New Beginnings

15 - Surprise!

I hired Heidi full-time and gave her a bonus. I felt guilty for piling so much on her suddenly, but she was excited to take it on. She was an excellent assistant and understood my thought process and could mimic my style very well. I got her ready for my upcoming vacation. I was going to be gone for almost 2 weeks and was comfortable leaving it all in her hands.

The closer it got, the more nervous I got. It was the first time I would see him since... I made myself focus on the tasks I had to get done. I was wrapping up the final details for Valerie's wedding in Atlanta completely on the phone and via email. I would be able to visit them in person before the day.

It was Monday and I had my flights booked and my suitcases on standby. I was taking two this time since I had an evening gown and business clothes. I had been picking my outfits carefully and packing some of the casual stuff as I chose them. I was flying out on Thursday, then spending Friday with my family. Saturday was the prom. I decided to actually make it a vacation and was flying back the next Thursday. I hated how rushed my last visit had been.

Now that Heidi was handing so much, I felt like I could take a break. I had been working almost non-stop for 2 years and barely got to come home during that time. It was time to change that. I missed my family and I was able to do it now, so that is exactly what I was going to.

I was so busy that the next 3 days flew by and it was time to go before I knew it. I asked Heidi to drive me to the airport since my flight was leaving at a decent time of day this time. She hugged me and told me not to worry, she had everything under control. She would call me if she needed anything.

Minhyuk texted me while we were waiting to take off and told me to have a safe flight and he was excited to see me. That made me happy. It shouldn't have, but it did. I had come to terms with our friendship. If circumstances had been different... I shook myself back to reality as the engines began to whir and the 'Fasten Seatbelts' signs came on.

Four turbulent hours later, I was headed to baggage claim. Clara was waiting in the pick-up line when I came out. She ran to meet me and her smile faded when she saw my face.

"What is going on with you?"

"Nothing. What do you mean?"

"Hmm, something is off. I'll figure it out." I really had no idea what she saw. I texted in the group chat on the way home that I had arrived.

Mom fed us when we got home and I ate so much I thought my stomach was going to pop. Connor and I curled up on the couch next to mom and I nodded off. I woke to a man's voice. I blinked at the face hovering over me as it came into focus. It was Kyun. I smiled. He had come to take me to his house.

It was a short ride to his house. I unpacked a few things in the guest room and went to wash up. I came back to the living room and Kyun was stretched out on the couch on his side. He held out his arm for me to come snuggle.

"You know, when either of us starts actually dating someone, we are going to have to stop doing stuff like this," I said teasingly.

"Why? They would just need to accept that this is us."

"That person would have to be a saint. Nobody would want their boyfriend or girlfriend spooning another person." These thoughts hadn't even occurred to me until I met Minhyuk. I had always assumed Kyun and I would just continue as we always had been.

"Well, for now we don't have to worry about that. So come here." He patted the cushion and I took my spot. We watched a British show on Netflix. He had been watching it and gave me a quick rundown so I would know what was going on.

I fell asleep again and I woke up to Kyun nudging me gently and laughing softly behind me. I turned to him to see why he woke me.

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?"