We walked towards Paradise Pier, and things with Kevin got really comfortable. It’s like talking to someone you’ve always known, your best friend. Even if we run out of topic from time to time, it would still be a companionable silence.

“Do you do this often?” I asked. “Go to Disneyland alone?”

He smiled at me, although there is a faraway look in his eyes. Hmmm. “Not really. Only when I feel nostalgic.”

“About?”

“My parents used to bring me here all the time when I was young.” Kevin’s eyes were filled with longing. I wanted to punch myself for asking that question. What if his parents are dead?

“Umm, are they… gone?”

“My parents?” he looked shocked. The look on his eyes was gone and was replaced by amusement. “No, they’re in Canada right now.”

“Oh. Sorry. They work in Canada or something?”

“We have a house in Canada. Actually, I was raised there.”

We passed by Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, and he asked me who my favorite Disney character is.   

“I like Ariel. She's spunky, and she has a great voice... Okay, who doesn't love mermaids?”

He chuckled. “I don’t. I guess I’m more of a -guy. Want to go in?” he nodded towards the ride.

I shook my head. “I want something more adventurous and challenging.”

“Hey, riding on a shell for 5 minutes, listening to crabs sing? What could be more challenging and adventurous than that?”

I laughed. “Looks like I’m not the only crazy person around here. Come on.” I held his arm and pulled him away from there.

We ran towards California Screamin’, and when I told him I want to ride the rollercoaster, he gave me an approving smile. “Hey, excellent pick. You really do want to die, don’t you?”

“Oh, I do.” I replied, feigning smug. In reality, I don’t. I actually curse rollercoasters. In fact, I’d prefer riding Ariel’s Undersea Adventure my whole life, listening to the sea creature orchestra, than ride this fiendish attraction. I don’t know, but I guess something in me wanted to prove Kevin my point—that I can be manlier than him. That those K-Pop guys really look like they couldn’t ride even a Merry-Go-Round. Am I being childish? I guess I am, but there’s no turning back. We’re already strapped to the fecking seats and any minute now, I could die.

I know he knew I was faking because he’d been suppressing laughter since we fell in line. I’ve been sweating profusely, and I can hear myself talk trash (“I’ve ridden hundreds of rollercoasters. Yawned at all of them.”). I know I didn’t sound believable.

But he’d been extremely polite through it all, and it’s wrecking my nerves. He’s got humor, looks, and manners—too good to be true, if you ask me. But here I am, sitting beside someone who has all of these traits.

Neil Patrick Harris’s voice boomed, instructing us on how to survive the ride. Maybe he gave us tips on how to die quite calmly should the rollercoaster stop with us upside down—I’m not sure. I wasn’t even listening. I was so focused on stopping my legs from shaking, because Kevin kept on looking at me with concern on his face.

He held my hand, and gave it a tight squeeze. Then he whistled at the attendant, beckoning the latter to come to us.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“We’re not doing this. I’m getting you out of here.”        

My eyes nearly gouged out of its sockets. I felt insulted. “What’s your problem?” I shooed the attendant away, and I unclasped my hand from Kevin’s. I was fuming with annoyance and anger.

“Look, you’re really pale, and you’ve been sweating like hell,” he said. “I’m sorry if I’ve insulted you. I’m just concerned.”         

“It’s hot in here, okay? And excuse me, mister but I think I can ride this rollercoaster just fine without—”

My eyes gave away my anxiety when Neil Patrick Harris’s cartoony voice started counting, signaling the ride’s takeoff. Kevin smiled at me, and somehow I felt all warm and fuzzy. “It’s okay, I got you.” He held my hand, winked at me, and the rollercoaster zoomed. I screamed, but I screamed because it was fun. I felt safe.

“Have you always been a Disney fan?” Kevin asked as we exited Grizzly River Run.

“Yes. I can recite lines from most Disney films. Verbatim.” I replied, drying my hair with Kevin’s towel. The water from the ride was so hideous, I felt like there were evil water benders at work.

“Well, maybe that’s how your cousin feels about K-Pop.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You simply cannot compare Disney characters to K-Pop. Everyone understands these stories. Everyone knows and sings to the songs—”

“Everyone? How about people who didn’t even have the chance to watch a single movie? What about people who do not even believe in mermaids, genies, or talking animals?

“We all have our own interests. We have unique ways of understanding things. There are things some may not be able to comprehend, but we do. We just feel it. It something that transcends language and culture.”

I wanted to laugh. I can’t believe we’re really having this conversation. But Kevin did give out a lot of valid points. It’s ridiculous, yes, but I agree when he said every person has a different way of understanding things. Maybe Mia loves his “ultimate” bias the way I love Aladdin. (Don’t laugh, I’ve always fantasized about Aladdin. And Zuko. I know, I know—he’s not from Disney. Still.)

My phone rang. It’s Mia. “Where are you? Dad will be here to pick us up in 10 minutes.”    

“I’ll see you at the lobby, then.” I replied, still trying to sound aloof.

“I have to go, too,” Kevin told me after I hang up. “Hey, I had a really great time.”

“Me too. Thank you so much, Kevin. Thank you for listening to me, for riding the freakin’ rollercoaster with me.”

“Thank you, too. Make amends with your cousin, okay?”

“I will.” We hugged and walked in opposite directions.

A thought suddenly occurred to me. “Hey Kevin!”

He turned around and smiled at me, mouthing a “what?”

“Lose the cap. You’re more handsome without it.”

Later in the evening, after I apologized to Mia, we did a recap of the day’s events. I cannot wait to tell him about Kevin, but she said something exciting happened to her. Let’s see if she can top mine.

“We were all panicking earlier,” she said. “A member—Kris—was missing, and we thought he was kidnapped or something.” 

I raised an eyebrow. Do people get kidnapped on Disneyland, let alone an early adolescent? I’m not sure.

“Well, apparently he returned right after we left Disneyland. We really didn’t know what happened, but us fans are already planning to have a manhunt or something.”

“Or you could’ve asked the people at Disney to page him first.”

“Yeah, that could work. Although the manhunt still sounds more effective.”

“Not on Disneyland, sweetie. Unless you’re all ninjas.”

“Whatever. What happened to you earlier? Anything interesting?”

I squealed. I can’t help it, okay? “I met a guy earlier. His name’s Kevin…”

Three days passed and Mia invited me to watch EXO-M’s latest variety show appearance (I’m trying to learn these groups for real this time, no kidding) with her. We grabbed something sweet to eat at the grocery before watching because according to her, the show’s quite lengthy—1 hour. Apparently, they’re going to do a full coverage on these guys.

Their song with the uh-oh, uh-oh hook—History, I think—was played as members were introduced before the start of the program. Cute guys—though there’s this one guy who looks like he’s going to kill, I think he’s the bbuing-bbuing guy. I choked when the last member was shown.

It was Kevin.

“W-who’s that?” I asked my cousin while pointing to the screen. I was trembling, and I feel nauseous.

She gave me a funny look. “That’s Kris, their leader. Oh, and he’s the one missing at Disneyland.”

“I-is that really his name?”

Mia cackled like a hag nursing an evil secret. “Actually, that guy has tons of names. Wu Fan, Wu Yi Fan, Kevin…”

I gasped. Like, a gasp with a sound. I never gasp with a sound.

She must’ve mistaken my shock for admiration because she poked me a few moments later with a naughty gleam in her eye. “You like him, don’t you? Isn’t he so prince-y? O.M.G., he’s your first true bias!”

I was not able to eat after that. The shock almost paralyzed me; my mouth was agape the whole time.

30 minutes into the program, the members were asked what piece of clothing they wouldn’t be caught dead wearing.

Kris—Kevin smiled into the camera. “A baseball cap. I look hotter without it.”

The end.

Author’s note: I know this is a few months late, but still. :) I thought it would be interesting to write from a K-Pop hater’s perspective because I’ve a lot of friends—close friends, actually—who oppose K-Pop.

I’ve never been to Disney California Adventure, but I tried to get everything as accurate as possible in this story. The treats I’ve mentioned (like the cream cheese-filled Mickey pretzels) really exist. And Neil Patrick Harris of the How I Met Your Mother fame really lent his voice to the Grizzly River Run ride.

Thank you for reading, everyone! :)

P.S.: Please follow me on Tumblr! :>