

            “She’s asleep right now.  We ran into her ex, and she told him off.  I think he really hurt her.”

            Hoon went around me and into my room quickly.  “Baby!  Are you ok?”

            AJ and I went to look in.

            Hoon had Li in his arms, her hair.

            “Oppa, I’m ok…”  She was leaning her head against his chest.

            He looked into her eyes.  “Are you sure?”

            She nodded.  “Oppa, I’m sleepy.”  She pouted.  “You woke me up.”

            He smiled and kissed her forehead.  “Forgive me baby.  I was worried.  You can go back to sleep.”  He got off the bed and tucked her back in.  “I love you, my baby.”

            She yawned and closed her eyes, drifting back off.

            I smiled.  “Hoon, why don’t you leave her to sleep now?  She’s had a long day.”

            He nodded and moved the hair from her face.  “Oppa will protect you.”  He went past AJ and me into his room.

            I looked at AJ.  “Crazy how he’s fallen head-over-heels for her.”

            “Seems you have, too, bro.”

            AJ was right, of course.  I had fallen badly for Lizzie.  I guess I’d have to go against my brother to get her.

            “Yeah, I guess I did…”

            AJ put his hand on my shoulder, smiling knowingly.  “Get some rest bro.  Remember, we’re on vacation.”

            I nodded.  “You get some sleep, too.  Go on.”  I went into my room and shut the door softly so Lizzie wouldn’t wake up.  I smiled at her sleeping face and brushed my teeth before getting into bed.

            I glanced over at Li after I laid down, and I got up to go peek at her.  “How can anyone hurt someone so pretty and innocent?”  I leaned down and kissed her cheek softly.  “I’ll watch over you, Li, even if Hoon says he’ll protect you.”  I smiled and went back to my bed.  “This is going to be a fun month,” I thought.

            Hoon sent me a text on my phone, and I checked it.

            She will be mine, hyung. =P

            I narrowed my eyes.

            Dammit Hoon…She’s mine.

            I set my phone down again.  “This is it boys, this is war,” I sang softly to myself.
Chapter 5: Our Wonderful Memories/Stop Girl