Ilana sat in KyuJong's office, not working but instead she was surfing the net. Completely absorbed in the screen in front of her, she remained transfixed to her position when KyuJong entered.  He stood, quietly in front of her, waiting to see how long it would take her to acknowledge him. A few minutes later, she finally caught something out of the corner of her eye.

- "Aish!" Ilana screamed and jumped back into her seat, all the while KyuJong just laughed at her. "Oppa! Are you trying to give me a panic attack? Why didn't you say something?"   Ilana closed her eyes and exhaled, trying to calm herself from the near fright.

- "Oh, I didn't know I needed to make noise when entering my own office."

- "What's going on?" Suzy came rushing in; KyuJong was still grinning.

- "Your boss is being mean to me." Ilana pouted.

- "Yah, wae is Uissanim being mean to nae Unnie."

- "Na just walked into my office, Na didn't do anything. Although, Na wish we had CCTV in the office; Suzy-ah should've seen Ilana-ssi jump several feet.  It was daeback."

- "Uissa is mean. By the way, since it’s slow can Na go get coffee?" KyuJong glanced at his watch. “Since Suzy's namja chingu isn't on duty yet, she won't be gone for an hour.  Arraseo."

- "Can you get me a smoothie?" Ilana asked.

- "Guerae."

- "Oppa...,” Ilana started hesitantly once Suzy left.

He was busy looking at a piece of mail on his desk.  "Mmm."

- "What exactly is this called or what is the person called, that's doing what I'm doing?  Entering info into the computer?"

- "Back office assistant, waeyo?" She had his full attention now. He was wondering what was going through her head.

- "If Na were to decide to look for work in the medical field would Oppa let me use him as a reference?

- "Ani."

- "Oppa! That's not nice!  Stop being mean."

- "Ilana-ssi asked me a question and Na answered; how is that mean?" He noticed her stricken face and suspiciously moist eyes.  He sighed and then smiled at her "Ilana-ssi is practically chaebol; she is the Chairwoman of a major company."

- "No, I'm not."

- "The position is waiting for you. It's what you were born to do."

- "What I was born to do went up in the flames of the crash. It's time I take control over my own life." Ilana could feel the tears burning, but she didn't want to break down. She stood to leave, but KyuJong stopped her.

- "Mianhaeyo, Oppa wants what's best for you." He took her hand in his. “Ilana-ssi also has to think of her health. You'd be taking too many risks working in a regular Doctors office or hospital."

- "Oppa, I need to decide what's best for me. My cousin and foster parents have always made the decisions in my ‘best’ interest, which in the end were all lies. And I still got sick, whether they controlled my every move or not. I've been taking care of myself now and I'm doing much better, don't you think?"

- "Deh,” He begrudgingly assented. "Your color is much better than it was when you first boarded. You must maintain your weight, don't skip meals, and I'm giving you a prescription for super strength vitamins."

- "Kansamnida Oppa!" Ilana jumped up excitedly and hugged him. "I'll go see what's keeping Suzy."

- "Which means neither one of you will be back anytime soon. If she's with her boyfriend, tell her she's fired." He laughed at the girl's retreating form. He sat behind his desk and looked at his computer screen. "Aish, that brat was looking at job openings." He grinned and shook his head.

- "Princess!" HyungJun called out to Ilana as she was crossing the Atrium. She had purchased a few granola bars to have as a snack. "I was just going to find you."

- "Annyeong Oppa, what's up?"

- "Come with me into Gambia tomorrow? Deh-deh-deh?" He was dancing around like a child who could hardly contain his excitement.

- "Oppa just wants me to hold the extra equipment." Ilana grinned as she teased the man-child in front of her.

- "Anieyo! Na just want your company!" He looked so shocked that she accuses him of having ulterior motives.

- "Arrayo; Naega just teasing Oppa. Tell me what's so special about Gambia that I have to go."

- "We can do the camel safari or a canoe ride?" He handed her the two brochures.

- "Being around a stinky creature that spits doesn't sound at all fun. But this canoe ride sounds like it would be nice.

- "Guerae, I'll pick you up."

Gone was the Ilana who didn't want to come out of her room. Now she spent most of the day with her friends, whether it was hanging out with KyuJong & Suzy in the office, with JungMin & Suzy at the Crow’s Nest, walking the ship with HyungJun, or having tea with YoungSaeng. She only had two weeks left and didn't want to waste any opportunity to spend it with those people who were special to her and made her feel special. At times she bordered on despair at there not being enough time to completely immerse herself with their company.  Thus being the reason she was on a canoe, again looking at the world through the viewfinder of a camera. The view was limited in that little window; you had to choose carefully what your focus would be. The murky water, while fascinating in itself, didn't draw Ilana like the smiling, laughing faces rowing a canoe for the first time in their lives.

Despite the scattered conversations, it was peaceful on the river. Birds flew overhead without any regard for the people on the water and monkeys could be seen swinging from the trees on the river bank. Ilana looked over to the canoe a few yards away, it appeared HyungJun was enjoying himself as well. She snapped a picture of him looking through the camera grinning from ear to ear. The only time he was still and not being hyper like the a monkey was when he was focused behind the camera. She had a special place in her heart for this side of him, he taught her how to open her eyes and see the beauty around her.

- "Wae can't Princess just stay on the ship?"  HyungJun brought up Ilana's imminent departure as they ate their traditional Gambian lunch.

- "Oppa, I need to find work." She said patiently.

- "Princess knows what I mean; work for the cruise line. Stay and be nae assistant."

- "I can't; I need to learn to take care of myself. If I stay, I'll always be your dongsaeng and have you guys worrying over me. I don't want that."

- "Aw, Princess is always going to be our dongsaeng." He pulled her hair.

- "Besides, I have Gom and Turtle to watch over me so Oppa doesn't have to worry." She was referring to the stuffed animals he had given her.

- "Maja! There are cameras hidden in them so we'll always be watching you." He .

- "Na wouldn’t put it past you."

- "You never know, it just might be true.” Ilana laughed at the playful Maknae.

- "Mwo? Am I dreaming?” YoungSaeng said as Ilana walked into the Neptune Lounge. “I think I see Cinderella in front of me."

- "There was a lull in patients at KyuJong's office,” Ilana said, choosing to ignore his teasing.

- "So, Ilana-ssi decided to visit me? I'm touched." He struck his chest with his fist.

- "Actually, Na was going to read, but I can't remember what it is to enjoy quiet," she teased back at him. "So, naega going to read in here, where it's noisier."

- "In other words, you want Oppa to entertain you?"

- "Deh." She grinned.

- "Come here." He led her to a piano that was against the wall. "Does anyone mind if I play?” He announced to the few occupants of the lounge. No one minded and he began to play.

All her Oppa-deul had such beautiful voices and she could listen to them sing for hours. The Piano music transported her back to her childhood where she loved to hear her Mama play and sing. The playing had stopped, but Ilana didn't realize it, a soft smile played on her face.

The trance was broken by the sound of a 'click'. When had she closed her eyes?  She didn't even know.  Now open, she saw a grinning YoungSaeng doing something on his phone.  "Oppa, what are you doing?"

- "Tweeting Agassi's picture to everyone."

- "What?! Let me see!"

- "Shiro!" He laughed, almost a foot taller than her, he quickly stood up and stretched his hand as high as it would go.

- "Oppa!" She pouted since there was no way she could reach. They had an audience now; the onlookers thought the couple was sweet.

- "That's no way to woo a lady, young man." An older gentleman teased them.

- "Ah…no Sir, we're just good friends.  She's like a sister," YoungSaeng was blushing.

- "That's how it starts young man, that's how it starts." It was Ilana's turn to blush.

- "Here...," he conceded defeat and let her see the picture and everyone's comments. "See, everyone likes your smile."

- "Pabo! I can’t believe you did that. Even to HyunJoong?!” She smacked his arm.

- "Ouch! Assaulting a ship's officer is a punishable offense." The people in the lounge were laughing at their teasing. “And besides, sunbae is probably still sleeping and won’t see it until later."

- "That’s supposed to make me feel better? Anyways I was defending myself against your unauthorized picture taking. That's invasion of privacy." She glared back at him with a triumphant smirk.

- "Arasso! Arasso. Cinderella wins." He pulled her ponytail. "You'd better go, Oppa has work to do and you, Agassi are a distraction. I'll bring you tea when I'm off."

- "Ok,” she pouted slightly,” thanks for entertaining me for a little."

Once YoungSaeng was off duty, he and Ilana had their tea in her room as usual.  "Is nae Cinderella going to forget Oppa, once she leaves the ship?"

- "Of course not, I'll cherish you always. You didn't hate me, even if I hated myself."

- "Yah! No crying!" He wiped the escaping tears from her face. "Kaja, Oppa will take you on a date."

- "A date?"

- "Deh, Cinderella has been HyungJun and KyuJong's date but not mine. Cinderella owes me."

This made her laugh.  "Arasseo, should I change?"

- "Ani, but it's a good thing Na changed out of my uniform before coming.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

YoungSaeng persuaded an almost reluctant Ilana to join him for a movie.  Afterward, they stopped for drinks; a coffee for YoungSaeng and a smoothie for Ilana. They walked around the promenade deck talking and laughing.

- "Na really think I'm going to miss the ocean at night. The way the moon shines on the water and the stars."

- "You can stay..."

- "Don't you start too. The future is one big question mark for me and I feel safe and comfortable here, but I have to prove to myself that I can stand on my own two feet."

- "Aren't those agassi’s own feet she’s standing on?" He pointed at her feet.

- "I may be standing, but I don't even know how to walk. You guys have carried me all this time."

- "Tch! You're so stubborn. Don't think we're going to leave you alone just because you're not here anymore."

- "I'm counting on it. Kike will have his hands full with me. He'll be begging you guys to take me back."

- "Poor namja, there were five of us watching over you, he'll be all alone."

Ilana laughed at that but then became serious again.  "Oppa, I want to live like a normal person. I've been lied to and manipulated almost my entire life and mostly with the excuse of it was for my own good."

- "Arasso, but don't forget, you have friends to carry you when you just can't stand anymore or lean on when you just need a rest."

- "Na won't forget, gomawoyo, Oppa."

- "Let's get you back to your room, it's getting late."

They got back to Ilana's room and sat out on the verandah, neither one ready to say good night. They sat in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts until YoungSaeng broke that silence.

- "Ilana-ssi?" YoungSaeng suddenly stood in front of Ilana with hands in his pocket.

- "What's wrong, Oppa?" Ilana was bewildered, he never used her name unless he was being serious and needed her attention.

- "Na will have to start my military duty in about a year's time. So...." Ilana waited patiently for him to continue. "What if in three years from now, Prince Charming hasn't swept you off your feet…?”

- "Oppa, you know..." Ilana not waiting to hear the rest of what he was going to say began to speak.

- "Wait, juseyo, let me finish;" he stopped her from speaking and slid the side table from between the chairs until he could sit and still face her. "Mariya (Just saying), if someone hasn't claimed your heart by the time I've served my military duty in three years, ...will you let me be your Shy Prince." He couldn't believe that just came out of his mouth. The truth was, he liked her very much, more than very much. The idea of not seeing her every day, sharing a meal, making her smile was killing him. He didn't allow himself to love her yet, although he could easily cross that line. He wasn't in a position where he could. He had to serve his military duty and she had to continue her journey of self-discovery. But in three years, if everything went well then he could give himself to loving her, not just taking care of her, to be a companion and call her yeobo.

Oh oh! I did not see that last part coming! :) Anyway, this is a short chapter for me; I wanted to end with the declaration. What will her reactions be? Ponder it and let me know. Ilana's time on the ship will end soon and she's desperate to savor her time with friends.