Chapter Text
Kitty didn’t have a plan as she sped down the sidewalk to the sculpture garden. Her mind raced with everything she wanted to say—and everything she didn’t know how to. She was overwhelmed with feelings. Feelings that were… romantic.
This shouldn’t be such an unusual feeling for Kitty. She'd had her fair share of crushes, two of which had turned into love. She knew she loved Dae when they dated, and then there was Yuri. She thought those feelings would stay at the crush level, but they became so overwhelming—what else could it be but love?
But this—this was different. Something Kitty had never felt before. Calling it a crush felt a bit childish. But calling it love? That was something she couldn't wrap her head around.
She remembered the night she talked to Min-ho Moon for the first time since his impromptu love confession on the plane ride—when he admitted he’d mistaken his feelings for love, brushing them off as nothing more than a crush. She remembered the drop in her stomach when he said it. At the time, she blamed it on a bruised ego. After all, someone had declared they were head over heels for her, only to say they were over it in less than a month. That stung.
But now, looking back, she wondered. Maybe it wasn’t just her ego that was hurt. Maybe something inside her was starting to shift. Starting to feel something. Something real. Something romantic. For Min-ho Moon.
Her quickening pace came to a halt. There he was, just a few feet away.
Last semester, Kitty would have said Min-ho was a rude, self-absorbed, rich jerk. But now? She wouldn’t say any of those things about him. Well—maybe the rich part. After all, he flew her sister and grandma across the globe in a luxury private jet. How do you even begin to thank someone for something like that?
Kitty cleared her throat, trying to steady herself as much as her voice. She stepped up beside him.
“So, it's true.”
Min-ho turned to her, and Kitty felt a flicker of relief at the soft smile he wore. A month ago, they had barely been speaking—thanks to Stella. And sure, Kitty had been right to be suspicious of her psycho roommate, but she wished she hadn’t been. It had hurt Min-ho.
She wished she could’ve solved the whole mess on her own—kept him from getting dragged into it. More than anything, she really wished she had never given Stella his phone number.
“Covey, what are you doing here?”
She felt heat rise on her cheeks and suddenly wondered if Peter had a point when he teased her about Min-ho calling her by her last name.
“Q told me you’ve been walking out here.”
“Just trying to clear my head before I go.”
The semester officially ended today, so Kitty assumed Min-ho would be heading to LA for the summer to visit his mother. She herself was leaving next week to stay with her family in Portland, but Min-ho hadn’t really talked about his plans with her.
“Go? Go where?”
“I’m leaving tonight. With Joon Ho and my dad. On their big summer tour.”
That was not what Kitty expected Min-ho to say at all.
“Oh. Wow. Q did not tell me that.”
“Well, it was a last-minute decision. I figure it’ll give me a chance to bleach Stella from my brain. I’m swearing off all relationships. I think I was better off as a playboy.”
And there it was again—the drop in her stomach.
Kitty hadn’t planned to ambush Min-ho, confess everything she’d been dreaming about (literally and figuratively), or get down on one knee and ask him out right here. In fact, she hadn't known what she was going to do at all when she ran off to look for him. But hearing that Min-ho was swearing off relationships? That put her running thoughts to a sudden stop.
“Wait. Why were you looking for me?”
Min-ho was still smiling at her, completely unaware of the effect his words had on her. Then again, Kitty wasn’t sure she fully understood it herself.
“Oh. Right. Um… I just wanted to tell you…”
She stuttered over her words. What did she want to say? Now she understood why Lara Jean wrote love letters to figure out her feelings.
Kitty was at a loss, staring at Min-ho’s gentle smile as he waited for her response. Then she remembered—he had just gotten out of a relationship with a girl who had used him in a revenge plot that nearly destroyed his entire family. How could she admit her feelings for him now? When he was hurting? She couldn’t.
“I’m coming back next year.”
“That’s great, Covey.” He seemed genuinely happy that she was returning to KISS for their senior year. “The car should be here any minute now. I should probably get going.”
Kitty didn’t know how to respond. She hadn’t expected to say goodbye to the boy who had done so much for her this soon.
“Have a good trip.”
“Thanks. See you next year?”
“Yeah,” she stammered. She didn’t know why, but she felt genuinely sad that Min-ho was leaving. And he must have noticed, because suddenly, his arms were wrapping around her.
Kitty wasn’t sure exactly when their relationship had become so physical. Last semester, they wouldn’t even have given each other high fives, but now? Hugging has become a regular thing.
Min-ho rested his head against her hair, and Kitty leaned into the embrace, shutting her eyes and nestling into his arms. If she truly wasn’t going to see him until August, she was going to make this moment count.
But it was over far too soon. As they pulled apart, their hands lingered—another touch Kitty had become familiar with. She swallowed back all the words she wanted to say.
Min-ho gave her one last, slight smile as he turned to walk away. Maybe it wasn’t their time. Not yet.
Or maybe…
“Wait!” Kitty blurted out, realizing she definitely should have written a letter like LJ to figure out her feelings. Because what she suggested next could only mean she was losing her mind.
“Can I join you?”
She had no idea what she was doing. She already had tickets booked to go to Portland. But she couldn’t say goodbye to Min-ho. Not right now.
Min-ho’s lips curled into a slight smirk, and he tilted his head, gesturing for her to come with him.
With no idea what she was agreeing to, Kitty didn’t hesitate.
Notes:
Hi everyone! This is my very first fanfic and I'm so excited I have so many ideas. I know all XO, Kitty fans have all seen this scene but I wanted to set up my writing and Kitty’s feelings! Comments will be so appreciated, suggestions and ideas are so welcome. Also a one bed trope will be in this story in the next couple chapters for people who enjoy that! I will update this story frequently so please give your support!