DEAR KIM

CHAPTER FIVE | THE DATE

"You're quitting the medical programme?!" Jess asked like a mad mom would.

Two months had gone by and the winter had taken her cold veil of white off South Korea. The spring greeted the beautiful country with lush green on mountains and endless flower beds on valleys. Once frozen lakes strolled in their calm blue-green. The highlight of the season was the pink of cherry blossoms sparkling at day like a dream.

The day of my date with Kim Tae Min had arrived and for the sake of eliminating the uneasiness in me, I decided to have a video chat with Jess before the event.

"I'm just saying Jess. I've never been interested in the medical college and honestly I've skipped too many classes and tests. Lord knows I might not make it in time for exams." I told Jess.

"That's why make up tests and summer school exist Pree! Are you sure about this? Your parents would freak out!"

"I know Jess."

"Well, you should think about it. At least have an idea of what you really want before you decide to quit medical school." Jess told me.

I had thoughts of leaving Harvard since the first day I got in. Becoming a surgeon was something my parents enforced on me. I bore it for long and after two months of no classes, I realized how much the medical course wore me out. I had to stop.

"Are you quitting because of Kim?"

"No!" I lied. He was part of the reason. I wanted to stay in Korea a bit longer.

"So what are you wearing for your date?" Jess asked, changing the subject to eliminate the tension in the air.

"I don't know. I'm thinking sexy but not slutty." I told Jess, while I ransacked a travelling bag.

"You've got a date with the hugest crush you've had for three years in two hours, and you're still wearing a bathrobe. You amaze me Pree."

"Look I..."

A knock on the door interrupted our conversation. Then a voice echoed from the door.

"Miss Kapoor, are you in?"

"s**t! It's Mr Park, I've got to go." I told Jess, while I rushed to the door.

"Okay. Tell me all..."

I did not wait for Jess to complete her words. I ended the call and opened the door.

Mr Park came in with three adults and a teenage girl.

The adults had a cosmetic train case, a rack of clothes and a bag of hair dressing tools each. Dressed in denim, each adult had unique shades of blue, red and purple for hair. They were quite eccentric.

"Miss Kapoor, these are Park Seo Hyeon, Choi Ji Ho and Pae Jin Sol. Seo Hyeon is a makeup artist. She's the best we've got. Choi Ji Ho is a fashion stylist. He'll be in charge of wardrobe and Jin Sol is a hair stylist. They're all here to make you presentable for your date with Mr Kim. Reporters, writers and bloggers will be there, so we've got to make you the prettiest girl in the room." Mr Park said with a smile and the three adults he introduced, took a slight bow.

The dark-haired teenage girl, so cute in a simple white T-shirt and yellow dungarees, cleared her throat.

"Hi! I'm Lee Eun Ji, Tae Min's baby sister. Step sister actually. I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to meet you." She said with a smile and reached out her right hand. Her voice was adorable.

I took her hand in mine and smiled like a good in-law would.

"Hi! I'm Priya. It's nice to meet you too. I love your outfit."

The little girl blushed and I was satisfied. Kim Tae Min's family was my family. At least that was something my three year-old fan craze taught me.

"Please get started you three. We've got very little time left. Miss Priya once you're ready, let me know. I'll be at the reception." Mr Park said and left the room.

While Choi Ji Ho sorted clothes, Seo Hyeon padded my face in dabs and swipes. Jin Sol stood by preparing hot combs and Eun Ji sat beside me all smiles.

"I've got a secret to share with you Priya. Do you want to hear it?" The cute teen asked in Korean.

"Sure." I answered, my Korean knowledge in full mode.

"Well I'm proud to tell you that while the agency was responsible for the tour of South Korea as a prize for the contest you won, the date with big brother was totally my idea!"

"What?" My eyes widened. I was grateful to the child but I could not tell her such. I had to play cool.

"Yup! It was my idea! I got worried about big brother. He has a lot of female celebrities gawking at him every day but he takes no interest in them. I won't blame him though. A lot of these celebrities just want a relationship with brother, so they can gain popularity. Some just drool over his pretty face and others just want him featured in their music videos." Eun Ji said while she played with an eye pencil. I listened attentively as she continued.

"My brother knows this so he doesn't give them any attention. It's sad because he's always so lonely and I hate that. I thought things might work out if one of his fans had a chance with him. That's how the idea for a date with one of his fans came up."

I wanted to hug Eun Ji and repeat the words 'Thank you' but I held my peace.

"Priya, you seem like a lovely person but I can't promise you sparkles when you meet Tae Min. He's reserved and may come off as cold but be patient with him. Be sure to bring up topics that interest him. He's a cool rapper but he's a die-hard fan of love songs. He also loves ramen, skating, painting, spraying graffiti on walls and he loves everything about the spring." Eun Ji smiled.

"He also loves Bourbon!"

At that sentence, I laughed within me and with a smile I thanked lovely Lee Eun Ji for the tip.

At the end of the hour-long make over, my figure was accentuated in a white bridal pantsuit, left unbuttoned. The white lace body suit I wore within, defined the term 'sexy'. Peach Eden pumps and a peach leather clutch bag from the designer brand 'Ralph and Russo', gave the outfit a spring feel.

My hair was parted evenly in the middle, tucked behind my ears in a sleek style and tied into a low pony tail. Diamond ear cuffs shone on my ear lobes and with a gold neck chain and bracelets almost invisible, I looked like a twenty-first century beauty.

My look spoke independence and wealth. I felt powerful.

***

It was the thirteenth hour of the day and Mr Park dropped me off at the Mingles restaurant in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam. He told me the building was the location of my date with Kim Tae Min.

I walked into the building and its interior décor simplified, comforted me. Pretty wooden chairs and glossy tables shone under light beams from bright bulbs. My nostrils basked in the aroma of sweet, spicy and sour mingled in realms of heated glory.

I was led to an area of the restaurant that was almost empty. Only two couples were present and on one of the tables close to glass paned sliding doors, I spotted him. My date, Kim Tae Min.

His beauty spoke modesty in a gorgeous outfit of a peach- stained floral dress shirt, black trousers and a pair of quarter brogue for shoes. His platinum blonde hair was slicked back and his side profile glowed as he stared into a distance. As always, he was perfect.

"Hi! Miss Priya. I'm Director Won and I'll be coordinating this event. Your date with Mr Kim will last for fifteen minutes. There will be a break after the first ten minutes. Please do your best to engage Mr Kim and do so while smiling. A fake laugh may help as well. We've got writers from entertainment news, blogs and magazines. We want to give the world a view of the flawless date between Mr Kim and his fan. Can you do that?" A middle-aged Chinese man behind a huge camera asked me in English.

"Yes." I said while confusion and anger were set ablaze within the whites of my skull.

"Good. We'll let you know when to begin." Director Won said.

I walked to Tae Min's table. He turned to me and his eyes grew wide.

"Hey! Bourbon lady." He said with a smile.

"I told you my name." I said in a bold voice, knees trembling.

"Yeah, Pree right?"

"He remembered my name!" My thoughts sang childishly.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Crap!" I cursed under my breath.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. Then I opened them and with a smile I stretched out my right hand to him.

"Hi. I'm Priya. Priya Kapoor, winner of the 'Save the Kids Contest'. Friends call me Pree."

Kim Tae Min stared at me in awe and stroked his hair a few times. I hated myself at that moment and wished the ground would swallow me.

With my arm still stretched out, Director Won clapped his hands twice and I was ordered to sit.

Tae Min folded his arms and after a sigh, he smiled. Cameras clicked.

I smiled back.

"So you lied to me?" He asked.

"No...I mean yes. I'm sorry I acted like I didn't know you but if I told you I was a fan, would you have stayed?"

"No."

"So we're good?" I asked, calling on all my charms.

"No. There's one more thing Pree."

"What?"

"You owe me a bottle of Bourbon."

There was silence for two seconds and we both laughed. Cameras clicked at a faster pace and humans whispered.

There it was again. Kim Tae Min's true smile without a mask on.

Two plates of Conger eel was served before us and wine sparkled in two glasses. I took up a glass and quenched the excitement in my dancing heart.

"So tell me Pree. Why do you think I'm sad?" Tae Min asked. I almost chocked.

"Wait...sad...you...you read my letter?" I asked in stammers.

"I read all the letters. To be honest I glanced through a few, since a lot were similar and I read some carefully. I had some staff members from the agency, read some as well. It was exhausting to read over a hundred letters. I didn't want to but someone I know convinced me to. She said it'll help me connect better with the winner. I guess yours was the letter I chose."

"Oh and that someone is..."

"My baby sister." He said.

"Bless you Eun Ji!" The words echoed in my mind.

"Your letter was really sweet and honest. The words got to me. It was like a letter from a close friend but I'm curious about something. I really want to know why you think I'm sad."

"Well I..."

"Cut!! We'll take a three minutes break. After the break, Miss Kapoor you'll focus on the meal while smiling as you did before. You too Mr Kim. I need the makeup artists here and somebody turn on the air conditioner!!" Director Won intruded. He was starting to get on my nerves.

"Cut? What is this? A freaking TV show?!" I complained loudly. Kim Tae Min chuckled.

"It's annoying isn't it?"

I gave no answer. I was embarrassed by my complaint. It only proved that I enjoyed his company.

"In ten seconds, act like you're sneezing." Tae Min said while tapping the pockets of his trousers as though he searched for something.

"What?" I asked, completely clueless.

"Well you were promised a date and I'd like to give you a proper date. When this break is over, we'll be too focused on eating with the prettiest part of our faces. There won't be enough time to talk and I still have questions to ask you. So I'll write my phone number on this handkerchief and give it to you, when you sneeze. To the cameras, it'll be a sign of courtesy." Tae Min said after he took a white handkerchief and a pen from his pocket.

I said nothing. I was caught between excitement and confusion, so I stared.

"You sneeze I give you the hankie, you don't I'll take a hint. So what will it be Pree?" He asked.

"Okay. Cameras rolling in three, two..." Director Won called.

All eyes were on Kim Tae Min and I. He was right. This was no date.

I stared at the handkerchief in his right hand and after a brief contemplation of the past three years I spent liking him, I sneezed. Who wouldn't?

"Bless you. Here, have this." Tae Min said with a sly smile. Women in the camera crew blushed.

I rolled my eyes and he winked. My heart skipped a beat.

I pretended to blow on the white hankie while pictures were taken. The world would consider me a loved fan for receiving a handkerchief from Kim Tae Min.

The only people who knew what really transpired were Tae Min and I. It was our little secret and I loved it.

***

The scheduled date with Kim Tae Min was over and I was back in Shilla Stay packing up for my departure from Korea in five days.

I hated the fact that it was all going to end in less than a week. It made my heart heavy and for this reason, I decided to do one crazy thing. I called Kim Tae Min.

I got dressed in a beige halter neck gown and white sandal heels. I threw a vintage scarf over my head and wore a pair of sunglasses.

After a confirmation of my looks on a mirror, I walked to a tree beside the hotel where Tae Min waited for me in his black Ferrari Roma. I had begun to love the sight of that car.

I got into the passenger seat and turned to the driver beside me. He seemed different. He wore a brown leather jacket over a black sweater and black pants. The strands of his hair were buried underneath a black baseball cap and his eyes were covered by tinted sunglasses.

"What's with the black?" I asked.

"A disguise from paparazzi." Tae Min replied

with a smile.

"Your fans will be able to tell it's you." I said trying to annoy him, like I oft did with Jess.

"How's that?" He asked.

"Your smile. Everyone knows your smile."

"Oh."

"You have a nice smile." I said.

He smiled until I could see teeth and this time it was beautiful. My skin got warm and my cheeks heated up.

"Stop showing off and drive." I scoffed in pretence.

Tae Min laughed and I saw it again. His smile without a mask.

"So, where are we going?" I asked, still overwhelmed by the thought of a real date with Kim Tae Min.

"You'll see." He said with a smile.

I looked at him while he drove and at that moment I had a new wish for my celebrity crush. I wished Kim Tae Min's mask would fall off completely.

With a bit of sadness in my heart at the thought of leaving Seoul in five days, I took in a deep breath, forced a smile on my face and opened my heart for the perfect date with the perfect guy.