The Suprise
In the cluttered warmth of their living room on a lazy Sunday afternoon, Kitty practically sprang off the couch, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “I can’t believe I’m going to KISS next semester!” she blurted out, her voice alive with that raw, unfiltered excitement like she could hardly believe it was real.
Her dad, Dan, was still nursing his coffee at the kitchen table when he heard her. He looked up with a gentle smile and teased, “I know, sweetheart. This is only the 50th time you’ve mentioned it.” Even as he joked, Dan couldn’t help but recall all those evenings when Kitty had pleaded with him about her plans, her determination as stubborn and brilliant as ever.
Kitty fired back without missing a beat, “I know, but I’m just sooo excited to finally go there after begging you for years!” Her voice carried memories of countless late-night conversations and whispered dreams—a mix of playful defiance and genuine longing to step into a world that felt just within reach.
Dan chuckled, shaking his head. “Hey, in my defense, you wanted to go to KISS back in ninth grade.” He still remembered how relentless she had been—practically making PowerPoint presentations on why she needed to go to KISS right away. At the time, it hadn’t felt right to send her halfway across the world alone, and even though she’d sulked about it for weeks, he knew she understood why.
“That’s because I wanted to be with Yuri and Dae!” Kitty shot back, her tone layered with nostalgia. Just the mention of their names stirred up memories of whispered secrets, shared dreams, and the ache of being apart and the ache of missing out on last summer with them.”.
“Now you get to go to school with them,” Dan said, warmth in his voice. He had no doubts about Yuri—he knew how much she meant to Kitty and how much Kitty meant to her. If anything, he was just glad that his daughter had friends who truly felt like home.
Leaning in with a grin, Kitty lowered her voice to a near-whisper. “I can’t wait to see the look on Yuri’s face when I surprise her.”
Dan smirked. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell her you’re coming?” he asked, not out of concern, but just to tease her a little. He already knew the answer before she even said it.
“No! I already slipped up and accidentally told Dae, so I do NOT want to ruin this.” Her determination was unwavering, and Dan couldn’t help but be amused.
Just then, her phone buzzed, pulling her attention away. Kitty glanced at the screen and couldn’t help a small, knowing smile. “Speaking of the devil,” she murmured, recognizing the sender.
Yuri:Hey:)
Almost immediately, her fingers danced over the screen as she texted back:
Kitty:Hi:)
Dan watched as she smiled down at her phone, already lost in conversation, before pushing herself off the couch and heading up the stairs to her room. He let out a quiet breath, shaking his head with a soft chuckle. He was happy—happy that she was excited, happy that she had something to look forward to.
Still, as he glanced at the empty space beside him, a familiar ache settled in his chest. He wished Eve were here to see this—to see their youngest daughter bursting with life, ready to take on the world. She would have been just as thrilled as Kitty, maybe even more.
Dan exhaled, taking another sip of his now-lukewarm coffee, letting the moment settle around him. Kitty’s footsteps thudded lightly above, her laughter muffled through the ceiling. And for now, that was enough.
***
Kitty flopped onto her bed with a satisfied sigh, her phone still in her hand. The conversation with her dad had left her feeling giddy, a bubbling excitement thrumming under her skin. She could barely believe it—just one more week, and she’d finally be in Korea again, at KISS, back with Yuri and Dae.
Her phone buzzed again.
Yuri:Hey:)
Kitty grinned and quickly replied.
Kitty:Hey…
Yuri:What’re you up to?
Kitty:Nothing much, I was just talking to my dad. Now I’m in my room.
Yuri:Can I FaceTime?
Kitty rolled her eyes playfully. As if Yuri ever needed permission.
Kitty:You know you don’t have to ask, you can call me anytime, right?
Yuri:I know, but I’ll still continue to ask ;)
Incoming FaceTime call: Yuri <3
Kitty answered, and the screen filled with Yuri’s smiling face.
“Hey, Song,” Yuri greeted, her voice warm.
“Hi, Yuri,” Kitty smiled back.
Yuri’s expression quickly shifted into a pout. “Ugh, I miss you.”
Kitty groaned dramatically, throwing an arm over her forehead. “I know, I miss you too.”
***
Their friendship wasn’t something that just happened—it was something that had always been.
Their mothers had been best friends since high school, and because of that, it was almost inevitable that Kitty and Yuri would follow in their footsteps. Their bond started before they were even old enough to understand what friendship meant.
Kitty met Yuri for the first time when she was two. That summer, her family traveled to Korea to visit her mom’s extended family and introduce her to Aunt Jina—who, at the time, was just Jina , her mom’s best friend. Kitty didn’t remember much about that trip, but she did know one thing: she got Yuri out of it. That was all that mattered.
A year later, her mom was gone.
After the funeral, everything changed. The house felt quieter, days stretched longer, and grief settled into their lives like an uninvited guest. But one thing stayed constant—her dad and Aunt Jina’s connection. Because her mom had loved Korea so much, because she had spent her last summer there, Dan and Jina decided that every summer, Kitty and her sisters would go back. It was their way of keeping her mom’s memory alive.
And every summer, Kitty stayed with Yuri’s family.
Those trips were the best part of her childhood. It was where she spent sticky, humid afternoons running through the halls of Yuri’s house, where they snuck ice cream from the freezer at midnight, where they whispered about crushes and dreams and the future under the glow of a shared blanket fort. It was also where she met Dae—the head of security’s son—who always hung out around the house, making it impossible not to become close.
It had been that way for as long as she could remember—until last summer.
Last summer, she hadn’t gone.
Instead, she had stayed home, drowning in paperwork so she could finally transfer to KISS for her junior and senior years of highschool. It had been so annoying, but necessary. And besides, she wanted to spend time with Lara Jean and Margot before everything changed—before Lara Jean started traveling the country with Peter and Margot returned to London for work.
She had also gotten a job—working at the movie theater, which had kept her busier than she expected.
Yuri had no idea she was coming.
Aunt Jina and Dae (after she had accidentally let it slip to him on FaceTime) had promised to keep the secret, helping her pull off the surprise. But she still had a whole week left before she left for Korea. That meant a whole week of keeping her mouth shut.
Which was nother strongest skill.
***
“I wish you weren’t working all summer,” Yuri huffed, her frown deepening.
Kitty winced slightly, knowing that was only partially true. “Yeah,” she said, forcing an enthusiastic grin, “but you know I loved working at the movie theater.
Yuri raised an eyebrow, flipping onto her stomach and resting her chin in her hand. “Really?”
“Yeah! I got free tickets, popcorn, and a huge discount on snacks all summer. It was the best—you would’ve loved it,” Kitty rambled, hoping to steer the conversation away from her “other” plans and back onto safer ground.
“I’m sure I would’ve,” Yuri said with a smile, eyes softening.
“I know you would’ve,” Kitty insisted. “I would’ve spoiled you so much.”
Yuri smirked. “With free movie tickets and unlimited snacks?”
“Yup!” Kitty giggled.
Yuri laughed, shaking her head before falling quiet, her gaze lingering on Kitty.
Kitty frowned. “What?”
“Nothing,” Yuri said, but her voice was quieter, softer. “You’re just... cute ...”
Kitty’s face heated instantly. She turned her head away from the screen, suddenly very interested in the posters on her wall.
Yuri sighed dramatically, shifting in bed. “When can I see you again? It’s been almost a year, and I am in desperate need of a Katherine Song-Covey hug.”
Kitty hesitated for just a second too long.
“I don’t know,” she said carefully. “The school year’s about to start, so I’m not sure.”
“Noooo,” Yuri whined.
Kitty sighed. “I really want to see you too. We’ve never gone this long without seeing each other.”
“This is so unfair,” Yuri grumbled. “I want you here.”
Kitty smiled. You will. She wanted to say it so badly, but she bit down on the words before they could slip out.
Instead, she mumbled, “I will be.”
Yuri perked up. “What was that?”
“Nothing!” Kitty said quickly, a little too quickly. “I just said me too.”
Yuri narrowed her eyes, suspicion creeping into her tone. “You’re being weird… You’re not lying to me, are you, Kitty?”
Kitty forced a casual shrug. “No, I’m not! Why would I lie?”
Yuri hummed but didn’t push further. “Okay, I’ll let it slide only because I like you.” She shifted against the headboard. “But seriously, when can I see you again? And I’m sure Dae wants to as well.”
Kitty thought quickly. “How about Christmas break? I could come to you, or you can come here.”
Yuri considered this. “That actually doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”
Kitty grinned. “I know, I have great ideas.”
Yuri smirked. “Well…”
Kitty gasped. “Hey! I do!”
Yuri laughed. “Remember that time when we were nine—”
Kitty groaned. “Yuri—”
“—And you thought it was a great idea to jump into that bush in the park—”
“It looked soft—”
“—It had poison ivy in it, Kitty.”
Kitty winced. “Yeah… that was bad. I remember crying so much that day.”
“I know ,” Yuri snorted. “I was there.”
Kitty smirked. “Yeah, but then you jumped in too—”
“No, I tripped ,” Yuri interrupted.
Kitty gave her a knowing look. “You did it on purpose.”
“I did not ,” Yuri blushed.
“Admit it, Yuri.”
“Fine I did.” Yuri whined. “I didn’t want you to go through the pain alone.”
Kitty’s heart clenched. “Awwww.”
“You just looked so sad and you were crying so much,” Yuri mumbled.
Kitty smiled. “And then your mom covered us head to toe in oatmeal.”
Yuri groaned. “Ugh, I hated that.”
Kitty laughed. “Okay, I’ll admit it wasn’t one of my brightest ideas.”
“You don’t say ,” Yuri teased.
Kitty gasped in fake offense.
Just then, a notification popped up on Yuri’s screen. She sighed. “Hey, I gotta go. My mom’s calling.”
Kitty pouted. “Okay, I’ll talk to you later. Tell her I said hi!”
“I will! Bye, Kitty.”
“Bye, Yuri.”
The screen went black. Kitty rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before grinning.
“Well, I guess I gotta pack!”
A week later.....
It was 6 in the morning but the airport was buzzing with life—families hugging, couples saying tearful goodbyes, travelers rushing to their gates. Kitty stood with her dad, her sisters Lara Jean and Margot, and her stepmom Trina, her suitcase in hand and her heart pounding with excitement.
“I can’t believe you’re leaving,” Lara Jean said, pulling her into a hug. “My baby sister’s all grown up.”
Kitty giggled. “LJ, I’m not going away to college.”
“I know , but still.”
Margot sighed. “You’re going to school in Korea. It’s so far.”
Kitty raised an eyebrow. “Margot, you literally live in London.”
“That’s not the same! I’m the oldest, so I get to do whatever I want,” Margot declared. “But you’re the youngest . You’re supposed to stay home.”
“I’ll be okay,” Kitty reassured them. “I have Yuri and Dae.”
“And Jiwon,” LJ added.
“And Aunt Jina,” Margot pointed out.
Dan pulled her into a hug. “I’m gonna miss you, kiddo,” he whispered into her hair.
“Me too,” Kitty mumbled into his chest, feeling a few tears slip out.
He squeezed her tight. “Who’s gonna help me cook while you're busy frolicking around in Seoul?” His voice was a little choked up, emotion creeping in.
Kitty sniffled, giggling into his chest. “You’ll have Trina to help.”
Dan smiled down at her and kissed her forehead before looking at the others.
LJ and Margot blinked rapidly, trying to fight off tears. “You’re gonna make us cry,” Margot muttered.
Trina smiled softly. “We’re really gonna miss you, Kitty.”
Kitty wiped her eyes and smiled at them. “Group hug?”
Without hesitation, they all crowded around her, wrapping her up in warmth before finally stepping back.
Kitty exhaled. “I guess this is it.”
LJ nodded. “Make sure you call us the minute you land.”
Trina laughed. “Maybe not the minute. When you’re all settled in.”
Margot added, “But at least text us when you land when you get to school so we know you’re okay.”
Kitty nodded. “I will.”
Dan sighed, looking at her, committing this moment to memory. “You ready?”
Kitty took a deep breath. “Yeah.”
Dan squeezed her tight. “Your mom would be so proud of you.” His voice was thick with emotion. “I am so proud of you.”
She looked up at him, eyes wet. “Really?”
Dan smiled. “Yeah. So proud. I love you, sweetheart.”
Kitty swallowed the lump in her throat. “I love you too.”
With one last look at her family, she took a deep breath, grabbed her suitcase, and walked toward her gate.
And just like that, she was finally on her way to Seoul.