I am overwhelmingly grateful to all of you who are following Ilana's story. Thank you to my subscribers: MISCharacter, Octa82, Winnxxie, lissie, Perfect Joongie, Serenity river, Petrichor, Shain44 (thank you also for your comments, they keep me going), sandy16, ping 501 (you get honorable mention for commenting after each chapter. Your comments encourage me and make me smile. You've also taught me not to be a silent reader). Thank you to those who have voted: Sharina 95, MISCharacter, Shain44, Caribbean Pop17, Sandy 16. Also thanks to my non Kcrazy friends who are humoring me by reading this story.

March 19, 2013

Ilana was actually excited about spending the day with Suzy. She had to borrow shorts again from the other girl since the group would be stopping at the beach on the way back.
- "Ready?" Suzy asked.
- "Deh! Thanks for letting me borrow shorts again. I should have bought some while we were in Macau. I didn't think about it."
- "Gwenchana, kaja, Na can't wait to see the gardens and the giant turtles. Maknae made me promise to take a picture of the turtles for him.
- "Then why didn't he come?"

- "The namja think the gardens are boring. We were lucky to get some time at the flower market in Hong Kong."
- "They love shopping, but the gardens are boring? I don't get it."
- "Don't try; you'll give yourself a headache."
- "Point taken," Ilana grinned. "So, when we get there do we stay as a group or does everyone split up and meet back at a certain point?" They had already boarded the bus with the group from the ship and were in route to the gardens.
- "We can stay with the group or split off on our own."
- "Oppa-deul won't like us to split off from the group," Ilana said with mock seriousness.
- "Wanna split off?" Suzy grinned.
- "Geurae!"

On the bus ride over, Suzy studied the map she pulled from her backpack and was busy planning their day. Upon arrival, they quickly made their own way amongst the flora and fauna of Seychelles. They meandered through groves of trees, mostly the native coconut tree that grew there. Trees provided a nice shade that deflected the sun and kept them from getting overly hot. Likewise, Ilana's long sleeves protected her from getting too chilly in the shade. They saw brightly colored orchids and sweet smelling roses; Ilana couldn't help thinking of her Mother, who had insisted on having her own English rose garden. It was Ilana's most treasured spot on the property; she let out a sighed at her lonely memories.

- "Are you getting tired?" Suzy asked heard the sigh and asked; they had been walking for over an hour without rest.
- "Anieyo, we can keep walking."
- "Well, the cafe is nearby and then the streams aren't far from there. Let’s get a picnic lunch and sit amongst the big rocks by the stream. That way I don't get us in trouble from Uissa for skipping lunch."
- "Geurae, I guess I am getting a little hungry."

The girls purchased their lunch and found a nice spot to picnic by a stream and some bright purple flowers.

- "This is nice," Ilana sat in a patch of sun and basked in it like a cat.
- "This is nice. Gomawo for coming with me; Na don't get out without the namja that often. It's a relief Ilana-ssi came on board and deflected some of the attention off me. They've been so busy giving you the overprotective Oppa treatment; I don't get it as often anymore.”

That, made Ilana laugh.  “I never really thought about it; between my cousin who's a total jerk about it and Kike who's a little vocal at times in the scolding, I think I'm immune to it. What's scares me a little about KyuJong Oppa and YoungSaeng Oppa is they are so sweet and gentle 1) I was being taken care of and didn't know it 2) they have this gift for getting me to tell them things I've never told anyone, not even Kike."  It was Suzy's turn to laugh. "Then there's Jung Min...He doesn't treat you like a dongsaeng."

Suzy got a dreamy look on her face at the mention of her boyfriend.  "Anieyo, at first he ignored me. Na think he thought Na was too young to be worth his time; even to flirt with me."
- "How old are you?"
- "22. How old are you.?"
- "I'll be 25."
- "Na thought we were around the same age; Na will call you Unnie, from now on." Suzy was excited about this.
- "What does that mean?"

- "It's older sister, hajiman a namja calls an older sister Noona, his older brother Hyeong, and you already know Oppa."
- "Ah! I don't think I’ll ever be fluent, Spanish and the other Latin languages are so much easier."
- "Visit Korea for a time and stay with a Halmoni or Haraboji, you'll learn."
- "Or die trying…Na…wouldn’t want to visit your country without all of you with me."

- "We'll have to go before the namja have to serve their military duty."
- "What do you mean?"
- "As citizens of the Republic of Korea, all men have to serve two years in the military by the time they are thirty-five."

It made Ilana sad to think of them sequestered in the military or in harm’s way.  "Yah,  Suzy you're making me sad and don't change the subject! How long did you have a crush on Jung-Min?"
 - "Like since I met him," she giggled.
 - "Oh! I think he's had his eye on you for some time as well."
 - "He really is sweet and he makes me laugh. He is everything Na wanted in a namja chingu. What about you, Unnie? There are three eligible Oppa-deul still available to pick from?"
- "Aniyo kwenchanayo!" Ilana waved her hands in front of her. ”You’re just as bad as your boyfriend. He asked me the same thing when we were in Sydney.  I’m neither in the market for love nor girlfriend material. So get any matchmaking schemes out of your head."
- "Arasso, arasso, Unnie, love will find you when you least expect it."
- "Mollah!" Ilana rolled her eyes and dismissed Suzy's comment.

- “Ah, see!  You’re learning Hangul already!”  Suzy laughed at her new Unnie. "Kaja, we've lazed about long enough, we still have to photograph turtles and meet up with the others."

They continued to walk around until they came to the turtles.

 - "Let's see, which one looks like Junnie Oppa?" Suzy said.
 - "Who gave them those nicknames?" Ilana smiled, remembering when HyunJoong had been on board and they called each other ridiculous names like horse and mantis.

 - "Min Oppa." Suzy grinned.
 - "Why am I not surprised. If I had to guess which of the five started the crazy names, I'd guess either HyungJun Oppa or Jung Min."
Suzy was busy scanning the turtles for the perfect candidate.  "Look at that one!" Suzy pointed. He's just a little smaller than the others. "I think Oppa will like that one."
 - "I agree, I think it even smiles like Oppa." Giggling, they took their pictures and left to meet with the rest of the group. Their next stop would be Beau Vallon Beach.
 - "Unnie, do you mind going to the shops when we get to the beach?" Suzy asked.
 - "If you promise not to drag me to a hundred different stores like Jung Min did."
 - "I promise. It's because of Min Oppa I want to go shopping."
 - "Ohreally?" Ilana grinned at the other girl.
 - "Not for me! His birthday's coming up, I don't know what to get him, so I'm hoping to get ideas."
 - "When is it? We're not going to spend all night blowing up balloons again are we?"They had somehow managed to fill every inch of KyuJong's office with balloons the night before his birthday. In the morning he had to pop his way in.
 - "Anieyo, that was funny though. It's April 3rd."
 - "Not far from my own birthday."Ilana thought.
 - "The boys are all going on a safari that day. But I was hoping to give him a gift, it’s his first birthday with me." She smiled shyly. “I was thinking of a couples bracelet or something."
 - "That would be really cute. I'll help you look."

The beach town had a strip of small shops and restaurants. You could find anything from clothes to sandals to jewelry. They searched through every store until finding a perfect match.
- "Oooh! I like these." Suzy exclaimed.
- "Those are very sweet and unique," interrupted the sales lady. "The big spoon and the little spoon suggest the closeness of two spoons nestled in a drawer."
- "Aww, that’s very sweet." Ilana agreed. The spoons were engraved on a round piece of metal. A cord laced through each one tied it to the wrist. The design was simple, yet meaningful.
- "This is so perfect. Back home we don't eat without a spoon, all it's missing is a pair of chopsticks." Suzy was excited about their find.
- "So, in essence, you two can't sustain yourselves without the spoon or each other. I like that,"  Ilana smiled.  "Suzy and JungMin deserve that type of love," she thought.  "Besides, in any culture, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach;" The two girls shared a laugh and even the sales lady joined them while Suzy paid for the bracelets.
- "These make an excellent engagement gift,"  the sales lady said before they left.
-"I'll be one of your wedding Godmothers when that time comes."
- "Ilana Unnie!!" Shouted a bright red Suzy as they walked out of the store. "He only confessed a month ago."
- "I like seeing my friends happy." Ilana liked the way the word friend sounded, sweet and delicate and warm like a hug. Why hadn't she realized that before? In danger of crying, she focussed on the busy street filled with tourists and locals.
- "What about your happiness, Unnie?” Suzy said as they walked away from the shop.
- "You guys have given me enough happiness to last a lifetime."
- "Anieyo, paboya! We didn't do anything.  Na thinkCinderella needs her prince." Suzy grinned.
- "Ha ha!" Ilana playfully rolled her eyes. "Enjoy your prince 'y Charisma', I'm quite well without." Ilana knew she could never truly give herself and her heart completely to another. She had entered into the mock engagement with Antonio, but never really thought about seeing it to the end. She was happy for her new friend and that would have to be enough.
- "I think we have time to stick our feet in the water before heading back to the bus, is that alright?"
- "Geurae."
- "You're not too tired, are you? We can go sit and have a drink instead." Suzy sensed her friend was tiring fast, but she gave her the option to sit or continue walking.
- "Anieyo, I'm alright, kaja." Ilana was getting very tired but was not about to quit. She'd figure out how to get her energy level back up later; after a long nap. She didn't realize the two weeks of confinement had depleted her of what little stamina she had regained after her initial weeks of inactivity at the start of the cruise.

The water was delightfully warm and Ilana was glad she refused Suzy's offer to sit.  Beaches they had visited so far, were so different than the beaches in California; warmer, bluer, the sand softer, or maybe it was just the company she was with. Even her brother, who lived on the beach, never took her to the there.  Well, due to the horrible memories associated there. But now, could she hope to make new memories to replace the frightening ones? Perhaps not replace, but maybe push aside; with the help of her Oppa-deul, Jung Min, and Suzy.
- "Is Ilana Unnie still here?"

Ilana stood silently gazing over the water; she had inadvertently stopped walking and Suzy was trying to get her attention.  "Mianhaeyo, I zoned out."
- "Mmm, kaja we'll be late."

Once on the bus, Ilana fully realized how tired she really was. Suzy also noticed.  "Gomawo for coming with me today, Unnie; Na think you should try to nap. You look really tired."
- "I'm alright, we're not far from the ship. Tell me more about you, how long have you been on the ship?

Chatting as girls often do, they arrived back at the ship scarcely noticing twenty minutes had gone by. Young Saeng was waiting for his two charges at the priority boarding queue.
- "Aneyong Oppa!" The two girls greeted.
- "Aneyong. Did Suzy get her fill of flowers and plants for a while? YeongSaeng addressed Suzy.
- "Deh, Oppa."
- "Rest up and eat dinner, we're going out, maybe do some dancing tonight."
- "We're all going? "
- "Deh, a bunch of the crew that has the night off is going."
- "Have fun guys, tell me about it in the morning."
- "Unnie, isn't going?"
- "I don't do clubs." Ilana was also very tired and the last thing she wanted to do is have her nerves on edge at a crowded, noisy club. “I'm not going, sorry Oppa, but I'm putting my foot down on this one."
- "Stubborn agassi. Anyway, if Cinderella doesn't go we can talk about you." Ilana stuck her tongue out at him. "Ka, get some rest, Cinderella looks ready to pass out at any moment."
- "I will do no such thing."
- "Deh, she will and don't use your Ajumna voice with me."
- "Kaja," Suzy laughed. "I'll walk with you to the elevators."
 

Once in her room, Ilana sunk gratefully into the tub, letting the hot water ease her tired muscles. After her bath, she changed into pajamas and climbed on the bed with every intention of reading for a while. She didn't get past the first sentence before she slept, forgetting reading, dinner, or even the others going out.

Attn: Silent readers! If you like the story even a little bit, please subscribe, vote, or comment. I want to hear from you. Next Chapter: Birthday Surprises