Good luck, Felicia dear. Study smart. The Malaysian ICT Industry is waiting for you...

Hi Guys

First up, tx again for the patience and support. Been a little busy lately which took a toll on my trivia pursuits. My only vice these days, my stolen moments from work and family, are keeping up with the GuenShin thread & counting the days for the day our Prince will visit Kuala Lumpur...whee....

Secondly, if you have noticed, there are some typo to my last chapter. And by the time I realised it, i can't edit the entry any more. So, the actual para reads as per the entry that follows.

But before I post the edited version. Just to let you know that Chapter 11 is coming up real soon.

Hope you'll like it and continue to support me along the way.

Yoshiroku onegaishi masu!

Chapter 10 (edited version)

“I feel so old,” Ji Sun whined.

“Mwo?” Min Young asked. “What are you talking about now?”

“I said I feel old,” the dyed brown haired stewardess repeated, still continuing with her spying on her favourite passengers of the day.

The smaller bobbed-haired stewardess peered over Ji Sun’s shoulders, curious to what was making her friend lament that way.

They were both taking a break before having to prepare for the flight’s tea session, hidden behind the curtain of the deck’s kitchenette, doing what they fondly term as ‘passenger watching’.

“What? Why do you feel old?”

“That couple is making me feel old,” pretty Ji Sun pouted, pointing ‘her couple’ to her friend.

“Who? Eh? Its Hwang Tae-kyung,” Min Young exclaimed in surprise.

Is the group travelling today? Why were we not notified? And why Africa? Min Young talked to herself.

“Mwo? Who is he?” Ji Sun asked.

“He is the leader of ANJell. Only about the biggest thing to hit the Asian music scene since Rain.” Min Young explained.

“Who?”

“ANJell…. THE most popular boyband in Korea….my sister is super crazy about them,” Min Young tried again. “Sigh, why do I bother? You’ll remain as clueless as ever about your own country’s pop scene.”

“They are singers?”

“Uhuh,” her friend reaffirmed. “Not the girl though…” she trailed curiously.

It was only early last week that she encountered the ANJell boys in the Business Class, when they were on their way to Taiwan for a fan meeting.

Not really a fan, she knew about the band due to the constant updates and shriek fest her 16 year old sister awarded her whenever she brought home an ANJell signature, picture or ‘gifts’ that she can get from the idols whenever she got to serve them on the plane.

In total she has met them three times already. Personally, she loved Shin Woo the most, with his charming smile and sweet nature.

Jeremy was a little childish for her taste and though she admitted that Hwang Tae-kyung was the most handsome, she had yet to see him without a broody expression or a frown on his face.

Until now, that is.

This would mark her fourth time encountering the ANJells, or rather one of the ANJells. And what a different Hwang Tae-kyung this person was. She quickly picked up her passenger list to double check.

Perhaps he’s just a look alike, she thought.

No, it is him, she confirmed, scanning down the page, and the girl is….

Goh Min Nyu.

“Goh Min Nyu?” she asked out loud.

“Mwo?” asked Ji Sun, shaken from her reverie of sighing over the couple’s cuteness.

“Ani, I just double checked the list. It is Hwang Tae-kyung and the girl’s name is Goh Min Nyu…”

“Girlfriend?”

“I don’t know. Certainly looks like it,” she looked at the couple again.

“Never heard a gossip on it, though…but Goh Min Nyu, Goh Min Nyu….why does the name seem so familiar…?” Min Young asked herself, shaking her head from side to side.

“Goh Min Nyu! That’s the name of the new band member. Ani, it’s Goh Min Nam. And this lady is…..Min Nam’s sister?” her interest peaked.

She quickly googled Min Nam’s picture on her Samsung Galaxy.

“Ha, bingo! Look,” showing Ji Sun Min Nam’s photo.

“Ooo…. They look alike. Twins?”

“Maybe, definitely related, brother and sister…”

“Hmmm…” Ji Sun turned back to her couple, not really interested in Min Nam. “But aren’t they just so cute?”

“Yes, they are, aren’t they?” Min Young smiled at the real life picture the couple made.

As the two of them observed the strikingly beautiful couple, they saw that Tae-kyung had periodically been teasing Min Nyu or fussing over her.

The handsome idol could be seen using any excuse he could get, to touch his pretty companion – a tap on her shoulder to get her attention, a nudge at her elbow to rebuke her retort or a brush on her cheek to flick away an imaginary fluff.

On her part, Min Nyu shyly basked in the attention but never backing down on any taunts given by her partner.

The couple chatted away, sometimes animatedly and at times in quiet whispers, but with their heads always inclined towards each other.

“Hu Hu… they are waaay too cute,” Ji Sun pouted adorably, in mock envy.

“Ooo…I so have to take a picture with him afterwards,” Min Young clapped her hands gleefully. “A hoodless, smiling Tae-kyung…whee…”

Although a picture taken with both the idol and his companion would be more valuable and meaningful, she knew full well that idols would never grant any picture taking of their girl or boy friend - unless they have made the knowledge public.

Non-the-less, having privy to such intimate exchanges between the two, especially when the idol concerned was the ever elusive and extremely private Hwang Tae-kyung, was an experience in itself.

“I thought you said it was your sister who was the fan?” Ji Sun turned to Min Young.

“Ehemm,” the more petite attendant cleared her throat. “It is. The photo will be for her…” she tried to cover herself and her reddened cheeks. “Aja, let’s go get tea ready…”

~ To be continued ~

~ Chapter 11 ~

Mighty Hwang Tae-kyung has stopped wearing those big collared T Shirts he favoured back home. The thin comfortable ones, with the waved plunging necklines. All because one little African boy commented on how pink his nipples were.

Instead, he now sported the normal jersey shirts that put the T in its name in the first place.

When Tae-kyung picked his cell phone up to book a flight ticket to Uganda a few nights ago, he really did know what to expect from the trip.

All he knew that he wanted to be with Min Nyu a little while longer in whatever continent it may be.

He did, however, anticipate a hot and humid weather.

He did also expect to lead a less than luxurious life for the week.

He has also psyched himself that there will be no one to pamper or do his bidding.

But, he was willing to go through the ‘sacrifice’ for some stolen moments with Min Nyu – to just sit and chat, and spend some time together.

What he did not expect, though, was that he would be roped in as a part time baby sitter whenever a nun had to run off for any emergency church work.

Neither did he foresee that he would be a filler in any of the group activities that the children and nun-teachers had.

He also did not predict that he would act a temporary music teacher and entertainer in the afternoons for both the children and their teachers.

He also did not think that he would play a huge part in helping Min Nyu embrace her role as teacher and mentor to the children.

And what he had not imagined, was how warm and fulfilling the whole experience was.

Tae-kyung and Min Nyu travelled about 48 hours from Seoul to Kampala, en route Tokyo.

Upon their arrival at Entebbe International Airport, Uganda’s principal airport, Tae-kyung and Min Nyu had to take another 30 minutes Fokker plane ride to the city of Arua, where Sister Joanna was serving.

At the dusty makeshift airport, they were met by a driver sent by the church, that followed by another half hour drive to the abyss.

Trust Min Nyu to pick the only airport in the country with no paved runways, thought the dis shevelled Tae-kyung when they were safely on the ground. Min Nyu, on the other hand, despite being less travelled than he, looked as fresh as the morning dew, Tae-kyung admired grudgingly.

They finally arrived at their new temporary home at 6.45 in the evening where the children and nun-teachers were just sitting down to dinner.

After quickly washing their hands clean and their faces from their fatigue, both Tae-kyung and Min Nyu joined in the meal.

Since there were only two long tables of 2 nuns and a 50 odd children of ages between 4 to 15, introductions was made in English and fairly brief. Min Nyu was of course introduced as Sister Gemma while Tae-kyung was christened as Brother TK.

After their meal, one of the nuns, Sister Agatha, from Yugoslavia, escorted them to their respective sleeping areas. Sister Joanna was left with supervising the dinner table clean up with the children before sending them off for the evening prayers.

Apparently, word had gotten to the sisters that Tae-kyung had volunteered to escort Min Nyu on her trip.

“Miss Min Nyu, you will be sharing a room with me, while for Mr Tae-kyung, we have prepared a small corner off the supply room. I do hope you do not mind as we were not expecting any visitors,” the thirty-something year old nun smiled.

“Ani, I mean, it is all right,” Tae-kyung brushed off politely, in halting English. “The supply room will be fine.”

Tae-kyung really did not know what the supply room would look like and was pleasantly surprised that it was a small, clean room that housed various school supplies like pencils, papers and such; and since there were not that many supply to begin with, the room was practically empty and now housed an extra item which was a thick mattress as well as a small side table for Tae-kyung to put his personal items on.

The next morning, the day began with breakfast at 7.30, morning gathering at 8.00 and classes at 8.30.

Since the supply room was also connected to the one of the classes, Tae-kyung found it rude to stay in the room while class was going on. And as destiny would have it, the two nuns automatically included Tae-kyung in the class proceedings. Tae-kyung helped Sister Joanna in the first class while Min Nyu assisted Sister Agatha in the other.

Then the day continued with lunch and afternoon classes. And when the two sisters found out that both Tae-kyung and Min Nyu were professional singers - despite Min Nyu’s protests that she was in ANJell for only a month - an old guitar was magically whipped out and the two crooners were made to sing for the class.

Classes broke off at 5 in the evening and the children were allowed to play on their own before their baths and dinner with the days ending with the evening mass and lights out at 10.

All throughout his life, despite not having a mother around, Tae-kyung was brought up in utter luxury and has never experienced any such strife he was currently witnessing in Arua. Calling his experience at the Aruan church a culture shock would definitely be 'the understatement of the year'.

The church itself had probably seen its better days long before the international community had it in its radar, while the children themselves would be considered as having less than the marginal poor in Korea.

But what happy children they were. Tae-kyung thought. Always smiling, energetic and surprisingly proficient in English, the children displayed rare confidence that one would not expect of such a community.

Most of the children were not orphans to begin with, mainly having parents who had to work during the week to earn their living. Some of the children would go back to their respective homes during the weekends, while others would receive visits from their elders and relatives.

One of the children, a six year old, round faced little boy, had taken a liking to Tae-kyung so much that he latched himself to the ANJell leader like glue.

“Iko spends more time with me that you do,” Tae-kyung complained to Min Nyu, on their third day at the abyss.

Knowing that Tae-kyung secretly liked the non-pop-related adulation, Min Nyu just laughed and chided that Tae-kyung was still smarting over Iko’s comment on how Tae-kyung was fairer than the girls there.

Perhaps it was true, Tae-kyung thought. Money cannot always buy you happiness.

Being with the children at the abyss actually made Tae-kyung a little guilty and almost ashamed of the lifestyle he had enjoyed thus far – remembering how he only insisted on Avian during his concert breaks, how he wanted his shower head brand to be of the same as his taps and how he was adamant that the tailor redo his trousers to include the little front pleats he preferred.

But being with the children also brought him a weird sense of fulfilment and happiness he had never experience before. Kind of like how Min Nyu's presence in his life gave him. True that he was producing more sweat during those few days he was in Arua than he had ever produced in his short 23 years of life. But he was sweaty happy.

Min Nyu too, seemed to have blossomed by the minute. Since he has never seen Min Nyu with children before, he was surprise that her abundant enthusiasm and love shone through so brightly that they even surpassed what she displayed to the ANJell boys before.

True, real happiness cannot be bought, Tae-kyung thought, smiling at the children's latest antics in the playground. But even if money cannot always buy you happiness, at least it could buy you adequate supply of school utensils, dry food items and basic medication; and a quick call to Ma Shilbang would bring the church and its residents the desired items within the week.

Perhaps Min Nyu’s trip was not meant for her self-discovery only, Tae-kyung thought that afternoon. Perhaps destiny was trying to tell him something too.

~ To be continued ~

im so glad to read more of these today, i hope to read more everyday

Tx sunnie, felicia, humilis, jgslvpsh, kincade & others.

Tq for liking my story as much as I love writing it.

I'm pretty excited about my next chapter. Hope you'll like it too.

Hugs

~ Chapter 12 ~

Nothing could be more beautiful than a relaxed Hwang Tae-kyung strumming a guitar under a huge shady tree, sighed Min Nyu.

Other than perhaps, a relaxed Hwang Tae-kyung playing the keyboard under a shady tree, she mused silently.

"Are you just going to keep giggling behind my back, or are you going to join your boyfriend under his favourite tree?" Asked Tae-kyung sardonically.

Min Nyu burst out laughing and did her little run cum shuffle, before unceremoniously plonking herself down beside him.

"Oppa, you are just too good….how did you know I was behind you?"

"Well, you are not exactly the quietest pig rabbit on this side of the universe, you know," Tae-kyung replied with a snort, affectionately of course, but a snort non-the-less.

She laughed again, almost giddy in his presence, while he simply looked up at her from the guitar strings and smiled fondly.

"All the children out to play?" Tae-kyung asked, receiving a firm nod from his petite girlfriend.

For the past week, this had been their daily routine.

Morning prayers and breakfast were followed by the morning classes and lunch; then the afternoon classes and the sing-a-along session would ensue before tea that ended up with the outdoor activities where the children were let to roam and play on their own.

Tae-kyung had somehow been roped in to take part in every session throughout the day and was able to spend time together with Min Nyu at every refreshment breaks and during the sing along sessions. Tae-kyung was of course the lead for the last session. That daily routine somehow enabled Tae-kyung and Min Nyu to spend more time together than they had anticipated.

But it was their 5 to 7 o'clock free time that they both truly cherished.

During most evenings of Tae-kyung's 6 day stay in the quiet village off the city of Arua, they would spend their time together under the huge tree on a hill that was a mere 5 minute walk away from of the abyss. Other days, they would take short walks around the area or down to the little market down the road.

But at all times they would take the opportunity to talk and get to know more about each other.

Often a time, Min Nyu would tease the normally reserved Tae-kyung about how he allowed himself to be bullied by the children at the abyss.

While Tae-kyung, on the other hand, reminded Min Nyu of her promise to come back after her three months were up by asking her of her plans when she returned home to Seoul in June.

Hence, on their last afternoon together, they sat again under they favourite tree.

Tae-kyung suddenly laughed to himself.

"Mwo?" came Min Nyu's query.

"Nothing," Tae-kyung answered with a smile.

"Come on, you can't just keep the joke to yourself like that," Min Nyu whined with indignation.

Unable to refuse her extremely cute pout, Tae-kyung ruffled Min Nyu's already ruffled hair and asked, "remember when you had to answer the questionnaire at my fansite?"

"Yes..."

"Well, that was me actually?"

"Huh? Oh, the Administrator."

Tae-kyung smiled.

"You tricked me," Min Nyu laughed.

"Well, technically, yes; but for a good cause, I would say. I wanted to know how much you really liked me."

"And conclusion is…?" Min Nyu asked with a smile.

Tae-kyung paused, thinking of his answer.

"As an idol... I failed miserably. I scored only 5 for coolness….can you imagine?" He rolled his eyes. "If only the 'real' fans get to know about this."

Min Nyu suddenly shuddered at the vision of a certain frowning black bob-haired girl with a pair of angel wings on her head, pointing an accusing finger at her.

"But..?" Min Nyu prompted the smiling man beside her, nudging him softly in the ribs.

"But... when I asked how much you liked Hwang Tae-kyung….. you answered 100 points. Out of 10," the handsome singer laughed. "I then realised, that you like me for me – smirk, scowl and all; and not as a big star."

Tae-kyung looked positively pleased with his conclusion.

"Well, truthfully, most of the time, you are really not that likeable," Min Nyu scrunched her nose in deep thought. "Not cute like Jeremy. Also not as handsome as Shin Woo."

This conversation was somehow a reminisce of their conversation on the aeroplane about the importance of being pretty, Tae-kyung suddenly thought.

"Ya…! This is the moment where we are supposed to be lovey dovey and confess sweet things to each other, you know! Not a 'put down your boyfriend and step on his heart' session," he scolded.

"Chincha? Is that what couples do? Say nice things to each other all the time?" Min Nyu asked innocently.

"Of course," said Tae-kyung confidently.

"But what if they are not the truth?"

"Well…just make some things up…" he scowled.

"I see, then I really don't know how this is going to come out across?"

"What?"

"How you really make me feel?"

"How do I really make you feel?"

"I don't really know," Min Nyu cocked her head.

"I normally stop thinking when you are in the vicinity? You somehow have this ability to make me forget what I was supposed to do and where I was supposed to go. Or which continent I was actually on," Min Nyu said in a faraway voice, then smiling after she finished dissecting her thoughts.

Tae-kyung snorted at her revelation.

"You certainly did not show it though," he said, curling his upper lip in a beginning of his famous smirk, remembering their past sparring sessions.

"Well, you also make me mad most of the time…," Min Nyu tried to explain herself. "Ok, what about you then?"

"Me?" asked Tae-kyung, trying to school his thoughts by beginning his guitar strumming again.

"You have the sea of faces to choose from. You are Hwang Tae-kyung! You can have anybody you want, from the next singing sensation and starlets to you legions of fans."

"Well, truthfully, I have never put much thought about it, not on girls… not anything else except for my music and the ANJell," Tae-kyung answered, while continuing with his strumming.

"Then you arrived…. Well, if I managed to make you forget, then I would say…. you managed to make me feel," Tae-kyung turned to her with a soft smile on his face. "With you, I felt anger, bewilderment, jealousy. Then, they all seemed to disappear. Instead I started to feel affection, the need to protect and lastly, love, I think."

Min Nyu looked down, shyly, not really knowing how to rebut to Tae-kyung's admission.

"I'll be leaving tomorrow," said Tae-kyung sadly. "Will you be all right?"

Min Nyu could only nod in answer.

"Make sure you eat properly. It's ok to give your share of dinner to the children once in a while. But not at every meal, ok." Tae-kyung reminded her.

Again Min Nyu nodded.

He continued, "You have adjusted really well. The children love you. You make me feel so proud – that a little girl from Korea can help make a difference in another part of the world."

"The children are fond of you too," Min Nyu looked up at Tae-kyung with unshed tears in her eyes." Iko, especially. I hope he will be ok too once you leave."

Tae-kyung sighed at the prospect of leaving the cute little tornado of a boy.

"I'm surprise at that turn around, actually. I am kind of fond of them myself. Iko, especially. He is like a miniature Jeremy, only darker in skin and a lot smarter," he laughed. "Wonderful, strong children."

"I'm going to miss you so much Oppa," this time her big eyes just could not contain their clear liquid.

"Good," Tae-kyung admonished her, but only after quickly putting his arm around her shoulders and squeezing tight.

"Good?"

"Uhuh, I hope that feeling will bring you back to us sooner," he explained, trying not to cry himself.

At her crestfallen face, he hugged her again, resting the side of his head on hers.

"I'm not even going to mention how much I will miss you…because it won't do justice to what I truly feel...," his sad face mirroring hers.

"You know, perhaps we should begin that Japanese language lesson I promised you," Tae-kyung smiled and sat up suddenly, trying to cheer Min Nyu, and himself, up.

"Huh?"

"Uhuh, I'm going to entice you with such a cool first language lesson that you would expect more from me when you come back. Let's just say that it will be a part of your lifelong education," he winked at Min Nyu.

"Ok," Min Nyu gamely smiled. "Hit me with your first word, then, TK-san!"

Tae-kyung turned to her fully, put his hands on either side of her upper arms, in a familiar gesture, and smiled sexily.

"You need to only remember this word for the time being…" he smiled.

Min Nyu held back a giggle, her earlier tears drying up, and tried to concentrate.

"Ok."

"Aishiteru, Nyu-chan, aishiteru."



*************************

The next morning as a forlorn Hwang Tae-kyung board the fokker to Entebbe, it took five Aruan children, two catholic nuns and a confirmation letter of a replacement teacher, to finally coax a puffy eyed Goh Min Nyu out of her shared bedroom and into the classroom.

Once there, she joined an equally teary eyed Iko Kimbe in a corner and a hug.

Thank you foxiscully.

Next chapter please. Don't let they are sad too long.

shessh, sad parting however, continue the wonderful novel please.... thanks for the update

@ Sunnie & humilis

can any parting between the two (and perhaps even Sukkie & Hacci) be anything but sad....hu hu...



@ juwita, kincade, felicia, deanne, chibi & blue

I hope I managed to maintain their characterisation. I mean, even if they were having a lovers' conversation, the conversation is still laced with TK's normal sarcasm & MN's naivette.

But slowly & surely our hero is thawing, not only to MN but also to others (ie in this case the children at the abyss)


Updates coming soon, but so is the ending, I'm afraid...