Chapter Text
4.
"Am I in the frame from your point of view?"
Min Ho and Kitty stood side by side in their shared hotel room in New York, their abilities to speak completely rendered useless as they stared at their bed.
As in, their only bed. Because there was only one fucking bed.
Min Ho couldn't help but snort as he pinched his nose in pure frustration. His life was a bloody cliché.
Kitty looked at him in hesitation, her cheeks blushed in a way that couldn't be blamed on the heat. “Have we checked if there are other rooms?”
Min Ho nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving the bed. “The hotel is completely booked. Breakfast is on them for the inconvenience, though.”
“Inconvenience,” Kitty repeated to herself, her voice quieting into something resembling pain. At that, Min Ho turned towards her, but Kitty had already turned her back towards him. “I'm going to change for tonight. You said Aliyah is finding out which plays still have tickets available for tonight?”
Min Ho nodded. “Yeah, she should let us know in a little while and then we'll be able to make our choice.”
As Kitty reached the bathroom door, she turned towards Min Ho with a small smile, a smile Min Ho had come to realize she only gave to him. ‘Great. I'm excited.”
Min Ho couldn't help but smile at her in return, a smile he had come to realize only Kitty seemed to bring out of him. “Me too.”
Once she entered the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind her, Min Ho wandered towards the window, taking in the breathtaking view of the New York landscape at sunset.
After a moment, his gaze wandered back towards the bed.
And then, he turned back towards the window, this time looking at the slightly cloudy sky, trying to search for whoever was in charge.
Let it be known that Min Ho believed in no deity and that hadn't changed but, in that moment, he was fully aware that there was someone up there running the show because this - this shit - didn't just happen to a person.
No, this torture had been specifically designed.
“Why do you hate me?” Min Ho asked the sky, his voice low yet tinted in frustration.
He was not surviving New York.
oOo
“Okay,” Aliyah placed her notepad and phone on the coffee table in their suite before straightening up and looking at the young man lounging on the sofa. “I managed to get tickets for Sunset Boulevard and Romeo + Juliet. The ones for Romeo + Juliet are Standing Room, though.”
“That’s easy, then.” Min Ho stood from his seat and walked towards the edge of the room, where he had left his phone charging. “Sunset Boulevard it is. Will you send me the tickets by email?”
“Already did.”
“Thank you, Aliyah.” Min Ho nodded his gratitude before turning towards the halfway opened door leading to the bedroom. “Covey, ready to go?”
“Yes, one second.” Kitty appeared by the door frame, her head cocked sideways as she blindly attempted to put on an earring. “Hey, why Sunset Boulevard?”
Min Ho felt Aliyah’s gaze on him in a distant manner, the rest of his mind and senses focused on the woman standing before him. His eyes traveled slowly from her black sneakers, to her little black dress. He watched her hair as it fell down her back in beautiful waves, and zeroed in on her radiant, lovely smile. At last, his eyes locked with her brown orbs so filled with life and joy.
At that moment, Min Ho truly understood how people in love have been known to say they could look at the love of their life and feel as if they would be delighted to stand there for the rest of their life. He understood, and he agreed with them wholeheartedly.
That much, though, he was taking to his grave. He had a reputation to maintain, after all.
This author questions herself who does Min Ho think he's fooling but. Well. Semantics.
“Min Ho?”
Snapping out of his daze, Min Ho blatantly ignored Aliyah's triumphant look and smiled at Kitty. “You look pathetic, Covey.”
His smile widened when Kitty blushed. “You too, Moon. Why not R + J?”
“Because they're Standing Room tickets.”
“So?”
“Do you feel like standing up for two whole hours for a play?”
Kitty crossed her arms before her chest. “If we're talking about the greatest love story of all time, then yes.”
Min Ho mirrored her posture. “I want to bloody sit when I'm watching a play.”
“Ready for retirement then, old man?”
Min Ho's gaze narrowed. “We're watching Sunset Boulevard.”
Kitty glared at him. “We're watching Romeo + Juliet.”
Aliyah cleared her throat nervously. “How about you play rock, paper, scissors? Best out of three gets to choose the play.”
Min Ho regarded his adversary carefully, his mind carefully going through Aliyah's proposal.
He imagined himself winning, them going to watch Sunset Boulevard, being able to bloody sit down. They would have dinner after and come back to the hotel, probably too tired to care about the one bed. He would have a dreamless sleep and wake up ready to work the next morning.
An ordinary night - as much as a night could be ordinary when with the love of his life -, followed by an ordinary morning.
But then, Kitty widened her eyes slightly, looking at him with a silent plea.
And Min Ho remembered that, more than winning, he liked making Kitty happy. He remembered how he felt whenever he did something thoughtful for her. He remembered that he loved her, and that he would do anything to see her smile at least one more time.
With a sigh, he turned towards Aliyah. “Could you send the R + J tickets to my email, please?”
Aliyah nodded, her lips barely withholding a smirk as Kitty jumped up and down excitedly before heading towards the front door.
“Already done, boss. Anything else?”
“Yeah, actually.” Min Ho approached Aliyah to whisper as menacingly as he could. “Keep your opinions to yourself.”
“Good luck tonight, boss.” Aliyah replied brightly. “I think you're gonna need it.”
oOo
Had Kitty begged to watch R + J because she had a crush on Rachel Zegler, who played Juliet? Absolutely yes.
That secret, she was taking it to her grave though.
She made her way into Circle in the Square excitedly, looking forward to watching a take on the most famous love story of all times, that was supposedly aimed for young people and in which queer people could feel as if they'd found a safe space.
As the play started, she could have never imagined it was Romeo the one who would end up gaining her attention.
Standing beside Min Ho, her hands gripping the railing before her, Kitty watched as this boy of roughly the same age as she, looked at Juliet and fell irrevocably in love.
More than that, he was happy to be in love. He yearned for her, of course, and he was angsty whenever he wasn't with Juliet, but he was happy. Even when he didn't know whether Juliet loved him, even when he didn't know if she had noticed him, he was happy.
He was happy because she made him happy, because knowing of her existence and knowing she lived in the same world he did made him happy.
What a bloody concept.
No need to say that Kitty fell completely into the story. She forgot about herself, her feelings, her heart and her own yearning. She forgot about her own love story, and let herself sink into a love story known by all.
And then, Juliet appeared on the balcony and Romeo appeared right beside Kitty.
And then, as if Kitty was a long-time friend, Romeo started to gush about Juliet. To her.
If anyone went after the play and asked Kitty what did Romeo tell her, Kitty wouldn't have known what to answer.
Because as Romeo talked about Juliet, Kitty could only think about Min Ho.
Min Ho who, by her utmost shock, had turned into her best friend.
Min Ho, who she was so happy to know. Min Ho, who was the person she trusted the most.
And at the end of the day, she was so happy she loved Min Ho. She was so happy she chose him because she knew that she couldn't trust anyone with her heart the way she trusted him. Even if he didn't love her anymore, it would be okay, because of all the lives she could have had, she had a life that had led her to meet him therefore, she was the luckiest girl in the world. Simply for knowing him.
Simply, for loving him.
So, the question begged to ask itself and for once, Kitty didn't have an answer.
What could possibly be holding her back?
As Romeo left, heading back to stage to finally talk to his beloved Juliet, Kitty slowly turned around, her gaze immediately traveling to Min Ho.
Min Ho, who was looking at her already, his lips slightly parted, his pupils blown, his hands also gripping the railing before him.
“Alright?” Min Ho mouthed.
Kitty gulped.
Her final barrier had fallen.
There was nothing holding her back.
So, she couldn't say anything. She couldn't possibly answer, not then. She nodded as confidently as she could and turned back towards the play, trying her best to still her trembling hands in the process.
Time to jump.
Time to see whether she would be caught.
Time to see if she could fly.
oOo
Kitty didn't look at him once after that, not even during intermission.
When the play ended, Kitty immediately grabbed his hand, dragging him towards the exit, both of them ignoring the audience struggling to get to stage door for an autograph.
Then, the drive back to the hotel was absolutely silent, in a way that made Min Ho feel as if he couldn't breathe.
He was fucking terrified.
“Covey,” Min Ho begged as soon as they entered their suite. “What’s happening? What was that?”
Kitty sat down on the couch, only then remembering she hadn't taken her shoes off. She hastily reached forward, her fingers trembling as she reached for her shoelaces. “I'm so sorry, I didn't notice, I'll take them right off-.”
“Covey,” Min Ho whispered, his voice rough, wanting, desperate. He slowly walked towards Kitty, sitting on the coffee table before her. After meeting her wide eyes for one long, eternal moment, Min Ho reached down to take off her shoes himself, his fingers completely steady.
Once he tenderly took her shoes off one at a time, he took a deep breath and rested his hands on her knees, slowly looking up again. Looking up at the woman staring at him with parted lips and a wrecked breath. Looking up at the love of his life.
“Kitty. Talk to me.”
Something about Min Ho calling her by her name for once seemed to break something in her. Only two big tears managed to roll down her cheeks before she sniffed and buried her face in her hands. “I'm so sorry Min Ho, I’m really so sorry.”
Min Ho's breath caught in his throat, the fear he felt doing his best to fill his chest with dread. “What? What for?”
With a frustrated sigh, Kitty slapped her hands on the couch, immediately getting up and stalking towards the kitchenette. “I tried not to feel like this. I really, really did, you have to believe me! But it's like, you're you and you're insufferable but you're also one of my favourite people in this world and it's just, this is killing me! Standing here, feeling how I'm feeling without being able to say it it's fucking killing me and I feel so selfish because this is not what you want!”
Min Ho blinked as he also stood up. “Katherine Song Covey cursing. Is the world ending?”
Kitty turned on the electric kettle before turning towards Min Ho, her hands on her hips. “This is not funny.”
“I disagree. I think it's hilarious,” Min Ho couldn't hold back his smile, even as Kitty’s glare deepened. “I'm also concerned I've been a bad influence on you.”
Kitty nodded slowly for a second, her eyes set on him. Then she reached to turn off the electric kettle before making her way towards him.
“You want to know what kind of influence you are?” Kitty started, her voice murderously low. “How have you changed me? Who am I now, because of you?”
Min Ho straightened, humour long gone now. “Covey, I was kidding, I didn't mean-.”
“Shut up.” Kitty snapped. She finally stood a few inches away from him. “Just shut up. Because this has been torture. Because I came here for you, because you needed a friend and I wanted to be here for you just like you've always, always been there for me. But you literally spent all summer showing me the world, you made sure I felt happy and safe and protected and that I had the best time in my life.”
“Covey -.”
“And all of this time, I've been perfectly aware of what you told me that last day at KISS. You told me you were swearing off relationships and I understood and I tried my best to respect that - I do, I promise I still do!” Kitty wiped her tears off again, completely unable and terrified to look at Min Ho as she finally, finally let it all out. “But you…all of this time you never realized that all I needed to have a good time is just being with you. All I need, all I want is to be with you.”
Min Ho couldn't hold on any longer. He crossed the distance between them, and lovingly reached to hold her face between her hands.
“Kitty,” Min Ho whispered. “Kitty, I need you to say it. Please, I…I can't dream about it any longer. I need you to say it.”
Slowly, Kitty rested her hands on his, her eyes once again filling with tears. Still, as much as she wanted, she didn't take her eyes off of him. And as their eyes locked, she smiled. “I love you. I'm so in love with you. I tried to ignore it, because I didn't want to make things complicated for you and I wanted to respect what you wanted but I couldn't. I had no chance. And I'm so sorry but I'm so bloody happy I get to love you. I love you.”
“Kitty,” Honestly, it was an absolute miracle Min Ho managed to utter any words because he felt…he was absolutely wrecked. In the best way possible. “Covey. You're hilarious.”
When Kitty sniffed quietly, Min Ho rested his forehead against hers, his thumbs slowly caressing her cheeks. “You actually think there's a world in which I could possibly forget you, Covey? A world in which I didn't fall in love with you?”
Kitty pulled her head an inch away so she could look at Min Ho, hope for the first time colouring her gaze. “What?”
“I tried,” Min Ho admitted before chuckling lowly. “I tried to let go, to move on, but I couldn't and I was so afraid of telling you or that you'd realise somehow because I thought…I was terrified I was going to lose you.”
Kitty shook her head slightly. She started running her thumbs tenderly across his hands. “You didn't lose me then and you wouldn’t have lost me now. You could never lose me.”
“I love you,” Min Ho breathed, giggling as he realized he could say it as many times as he wanted now. “I love you so much, Covey. I love you.”
Kitty stared at him in disbelief before she too started laughing. For a moment, a moment they both wished could last forever, they stood there laughing: in awe that this was their life, in disbelief they had actually voiced their feelings for each other, in elation that they loved and were loved in return.
“I can't believe this,” Kitty finally declared, her smile as bright as the sun. “You're telling me all this time we could have been together!? Why didn't you tell me sooner!?”
Min Ho pulled away to cross his arms before his chest smugly. “I'm sorry, when did you tell me!?”
Kitty laughed at that, biting her lower lip as she gazed at Min Ho with everything she’d been holding back before. “You love me. You really love me.”
Min Ho sobered up and took a deep breath as he smiled the smile he reserved just for her. “I do. God, I do.”
Kitty giggled before reaching forward to grab his hands in hers and interlocking their fingers. “Well, then. I guess you're stuck with me.”
Min Ho raised an eyebrow. “I'm stuck with you then?”
Kitty shrugged nervously. “I mean, if you'll have me.”
Min Ho rested his forehead against hers with a roll of eyes. “That’s a question I'll literally always answer yes to, Covey.”
And when they kissed, it was slow, tender and heartbreakingly sweet. It felt like getting home after a long day. It felt as if they'd been fighting and struggling for so long and then, then, they finally got to breathe.
It felt as soulmates recognizing one another after dancing away from each other for so long.
Or, at least, that's what this author supposes.
After a few minutes, Min Ho snorted into their kiss, resting his forehead against her temple as he giggled.
“What?” Kitty asked breathlessly, even as she couldn't help but smile at his happiness.
“It's just,” Min Ho trailed off, Kitty's lips distracting him. He reached down to kiss her one, two, three times before finally being able to pull away. “I don't think the one bed is gonna be a problem now.”
oOo
The following evening saw Kitty posting a photo of herself and Min Ho showing off their outfits for Joon Ho's show.
kitty_scovey: it's giving rockstar bf and gf and I'm here for it <3
minho_moon: <3 <3
theyurihan: gorgeous couple!!!
dae_: thank god, the yearning was killing EVERYBODY
thisisjin: hope you know how lucky you are, Moon. Kitty, you settled.
p_kavinsky: I WIN THE BET!!! EVERYONE CHEERED!!
quincyisnothere: YOU TWO HAD ONE JOB (happy for you though)