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Its just over a week since I 'came out', the world is still turning, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west (not that we ever get to see it through these rain clouds but still...)
Couch surfing isn't working again.
Oh and I wrote a two minute story...
Thought I'd share the whole thing

"A soul mate is a friend you make and meet on the astral plane" Michelle Garcia 2014

Gear stick into reverse, side mirror – check, rear view mirror – check, quick look over shoulder - check, all clear, gas on, clutch up slowly, release hand brake, then BANG – ARGHHHHHHHHHH. That sickening, heart stopping moment when you realise you just hit somebody with your car.

Brake on, hand brake up, deep breath and launch yourself out of the car wondering if you should have just driven off.

Welcome to Charlie's Monday morning.

She quickly ran round to the back of the car where a young Asian man lay on the ground, his twisted bike frame front under the rear of her car, the front wheel buckled, the man wincing in agony and clutching his leg.

“Are you hurt?” she asked, which was a stupid question considering the contorted look on his face. He replied in a language she didn’t understand. “Stop!” she said, she needed to get help and quickly.

“Chinese?” he looked blank for a moment as she asked the question. “Ch-i-neese” she sounded out the word, he shook his head. “Japanese?” she asked, he nodded his head vigorously.

“Ichi” she said and pointed at her watch to indicate a minute, while she dialled 999. The operator asked her a few questions which she couldn’t answer. Did the man speak English, she gathered not but asked anyway, “English?” he shook his head, and winced at the pain in his leg which was trapped under the bike which was trapped under the car. He tried to pull it out and she yelled “No!” he seemed to understand and stopped. When she had finished the call and there was an ambulance on its way, she let her first aid training come into play, she motioned to him that she would lift the bike if he could move his leg, she did this with the best sign language she could. She had considered moving the car, then envisaged his leg being dragged along with it and thought better of it.

She checked none of the metal was digging in his flesh, thankfully not, he was just pinned. She motioned she would lift, and held up three fingers and prayed he understood the 'on three' principle. “Ichi, nee, SAN!” she said and lifted the bike, the young man pulled his leg out crying out in pain in the process. Charlie yanked the bike backwards to make sure it cleared his leg, then got in her car and got the bike out from under it. The young man sat on the curb rubbing his leg which was swelling and bruising badly. It seemed so long before the sirens were heard, the boy started shaking his head and talking in Japanese. Charlie couldn’t understand a word he was saying, “You must go to the hospital” she said. He got his wallet out of his pocket, shook it and shook his head. Charlie pushed the wallet down to show he didn’t need to pay. He nodded his head to say he did, she shook her head to show that he didn’t.

Charlie sat there trying to figure out how she hadn’t seen him, she had checked all her mirrors and looked over her shoulder he hadn’t been there, he must have been bending over. She downloaded a Japanese voice translator, it wasn’t perfect but it would help.

She asked his name, he answered, 'Fukishima Hikaru', and bowed his head, she bowed back as she said 'Charlie Barnes' patting herself on the chest so he would know she meant herself. She was finally able to apologise for hitting him with the car. She suddenly remembered she was on her way into work called in and explained she wouldn’t be in. Charlie told her translator to relate to Hikaru that she would stay with him and make sure he was OK. Using the translator between them they managed to communicate that he had just been leaving the UK. He was using his bike and the train to get across Europe. He had Ireland left to do, she promised him he would get there, but first she had to make sure he was OK. He didn’t have a hotel to stay in, she told him that was OK, she had a spare room, he couldn’t ride his bike with his knee all swollen and bruised. He asked how he was going to pay the hospital bill when the ambulance arrived, she told him health care in the UK was free and if it hadn’t been she would have paid for it, as it was her fault he was in this mess.

He shook his head and managed to communicate that he had been bent over his bike sorting the chain, she probably hadn’t seen him.

Seven hours later they left the hospital and got a taxi back home, she had put the bike in the boot before she left so she helped him up the steps to the apartment building.

With the translators between them they were able to communicate pretty freely. He had a notebook and they had a way of chatting, and within twenty minutes she was making him coffee just the way he liked it. He seemed an amiable young man, and Charlie felt ever so guilty about knocking him off his bike. She would put the bike in to be fixed the following morning failing that she would buy him a new one.

She put the kettle on, she had asked him how many sugars he took, he had said ichi, one. As she went to put the sugar in his cup, it felt like her hand was knocked so there was only half the sugar left. She put the half in the cup, and put the spoon back in the bowl to get another half spoon, but as she reached the cup her hand was 'knocked'. She tried again the same thing happened. She wanted to shout out 'stop it' to whoever was knocking her hand but she didn’t want her guest to think she was a nut case. So she filled the teaspoon, it got knocked empty. A hand stilled her hand then, Hikaru said something in Japanese into the translator, “someone is trying to tell you I only take half a sugar”. She turned startled, he had a knowing smile on his face. She finished making the coffee and helped him back to the sofa. She put the cup down and got shoved till she hit the sofa face first.

“I can still say the word Exorcism pal, he wont understand that one.” she said between gritted teeth, she was shoved again, this time she was prepared.

Over the last few months she had gained a liking for Asian food and had plenty of sauces in the cupboard, a wasabe and plum fell onto the counter as she opened the door. Wasabe and plum it is then, she thought. In a few minutes she had her ingredients ready, it took only a few minutes to prepare, she had stainless steel chopsticks. It was the first time she had cooked for anyone since her daughter had left for university. It made her feel good, also to know that spirit had given her the OK to invite him into her home, he must be a good person, she wondered how he had known it was safe to come back to a strangers home like this? She asked him, and was surprised when he pulled a tarot deck from his back pack, he pulled the ace of pentacles from the deck. She reached to the drawer under the coffee table and pulled her tarot deck.

“You must ask what every day will bring, today I got the best of all cards.” she protested that today he had been hurt really badly. He laughed, his knee was bruised and swollen, in a few days it would be fine, and if she hadn’t hit him with the car, they never would have met. She blushed, it was almost as if he were chatting her up, but looking at the reality, he was about 10 or so years younger than her and totally beautiful. No he definitely wasn’t chatting her up, and she laughed to herself for her folly. She told him to help himself to food and drink, he was free to use the big computer if he needed to contact people to let them know he was all-right. She went and got a shower, it only took five minutes to wash and dry her short blonde hair. She would be asleep in less than twenty mins.

She couldn’t wait to get into bed, in recent months wherever she was going in her dreams she didn’t want to come back. Waking up was depressing, and she longed to sleep, to be wherever it was that her soul was at peace. One day she wouldn’t wake and she would stay there forever, she really longed for that day recently. She was forty and was ready to depart this world. She had done what she intended to do, watch her daughter grow into a fine young woman and send her out into the world with a sensible head on her shoulders. She felt spirit were preparing her for departure, telling her all would be well, wherever it was she flew in her dreams, she just wished she could remember his face, the one who always met her at the style and helped her over it, from this world to the plane in between this world and the next.

She guessed her body must be failing her, but she wasn’t in pain, it was just her time, and she was ready to go. She knew that one night he would help her over the style and he'd cut the thread that held her to her human shell and she would be free to spend eternity with him. If only she could remember what he looked like when she awoke.

When Charlie awoke next, she made her way into the kitchen, where Hikaru was making breakfast, his knee seemed completely healed.

“Ohio” she said and “arigato” as he put the plate down in front of her. Something was wrong, her thoughts were in English, she seemed to be speaking Japanese. She got up and made her way to the mirror, “aishteru Hikaru gomennasai ” she managed turning to look at him. She turned and looked back at the mirror, long black hair, white skin, Asian eyes, exactly the same as she had been when she had gone to bed the night before, and she went and sat back down.

“Aishteru?” Hikaru asked her.

“Hikaru, that accident you had in England last year, what happened again?” Chiyo his room mate asked him.

“The woman Charlie Barnes, she backed her car into me, pinned me against the wall, and had a heart attack at the wheel and died, why?”

“She was here a moment ago, I don’t think she realised she had died.” Chiyo explained.

“Yeah I feel a presence sometimes too, when I'm making coffee, someone knocks the sugar out of my hand, and sometimes when I'm dreaming, there’s a woman waiting for me on a fence and we go for a walk, I don’t really know what Charlie looked like, but I feel it's her.” Hikaru told her. He hoped Charlie found peace now.  

Road to Hell

I have the longest drive of the year, literally and metaphorically as I will be taking my son the 165 miles home and then driving 165 miles back... when I'd rather he stayed with me. Hey ho another 18 months and he is moving back home to Wales.
I hope I find some inspiration for a new short story for young ladies today, I want to try and do 100 before I go back to writing romantic horror novels.

An excerpt from another of the Short Stories For Young Ladies

LOVE IS TERRIFYING

As soon as Becca left for university at the age of 21 Ellen had the rest of her life planned out. She had no intention of sitting back and watching the rest of her life slip by. The past 21 years had been the best 21 years a mother could have. A perfect daughter, intelligent, beautiful, respectful, Ellen was so proud of her, she had made Ellen’s life complete up to the day she moved out, but then it was time for Ellen to complete her journey.

Ellen was a fitness freak, and danced every spare moment she got, she was good at it too. When Becca left for university Ellen put a band together, ’40 somethings having fun’, had entered a talent competition, came second, but somehow it had launched their career and now they were embarking on a world tour. Dex, her cohort, best friend, band founder, all round good guy had been there right the way along.

They had done well in Asia, and planned several dates in the major cities. It had always surprised Ellen, Becca who knew nothing of her heritage had a natural affinity with anything Asian. Music, food, art, and being a DJ had strengthened this with K-Pop, Korean pop culture. Becca had been instrumental in getting Asian bands music aired firstly on university radio and then with the onset of Gangnam style, onto main stream UK play lists.

Dex & Ellen had 40 something’s bands ‘people’ call Becca's favourite bands people ‘Bad Boyz’ and they had agreed to do a set with 40 Something’s. Stage one of Ellen’s plan complete, and she had also been able to get Becca to agree to come in and do some backing. Becca wouldn’t like her interfering which is why she had got Dex to do it, but would thank them in the long run. What Ellen had to ask herself now, was would they be safe in Seoul?

07:00 a.m Monday London 22:00 p.m Friday Seoul. Becca & Jung-jun

“You have called me to say good morning?” Becca looked at her tablet with blurry eyes, then remembered she needed to speak in Korean

“Yes” Jung-jun smiled, realising it was probably a little early to be calling her, but he wanted to speak to her before he went to bed. He was flying back to Seoul on the 04:00 flight after his break on Jindo island.

“I look awful” she said, “You could have given me some warning. ”

“You’re still coming?” his face had become serious, and over skype she wasn’t sure she could effectively read his expression.

“Yes, do you not want me to? ” he laughed then...

“Just don’t forget your manners. ” this was how they had taken to conversing, although she spoke Korean well and he English, it was always their own language first followed by the other persons.

17:45 p.m. Tuesday. Jung-jun

Jung-jun knelt at the photo of his mother “Omma she will be here tomorrow, this girl I have never met, this girl who lives on the other side of the world. This girl who takes up my every thought. Why am I so terrified without reason?”

15:30 p.m. Wednesday. Ellen, Dex & Becca

As they stepped off the plane at Seouls Gimpo international airport the first thing that hit them was the cold. Becca switched her phone on as soon as the plane had come to a stop and it looked like she had been bitterly disappointed. Ellen knew better than to ask, Becca would just accuse her of being over bearing and butting her nose in where it didn’t belong, as was usually the case, so Ellen kept her own counsel. Dex noticed it too but had a feeling he knew why Becca could be so disappointed. Dex had always been like a father to Becca, her own father had abandoned her and Ellen when he had found out Ellen was pregnant, and had apparently died not long after. Dex had never had any children of his own, it was always something he had intended to do, but never found the right woman to do so with, he loved Ellen like a sister, but he knew there would never be anything between them, Ellen had no room in her life for a man. She had gone from doting on Becca to doting on 40 something and nothing else mattered.

His eyes went from Becca to Ellen and back, Becca was the prettiest little thing in the world, and if he had a daughter, he would have loved for her to be just like Becca. She had the most amazing eyes, not quite almond shaped, with a slight hooded slant that gave an Asian appearance, and they were aqua marine, he had never before or since seen anything like the colour of her eyes, and he had known Becca since she was two years old she was now twenty four and in the year since she had left university become quite a famous Disc Jockey.

Ellen had thankfully not put on her trademark platforms, and she wore a hat to cover her blonde hair with large dark sunglasses, Ellen was unrecognisable. Which was odd, as she generally coveted notoriety. Dex said nothing, and they rushed through the airport to an awaiting car. Both women were acting out of character, Becca never let anything get to her, and Ellen didn’t like not being recognised.

17:12 p.m. Wednesday. Ellen, Dex, Becca & Jung-jun

The car pulled up outside the hotel Tria after over an hour and a half drive from the airport in heavy traffic at least the hotel wasn’t far from the venue. The car stopped, Ellen pulled Becca from the car and ran into the hotel, looking round furtively. Dex followed quickly wondering what the hell had got into Ellen.

As they got to the desk Becca stopped dead in her tracks and Ellen took her sunglasses off, there stood leaning against a wall was Kim Jung-jun, looking like the living embodiment of a God. He smiled as he saw her, pushed off from the wall and made his way to her. Dex booked himself Becca and Ellen in.

“You’re here” Becca said, feeling stupid stating the obvious, and looking down, then remembering her manners she bowed, as did Jung-jun.

“mueos-inga ij-eossda nu” Jung-jun said smiling at her.

“No oppa I have not forgot my manners” she replied in English, bowed again, “I am glad to see you oppa Jung-jun” at which he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

Ellen stood stiffly at the side of them. What was this? She had no idea Becca was so informal with Jung-jun as to call him Oppa! Becca turned to introduce them and seeing the thunderous look on her mother’s face wondered if now wasn’t such a good time. Jung-jun introduced himself without hesitation and held out his hand to shake Ellen’s hand, she took it stiffly and let go quickly, then remembering that all this trouble she had gone to was to get Becca close to this guy she relaxed a little.

“Excuse my manners also, I have had a long flight and am suffering fatigue. Thank you for coming to greet my daughter, now if you will excuse me I wish to rest.” Then at the blank look on Jung-jun’s face she repeated in Korean. Dex watched the exchange with interest, Ellen was acting like a diva, which although she loved being famous, was something she most certainly wasn’t. She had once even gone so far as to invite fans into a venue out of the cold, she was warm and caring, it appeared Korea disagreed with her. Or maybe it was as she had said, the long flight, but this was the boy that Becca had the crush on, the one Ellen had intended Becca should meet and if Ellen had her way, fall in love with and marry. Becca was no stranger to him, and Ellen knew none of this, it must have come as quite a shock. Not so to Dex. Ellen turned to Dex and led him to the lift by his elbow, leaving Becca and Jung-jun at the check in desk..

17:30 p.m. Wednesday. Ellen & Dex

“Want to tell me what’s going on?”

Baby Run

Baby Run
Is the latest of the short stories in the Romance For Young Ladies range.
Baby Run focuses on a Kelli & Tim
At the age of 5 Kelli falls for Tim while saving him from being beaten up, but he doesn't feel the same.
As time goes on Kelli has made herself popular in an attempt to gain Tim's heart, Tim isn't popular and it all comes to a head when she yet again saves him from bullies and he hurts her quite badly.
Kelli's attitude changes... no longer the nice sweet girl everyone liked, she becomes a relentless, ruthless bully...
Tim realises his error, but is it too late to bring Kelli back? (I haven't decided yet)


I was asked the other day where my inspiration for the stories comes from... and its always something very simple...
Inspiration for this story... two words from a Kim Hyun Joong song Yes I Will, conjured up the image of a young girl pulling a young boy away from a beating...

Baby Run

Kelli Prescott had moved to New Stoke in time to join the local junior school in year three. There she met Tim Lee. Tim was a little bit different. He hid his face behind a long mane of black fringe even way back then, and nothing changed right throughout school. He liked everything in black, to match his mood. Kelli first happened upon him when he was being bullied by two older children on the school field. Kelli had a kind heart and she liked Tim, so she intervened by stamping on the boys instep, and punching them on the nose. Tim thanked her by screaming at her that she had made him look even more stupid and had walked off. This act of nastiness only seemed to cause Kelli to like Tim even more, and become more and more protective of him. She promised herself she would become the most intelligent, prettiest, most popular, hardest girl in school and Tim would just have to love her.

In year seven, her parents bought the house next door to Tim's. She was in her element, and felt sure that now he would at least attempt to get to know her. Occasionally they spoke over the garden fence, but he either left later or earlier for school than she did, and even if she timed it to be the same time, he just put his ear phones in and ignored her.

Kelli was good at everything and by year eleven she was the most popular, hardest, most athletic girl in school, arguably the county, with the nicest manners and the sweetest disposition.. She excelled at tennis, swimming, Jeet Kune Do and was teaching it to younger students at the tender age of fourteen. Tim was intelligent and if he ever took the hair off his face, he was good looking too, and if he did cut his hair maybe everyone else would see what Kelli saw when she looked at him. No one else could understand Kelli, every boy in school wanted to date her, she only had eyes for Tim.

A week before prom night she felt sure that Tim would ask her and if not she would most definitely ask him. She managed to catch Tim on one of his rare visits into the garden “Tim, have you asked anyone to prom yet?”

Tim smirked as he said 'yes', and told her he had asked Amy Price. He asked her if she was going with Kyle Lines? She said he had asked her but she actually wasn’t going to go to prom, she had other plans for that evening. Tim eyed her suspiciously, what girl didn’t go to her own prom? Kelli made her way back inside, lay on her bed determined not to cry, and failed.

College started off not much better, she was in practically every class with Tim, who was now a firm item with Amy. Amy doted on him, Tim treated Amy with indifference most of the time, Kelli got an idea of what being in a relationship with Tim would be like, and it wasn’t nice. Still she loved him, Tim ignored her.

November came Kelli was walking home from playing squash, she hadn’t got changed, it was raining and she was getting soaked. Ahead she saw two men beating a third up, she knew even in the darkness, that the man being beaten up was Tim. She dropped her bag and run to intervene, she stamped on both men’s feet grabbed Tim's hand “Baby run!” she yelled dragging him away before the men had chance to take up pursuit. They ran and Kelli dragged Tim down a back alley, pressed him into a gateway while the two men ran past on the main road. When they had gone she looked up and could see Tim was bleeding, she ripped her t-shirt to tend to his wounds. He started screaming at her, “Who do you think you're calling baby? Why cant you just leave me alone! All of this is your fault! I hate you, I hate the likes of you, who think because you're pretty you have the right to what you want, how many times do I have to tell you to FUCK OFF!” he screamed the last words in her face and pushed her, as she wasn’t expecting it she lost her footing and hit the wall behind her hard. She felt a sharp pain in her head. She nodded, “I will leave you alone” she said and turned to walk toward the main road, Tim turned the other way, he started to run but turned, he could see something dark running down her back, then she wobbled and hit the floor face first, he went to run back but the two boys came round the corner, he hid in the gateway she had pushed him in to moments before.

“Please I need an ambulance, my friend, she hurt her head and I cant get to her, there are boys there, she is unconscious and in danger”

As he looked over there was a metal pipe sticking out of the wall he had pushed Kelli into. Moments later the ambulance arrived, the boys had also called 999 and stayed with her until it arrived. Kelli had to have surgery to relieve swelling on the brain, Tim was arrested for assault, but as Kelli refused to press charges nothing came of it. Kelli returned to college in January, thankfully, her hair was long and covered the slight bald patch at the base of her skull.

I don't particularly 'like' reality

Back in work and too many hours of my day I now have to spend in reality... I don't particularly 'like' reality, in my imagination I can go anywhere I like, be anyone I like, do anything I like... and I do!
But then in reality I'm just me, its not even like I can change it...

You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one

And I'm happier there than here, in the place where nothing anyone says or does matters to me.
The place that I only I know.
Just this side of Heaven, and sometimes if I'm really lucky, a nudge away from hell.
A place called My Fantasy.

Xania - Playing with romance

Xania - Playing with romance

 An excerpt from one of the new short stories ' Romance for young ladies

Park

Hannah and Chloe took five minutes out on their way through the park to college. The sun was shining and at 8:35 a.m. it was already a warm September day. They sat on a bench that on one side faced toward the tennis courts and on the other faced the huge glass greenhouse. Their first day of college and they were both a little nervous, the upcoming 'A' levels promised to be a daunting two years. Worse still Dahlia Connors and her gang of miscreants had also gone to college, was there no reprieve from those bullies. Hannah and Chloe had always been the outcasts, the quiet ones, different. Preferring rock music to pop music and dressing accordingly. Over the summer Hannah had her brown hair tie dyed with purple, and Chloe had her blonde hair tie dyed with pink, undoubtedly Miss Connors would make fun and find fault, she did with everything, she seemed to make it her personal mission to hate everything about these two girls.

“Hey did you hear that a big Korean pop star will be studying at the college this year?” Chloe asked Hannah, as Liam plonked himself down next to them.

“Really? How could I have 'not' heard that? It's every status Dahlia has posted since the beginning of summer. Anyway he's apparently a rap star, and therein ended my interest.” Hannah stated and smiled, intently studying her mobile phone. A voice from the other side of the bench made them all look up, “So, you have no interest in a person because they rap?”

Hannah looked up, on the other side of the bench, sat a boy in a baseball cap and dark glasses. An oversized baseball jersey and baggy jeans appeared to complete the outfit, she couldn’t see his feet. He was looking at a piece of paper in his hand, and didn’t look up. “It's not that, its just why would I have interest in a rap star when I like rock music?”

“Does that naturally mean that you have no interest in the person because of the music they like?” there was a heavy accent attached to the voice, but still the boy didn’t look round, just continued studying the paper in his hand, Hannah chanced a peek over his shoulder, it was a map of the college campus, and it was upside down.

“Not at all, its just unlikely our paths will cross, this boy has already generated a lot of interest and speculation, he undoubtedly wouldn’t want attention from the likes of us.”

“You assume a lot on behalf of a person you do not know.” he said, a note of cynicism in his voice and a wry smile played about the corner of his mouth.

“It's ten to” Liam stated, they couldn’t afford to be late on their first day. The three got up to leave.

“Do you know where you're going?” Hannah asked the boy on the other side of the bench.

“Wouldn't I then be asking you to take an interest in me, something you have just stated I wouldn’t want you to do.” the boy stated. Hannah shrugged, getting up she wasn’t going to beg. The three friends started to walk off,

“Hey Miss Mouthy, yeah you could show me where the office is?”

“Is that any way to speak to someone while asking for their help?” Hannah stuttered aghast. The boy smiled, “Sorry I don’t speak very good English, how do I address you?”

“Well not Miss Mouthy that’s for sure! Hurry up or you're going to make us all late!” The boy bowed, then caught them up. Hannah introduced them all en-route.

“I'm Park Lee-min” Lee-min said “Lee-min to my friends.” then again with the cynical smile.

“We know” said the friends, and they all laughed. They dropped Lee-min at the office and headed up to the third floor and their first English 'A' Level lesson. A few moments later Lee-min appeared at the door, he waved to them, they waved back and out of the corner of her eye Hannah saw Dahlia's eyes narrow in her direction. As Lee-min attempted to make his way to them, Dahlia grabbed him and dragged him to the other side of the classroom by the window telling him as they went that he didn’t want to be associated with 'those losers'. Hannah shrugged her shoulders as Lee-min looked back. As he got to Dahlia's desk, he managed to disentangle himself from her grasp. He bowed politely, then informed her that he would join the “rest of the losers at the back of the class”, turned and made his way over to the three friends he had made earlier. Dahlia started to protest loudly when the tutor appeared at the door and quietened her.

Lee-min had taken his dark glasses off and Hannah could clearly see what all the fuss was about. The boy hit the jackpot in the beauty stakes. He smiled at her then, and if she hadn't already been sitting, her knees would have given from underneath her. He had this habit of a crooked little side smile that was so endearing it was painful to look at, and he knew it, it was well practised. He sat next to Liam and asked what had just accosted him? “Dahlia” Liam said and the three friends laughed, knowing full well that, to them that one word explained a lot. The now four all had Math after English, Dahlia again attempted to get Lee-min away from them, and failed. Hannah could see Dahlia's frustration and knew that somehow Hannah was going to end up getting a beating for this.

Dahlia was a pretty girl, tall, slender, perfect figure, green eyes, dark auburn hair, but inside she was just nasty and spoiled.

Lee-min had drama after lunch and they parted ways, but not before adding each other on Facebook and arranging to meet to walk home after college, Hannah felt she would need as many people around her as possible tonight, Dahlia had looked at her several times like one does when faced with something of distaste that was hindering your progress.

Dahlia was also doing drama and came out of the class clinging onto Lee-min and demanding he walk her home, the three friends saluted him and messaged him to say they would be in the park the following morning if he would like to meet them.

That's the way the next week passed, and Dahlia got more and more demanding of Lee-min. Until eventually Lee-min wasn’t able to meet them in the park, she was waiting for him outside his house every morning.

The weekend came the friends went into town, they did invite Lee-min but he had 'other matters' to attend to. Hannah left early as she had errands to run for her mother. She had just got to the alley between the main road and her house when Dahlia appeared with her gang of miscreants, Hannah tried to walk past.

“Who do you think you are?” Dahlia began. Then when Hannah declined to answer she screamed it in her face. Hannah knew from experience that to answer her back would only get her a bigger beating. Dahlia started screaming about Hannah deleting Dahlia's boyfriend off her friends list on Facebook and never to look in his direction again.

“He is MY PARK LEE-MIN” Dahlia was screaming at Hannah, the other girls took it as their cue to grab Hannah's arms so she couldn’t fight back, Dahlia punched her hard in the face. Hannah's cheek dug into her teeth and she tasted blood. Her face swelled instantly. At that moment someone shouted and the gang of girls ran off. Liam ran to her, fuming at her for not fighting back. She pointed out that unless he hadn't noticed, there was three of them and one of her, better to take the punch, at least Dahlia hadn’t been wearing her rings, then again that would have left a mark that was undoubtedly Dahlia's doing. Liam walked her home.

Once at home, Hannah deleted Lee-min off her friends list and strongly advised Liam do the same. Liam didn’t see why he should, Hannah pointed out, they had hardly seen Lee-min since Dahlia had well and truly got her claws into him, it wasn’t worth the trouble. Liam was inclined to agree and they called Chloe. Monday morning Hannah tried her best to hide the bruising on her face. She had got the swelling to go down, but her face was black. It was raining so they all got the bus to school. As they walked up, they saw Lee-min with his arm around Dahlia and knew they had made the right decision, he turned and looked over his shoulder, he tried to remove his arm but Dahlia wouldn’t let him and kept tight hold of his hand. The friends just walked away. In the classroom, Dahlia dragged Lee-min to her side of the class, Lee-min kept looking over at the three 'outsiders' they kept their eyes trained on the tutor, and left swiftly.

A few weeks passed in the same manner. None of them spoke to Lee-min and Dahlia stayed super-glued to his side. He was clearly disturbed as to why they were ignoring him but as they didn’t attempt to explain, he didn’t request an explanation although he had an idea it had something to do with the girl who wouldn’t leave him alone. At least he had a friend here even if Dahlia was overbearing. Eventually Lee-min made other friends Aaron and Cane, who joined with him to make a group, and attempted to disconnect himself from Dahlia without being rude.

He started making preparations for his part in the Christmas show, and thankfully due to his stature, he was able to escape Dahlia and rehearse with only Aaron and Cane. He was doing something special for his mom.

“Hannah, oh Hannah you're never going to guess what happened to me in the supermarket just now.” Hannah's mother was chatting excitedly as she was putting the shopping on the side, she didn’t wait for Hannah to guess before continuing. “Remember I told you I had this best friend in school and she moved to Korea?” Hannah remembered the best friend but not much about her. “Well she's back! I saw her at the supermarket, she is coming over for tea tonight!” it didn’t take Hannah long to make the connection. Hannah's mother continued happily chatting, totally oblivious to the panic welling in her daughters chest. “She has a son who is apparently at your college, maybe you know him? Lee-min?” her mother kept asking the questions, not waiting for her daughter to answer. “Anyway the two are coming over for tea, apparently she has been looking for me under my maiden name, her parents still have the Korean restaurant in town...” and her mother carried on with the story, Hannah started to tremble, this was going to get her the beating of a lifetime.

At 7 p.m. On the dot the doorbell went and her mother removed her apron and ran excitedly to answer it. Hannah had helped lay the table and now wanted to disappear, she certainly didn’t feel hungry. It had taken nearly six weeks for the last bruise Dahlia had given her to disappear, her mother had seemed oblivious to the bruises and the bullying and now she was bringing the object that had caused the last round of bullying right into her house.

Lee-min walked in and bowed to her mother then to Hannah. He was wearing a neat pair of trousers and a shirt and tie, his usually spiky hair was flattened down tidily, and he was so beautiful she could barely look at him without blushing as if he could read her thoughts. Every year Bridget had given a card to Seun-ha's parents for her at Christmas. Awkward questions ensued about why Hannah and Lee-min weren't friends, Hannah merely said they moved in different circles, but at some point she would have to ask him to not to tell Dahlia he had been here.

After dinner the two women started reminiscing and Bridget asked Hannah to show Lee-min her room. Lee-min bowed as he left the table and Hannah felt the compulsion to do the same, it was such good manners. Unable to help herself Hannah had looked him up on the internet. At the tender age of nineteen he was a superstar in his own right, not only in Korea but right across Asia, what he was doing in this little backwater town in England still remained a mystery but Hannah guessed it was something to do with his grandparents owning the Korean restaurant in town.

No sooner had they entered her room she took her chance and asked him not to tell Dahlia he had been here or even seen her. He sat on the computer chair at her desk while she sat on the edge of the desk, he could see she was nervous about this.

“Is that why you haven’t spoken to me? And have deleted me from Facebook?” he leaned forward on the chair till he was almost nose to nose with her. She nodded. He was followed by over ten million people, how did he know she had deleted him?

“The bruise on your face, did Dahlia do that?”

“Please, look I don’t want any trouble, she is your girlfriend, I'm just asking you don’t tell her you were here, is that too much to ask?” she knew she might answer him and he may tell Dahlia, which would cause another beating. Lee-min could see the panic welling in her eyes.

“She is not my girlfriend.” he said steadily. “I am asking you, did she give you that bruise on your face?” he touched the spot on her cheek where the bruise had been as if it were still there. It was such a tender touch she barely felt it. Still she wasn’t going to say yes, for all she knew this may be some plan of Dahlia's to see if Hannah would grass her. So she looked away and attempted to change the subject. She could never look someone in the eye and lie.

“OK, I wont tell her I was here.” he tilted her head up with his forefinger so she was looking at him. “As long as you do something for me?” he saw the startled panic in her eyes, and quickly continued, “my mother tells me that the best friend she ever had in the whole wide world was your mother, and part of her reason for coming home was to rekindle that friendship. I hope that we too can be friends?” he had hoped all the way here, that the Hannah his mother was bringing him to see was the same Hannah with the beautiful eyes he had met in the park that first morning of college. Hannah laughed.

“I'd love to, but it's not appropriate, we move in different circles.”

“Dahlia?” he asked, she nodded. “Aishhhhhhhhhh” he said, shaking his head. He decided to change the subject, she was clearly uncomfortable. “Want to see something?” he asked, she smiled and nodded.

He pulled up Youtube then logged into his account, there was a string of videos. He clicked on one.

This is what I am working on for the Christmas concert, its for my mom, her favourite band was Duran Duran so this is my rendition of Wild Boys.

Hannah watched in awe, there was Lee-min dancing with two other boys. He had turned the chorus into a rap, then he did a handstand onto what looked like a big bongo drum, flipped over it and picked up the drum batons and started banging the heck out of the drum. He pointed out the spring board. Then when the music reached a crescendo and as the words were 'as you're dancing in the rain' he explained that at that point he was going to get wet. Hannah sat wide eyed, so he continued, “and my shirt will be sheer”. She could feel heat rising in her cheeks and knew about now she was bright red. That was the sexiest thing she had ever seen, and she had only seen him getting wet in her minds eye, she didn’t think she could cope seeing the real thing. “Wow” was all she managed.

“Would you like to come to rehearsals?” he asked, she looked to see if he was joking?

“Aren't your rehearsals closed sessions?” she asked, she had read it on Dahlia's wall. It was always handy to know where your enemy was going to be so you could ensure you weren't in the same place. He realised that she knew, therefore she had taken an interest.

“They're 'my' rehearsals.” he stated without need for further explanation, the smile on his face stated he knew the effect he was having on her, he must have caused this reaction in billions of girls. She nodded, she would love to go, then she remembered Dahlia.

“I will ensure that’s not a problem” he said, without her mentioning what it was. He spoke slowly in English, his English was accented beautifully, yet impeccable. They spent the rest of the night watching video's and chatting about their courses. Liam and Chloe arrived and they all chatted easily, like as if Lee-min had always been their friend.

When Lee-mins mother was leaving, they arranged a study session for the following night. Lee-min took Hannah's hand as they reached the door, “you have nothing to worry about now, understand?” she understood but didn’t believe him, she had plenty to worry about. Dahlia was going to find out about this and when she did, Hannah was dead.

The following day in college Lee-min came straight over to her as soon as she walked through the door, had he not heard a word she had said? Or was this what he had planned all along? “She wont bother you again, I promise.” he said casting a look over his shoulder at Dahlia who was giving Hannah deadly glances. Hannah half expected him to drag her over to Dahlia and make them shake hands or something, but he didn’t. Liam and Chloe came over, all of them were worrying, but as Lee-min turned and looked at Dahlia, she looked away.

“I have far too much respect for my mother than to allow anyone to cause her distress.” Lee-min said, Hannah wasn’t sure what he meant, and he didn’t explain further, two other boys came over, he introduced then as Aaron and Cane, Hannah recognised them as the boys in the video.

Later that day as the friends went for the bus Dahlia appeared in front of them. Hannah started to shake, then she felt someone take her hand and to the side of her was Lee-min, “Is there a problem Dahlia?” he asked, she shook her head and walked away.

“She's not going to let this go.” Hannah said out loud.

“She wont have any option.” he paused before continuing, “I am headed to the gym, want to come?” he asked. Hannah's eyes grew wide, the thought of Lee-min in the gym was more than she could handle. He was only slightly taller than her at about 5'9” but he screamed testosterone. The bus pulled up and Lee-min went to board it, she stopped him, where exactly was the gym? he pointed at the college. He was going to take her home first. She shook her head, she had her friends with her. He pulled her into a hug and whispered into her ear, “starting tonight I am going to teach you self-defence.” they parted ways.

Chloe and Liam wanted to know what he had whispered, she smiled as she told them. Both grinned like Cheshire cats, it was clear to them that Lee-min liked her and they said as much. Hannah laughed, did they know how many girls loved him in Asia? “Ahhhh, but he's not in Asia now is he?” Chloe giggled, Hannah knew he was being like this out of some sort of respect to their mothers friendship.

Later that night Hannah's doorbell went, it was Lee-min, her heart melted as he walked through the door. After the study session, he taught her the first of the self-defence moves he intended. Although how she could defend herself against three of them was anyone's guess. As he was leaving he hugged her close to him again and kissed the top of her head. When she checked her Facebook later she had a friend request, from Lee-min's new personal account. She pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming, 'he' had requested 'her' as a friend. Although his following in the UK wasn’t large, he was certainly popular in college, and he had requested her. She accepted. When she went to look at Dahlia's wall, she found she had been blocked.

The following day after college they went to rehearsals. Lee-min was wearing a shirt that had press-studs down the front. He opened the shirt to his waist. “Wow, your skin is so smooth” Hannah said without thinking. Most boys her age were spotty but not Lee-min.

He walked over to her and took her hand, he pulled the shirt off his shoulders and then starting at the bottom of his throat, he placed her fingers on his skin and ran them, slowly the length of his torso all the way down to the waist of his sweats, where she promptly pulled her hand away, she could hear the lyrics of the music in the background “touch me 'there'”. “Bo! Bo! Bo! Aigoo!” she said, (what, what, what, Jeez) in Korean. He laughed, had she just cussed him out in Korean? She had passed his test, she was the only girl ever to pass his test. If she had 'touched' him 'there', he would have distanced himself from her, but he had found a beautiful lady here, and he wanted to get to know her better.

The two boys he were with were talking loudly about the exchange they had just witnessed. Aaron was saying he would have to try that with the next person he met, both boys said they had a lot to learn from Lee-min, the way he had girls eating out of his hand. It was the first inkling that all might not be as it seemed with Lee-min. For the rest of the rehearsals she sat quietly in the corner, and left before he had finished changing. She managed to avoid him for the rest of the week, she was beginning to think he was playing her like a game. She watched him from a distance, when she could be sure he wouldn’t know she was there. He played Dahlia the same way he was playing Hannah. Little touches here and there, sweeping a stray strand of hair off her face. Smiling that cute way he had when she looked at him. Putting his arm possessively round her shoulders when another male approached. Yes Lee-min was a player of the worst order. He knew just exactly which of a woman's buttons to press to get the right effect. Hannah's seventeenth birthday was just weeks away. She was still a virgin and intent on keeping her virginity for someone who deserved it, that person wasn’t Lee-min, then laughed at her own stupidity, he had never really given her any inkling he liked her in that way, maybe he was just a tactile person.

Want to find out what happens to Hannah, Lee-min and the rest of the gang? The book will be published on Amazon by the end of the year, or you could just ask and a few lucky people might get a looksee for free :)

KIM HYUN JOONG 김현중 'Unbreakable' M/V (feat.Jay Park)

Well it's 2014, the year I have been dreading is finally upon me.
New Years resolutions, that I (probably) wont stick to, include

1. Writing
2. Vegan diet 
3. Exercise. 
4. Learn Korean

Oh yeah and this... to blog
As the year goes on I hope to become more adapt and add video's etc.
We welcomed in the new year with 
I have to say, watching hot bods getting wet really made the transition into this new year very enjoyable!
The first New Years Eve I have sung and danced and really enjoyed, I usually see the New Year in and go to bed.
Aim for 2015, get to Korea!
But for now lets concentrate on the year at hand.