Kyle brought Xing Han to another place for lunch. Nothing fancy, but necessary to do appease Xing Han's stomach after the bad pork chop from before. Luckily, there was a reputable place nearby that fit the bill.

As they were in the middle of eating, Kyle's phone rang.

"Yeah, Sam?" Kyle said as he answered the phone.

"Your schedule for the promotional tours have been set," Sam replied, "You have several interviews at the major entertainment channels prior to the movie release at Country Hd, the red carpet event, several more interviews after the release in various countries."

"Hmmm," Kyle mumbled, taking another bite of his meal. It was as he expected though he wondered why Sam was calling him about it now.

"The first interview is next week," Sam informed him.

Kyle started coughing, as the food went down the wrong way due to his sudden intake of breath out of shock. Putting down his fork, he took his glass of water and took some sips, hoping to settle it but it wasn't happening.

Sam, on the other side of the call, waited patiently.

It took Kyle a good 3 minutes to get things under control and he took several deep breaths while pinching the space between his eyebrows. This wasn't the first time this happened to him, so he had always been careful whenever he was eating.

He just didn't think the call from Sam would be anything out-of-the-ordinary, so he had carelessly continued eating while talking on the phone. It was bad practice (and manners), so he felt it was his own fault anyway.

Pushing his plate to the front so that he could focus on the phone call, Kyle asked, his voice slightly hoarse from the intense coughing, "What? Repeat that?"

"The first interview is next week," Sam repeated calmly, then added for good measure, "At Country Hd."

"What the fuck is going on?" Kyle growled, "Didn't I have at least a couple of months before this madness?"

"They moved the opening date," Sam explained, "Your first interview is with at the Ellen Degeneres* Show. The Christmas Edition episode."

"Really? THE Ellen Degeneres?!" Kyle said excitedly, "Wait. No. How is this possible? How could you get that so close to the date? Christmas episode?! That's huge. Wouldn't she already have her guests? Don't tell me you bummed someone off?!"

"Calm down, Kyle," Sam said exasperatingly, "What is wrong with you, anyway?"

"Nothing," Kyle replied. Xing Han was staring at him, listening to the conversation and so rolled his eyes.

"He's just a big fan of Ellen Degeneres, Sam!" Xing Han said loudly, loud enough for Sam to catch it.

Kyle looked at Xing Han, pointed at his food and said, "Just eat."

"Hah! You are the one playing with the phone at the table! Tsk tsk tsk. Bad manners indeed," Xing Han retorted.

Kyle couldn't refute that so he put his hand over his heart and he bent forward a bit as he apologized to Xing Han, "You're right. Sorry about this."

"Good that you know," Xing Han replied with his mouth full.

"But ye Gads, Xing Han," Kyle said while closing his eyes, "Don't talk while you're chewing!"

"You mean THIS bothers you?!" Xing Han said, as he opened his mouth and showed the chewed up contents in them.

Kyle was so tempted to take a piece of prawn off his plate and flick it into Xing Han's mouth at that moment. Doing that might make him choke, however, so Kyle restrained himself.

Instead, he ignored Xing Han and continued talking to Sam, "Sorry, you were saying?"

"First, no. You did not bum off anyone. The Ellen Show had a last minute guest cancellation, as the she met with an accident. The Ellen Show had already contacted Chad some time ago about the interview. So, when the team called back to arrange for a suitable date, it was a win-win situation," Sam explained.

"But Sam, it's Christmas," Kyle said with a sigh. He remembered Kay telling him about how their mother was missing him; so he couldn't bail out during this important day, could he?

"Not a problem," Sam assured him, "I arranged with Kay already. Your parents will be at Country Hd as well, so you guys will be spending Christmas there."

Kyle felt relieved. Sam was certainly competent and had considered all aspects.

"What about you, then?" Kyle asked.

"Kyle, I'm not even a Christian so why would Christmas be an issue? My parents are fine about it as well," Sam replied.

"Okay, then that's fine then," Kyle said when suddenly, Xing Han shouted, "I am following, too!!"

"Xing Han, this isn't business," Kyle started saying when Xing Han put up his hand, his pointer finger pointing up.

He shook his head while shaking that finger, saying, "YOU are my business. Wherever you go, I shall follow."

Then he pointed at Kyle, growling, "You cannot get rid of me so easily!!"

He pounded on his chest, declaring, "I am Xing Han!! Protector of Kyle. Keeping rabid girls and instant noodles away!!"

Kyle rolled his eyes and said to the ever patient Sam on the phone, "You heard him. Make sure all arrangements will include him as well."

"Not a problem," Sam said, "I will also inform the team so that they're aware and give him all the security clearence as well."

"That's good. Great job arranging everything," Kyle praised Sam before hanging up.

Continuing the meal, Kyle started thinking that the year passed by so fast. It was already almost the end of the year and after the Ellen Show, it would be back to school.

Not to mention all the to-and-fro he would have to be doing between school and the promotional tours. Looks like the Student Council President is going to be stretched thin next year.

[Thanks for arranging the Family Christmas Day at Country Hd, Kay]

[Surprised?]

[Very. It is THE ELLEN SHOW!!] Kyle couldn't contain the excitement in his voice.

[Heh. Figured you'd love it] Kay said with a laugh.

[Yup]

[It is a good way to wind down the year. Before you meet the new students next year]

[Why should meeting the new students be an issue?] Kyle asked suspiciously.

[Because Sayuri Hinata is one of them]

Kyle dropped his fork in surprise.