How long could a tour up the coast take? She had readjusted her bags, adding her essentials. Rechecking she had a few days with matching clothes to change, toiletry bag, an extra pair of shoes, and one blazer to look professional. She was an assistant. It looked like she had everything to emphasize her role as an official representative of Wood Productions. She checked to see if she had her laptop for emails and a charger for her phone, digging through her purse on the stack of boxes in her new apartment. It was doubling for a impromptu table until she could get some proper furniture.

She thought through more of her tour guide plan. She was pretty familiar with Hwy 1, and some places to stay along the way. Or not. That's what made Hwy 1 so great. You could wonder along it for a few days. Stop by a coast hideaway, visit redwoods or stop in San Francisco. Move onto the wineries or settle on a beach. She had gotten permission from the agency to charge expenses and bring back the receipts. Thank god, she had some plastic of her own for other necessities that still had some room on it. Her student loans loomed in the financial background. But she had a job. She could do this.

She was proud to show off her home too. She was more familiar with everything up North, like Monterey and the Bay Area, not to mention Napa. She enjoyed the occasional trip to Santa Barbara or Malibu. Of course, having gone to UCSC, she knew Santa Cruz like the back of her hand. She'd have to show him around there too.

She smiled thinking of the cool places she could take In-ho. Her smile turned to an open mouth when she saw the car pulling up in front of her apartment. Trish loved cars. Her Dad had worked in car service and mechanics for years. Her first car was a '65 mustang they could work on together. But this was no classic, it was a red Ferrari F430. The rev of the engine was pure sex, for anyone that loved cars.

In-ho was wearing dark sunglasses like most celebrities would in LA. But his smile gave him away when she walked over to the car.

"You ready to go?" In-ho lowered his dark sunglasses and flashed a movie star smile.

She felt her heart quicken, and took a breath to steady herself. That wouldn't do. She needed to remain professional for the trip. She couldn't let him see she had the hots for him, even a little. But she felt weird with just her basic cotton shorts and simple tank top getting into a Ferrari. She could smell the leather as she slid into the bucket seat. Everywhere she looked was hand stitched leather upholstery. It was like walking into a poster. How could she possibly fit into this scenario?

Watching him pack her bag into the front trunk gave her time to pull herself together. He slammed down the lid, and she adjusted into the seat of buttery softness, enjoying the feel of luxury as he settled in beside her. "Well, you know how to pick a ride." She couldn't help but to express her appreciation for the car.

"I'm glad you're impressed. My father has connections with the local car club." He looked out the windshield, not at her.

She thought carefully before saying, "You didn't have to. I was going to come along anyway." 

"Because it's your job." This time he did look at her.

She tried to be more delicate with him. "No, I mean, if I didn't want to, I wouldn't be showing you around." She only half lied. She didn't want him to think that her job depended on him. Who knew what he would do. "Where do you want to start?"

"Where ever you say?" He turned leaning on the console. "I'm at your pleasure the next few days."

"I bet you are." She could play word games back at him. "I thought we'd get out of LA first. Get onto Highway 1 and get some fresh air along the coast, maybe head to Malibu or Santa Barbara. It will give you some idea of what California is about."

"Okay. Let's hit the freeway." In-ho started punching in directions to Malibu into the car's GPS system. Trish looked at messages on her phone, just to look like she was busy. There were a lot of well wishes for her new job from her friends on her socials. It seemed they all thought it was a good idea to have moved to LA and start her career. Then, In-ho turned on some music.

Trish stopped for a moment and asked, "Is that you?"

"It's the new album." He turned it up. "I want you to listen to it. Be honest in what you think."

"I will." The navigation system came online in the car and said, "Go to the end of the road and turn right to get onto the I-10 heading west to Highway 1." In-ho started the car up and moved off in the direction indicated. Knowing LA, they might be awhile on the 10 until they got past Santa Monica and out to Malibu.

She let the music wash over her. She even ignored the vibration of her phone. It started with a real upbeat song. Since the lyrics were all in Korean, she didn't know what it was about, but she couldn't help bouncing her head and tapping her fingers along with it. It sounded like it was going to be a hit if released as a single. The next song was also upbeat and very pop sounding. Two main band members took turns singing, with what sounded like In-ho, leading. One member did some rap part of the song, and they all joined in for the chorus.

The third song was what they had filmed for the video yesterday. She sat up a little, hearing the studio version. She said, "I think that will be the first power ballad that sells, In-ho."

He quickly bashed the button to move it to the next song. The next song came on, and he drowned it out by saying, "I didn't want it to be on the album. But the band and management convinced me." He revved the engine and passed a car as the new song played.

"But the last song is good," Trish insisted. "That's why. I bet it's a hit here in the States. There's a lot of English in the lyrics too." He didn't answer, but kept looking forward. She added, "The whole album is good, In-ho. I'd listen to it."

"It was just too personal." He swallowed. "I don't want to get into it."

Trish looked at him. He had stopped being excited, but seemed more standoffish. Was it the song? Or was it her? She tried to go back to the video ballad. "You know, that's what makes the best song. It's so full of passion when you sing it. I bet the video will be awesome too." She could feel a blush thinking about her kiss with him.

He quickly flicked his eyes to her. "Can we talk about something else, please."

She lowered herself in the seat. "Sure. I'll just listen to the other songs, then."

They didn't speak much after, but followed the road, through some traffic slow downs, finally emerging near the turn off to Hwy 1. In-ho veered towards the coast. Trish could see the ocean now, and opened the window to enjoy the sea air.

"That's smells more like it," she murmured.

"Good idea," replied In-ho and opened his window too.

"Did you want to stop somewhere?" Trish asked.

"I will when I see somewhere of interest." He kept his face towards the road. His emotions hidden behind the glasses. She gathered he may not be in a social mood, but the awkward silence was driving her crazy.

"Do you like the States so far?" She tried to draw him into a conversation.

"I went to boarding school here when I was younger."

"Really?" She perked up at his comment. "Where did you go?"

"A Prep School in San Francisco until I was sixteen." He turned and looked directly at her. "I wanted to go back and visit up north again."

"You lived in San Francisco?" She couldn't believe what she heard. "I thought you needed a tour guide? Someone to show you around California?"

"I do. I didn't get out much when I went to school there. It was pretty sheltered." He turned to her. "In fact, I always wanted to do a trip along Hwy 1 like this. It's kind of living a fantasy, finally." He stopped for a moment, like he was remembering something, returning his gaze out the front windshield for a moment. "Then, I went back to Korea. My father wanted me to work with the business first hand, and started me with his agency's trainee program."

"His agency's trainee program?" She was grateful he was starting to open up to her. Maybe she could figure him out. It would certainly make her part in the trip easier. She could listen. Maybe he just didn't want to travel by himself. She settled into the seat to give her full attention.

"They took my interest in music and started to prepare me for entertaining. I started late at almost seventeen. But I'm a quick study." He started drumming his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the next song on the album. "I actually was getting tired of the studies in the States. I was already drifting towards music, and eventually what will lead to after that. It was time to leave and get serious for what I wanted to do in life."

"That would be?" She questioned. She put on a face of listening intently.

"Directing and producing. Just like my father. But I had to start at the beginning. And being a K-pop idol is part of that." He said it with a toneless expression, continuing with his stare ahead.

"But you love music." She pointed to his tapping. "See, you just join in."

"Yes. I love the music. But being a K-pop star has a dark side." He changed the music with a flick of his finger on the car stereo. Classical music started to play, calming the situation.

He was silent after, and she let the silence between them fill the moment. What was she to say to a man that seemed to have everything, and was on a path to money and success. But had this strange bitterness about it? What would he need from her? He'd already been to California. But was it so sheltered he couldn't even get a chance to drive down the coast? His father sounded very controlling, if anything. What was it like to be a son of an executive? Maybe it wasn't just flashy cars and being the leader in a Kpop boy band. And did she really need him? Was it just that he didn't want to go by himself? Or did he not have many friends? It had to be lonely.

But all this seemed too prying. Maybe she could change the subject. "So, what is it like with your band? How are they?"

He did look at her when she asked. "We were all put together by my father. Matched because we compliment each other as dancers, singers and rappers. All equally balanced to form the perfect combination for our fans. We practiced for a few years, and then debuted."

"So, you're all friends?" Trish started to feel the tension leaving his tone. She added, "It sounds like a perfect match up."

"It didn't matter if we were friends. We were stuck together, and had to make do. But we got as close as friends. Besides, they had the dream more than me. I had the insurance of my father. I had a future after my debut no matter what happened. But I worked hard at it to help them with their job and..." He trailed off. "Can we change the subject?"

Trish said, "I'm sorry. I was just getting to know you."

"I understand. Felicia said you're new to the industry. I kind of like that. Someone that doesn't know who I am, and I need the company on this trip. I hate to travel alone." He looked at her up and down. "And it would be nice, to just hang out with someone." He revved the engine, and took off past a semi-truck in the passing lane, swinging back in front after. "Life isn't fun unless you are with somebody."

She let that go, crossing her arms in front of her. "You're very strange, In-ho."

"I know." He paused, lost in thought before adding, "That's why I need someone like you. Someone that seems normal to balance my unnatural sense of being." He turned and winked at her and revved again. She felt the vibration of the engine as he sped to pass another car. The wind blew through the window, a noisy reminder of the power swirling around the car.

It was going to be a very different kind of trip.