Late Sunday afternoon, Yoongi had to go to Cora's room and shake her gently to wake her from a three-plus hour long nap. He smoothed her hair away from her pouty face. "G, do you feel OK? Are you sick? You are sleeping for a long time." He didn't mention that she had also slept for about 30 minutes on his shoulder at the restaurant the previous day, before crashing out for more than an hour back at the hotel, but all this sleepiness had him genuinely worried.

She grumbled, "Nah, I'm fine, just not sleeping a lot at night." She yawned and sat up, squinting over at him. "Is it basketball time already?"

"I think dinner first, and then basketball. Are you hungry?"

She blinked and thought about it. "Yeah, I could eat. What are we going to have?"

"I would like Thai food. Do you like it?"

"Mmm, yes, love it." She swung her legs off the mattress and stood up, walking over to Yoongi and then slumping onto him in a very relaxed hug.

He laughed gently and patted her back with both hands, propping her up. "Cora, are you sure you are healthy? I'm worried."

She sighed heavily. "I'm good, just had a couple of rough nights in a row. I'll be OK." She straightened up and smiled at him, running her fingers through the long hair at the nape of his neck.

Yoongi leaned in to kiss her. "OK, if you promise. Let's go have some food and some fun, then! It's our last night in New York."

She nodded and went to rummage through her suitcase for her "normie" clothes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cora felt her phad see ew churning in her stomach as she and Kang Dae made their way to their seats. 'Dang, they put a lot of garlic in that stuff!' she thought. 'I mean, I've lived with an Italian lady for a decade, but it was too much for me.' She chuckled, and reminded herself to call Nana from Chicago in the next day or two.

She looked around the arena, and wondered what it would be like to play in such a large venue, then laughed at herself. 'Like 18,000 people aren't enough now, after three shows?' She peered across the court and tried to find Yoongi and Minsuk, his near guard for the night, but couldn't find them.

Kang Dae pointed out Jiwo, who was standing a bit higher up the stands, scanning for threats. "He just gave the OK for Yoongi-shi to come to his seat," Kang Dae informed Cora, pointing to his earpiece. She grinned as she spotted her boyfriend walking the sideline, nodding respectfully to the players along the way.

"Who are you cheering for tonight?" Kang Dae asked.

"Well, I'm from LA, so I have to be a Lakers fan. I'm not really attached to either of these teams. But I guess I'll cheer for the Knicks, since we're in New York. Nothing against Miami, though! How about you?"

"I'll take Miami, then. Should we bet? Loser buys the winner coffee tomorrow?"

Cora shook his hand. "You're on! OK, now this is serious! Miami is going DOWN!!" They both laughed. She watched as Yoongi took his seat and then spotted her, so she waved wildly. He laughed, but didn't wave back, playing it cool, and looked down at his lap for a moment.

Her phone vibrated. Hi G, he texted her. You look like you're having fun!

I am! And you look very ambassadorial, D. Please cheer for New York - I just bet Kang Dae that they would win, and I hate losing.

He made eye contact across the court again and grinned. OK. Knicks, fighting!!

She sent him a kissy face emoji and then looked up as the announcer began to introduce the starting lineups.

The first half went well for Cora. It wasn't a run-away, but New York led most of the time. During the halftime show, she started trying to decide if she would ask Kang Dae for just an ordinary coffee, or try to find the most ridiculously expensive coffee drink in New York City instead. She turned to him and opened her mouth to say something, but noticed that his face had a green tinge and there were beads of sweat along his hairline.

"Are you OK? You look sick, Kang Dae-shi!"

"I, I think I need the toilet. Something in my dinner was bad!" He stood and quickly made his way to the aisle, half-sprinting toward the bathroom.

She watched him until he disappeared through the exit, then turned and looked over at Yoongi and Minsuk, but they seemed to be deep in conversation about something. She looked up the stands at Jiwo and saw him glance over to see the empty seat beside her. He stood up and walked to the aisle, staring intently in her direction, then tapped his earpiece and said something.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the second half began, Minsuk leaned over and said, "Kang Dae has left his post." Yoongi peered across the court, and saw Cora sitting alone.

"Where is he?" he asked, a bit concerned but not too worried. 'I don't think she's in serious danger, since they search everyone with the metal detectors and such at the door,' he thought. 'Still, Kang Dae has a job to do. He should be taking care of her. Where the hell is he?'

"Jiwo is really angry. He's not answering when Jiwo-shi calls," Minsuk said, pointing at his ear.

Yoongi raised his eyebrows, his concern growing. "Jiwo doesn't know where he is?" he asked.

"No."

'Where did Kang Dae go? Jiwo is angry,' Yoongi texted Cora.

'Bathroom. I think he needed to vomit. He said something in his dinner was bad, and he was all green and sweaty.'

'OK, I'll let Jiwo know. Thanks. Knicks, fighting!'

The second half was underway when Kang Dae made his way back and sat down. "Are you OK?" Cora asked him.

He nodded, tight-lipped. She realized that he was listening to something in his earpiece. Then he was apologizing over and over again.

D, is Jiwo scolding Kang Dae? Because he's really not well! I would much rather have him go to the bathroom than puke right here in the stands!

She saw Yoongi lean over and ask Minsuk something. Jiwo will fire him for leaving without calling him to replace. He is very angry.

No! That's not fair! He suddenly got very ill. And I'm fine, it's not like Ray is going to show up at an NBA playoffs game.

Jiwo says that if something did happen, he and Minsuk couldn't get to you fast enough, so Kang Dae had to warn before he left.

HE WAS ABOUT TO PUKE! Or maybe shit himself, I don't know, I didn't ask. He seemed fine one minute, and extremely sick the next. Tell Jiwo that I won't have any other body guard. Kang Dae or nobody!

Oh, for fuck sake. I don't want to be between the two most stubborn people I know! Why don't you two fight together after the game, G? I love you! Kiss, kiss!

Cora turned to Kang Dae and said, "I told Jiwo he can't fire you for being taken ill suddenly. I refuse to have anybody else guard me!"

Kang Dae hung his head. "Jiwo-nim already decided. And he's right. I put my own pride before my duty to you, and left you undefended. I deserve to be fired."

She could see tears in his eyes. "Kang Dae-shi, as I told Yoongi to tell Jiwo, I would much rather that you take care of your basic bodily needs than get sick right here in front of everyone. You are an honorable man and a great bodyguard who just ate the wrong shellfish tonight or something. You shouldn't lose your job over it."

Kang Dae bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement, but he did not look comforted by her words.

Yoongi was trying to stay in character as the NBA ambassador, but the controversy around Kang Dae was distracting. He waved and smiled as the fan cam put him up on the Jumbotron and the announcer boomed a welcome.

He looked across the arena and saw Cora cheering wildly. Suddenly she whipped around and it seemed like she was threatening to punch a man seated behind her. Kang Dae gently pulled her back down into her seat.

'Keep a calm face, Yunki. You can ask her about it later. That man probably just said something rude about me.' He couldn't help smirking a little bit. 'She's such a hothead. I love her so much!'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yoongi sighed and peered out the window as the plane taxied away from JFK. 'One city down, how many to go? It seems like that went really fast. Well, Chicago, here we come!' He turned and smiled at Cora, who was sitting next to him scrolling through social media.

"Here we go, D!" she said with a smile. She yawned. "I have to remember to call Nana when we get there."

He nodded. "Yes. And tell her that you bullied the head of the security team," he chuckled.

"I didn't bully him! I just explained to him that he was mistaken, and needed to think again!"

Yoongi laughed. "I've never seen him give up on anything about security before. You're a menace, G!"

She rolled her eyes, and then reached over to take his hand. "We have a couple of days before the first show, right? What are you planning to do in the meantime?"

"Ah, well, I owe Hybe a vlog, so I will film around the city a bit. Check out the arena, make sure everything is ready. Except those, I don't know. What do you want to do?"

She gently rubbed her thumb along his. "I'm not sure. I've never been to Chicago before! All I really know is that it has terrible weather, lots of hot dogs, and extremely thick pizza." She grinned at him. "I would like to hear some jazz or go to a pretty park or something like that. Mostly I just want to spend quality time with you."

He smiled and traced her face with his eyes. "That sounds very nice," he said, his voice deep and gruff.

She brought their clasped hands to her lips and kissed his finger, and he laughed. Then she yawned cavernously and slouched over to sleep on his arm, since the fancy lay-back seats wouldn't allow her to lean on his shoulder.

He used his free hand to smooth her hair away from her face. "Cora," he said softly. "Please tell me why you're suddenly tired all the time. I'm really worrying!"

Cora laughed and sat up straight, then peered around to see if anyone else was sitting close to them on the private jet. She smirked at him, blushing a bit. "You really want to know?"

"Yes!! Please tell me."

She sighed theatrically and turned her body toward him as much as the seat belt would allow. "Dr. Min, my boyfriend is torturing me."

He stared at her, stunned. "What do you mean?"

In a half-whisper she told him, "Every night he sleeps in my bed, snuggles close and kisses me sweetly, and then... he goes to sleep. And I lie there listening to him breathe and wanting to be even closer to him, physically, if you know what I mean. But he's Korean, you know, and he's kind of modest and shy. So I don't dare make a move. I want to tear his clothes off, but I don't want to scare him! So instead I lie awake all night, being tortured." Her eyes were huge as she looked at him.

Yoongi gaped at her, his mouth hanging open. "Why didn't you say before?" he asked. Then he glanced at his watch. "Two and a half hours until we land. Should I go to cockpit and ask the pilot to fly faster?"

She laughed musically. "YES! Go tell her!"

They both laughed, and Yoongi cupped the back of her head in his hand as he pulled her in for a deep kiss. He pulled away. "I'm so sorry I tortured you, Cora. I want the same thing, but seemed like so soon, and you're younger than me, so..." He stared deeply into her eyes.

"Yes, but I'm American, you know. I'm not, uh, really experienced with these things, but I'm not innocent, either. It has been a very long time, though. Years. Why am I telling you all of this?!" She laughed helplessly and looked at him. She whispered, "Uh, are you still down even though I'm not a virgin?"

He chuckled and whispered back, "Of course, G! You're so gorgeous and amazing and, and sexy. Of course I want to!" He gave her a quirky little smile. "I'm not so innocent, too. But it has been a very long time..." He ran his fingers across her cheekbone. "Maybe when we get to the hotel today, we should just practice and remember how?" His mischievous grin made her giggle.

"Yes, let's do that!" she whispered.