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The plane ride is cathartic and exhausting.
Adrenaline fades away, revealing the fatigue that plagued her for the past months一both physically and emotionally. Her senior year was packed alright; ups and downs like the rollercoaster ride at the Lotte World. Now that the wind has settled down and the ride has come to a stop, it all feels like a dream.
But the boy next to her, his physical presence, reminds her that it’s not.
Theirs aren’t the window seats一Minho’s last minute booking for their business class seats left them with few options一but Kitty doesn’t mind, not at all. She doesn’t care about what’s outside the window anyways when her choice of view’s right beside her.
“Kitty.”
She doesn’t stop playing with his hand. “Yeah?”
“I want to say I’m sorry.”
“You already said that.” She wants to memorize the shape and size and feel of his hand.
“No, not for that. For lying to you. Twice.”
Her hand stops and she looks at him; he isn’t looking back at her though. His gaze is fixed on the half-finished ice cream they had as dessert. Business class meals are definitely something else compared to economy.
“You were being a good friend.” She says quietly.
“But I wasn’t being a good boyfriend.” He takes her hand and presses it against his cheek. HIs breath fans against her skin, leaving behind goosebumps. “I accused you of not trusting me, but I also didn’t trust you to tell you the whole truth.”
“You promised Eunice一”
A breathless laugh escapes his mouth. “You don’t have to defend me, Covey. I’ve done plenty blaming you, but not me. I should’ve一I don’t know, tell you some version of truth一that Eunice is in trouble and I swore to her not to tell anyone about it. You wouldn’t have tried to pry it out of me.”
“Hey. Look at me.”
He does.
The moment is important; Kitty wants to make it count.
She tries to keep her voice steady. “Every relationship has its rough path to go through. No relationship goes without a fight. I’m glad we had ours early on so we can grow faster.”
Kitty wishes she hadn’t hurt him, and he hadn’t hurt her in return. It ripped her world apart and hurt like hell but it happened, and neither of them can change that.
He squeezes her hand.
“Kitty Song Covey. When did you get so wise?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Ruining friendships and relationships一not only my own but my friends’ as well as a self-named matchmaker stung a little.” They share a laugh. “But in all seriousness, seeing Lara Jean and Peter fight made me realize that perfect relationships aren’t the ones without fights. Perfect relationships are the ones that come out of the fight and still find their way back to each other.”
“Like us.”
“Like us.”
He gives her a smirk that she once found vexing. “Well then, here’s to the many more fights that’re sure to come.”
“With your annoying self? I’m afraid that’s inevitable.”
“I’d say your penchant for trouble is to blame.”
She gives him a little shove, which he takes with a laugh. Her heart flutters, and it’s like their second kiss; the hope that this is the beginning of something magical. Kitty wants to never let it go.
Which means she has to tell him about the lingering weight on her mind.
“Listen, I know how much your dad means to you, but there’s another reason why I felt like I didn’t belong in your world.”
Minho’s eyebrows knit faintly, but he gives her a nod. “Okay.”
“That night on the yacht, at Busan… Those were the words he said to me. That I’m trying to fit in a world I don’t understand. And I know we discussed this before一but I’m simply telling you because.. I hope you understand it’s not you I’ve ever doubted. Or didn’t trust.” She bites her lip. “It’s me.”
Minho lets out a long breath.
“Covey, like you said, I know we discussed this before一but let me say it again.” His entire demeanor is shifted now, and he’s fully turned facing her.
“You are not someone from my world一whatever that is.” He rolls his eyes. “But maybe that’s precisely the reason why I was attracted to you in the first place. You and your devotion to fly across the world without any back up plan to find a piece of your mother. Your almost annoyingly overbearing desire to help your friends, without asking anything in return. You’d run straight into the fire if needed, and come out burning brighter than before. And that’s not something you get from people who decide to settle for what they’re given. Covey, you never settle. And that’s why you don’t belong in my world. You make my world bigger.”
Silence.
Kitty feels unexpected tears swell in her eyes.
“Thank you.”
He leans forward and presses his lips to her forehead.
“I’m sorry about my dad. I’d love to tell you that I can handle this, but…”
“I know. It’s okay.”
“I’m not sure if I want to be in his world now, anyway. At least, not as certain as before.”
“So… you are not gonna take the job?”
Minho shrugs. “I dont know. Honestly, being Eunice’s manager was not something I did because I loved it. But it’s also something I’m good at.”
“Well, what does your heart tell you?”
His smile is small, shy but genuine. Kitty never thought she would describe Minho as “shy” but there she is.
“Whatever I do, I want to do the things that I love, and I know I love you. I’m not going to shape my future without you.”
Kitty Song Covey is gone for this man, and she does not regret a thing.
”I love you, too.”
He leans forward and presses his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. Kitty’s world bursts and blossoms and she’s never been more excited for her feet to touch the ground once more.
Her life一their lives一are just beginning, after all.