I can’t believe I’m doing this. I clutch the phone in my hand and wait as the crowd lets out from the concert. Six months. It’s been six months since I’ve seen him. People begin moving around me as they gush over the concert, and I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face. My phone dings. Right on time.

Are you awake? Kang’s message has me moving into the crowd.

I am. How was the concert? My fingers fly over the letters.

My phone buzzes and Kang’s face from the time we took pictures on the ferris wheel pops up on the screen. If I answer this now, my surprise will be ruined. Still, the urge to hear his voice is overwhelming. I hit the button.

“Kang!” I laugh as a few heads turned towards me in surprise.

“Why are you up so late?” His voice moves over me like warm wind on a cool day. I can hear the others in the background singing and hooting.

“Ya, Kang!” Sunshine growls in Korean through the phone. “Are you talking to him again?”

“Hey, we all know Kang likes him.” DaeDae chuckles before there is a smack.

“Oh Morgan! I want you.” Smack.

I bite my lip to keep from laughing and I clear my throat. “Everything okay?”

“They’re just saying they miss your company,” Kang lies smoothly as he switches back to English before he moves away from the noise. “Are you okay?”

Pausing near an intersection, I press the phone firmly to my ear as girls walk by laughing loudly.

“I’m fine. Actually, what’s your plans for tonight?”

Kang hums, the sound vibrating in my ear and sending tingles down my body. “I guess head back to the dorm. The others are going to do their own thing.”

Here goes nothing. “Do you want to meet up?”

Pause.

I can’t hear anything on his side. Pulling the phone from my ear, I check to see if he accidentally hung up on me.

“Ka-”

“You’re in Seoul?” His voice is low, but underneath that tone I can hear the excitement.

I nod, even though I know he can’t see it. “I’m actually right outside the stadium.”

“You’re in Seoul?!” he repeats. “Hey, let me out here.”

I can hear the others asking questions but Kang doesn’t respond. The door slams on his side of the phone and I can hear his soft panting as he starts to jog.

“Where are you?”

“Hmm, I’m in front of this tiny bakery on the south side entrance of the stadium.”

“Buam Dong?”

My eyes take in the sign. “Yeah. You know where it is?”

Kang’s footsteps grows louder in my ears. “Don’t move.”

“Okay.” Laughter colors my voice as I toe the ground with my shoe. A minute or two later, I turn to the sound of someone running. My lips pull back into a grin as a black blur crashes into me. The smell of Kang engulfs me and I feel like I’m home as he pulls me tightly against him.

“What are you doing here?” he gasps into my ear. “You’re here.”

“Surprise.” I cling to him tightly. All the texting and phone calls didn’t amount to actually seeing him in person.

Kang pulls away, his eyes looking me over. “I can’t…” he sputters. “My mind isn’t working because I’m so happy.”

Kang is dressed in jeans, his white shirt clinging to his form. A black mask covers his face and the bucket hat that he absolutely adores is sitting on top of freshly dyed blond hair. On his wrist I see our friendship bracelet.

“Do you want to have a drink with me?” I ask with a grin.

I watch his eyes light up in excitement as I wrap my arm around his shoulders. “Have you grown?”

He elbows me in the side and we both burst out laughing. It is nice being able to enjoy his company again. We find a pojangmacha that has a few stragglers drinking away their worries on a Sunday night. Finding a table in the back, Kang pulls the mask off, tucking it into his pants.

“Ma’am, can we have two soju bottles and some samgyeopsal?” I call out before Kang can. Turning back to him, I can’t stop the chuckle. “What’s that look for?”

“Wow,” he huffs out in surprise. He switches quickly from English to Korean. “You said you were trying to be fluent but I didn’t think you would catch on so quickly. I’m impressed.”

I shrug. “What else was I supposed to do while you were out there performing for millions of people?”

The owner stops in front of us and hands out the drinks and grilled pork belly. The aroma makes my mouth water. I’ve had Korean food but nothing is better than actually sitting in Seoul eating with your best friend.

“How long are you in Seoul?”

“A week,” I reply while stuffing my mouth full of meat. “I wish I could stay longer but I’m a little scared of how the cafe is going to hold up without me.”

Kang takes a bite out of his food before he shoots back some soju. “Don’t you mean how Kim’s going to hold up without you?” he asks.

I smile at him. “You might be right.” Was Kim a completely capable business owner? Yes. Did I still worry about her? Also yes.

“That means I have to show you around.”

“I feel like we’ve done something like this before,” I tease before taking a sip of my own soju.

“Too bad Coke isn’t involved.” Kang’s eyes take on a different glint and I can feel the butterflies that explode inside my stomach. My mouth grows dry and I watch his throat work as he swallows his food. This man is absolutely perfect. Ever since Kang left to go back to Korea, I have been struggling to keep my emotions in check. Being in front of him though, everything I kept bottled in wanted to spill out.

“I’m pretty much free tomorrow. Did you have anything in mind that you wanted to do or see?”

I shake my head. “As long as I’m with you, I know I’ll have a good time.”

Kang scrunches his eyebrows together, a thoughtful look on his face. “I know something that we can do.”

Raising my own, I lean forward. “What are we doing?”

He grabs a piece of pork belly and shoves the food into my mouth gently. “You’ll see,” he replies with a hint of mischief. Excitement ripples through my chest as I quickly finish my soju off. By the time we leave the tent, it’s already two in the morning and Kang’s face has a hint of flush from all the alcohol he consumed.

“Where are you staying?” He slips the mask back on and huddles close to me as the early spring air hits us. The slight cold chills me but the heat from Kang keeps me from shivering.

I pull out my phone and show him the map to the hotel I had managed to snag at the last minute. Kang leans forward, his body pressing firmly against mine as he studies the map.

“That’s only a few blocks from here. The dorm isn’t far from it either.” Well that is good to know. The trip back to the hotel is quiet but comfortable. The sky is clear with the stars shining brightly in the sky. People always talk about watching the first snow fall with someone you enjoy being with. Maybe I could come back next winter. Licking my lips, I shake my head slightly to get rid of the thought.

“Here we are.”

I pause in front and frown. How did we get here so quickly? Kang eyes the hotel before turning to me. “Go get some rest. I’ll text you tomorrow and we can meet up here.” He waves his phone at me and I nod.

“Sounds good.” I pull him into another hug and sigh as I drop my chin onto his head. “I’m glad I get to see you again. I’ve missed you.”

Kang’s arms wrap around me and he rubs his face into my chest. “This is a nice surprise.”

Reluctant to let him go, I pull away and rub his head. “Be safe going back. I don’t need a message saying you got attacked by fans.”

“I’m sneaky.” He grins before shooting me a wink. I watch him walk backwards, giving me a tiny wave before he spins on his heel and strolls away. His hands slide into his pockets and I can’t help but stare at him. How can a man’s ass look so good? Making my way into the hotel, I change clothes and try to calm my racing heart as I slide into bed.

“Don’t overthink things,” I whisper. “Just go to sleep.”

How does one sleep, though, when you’re all pumped up?

***

I lean against the wall as I watch people pass by. A quarter after three and I am feeling refreshed. A part of me knew I was going to be tired but I didn’t expect that I would crash as fast and as hard as I did. I had barely woken up when my phone buzzed on the nightstand.

“Hey.” Kang jumps into my line of sight and wraps an arm around my neck, making me bend to his height. “Are you ready?”

I glance at his black jeans and oversized peach colored sweater. His huge glasses look stylish and I am surprised that he isn’t wearing a hat or mask.

“Always. What’s the plan?”

Kang releases me and grabs my wrist before dragging me to a bus that is pulling up to the curb. “We need to get on that,” he states before we stumble into the bus. I watch as he hits his wallet to the sensor and maneuvers us towards the back of the bus. Why is it so crowded on here? I clutch the strap above my head and watch as Kang holds onto the pole.

I lean forward for him to hear me. “So are you going to tell me where we’re going or am I supposed to be in the dark the whole day?”

Kang turns towards me and presses a finger to his lips. “I guess I should tell you, huh? We’re heading to the Han river. There’s a festival happening and tonight there’s supposed to be fireworks.”

That sounds like fun. “Are the others going?”

“DaeDae and Jun are going to head out later. I think the others are going to stay inside. It’s been a rough tour.”

Has it been? “We could stay inside if you’re-”

Kang shakes his hand at me. “I like being out sometimes, away from the others. Besides, you’re here. It’s not everyday I get to show you my home.”

The bus stops and I watch as Kang’s fingers slip from the pole. His eyes widen and I lunge forward, wrapping my arm around his waist, yanking him back towards me. Our chests collide and I feel his lips graze my throat. I swallow hard, flexing my hand against his lower back. He is so close.

“Are you okay?” I whisper. Kang raises his head and I can’t stop myself from staring at his lips. How easy it would be to just lean down and …

Jerking my head away, I take a deep breath.

“Sorry.” He rubs his head in embarrassment.

“Don’t be. At least you’re not hurt.” My voice comes out gruffer than usual. Calm yourself, Morgan. Breathing in deeply, I give him a small smile.

He clears his throat and touches my arm. “I think I’m good.” He grabs the pole with both hands and I slowly retract my arm away before glancing out the window. The rest of the ride to the Han River is tense. I want to slide my hand back around his waist and blame it on the bus rocking. Anything to keep us touching.

A part of the reason for this trip is to tell him how I feel. I want him to know, even if he doesn’t feel the same. He would know what’s in my heart.

Kang grabs my wrist. His touch alone pulls me out of my thoughts as we step off the bus. The festival is in full swing. Behind all the tents and stalls, I can see the beautiful Han river. I have seen it in so many dramas, but to be here, seeing it person is something else entirely. Following Kang through the festival, I take in the smells and sights.

“Morgan!”

I chuckle at the sight of bracelets. “Are you trying to add to our collection?”

He grabs a jade bracelet and holds it up for me. “What about this one?”

Teasingly, I purse my lips. “Hmm, I guess that’ll do.” I grab my wallet and hand the bills over to the seller before picking up a similar one. “We have one from here and one from my home now. How cool is that?”

I put the bracelet on the same wrist, feeling the smooth cool texture of the stones. Kang slips his on and shakes his wrist to watch it jingle softly. A smile curves his lips and I can’t help but stare. We continue looking at different venues while trying on hats and taking pictures of each other in them. I’ve never seen Kang smile or laugh so much in person before. I can hear people rushing past us towards the river with the talk of fireworks. The sun is already low in the sky and the sounds of fireworks begin to pop. Everyone seems to be making their way to it, so we follow the crowd until we can watch the colorful explosions in the sky. The temperature dropping again.

Kang is shivering under his sweater so I wrap my arms around him. My chin rests on his shoulder as another firework explodes, showing off a beautiful purple flower.

“I’m jealous. Your fireworks are so much better than ours.”

Kang laughs as his hands slide over mine. He leans into me and I close my eyes. This has to be a dream. A wonderful dream.

“Oh look!”

I open my eyes to see Kang pointing at a beautiful pink and green combination floating down before disappearing. I miss what it forms, but the way Kang grins broadly, it had to be good. By the time the fireworks end, we’re both sitting in the grass, making fun of the different designs. Kang yawns as he stands up. He holds his hand out to me and I clutch it. Pulling me up, I realize how much stronger he’s gotten.

“Have you been working out?” I tease before ruffling his hair. Kang pushes me lightly as we make our way back to the bus.

“Choreography is getting harder and harder. Most of us are training more to keep up.” He holds his arms up and flexes. “I look good, right?”

Giving him a thumbs up, I chuckle. “You look good.”

“One day I can beat up anyone in the group.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I mumble with a snort.

He narrows his eyes dangerously. “Are you saying I couldn’t win?”

I point to my chest. “Me?! I would never say such a thing.”

He lunges for me but I’m a second quicker at dodging. Spinning around Kang, I stick my tongue out at him and race for the bus stop with him following right on my heels. I slap my palm on the sign and turn to Kang.

“Safe base.”

“Doesn’t mean anything here.” Kang smacks my arm.

I hiss in a breath and give him a pout. “You would hit me? I came thousands of miles…”

He points a finger at me. “You’re not hurt.”

“In here I am.” I rub my chest. “It hurts. Huuuurts.”

Kang rolls his eyes and lays his hand on my chest to give it a rub. “Better?”

My smile slowly vanishes and I watch as something stirs in Kang’s eyes. I take a step closer and I hear the brakes squealing as the bus comes to a halt. He takes a step back and I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying something stupid.

He pauses on the steps and gives me a confused look when he realizes I haven’t moved. “Are you coming?”

I would follow you anywhere. I climb into the bus after him and we manage to snag seats in the back. It will take an hour for us to get back to the hotel. My hand touches my chest and I glance at Kang, who’s looking out the window. Leaning my head back, I get comfortable and cross my arms.