Michael's ranch aside, several locations formed vividly in my head when I was writing. Thought I'd give a little personal backstory. :)

Karaoke bar

I'm not very good at singing, but I love the immense relief and joy it brings. I wanted to go for a karaoke night so badly - just to have some fun. But well ... kids under the Strict (Asian) Parents Regime unite.

I'd never been out with friends at night. Never. At all. My parents saw karaoke places as the backdrop to Taken, even if it's broad daylight. Writing the karaoke chapters gave me a sense of closure to my teenage self. I was around 17 or 18. If not in real life, I felt that I at least had the experience as I walked through the bar with Cassie and Michael. 

I was 20 when I finally stepped foot into a karaoke place - of course, without my parents' knowledge. It was quite enjoyable to sing. Now that I can drive, I sneak out and buy tickets for solo rooms, too. Joy, fun, relief. Freedom I never had when I grew up.  

Karaoke will always be a source of comfort for me.

Hotels ... and bathrooms

I wrote "Scene IV - Conversations" in a hotel room. Or suite, actually. 

I think it was the hotel's non-peak season because they arranged me into a suite (large bathroom + living area + bedroom) when I only booked a studio. No extra charges!

So basically, my fantastical, romantic imagination just went straight overboard and the words came easily because I was so comfy in that nice suite. Gosh, I can still remember how pampered I felt in that elegant bathroom. It even had a walk-in closet! The mirrors Cassie saw and touched are real. The thick, wooden sliding door that I made Michael lock is real. Ahh ... unexpected luxury.  

Another interesting hotel incident is this. I used to be a Student Ambassador at my college. One event was the annual dinner night. After we set up the place, rehearsed, etc, the boys went to one hotel room, and us girls went to the other to get ready. 

The hotel room had a see-through glass wall to separate the bedroom and bathroom. There's a retractable curtain for the shower area. Glass wall. Retractable curtain. Very nice. :)

Even though none of us were close friends, we had a good laugh about the design, pretending to be innocent and all. But one girl hid under the blankets and said what we were all thinking aloud, "Okay, so when the girlfriend's in there, the boyfriend will be like [insert horny laugh here]."

Is there any non-kinky explanation, really? 😂 The suite's more appropriate for the story I wanted to write. I'll leave the glass wall version to your imagination. :P