Fortunately her seat was in front of mine which meant no more side ways glances in my direction. We flew first class yet again on our way back to Busan, where it all began. If was truly poetic that that was where we would be to bid our farewells to South Korea and the LC group.
Again, It was a good thing that she was sitting in front of me, it stopped me from blurting out the list of things was wrong with her. There was a lot we had to talk about. But let me open my mouth she'd turn this all around on me so I'd wait until tempers were cooled.
When she stood to go to the bathroom or wherever it was that she was going to, I looked away.
I'd bide my time and talk to her, because obviously we needed to talk. Or I needed to. This silent thing was not working for me. No sir.
But Keziah was a pro at it. She'd get up and the look on her face hard and blank.
And it never softened the eight times she left her seat.

'I'm sorry, ma'am.' A hostess approached Keziah before she left her seat again.
'Can you refrain from moving so much. The other passengers are starting to complain.'
First person she glared at was me. Her brows grew closer catching my involuntary smile at the wrong time. I looked like a guilty culprit but I wasn't one of the plaintiffs though I wished I'd been.

We arrived at the old accommodations where we would spend the rest of our day and the night.
'Hello, Donnie.'
I greeted, dragging my suitcase into the room.

'David,'
Just the way he mentioned my name.
'Davie,'
Oh no, what was it now?

'Don, just get to it already, I'm tired.'

'What were you thinking man? You know I knew it from the start.'
With Don I had to be extra patient.
'What did you know?'

'That you liked Keziah. Why else did you kiss her.'
My suitcase fell out of my hand and I nearly tripped over my bed post.
'Keziah told Anne. And Anne told me.'

Keziah told Anne! Wait, what did that mean? We'd been fighting , I didn't even get to talk about our kiss and what transpired after as well. Again it was a whole lot of nothing but enough something to have me hoping she didn't think it was a mistake.
I was dying to know what she'd said about where she stood and where that left me.

'What did she say?'

Don paused, 'About What?'

I rolled my eyes hearing the smile in my cousin's voice.
'Don, come on.'

'I'm hurt that I had to hear it from Anne. But knowing you I understand you wouldn't tell me.'
Especially when I was the poster boy for keeping business and pleasure in different zip codes. But that's not why I hadn't told Don, time had been a factor.

'So now that you understand. Tell me, what does she think about me?'
Does she like me or still hate my guts. That day had to be an off day for her. She likely told Anne she was drunk on wine or not in her right mind.
'Anne says you should ask her that yourself.'
The ultimate betrayal, Don having Anne listen in on a conversation which was so vulnerable.

'Of course she did. But I can't ask her right now?'

'Because you are fighting with her again.'
I was surprised at my surprise that they already knew, I should have known Keziah would have reported to Anne already.

'David, let me offer you this advice as someone who has been in relationships longer than you. You don't pick fights with them and they are always right.'

'I didn't start it. Clearly she didn't tell you the full story.'

'It doesn't matter, Davey. You start the conversation with an apology.'
There was no use in further continuing this conversation. Should I keep talking to Don, I'll only nurture the growing urge to smack him silly.

'Good bye, Don.'

'Wait David, I need to know if you really like her? And what are your intentions.' That was clearly Anne asking through him. Like hell if I was going to reply. They weren't eager to tell me anything.

'Well there's no use in knowing now is there? Like you said- or rather didn't say, she clearly has an idea where we stand and I'll ease myself away without making a fool of things.'
Based on my reasoning if we stood in a good place, she would have tried to talk to me. Those faces she made on the plane at me was all the signals I needed.

'No. David, come on.'
I ended the call with a sneaky suspicion that Keziah may be aware of the call the entire time. But I'll let it lie. One wrong point of my finger and a nuclear bomb would go off in here.
After cleaning up and feeding KZ, I got ready to go to bed early. Then a text came in.

'I know you are a little tired but the team wants you to join us for a farewell dinner tonight.'
I read the message twice while trying to determine the state my body was in.
Could we afford a night out? The call of the bed wasn't so potent come to think of it.
'Please, you leave the day after tomorrow and the Busan office has something already planned for that night, this is our only opportunity.'

I began texting when I got another text.
'Can we talk?'
I was surprised to see it was from Keziah; the text was early. Had a day or two gone by already?
'Sure.'
I tortured myself in the space of a second wondering how this conversation would go. Yes, I was angry about her outburst at the kitchen but I was also nervous thanks to Donald.

'The office.' She sent again.

We stood in awkward silence waiting for her to speak.
She looked everywhere then at me, and when I thought she was finally going to speak, she'd look away again.

'So who's going to watch them while we are gone?'

This couldn't be why she'd asked to talk. I didn't want to accept it.
'You ...' It was better to say nothing. Clearly the fur ball David was all she cared for.
'We can ask one of the cooks. We'll offer them extra pay.'

'I don't want to inconvenience them. They might have had a long day. I just downloaded this pet sitting app, we should have someone coming in 15 minutes.'

'You have already figured it out. Is that all?'
She smiled tightly.
'Yes. Good talk. I'll let her know we will be on our way.'

The dress code casual just a pair of jeans, a v-neck and a wool lined jean jacket to protect against the biting night air.

'This isn't a bar.'
I said stating the obvious standing outside the club with Eun an hour later than the scheduled meeting time.

'We weren't sure you'd want to come if I said it was a club.'
Eun was right, I wouldn't have wanted to. And the feeling was amplified when Hae Soo walked out in her sequined outfit that left little room to breathe.

'Don't be angry with me, Keziah was the one that suggested that we lie to you.'

Keziah was shocked at how quickly Eun exposed her.
'Wow. This loyalty is shaky, Eun. Extremely shaky.'
She avoided looking at me.
It was no wonder she was dressed perfectly in her tight leather pants and the sexy cut lace bustier.

'Oppa.' Hae grabbed my arm.
'I'd missed you. And now you are leaving me for good.'

I tried to subtly remove myself from her hold once I caught Keziah's daggers directed at me.

I laughed a little, clearing my throat in the process,
'Oh no. We'll be back for other ventures.'

I stepped away but she was oblivious to my subtle hints.

Eun led us into the club to a table already waiting for us. I recognized all the familiar faces.

'They made it.' One of them said in relief.

'I almost thought we wouldn't too.'
I dipped my head slightly in Keziah's direction.
'Next round of drinks will be on me.' I announced.
Hae grabbed my arms and pulled me in to sit beside her. Keziah slowly followed placing me effectively in between both women. On my right was the increasingly chatty Hae who told me about all her endeavors after our departure. She never failed to omit how much she missed having me around to help her out. That one time I offered her my help.
Keziah smiled and conversed as though I didn't exist.
I took my third drink before declaring I had had enough.
As nice of a girl as Hae was, she wasn't the one I kept thinking about. She wasn't the one I wanted to talk to. The one I wanted to talk to was giving me the cold shoulder and openly flirting across the table.

'I need to used the men's.' I told Keziah who blocked my exit from the uncomfortable position.

'You already used it before coming.' Keziah smiled.
Thankfully the music was loud and we weren't shouting. There was no need for the others to hear us.
'Well I'm a uncomfortable to be honest, so if you could please move?'

'Am I making you uncomfortable? I'm sorry. You should have let me know you wanted to be alone with Hae. Should I get you a room?'

The art of jumping into conclusions was a talent for Keziah. She deserved all the medals, my goodness.
'Move or I'll have to carry you from where you sit. It would be awkward for the two of us. But mostly you.'

Good. She caught the unyielding tone in my voice.

'Where are you going?' Hae asked.

'To the bar.' I replied. 'Alone. Don't get up. I'll get you what you need.'
I ended doing a bar run for everyone and when I came back they were all in the dance floor except Hae and Keziah who were genuinely in conversation.
I hoped I wasn't the subject.
'Speak of the devil.' Keziah smiles sarcastically.
'Hae was asking me why you don't dance.'
I did.
'And I told her it's because you have no rythym.'
'She's trying to get me to dance with someone else. Should I?'

'Yes. You should.'
Hae leaving would mean Keziah and I could talk. In the noise. Perfect. Maybe the music could blare out enough of my words so she wouldn't twist them like she does.
I then paid attention to the young man waiting on the other side.
'Your oppa said yes, now shall we? Please.'
Hae was disappointed but still went along.
Just as I set the drinks down and sat down, Keziah stood.
'Where are you going?'

'To dance.'

She turned around running into someone with a glassful.
'I'm sorry.' Keziah apologized attempting to clean the drinks on her chest.

'You should watch where you're going! Really.'
I rushed checking for any scratches as a result of broken glasses.
Luckily nothing was broken so she wasn't hurt.
'Ah. What a waste. Do you know how much the drinks cost.'
A genuine dilemma which I understood a little. It didn't give him the right to yell at her.
'Hey, she said she was sorry. Here,' I handed him cash for the drinks.
'This should cover it. Keep moving, thanks.'
I looked her over one last time.
'Are you okay?'

Keziah huffed, pushing my hands away.
'You really are a bad luck charm aren't you?'
She stalked off into the ladies room. I waited for her outside.

I caught her as soon as she stepped back out.
'We need to talk.'

'I have nothing to say to you.' She weakly protested.

'That's a shame because I have plenty.'

She shrugged.
'If it's an apology you want. Then fine, I'm sorry that I was rash and accused you of being an attention hogging maniac.'
Well those weren't her exact words... was she thinking that? Still an apology was an apology. Sadly that wasn't what I wanted to talk about.
Her large brown eyes waited on mine which slipped down to her pout lips.
I softly brought her lips to mine. Writing into every gentle tug the passion I felt, what was really going on with me.

'This,' I said after the kiss, 'this is what I want to talk about.'
She swallowed taking half a step back nodding.
'It was good.' Her fingers unconsciously touching her lips.

'Keep looking at me like that Keziah and I'll have no choice but to get us a room.'
I chuckled at her surprised look.

'Tell me, honestly.'
I took her hand.

'Where are we? What are we?'

'At a club.'
She intentionally misunderstood.

'I know what I want from what could be. But what I want to know is do you want this? Do you want me?'

'David you can't be serious.'
Had her voice been firm, I would have accepted she believed what she was saying.
It couldn't have been my deluded mind but I heard a not of hope.

'I am. That night, at Paradise, was not a mistake or a regret I'd ever have.'

'I don't know what to say.'
She turned away but her hand firmly took hold of mine and she guided me to the dance floor.

I was not sure where she was going with this.
Even she looked uncertain at first.
'Dance with me.'
Like that made sense.
But I did and if this was her way of rejecting me, it failed horribly. If anything I was way more in over my head than when I'd gotten on the dance floor.
Then she laced her fingers in my hair and planted a deep one on me.

'Let's see where this goes.'

My legs faltered but I managed to myself.
I lifted her and spin her around. Overreacting? I thought not. My apologies to those who were hit in the process. Who could care when she said yes?