Makayla POV

"Kayla, baby where are you?" Mom asked. "I know for a fact this isn't your place."

"One second." I replied, setting my phone down on the kitchen counter.

I then rushed to the oven and pulled out the Baked Mac and Cheese, the top a perfect golden brown color.

"I think I did it!" I softly enthused.

I kicked the oven door closed prior to placing the hot dish on Ho-Seok's granite counter top.

"Kayla, talk to me! What is all of this for?" Mom impatiently requested.

"Give me a second!" I rushed back to my phone to continue the FaceTime call. "Does this look right, mom?"

I showed her the final product, and her dramatic reaction was exactly what I was hoping for.

"Dang, girl! Yes, that's it!" Mom confirmed. "You put it in the oven at 375 for 45 minutes? It should have cooked nicely throughout if that's the case."

"Yes ma'am! It smells good too!"

I smiled at the perfect dish that would pair so nicely with the others; sweet glazed ham, collard greens, candied yams, cornbread, and potato salad. I even made a sweet potato pie for desert!

"Okay, I let you focus on the cooking all day." Mom continued. "Now you better tell me who you prepared all this food for. By chance, is this for a man?"

"I mean, it's for a guy who is a friend."

Mom gasped. "What! Hold up! This is a lot of time and work, Kayla! What is your relationship with him? You must care for him a lot!"

"I do care for him. But like I just said... As a friend." I replied.

"Who is it? How long have you know him? Do you guys hang out often?"

I chuckled as I continued to prepare dinner for mine and Ho-seok's delayed Friendsgiving.

Since I had the day off, I got to Ho-seok's place in the morning. When my mom sent me her recipes, I knew that the food I was cooking would take hours and while he was at school I spent the day following the directions my mom provided for every dish.

"Come on, give me something!" Mom pestered. "Who is he?"

"Okay, okay! He's Danny's friend. The one you made me meet a few months ago." I folded, making her gasp again. "We get along really well, and now we're friends. Okay?"

"Don't mess this up, Kayla!"

"What does that even mean?" I asked, tasting the collard greens that had been simmering in my crock pot.

"Don't sleep with him." I chocked on the tiny bite given the fact that ship had sailed. "Men love a challenge, clearly he sees how beautiful and accomplished you are, and now you're showing him a soft side of you tonight! Play your cards right, and you might have this man in the bag!"

"Mom, it's not like that. I'm not interested, and even if I was - He has a woman."

"Wait, what?" Mom gaped. "He has a woman, but he's got you cooking in his home for a dinner between just the two of you? Naw, that don't sound right."

"It's 2024. Men and women can be friends."

"Ya'll kids are so weird these days." Mom scoffed. "Anyway, just listen to me. Continue to show this man your best side. No matter how delusional you are being, men don't let a woman in their home this comfortably if they have no interest in her. Keep that in mind this evening."

"Whatever." I replied. "He's going to be back from class soon. I need to set the table."

"Wow! Look at you sounding domestic, already!" Mom cackled. "Call me tomorrow! Let me know how the night goes, and if your dad and I need to brace ourselves for an introduction!"

"Oh my God, goodbye mom."

I ended the call and while my mom usually irritated me with these kinds of discussions, I didn't mind her meddling today. I was in a good mood, and for the first time in a very long time I felt like I had lived a day of purpose outside of the revenge that had been occupying my attention.

"I'm a million dollar baby." I sang, setting the table to the beat of the popular Tommy Richman single.

I laid out the high-quality dishes and silverware it appeared Ho-seok used daily, though they weren't something you could purchase at your local Target. Hell, not even at Crate & Barrel.

I placed the black and gold bordered dishes, wine glasses, and silverware on the table before setting the warmed up food in the unoccupied spaces. Everything was perfect, and as I took a picture I heard the familiar jingle of the home's entrance passcode.

"He's here!"

Excited, I ran to the door so I could escort Ho-seok to the amazing dinner myself.

"Ho-seok! You're in for quite the-..." I gasped and my eyes widened when I saw an unexpected face, her gaze just as shocked as mine while she stared at me from the front door.

"Ho-seok?" Sam questioned. "You call him by his real name, and it appears you're in his home while he's not here. You two must be close."

Dumbfounded, I remained speechless as she stepped further into the home. She then walked around me and I watched as she walked to the table and observed at the meal I prepared.

"We're having a Friendsgiving." I uttered. "That's all this is."

Sam shifted her gaze back to me, and I could tell she was sizing me up despite the smile she had placed on her face.

"We've met before, right?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, at one of Spencer's parties a year ago."

"I remember. I met you and your friend." She paused, her expression a little more remorseful now. "I heard about what happened to her. I am sorry for your loss. The whole case is really scary. It must have been a lot for you."

"I'm still coping, but I'm a lot better now. Thank you."

She smiled to me again and as the awkward silence surfaced she resumed her walk around the kitchen. I had no idea what to say, but luckily I heard that jingle and the front door open again.

"Sorry I'm late!" Ho-seok said. I turned around to see him kicking his white sneakers off beside the door. "I'm starving, and it smells amazing! Shall we get the date started?"

My eyes widened, and I shook my head to warn him as he approached me with a huge smile.

"Date?" Sam asked. Ho-seok grew pale in the face as soon as he noticed her in the kitchen. "So it's not a Friendsgiving after all?"

"It's not a date!" I interrupted, trying to ease the unnecessary tension. "That's just a joke we make all the time. This really is just a Friendsgiving, and you're more than welcome to join."

"Wai-..." Ho-seok tried, but Sam's response overpowered his.

"I'd love to!" She beamed. "I can set my own spot. Where are the plates on silverware?"

"The cabinet beside the microwave is where the dishes are, and the silverware is in the drawer directly beneath it." I answered.

"Thanks!"

I heard Ho-seok sigh, and as Sam grabbed what she needed I turned to face him.

"Makayla, read the room!" He softly scolded me.

"I am reading the room! She's misunderstanding things. Given your rep, she probably thinks something is going on between us."

"That's not it." He informed me.

My eyebrows furrowed as his head fell backwards. "Is there something you haven't told me?"

"We'll talk about it later."

Ho-seok this time walked around me and just like that, it appeared I ruined the night I had worked so hard preparing for.

Frustrated, I followed Ho-seok to the table and soon heard Sam speaking to him in Korean.

"Don't do that." He told her. "Makayla doesn't know Korean. English only while she's here."

"Of course!" Sam chimed. "My apologies, Makayla. It's a habit. Ho-seok and I tend to speak to each other in Korean when we're together."

"That makes sense. You must be relieved to have each other in an English speaking country."

"Very much so!" Sam confirmed. "As I was asking, Ho-seok sit by me? I've missed you these past few days."

A dry chuckle slipped past Ho-seok's lips while he looked to her dumbfounded.

I still had no detailed understanding as to what happened in Canada during the Fall Break, but it must have been worse than I thought and I didn't know how I was going to mitigate this colossal disaster. But once again, that jingle from the front door appeared.

"Do I smell collard greens?" Shawn asked. We all looked to the home's entrance before Shawn realized what he walked into. "Oh so there's a party going on, and I guess I wasn't invited?"

"You live here! Of course you should join us!" I exclaimed, rushing over to the evening's savior. "I did the thing, and made a Southern Thanksgiving spread!"

"Get out!" He gaped. I locked arms with him and guided him to the table. "I'm getting a second Thanksgiving meal? Bless up, this looks and smells so good!"

I laughed with Shawn before we glanced at Ho-seok, who was growing more disappointed.

"You sure I'm not interrupting anything?" Shawn questioned.

"Of course not." Ho-seok responded. "Like Makayla said, you live here and your presence was expected and more than welcome."

It was impossible not to notice the jab he took at Sam, so I cleared my throat to move things along.

"I'll grab your dishes Shawn!" I offered, but Ho-seok grabbed my wrist when I was about to walk past him.

"You've worked hard enough today. Go take a seat." He encouraged. "Shawn, sit by Sam. I'll get what's needed for myself and take the vacant seat."

Reading the room better than me this evening, Shawn did not hesitate and did as he was told while I got settled in the chair in the last set spot.

Despite how cold Ho-seok was being towards Sam, she continued to enthuse over the meal. She was built as differently as rumored, and I could understand why Ho-seok had been so infatuated all these years. She was gorgeous, charismatic, and level-headed.

"Should we do prayer?" Shawn asked now that Ho-seok was settled beside me.

"If everyone else is comfortable?" I asked, and Ho-seok and Sam nodded before we grabbed each other's hands and Shawn led the prayer.

As expected, he provided the traditional prayer my father often led for the family. Giving the lord thanks for the meal we were receiving, our health, and the blessing of having friends around to celebrate the meal this evening.

"In his holy name, amen!" Shawn concluded.

"Amen! Let's dig in!" I chimed as I picked up my plate. "Where did you get the dishes from, Ho-seok? They don't seem exactly like fine china but they are stunning and the quality is amazing."

"They're Versace." Sam quickly responded, making me and Shawn gasp as we both set the expensive plates back down on the table. "It's part of the Le Greca collection, right?"

Ho-seok didn't reply, whereas Shawn and I tried to comprehend this information our peasant ears never expected to hear.

"Versace dinnerware? I didn't even know that was a thing." Shawn admitted. "How much does something like this even cost?"

"Around $200 per plate." Sam answered, placing ham on the designer dish.

"Oh my God." Shawn murmured. "So we will be leaving no scratches on these plates. Got it."

Ho-seok sighed. "Please eat comfortably. It's just a plate, Shawn. Everything can be replaced."

Noticing Ho-seok's irritation, Shawn did as he said while Ho-seok turned his attention to me.

"So Chef, you gonna walk me through the dishes?" Ho-seok requested of me.

"Is this all new? Didn't you brag about your diverse palette during brunch?" I teased.

"What cook doesn't want the chance to brag about what they've prepared? I'm being polite!"

He winked at me, making me chuckle as I nudged his shoulder with mine.

"Its the perfect mix of savory and sweet, just like you like!" I enthused. "Here, I'll make your dish. If your food is going to touch, it's gotta be done correctly!"

I walked Ho-seok through each dish as I prepared his plate. Though he had experienced a lot of flavors across the globe, he wasn't very familiar with black southern cooking and he was very impressed by the first few bites alone.

"Even in the kitchen, you're so opposite from your cousin!" Ho-seok joked. "Danny can't cook to save her life! The whole group in Korea has suffered so much while she's tried to learn."

"Oh that's a lost cause." I confirmed. "She can't even boil pasta correctly."

"I'm aware. She's messed up a cup of ramen before! How do you even do that?"

Ho-seok and I were cracking up when Shawn found an opening to join the conversation.

"I still can't believe how small the world is. What are the chances Makayla's cousin is marrying your best friend back in South Korea?"

"What?" Sam asked, but soon her eyes widened. "Is he talking about your friend Nam Min-seok? The American he's marrying is Makayla's cousin?"

Ho-seok nodded, making her laugh a shocked one.

"It's crazy right?" Shawn chuckled. "I didn't believe it until I saw a picture of Makayla's cousin. There was no questioning it! They look just a like!"

"Yeah, Danny and I get that a lot." I replied. "But like Ho-seok said, we're total opposites."

"How so?" Shawn asked. "Paul, maybe you should answer the question since you can give an opinion as a friend of both of them?"

"Oh this should be good." I teased as the table laughed with me.

"Well in my opinion." Ho-seok nervously smiled. "Danny is very innocent, and her fiancé, Min-seok, even describes her as pure. She's gentle, sensitive, and shy until she gets to know you. But just like her cousin Danny's strong, determined, and smart.

"As for Makayla - She's bold, direct, precise, and the furthest thing from shy. She's also fearless, but I am still trying to determine just how reckless she is capable of being."

"Wow! I'm not sure how to feel about this comparison! Am I a demon, and she's an angel?" I replied, Shawn and Ho-seok laughing at me. "I'm serious, Ho-seok! Are you insulting me or complementing me?"

"He's definitely complementing you." Sam said, grabbing the table's attention. "It's kind of weird, because you're tall and beautiful too. You're exactly his type."

I watched Sam shift her gaze to Ho-seok, and when I looked to him next he was glaring at her. I couldn't blame him though. We were all making an effort to keep the mood light, but she seemed determined to make everyone uncomfortable this evening.

"So what's your type then, Makayla?" Shawn asked.

"Tall, athletic, and handsome." Ho-seok answered on my behalf, making me blush.

"Are you seeing someone?" Shawn pressed, and I simply bit my lip. "And you said she's the furthest thing from shy, Paul? Look at her! You must like him a lot, Makayla!"

"It's really fresh. To be frank, it's been a while since I've opened up to someone and dating feels weird to me. He's also shit at it though, so it works in my favor. We move very slow."

"You were dating Donnell Sterling when we met, right?" Sam asked, making my heart sink.

"What?" Shawn gasped, nearly chocking on his latest bite of food. "I'm sorry. You were dating a member of The Elite? Don't you despise-..."

Shawn winced, and I had actually felt Ho-seok's knee when he kicked him under the table.

"He was so smitten with you." Sam proceeded, and now I was the one looking to her with noticeable frustration on my face. "What happened? It must have been a bad break up."

"You're a law student, I'm sure you watch the news." Sam maintained the same smile she had worn all night, but it appeared exceptionally smug in this moment.

"So you didn't just blame Antonio for your friend's death then?" She pressed.

"That's it." Ho-seok interrupted, wiping his mouth down before he tossed his napkin on the table. "Sam, it's time for you to leave."

"Excuse me?" She asked. Her lips parted as he stood up from his chair.

"You heard me. Unless you want me to embarrass you further in front of my friends, I suggest you get up and we talk outside. I'll get you an Uber if you didn't drive."

Hearing Ho-seok's warning, Sam grabbed her purse from the ground and stood up next.

"Thank you for the dinner, Makayla." She said to me. "I'm sorry if what Ho-seok said is true, and I ruined the evening for everyone."

"No worries." I forced a smile. "I hope you enjoyed the food. Get home safely."

Sam smiled goodbye to Shawn before we watched Ho-seok guide her out of the house.

Shawn and I then looked to each other, and mentally we were so aligned and programed to witness the drama that always surfaced during black Thanksgiving gatherings.

As soon as we heard that door close, we stood up from the table and rushed to the two living room windows that faced the front of Ho-seok's home.

"I can't hear a thing!" Shawn said. "These windows must be sound proof or something."

"Probably." I replied, and I was even pressing my ear against the thick glass.

"Rich people." We both mumbled, and we couldn't help but laugh as we glanced at the other.

We then went back to observing the argument between Ho-seok and Sam.

Though we couldn't hear anything it was clear Ho-seok was really mad at her. We could tell he was yelling, which was so unlike him, and the more she touched him the more infuriated he became. He removed her hands from his chests each time she tried to calm him down, and it finally got to a point where he gave her the cold shoulder and left her alone in his driveway.

"Shit, he's coming!" I panicked.

"Go, go, go!" Shawn exclaimed as we rushed back to our seats. 

We pulled ourselves together quickly, and by time Ho-seok entered the house we were calm, cool, and collected.

"I'm so sorry about that." He apologized while he sat down beside me. "You worked really hard for this night, and she ruined everything. That's on me, Kayla. I forgot I gave her my passcode since she's never used it before."

"It's okay." I replied. "And the night's not ruined!"

"I agree!" Shawn enthused. "Bourbon makes you happy! Should I pour you a glass?"

"Please, and thank you." Ho-seok replied.

As Shawn fulfilled his recommendation, I placed my hand on Ho-seok's back and attempted to sooth him. I had never seen him so infuriated before. His cheeks were flushed, and heat was even radiating off his body.

"Smile, the party is really going to get started now." I cooed.

Ho-seok did as I encouraged, though it wasn't genuine. "And what does that look like?"

"I smell a game night for sure!" Shawn cut in. He set down three short crystal glasses and poured thick shots of aged bourbon in each. "If my observation is correct, Makayla is showing you how our culture does Thanksgiving."

"Bingo!" I confirmed. "I brought cards!"

"Oh hell yeah!" Shawn said. "Damn, typically an outlandish game of Spades is guaranteed to happen during black family gatherings but there are only three of us now."

"There are plenty of other games we can play!" I replied. "Plus, Heads Up is also really fun!"

"Heads Up?" Ho-seok asked, his naive doughy eyes making Shawn and I chuckle.

"Oh that's definitely on the list for the night." Shawn responded.

"Agreed! We can turn the games into drinking games too if you're down for that kind of night?"

"You don't have to work at the hospital tomorrow morning?" Ho-seok asked.

I shrugged. "I do, but I just want to have fun with you guys tonight."

"You also deserve to have so much fun tonight, Paul." Shawn praised. "Another tradition in my home on Thanksgiving is giving thanks. Paul, though things started off rough for us I owe the most thanks to you this Thanksgiving holiday. You saved me when I got assaulted by Chase, and gave me a place to live comfortably when The Elite tried to take everything from me."

"I'm thankful for you too, Shawn. I actually really hated living alone."

Shawn looked to me next. "And of course, thank you to this lovely queen for cooking tonight's meal and even patching Paul and I up with those skilled hands. We appreciate you, Makayla."

Ho-seok nodded, beaming at me as well.

"Happy Friendsgiving!" Shawn cheered.

We toasted and took the burning alcohol to the head before we proceeded with the evening.

Shawn's participation in the Friendsgiving made it even better than I imagined it would be. He had a similar sense of humor as mine and Ho-seok's and he was as competitive as us too.

We started with strategic card games such as Let it Ride and Skat, before we shifted to simple games like Slap Jack and Bullshit. Those got rowdy the more we drank, and by time we got to playing Heads Up, we were all drunk and laughing hysterically at the video recordings the app captured of us giving the guesser appropriate hints.

By time midnight neared, Shawn was the first one to pass out. I helped Ho-seok carry him to his bed and once he was settled, Ho-seok rushed to the bathroom for the umpteenth time since he broke his seal early in the evening.

I on the other hand took this opportunity to visit Ho-seok's rooftop for the first time and man was the crisp Fall air refreshing. The view of Boston was breathtaking too.

I closed my eyes, and smiled while I embraced the new memories I had made tonight. For the first time in nearly a year, I felt like myself and I could honestly say that this was the happiest I had been since the tragedy.

"Ya, are you crazy?" Ho-seok said, grabbing my attention. "Where is your jacket? It's cold out! You're going to get sick!"

I watched as he slipped off the thick black cardigan he was wearing and when he was beside me, he placed it on my shoulders.

"What about you?" I asked.

"I've got thick skin, don't worry about me." He winked, making me chuckle.

Standing next to each other, we both looked out to the city.

"Enjoying the view?" He asked. "It's my favorite part about this house. I spend a lot of time here, thinking and clearing my mind."

"I would too. It's so peaceful."

I looked to Ho-seok, and I could tell even in this moment he was deep in thought.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked. "Are you ready to talk about what happened in Canada over the break?"

"I'm a little embarrassed to." He sighed. "Long story short though, exactly what you said would happen did. I ignored all the signs, and held out longer than I should have. I spent almost two days with her in a hotel, just to witness her and her fiancé set a date for their wedding in the same 24 hours. They're getting married in August."

"I'm so sorry, Ho-seok."

He shrugged. "It is, what it is. No matter what I do, I'll never be good enough for her."

"What? Never be good enough for her? Why would you say that?"

"Because it's true." He answered, the two of us turning to face each other. "You have no idea how much I've changed with the hope of winning her back. I wasn't always the person you know me as, especially while I lived in Canada as a teenager.

"I was reserved since my English was bad, my confidence was shit since Korean boys weren't popular in the West back then, my grades sucked because I was so unmotivated, and I had no idea how to woo a girl let alone make a friend in such a foreign place.

"Sam was the only person I had back then. She pulled me out of my shell, helped me perfect my English, got me out of that miserable home on the weekends, and then she gave me a chance and let me be her boyfriend. She was everything to me, Makayla."

"I had no idea it was that deep." I admitted.

"No one does, except for her and I. That's why I've been so patient. I wanted to trust her, and I thought I could show her I was different and worthy of her, now. I wanted to show her, it would be me taking care of her this time. I wanted her to see, I wasn't the weak boy I was back then, but an accomplished man who could give her anything she asked for.

"I've done so much to be here today. I was so confident I could get her back, but I feel like such a loser right now. I'm such a joke, Makayla."

Ho-seok's head fell, as did his broad shoulders.

"Hey. Look at me." I cooed, caressing the side of his face as our eyes met. "You're not a loser, or a joke. You're a human who put himself out there in the most vulnerable way, and that's not something you should be embarrassed about. Just because it didn't work out with Sam, does not me you're not enough for someone else.

"You're more than enough for so many people, Ho-seok. You're charming, understanding, so incredibly loyal and kind, smart, successful, and you even have the looks. Every time I see you, you literally look like you stepped out of a GQ magazine."

Ho-seok finally cracked a smile, and I was sure to show him a reassuring one as well.

"Her loss will be another's blessing, and it'll be yours too." I continued. "I've never been in love, but something tells me what you experienced with Sam wasn't exactly that. Just give it some time, and you'll see that for yourself in the future. Okay?"

Ho-seok nodded, and I brought my hand back down to my side before I stepped closer to the railing and began embracing the fresh air and amazing view again.

"Tonight was so much fun." I softly beamed, when suddenly I felt Ho-seok wrap his long arms around my shoulders.

Admittedly, I grew a little tense feeling his toned abdomen pressed against my back and next I felt the side of his face rested against my own.

"I know you're not one for affection, but could we stay like this for a little bit?" He asked.

"Yeah." I barely uttered.

I felt my heart racing as I noticed those details about Ho-seok I was drawn to the night we met.

I could smell the rich fragrance of the cologne that filled my nostrils as we rolled around in the hotel bed. The veins along his strong arms and large hands were prominent, and there was no denying the warmth I easily felt in his massive embrace on this cold evening.

"I'm so thankful for you, Makayla." He continued. "You make living in this city bearable."

"Does that mean you're going to fall for me next?" I teased.

"Don't be like that." He chuckled. "I might cling to you more though. Would that be okay?"

I nodded and accepted his request before he nuzzled the side of his face deeper against mine.

"Then let's stay like this a little longer." He tenderly pleaded.

I placed my hand on his, my thumb grazing the back of it as I closed my eyes.

"Take your time." I assured. "We can stay like this as long as you need, Ho-seok."  

____

Author's Note: Another Sunday, another update!

How did you enjoy the Friendsgiving and Sam's unexpected appearance? As many of ya'll voiced, Sam had to go and Paul feels the same way no matter how challenging it is!

What were you thoughts understanding his background with Sam a little more? Also, did our girl Makayla just get butterflies, for her friend?! 

Excited for what is to come! Won't be long until we see our favorites back in South Korea appear in this book :) 

Please remember to vote and comment! Thanks for your support!

- Zelen