Chapter Text
To be fair, she didn’t think this would work.
If Kitty’s being honest, these days, she doesn’t exactly think, really.
“I’m fine with it, you know I am,” Minho said after she’d blurted out the words—stupidly, so unconsciously and damning—sealing her feelings like a vacuum, no start or end. “But, you have to get your dad and step-mother’s permission, Covey. Can’t have them thinking I’m kidnapping you.”
Which brings her to this moment in time, a Zoom call with four individual sections staring back at her, five if she had to include herself in this equation.
Daniel and Trina stare back from one frame, excitedly waving. Lara-Jean has joined from her dormitory, Peter from somewhere in Tokyo where his lacrosse team currently calls home, and Margot steps into the space with a cup of tea, the walls of her freshly moved apartment in Scotland greeting them in the background.
This is home.
This is where half of Kitty’s whole heart resides.
The other?
It would currently be experiencing palpitations at the mere idea of someone in particular residing in the boy’s dormitory.
“Hello, everyone!” She claps her hands together, delighted to have them together like this. “Thank you for taking the time out of your day, despite several different time zones, to join this extremely important meeting!”
“This felt really formal,” Trina teases, standing behind her dad in his home office. “Katherine Song-Covey has invited you to join! I was wondering if there was a dress code.”
“Pajama chic, as everyone seems to be sporting—Lara-Jean, don’t tell me you went to class like that?” Margot’s eyes draw bug-wide, attempting to pinch the screen.
“I have afternoon classes, Margot,” She offers as an explanation, muffling a yawn with the pam of her hand. “Was up watching a movie with Peter last night and accidentally slept in. Anyway, this isn’t an LJ life update session, Kitty said this was important. Don’t interrupt her!”
“Right,” Kitty chuckles. Clears her throat. Counts to three under her breath. “If I may kindly direct your attention to the screen I’m about to share with you…”
“Okay,” Kitty grins into the camera, waving at her family popping up on four different sections of the Zoom call. Clicks share screen. “Good afternoon, everyone. I’ve prepared an important presentation today. The agenda? All the reasons you should allow me, Katherine Song-Covey, to tour Asia over summer with the potential love of my life, Moon Minho.”
Silence.
A staggering, unprecedented quiet consumes each of the five rooms involved in this moment.
“I saw you two weeks ago,” Peter is the first person to pipe up, chuckling in disbelief. “What was it you said? Whoa, whoa. No, nope. He has a girlfriend who he’s very into. What on Earth happened?!”
“Oh, her? Turns out I was right,” She can’t help up gloat. Killer instincts for the win, or so they say. “Stella, Minho’s ex-girlfriend, only dated him as a way to get back at his dad and, essentially, try to ruin his image and credibility and everything about him, family included. She was the one responsible for Moonleaks! Really traumatizing for him, and I feel bad because I’m the one who gave her his number. I’m the one who put him in that position, albeit unknowingly.”
“So your most realistic way to cope with it was to fall for him?” Margot clarifies. “I mean, Jiwon was saying something about this, but I didn’t think she’d be so on the nose with it.”
“I can explain if I were allowed to begin my presentation. My success rate at convincing dad is like, absolutely at 100% ever since I made one when I told him I applied to KISS and got in on the same scholarship mom had,” Kitty shrugs, metaphorically patting her shoulders. “Dad? Can I start?”
“No!” Daniel gapes. “What do you mean you want to spend the summer with a boy you’re in love with? Katherine Song-Covey, you’ll come home this instant. Why did you think I’d ever be okay with this?”
“Dad!” Kitty struggles to reign the situation in, noting how terribly flushed her father becomes. “It’s not just him! It’s his dad and his brother, Joonho, too. And it’s Asia! The Asian leg of the tour! Think of all the traveling and locations and how culturally enriched I’ll become, how much more I’ll appreciate it?!”
She slumps in her seat. There’s more to this than she’s letting on, the truth prevailing with ease.
“It’s—He helped me a lot. Convincing halmeoni’s sister to give me a chance. Flying out Margot and halmeoni to Bukjeon. Coming with me, being with me almost every step of the way. He just… He’s never made me feel alone. Right now, he could use a friend. That’s all I’d be going as. He’s kinda sworn off relationships, and I respect that, really. But he’s one of my best friends, someone who’s done a lot for me. I want to be there for him.”
“You’re calling him the love of your life on paper, Kitty,” Lara Jean points out, balancing a cheek on one hand, a pen in another. Unsurprisingly, it looks like the pen Peter had bought her when he and Kitty went to the stationery shop during his visit. “That’s serious. Compared to a crush, y’know.”
“I have a penchant to be sort of dramatic,” Kitty sheepishly ducks out of the way, cheeks growing dusky pink. “Anyway, may I please begin?”
“Alright,” Daniel concedes, speaking for the second time since joining the call with Trina. “Go ahead, show us what you’ve got, kiddo. But, you’re gonna have to convince me. Guilty until proven innocent kind of thing.”
She nods, emboldened. “Roger that! Well, today…”
🎤
There are three main points she makes during her presentation that floors everyone, including herself, quite honestly.
- Minho and Kitty are strictly friends at the moment, despite past/current feelings and their lingering unresolved issues — she expands on their current circumstances and how romantic involvement has the potential to offset their delicately established balance.
- Minho has, intentionally or unintentionally, constantly been at Kitty’s side through thick and thin throughout her second semester at KISS, a constant rock shielding her against the stormy weather.
- Kitty feels responsible for Minho and his family’s near ruination. Who knew giving someone a number had the potential to destroy their entire lives?
Three solemn points she keeps to herself when she decides to give Minho the outcome of their family meeting.
“So,” She begins, right after he orders them two sweet potato lattes from the truck. “I may or may not have been given permission to join you and your family on tour?”
“You did? Your dad and step-mum said it’s okay? Like really?” Minho looks as surprised as Kitty actually feels.
There’s something about the way her heart swoops and crashes, on the precipice of arrest, that keeps her meticulously in line with where she is and who she’s talking to without getting distracted.
An extremely difficult feat, if she’s being honest, especially with how hazy her mind tends to become, fog dancing around her skull as a hobby whenever Minho glances in her direction. Right now, they were waiting for Q and Dae for a final meet up before everyone parted ways for the summer. Julianna as opted out of the gathering even though Kitty had invited her, and Yuri… Well, Yuri hasn’t been answering Kitty’s texts since news broke about her father’s company.
Yuri hasn’t been speaking to anyone, really. Part of her wants to do something to thank her after she’d been the reason Jiwon had given up in her pursuit of ghosting Kitty on Instagram for the foreseeable future.
“Well, Peter helped convince them, since he’s met you,” Kitty informs him.
“Ah,” Minho rolls his eyes a little. “Awfully nice of the bloke.”
“Don’t even start that,” Kitty laughs, nudging his elbow. In turn, Minho swings an arm over Kitty’s shoulders, fingers playing with the strap of her shirt. “He’s a fan of you, Minho.”
“Of course he is.” They continue walking down the pebbled pathway, observing the cherry blossom petals like their path. The end of spring. New summer beginnings. “Everyone’s a fan of me, Covey. I’m an absolute delight. Aren’t I? Aren’t I?” He brings his drink up to his lips, and she can’t help but stare. The way it shapes against his lips, how they mould around the lid. How he swallows, the bob of his Adam’s apple and—
“Kitty, did you hear what I just said?” Q’s voice swims like an echo underwater, splashing clarity into her vision.
“Yes! Yes,” She snaps out of it, turning to see the new arrivals of Dae and Q in the flesh. “Absolutely. You were heard loud and clear, Q, and what I had heard, that you were saying so very loud and clearly, was…?” Pleading eyes make a pass at Dae and Minho for help.
Minho shakes his head, index finger pressing to her temple. “You’re such an idiot, how are you passing your classes without help from Dae? Yes, she’s gotten permission from her parents, she’s coming with me this summer.”
“I study,” She huffs, trying to wriggle out of his grip. “Dae doesn’t need to babysit my academics. What are you, my father?”
“That’s one way of putting it,” Q mumbles under his breath, to which Dae scoffs.
“Maybe she can keep you in line, try to help you not date people for entertainment who end up trying to cause your eternal ruination,” Dae raises his iced americano in recognition.
“Or maybe she could just date you,” Q offhandedly suggests, scrolling through his chat history with Jin. “Since, y’know, you’re still in love with her and all of that.”
Both Kitty and Minho pause at the statement.
Then, simultaneously, they yell:
“He’s like my best friend—”
“I’ve completely sworn off dating—”
They Pause. Look at each other.
Then, Kitty says, “This is me spending the summer with one of my best friends-slash-forever nemesis, said with affection, to help cheer him up. That’s literally all this is.”
Liar. You’re a liar. You like him. You like him so much. You’re in love with him. You want him happy, even if it means he doesn’t want to be with you.
“Right,” Minho agrees quickly, “besides, the point is, three months of traveling around? Spend time with my dad? Who also happens to be with Joonho? At least if we hit restart on that relationship, I won’t be all alone. I’ll have Kitty. Oh, and Joonho promised to let me play guitar for him on stage at some shows, too. Small mercies.”
Dae raises a brow in suspicion. “That doesn’t change the fact that—”
“Alright, enough. We’re leaving later tonight so me and Kitty have to pack,” Minho suddenly announces. “Yeah, dad confirmed that we’d take the private jet out tonight, so the car will be here at around nine p.m. Not too much time. You should pack,” He informs her.
The sudden information throws a wrench in her perfectly well-oiled machines. She’d thought there would be a day or two in between, enough time to provoke some kind of immunity against whatever happens to her around Minho these days. Maybe she’d be a wonderful specimen to study if anyone were conducting a study of teenage girls who get themselves into Not Ideal Situations — first, rooming with Yuri and Julianna, and two, somehow wedging her way into spending three months with Minho over summer.
“I should, yeah,” She agrees, sending a sad smile to Q and Dae. “I’ll see you guys later, yeah? You’ll send us off?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, ordinarily,” Q winks. Then, he makes a disappointed grimace. “But, Jin has a dinner with his dad tonight, and he’ll be back after, might be really upset, so I don’t know…”
“I have to collect my dad from his hospital check-up later, and then take him home, so I won’t be around. But, have a good summer, Kitty. You deserve it.” Dae waves, offering her something tender in return.
“Awh, thanks guys!” Without giving them a chance to say anything, she gives each a hug apiece. “I’ll see you next semester then. Stay safe! Okay, I’m going to pack! This is so exciting! Another Adventure 2.0.”
Pivoting on her heels, she spins twice, throwing her hands up in the air, bumping Minho’s hip away.
Moon Minho, who always has a tendency to look at Kitty like he’s seeing her for the very first time; all of her, inside and out, in-depth and well defined.
She hopes she can survive the next three months somehow.
🎤
me: hey, yuri
me: i know you’re not in the mood to reply to this
me: but it feels weird to not tell you this? so i’ll tell you! no need to reply
me: i just wanted to let you know i’m going to be back at KISS next semester. my scholarship was renewed!!!!
me: if you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out
me: take care of yourself, xo
yuri: thanks kitty. i’ll see you next year 💞
🎤
The car pulls up at 8:48 p.m. Kitty is waiting outside with her single yellow suitcase and backpack, door cleaned out and roommate nodded farewell to, by 8:50 p.m.
“Wow,” Minho feigns astonishment. “You’re so early, Covey.”
“Didn’t have a lot to pack,” She shrugs, gesturing to her bags. “Why? Am I not supposed to be early?”
“Where did I say that?”
“I know you’re implying it,” She snaps her fingers, lips askew. “You have zero faith in me, this is preposterous and—”
Suddenly, the gardens outside the school with scattered pink blooms are swiped from her vision, exchanged for a chest of black cotton, authentic leather, expensive face wash, cologned skin, and Dior perfume. Out of her head, into his arms. Encompassed, whole, full.
Lips curl against her head. The shape of his smile engraved itself straight over the seams of her heart, solidifying the structure. “I have more faith in you than I do anyone else in this entire world, Covey,” Minho admits, rocking her back and forth, hand flattening down the back of her head. Intimate, burning.
She forgets how to breathe.
“There is no one I trust more than you, Kitty,” He emphasizes, the pulps of his fingers carding through the strands.
How is he capable of sweeping her entire world off its axis with a mere embrace?
“I’m so glad you’re coming with me,” He continues. “I… I feel like I don’t know who I am, in a way. If who I was versus who I am is good enough and—”
“Stella or Esther, whatever her name is, she was really a bitch for doing this to you,” Kitty reciprocates the hold, soothing a hand down his back. The lack of height prompts her toes into action, chin hooking over his shoulder. No matter how many times he does this, she can’t help but let the way they fit into each other sink in.
“Yeah, well,” He doesn’t elaborate further. “Hey, how did you convince your dad to let you come with me?”
“Oh!” She laughs into his neck, absorbing the way his nervous pulse jackhammers against her cheek. At least this, whatever this is, is mutual. “Made him a presentation like I did when I convinced him to let me go to KISS. Presented it to the whole family. Got their approval, no big deal.”
There it is again. When she pulls away, Minho gazes at her like that.
How long will it take for one of them to break, she wonders.
“C’mon,” She smiles at him once the car drives into vision. Holds her hand out for him to take. “Are you ready to take on the world with me, Minho?”
“No one else I’d rather do this with, Covey.” His hand slips into hers. Splits her fingers apart. Allows them to intertwine. Holds their fingers against the moonlight and studies their combined shape intimately. Long hair sets against his ears, and she wishes she could push it back.
So, she does.
Minho freezes. Reboots. Computes. Pulls their interlocked hands into his pocket, and begins to walk to the car.
Maybe it’s going to be me, Kitty realizes, their steps aligning. I’m going to be the first one to break.