Michael sighed and looked at his watch. Four hours till he landed. How would he survive it? He ran his fingers through his brown, floppy hair and straightened his sports jacket. He was going to be home. Finally! He would see his parents, his sister, and… Mia. He had dreamt about her every night in Japan. Squatting alone in his small apartment, having single plates of food delivered, wondering if he hadn't fallen for Mia, if he had gotten over her, if he hadn't kept alive that tiny ember of hope, would there would have two plates delivered to his apartment? He had been invited, certainly, to many clubs and parties by his co-worker, Midori. Speaking of which… he swiveled his head round to see her in lip-lock with the bulky Tae-Kwon-Do star who had come to drop her off.

He envisioned Mia: her silky brown hair that he had often run his hands through, her big doe-like eyes that widened in surprise, the small, soft sighs she gave out when she rested her nose on his neck, breathing in deeply, running her hands up and down his back. He opened his phone, and looked at the screensaver: it was a picture he had taken with Mia in his dorm-room at Columbia. She was smiling happily, and looked unlike the pictures he had seen of her and her new boyfriend-J.P. He knew it was a possibility, of course, when he had seen her dancing with him at the party he had at his parents' place two years ago. He had seen the kiss she was about to give him on his cheek, when he turned his head at the last minute… on purpose? Whatever it was, Michael knew J.P. wasn't right for Mia, because despite Boris' updates, telling him that they seemed so happy that it was likely they would get married and that Michael should give up, Mia didn't look happy. Michael had put his phone on Google Alerts for Mia and saw so many pictures of her and J.P. out on dates. How did the press always seem to know where they were going? He supposed that they would gain more attention as a celebrity couple: a princess dating the son of a wealthy producer, as opposed to a princess dating a lowly college boy. The pictures he had seen, he was pleased to see, didn't show Mia looking as happy as she had looked with Michael. She had lost that sparkle she had, the soothing smile she always gave him. Not that he didn't want her to be happy. But of course, he wanted her to be happy with him. But somehow, Michael though, somehow, I deserve it. I completely ruined our relationship. Judith Gershner: why'd I do THAT? It was regret, but Michael was going to try and fix it. He knew Mia was his One. And there was nothing that ass-of-a "J.P." could to do stop him. He glanced at his watch again.

He was home.