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By the time we’re done taking pictures around the pier—with occasional breaks to sign stuff for people who recognize us fromYou’re My Shining Star—the sun is setting on the horizon.

“Okay,” Henry says. “Nowlet’s go up on the Ferris wheel.”

Even in the reddish-orange glow of the setting sun, the neon pink and blue lights of the ride shine bright against the darkening sky. It looks like something out of a fairy-tale book. While Henry gets our tickets, I take a quick picture of it. Then, I post all the good photos of us, the Ferris wheel, and the pier to my Instagram, tagging Henry in the post.

When we’re sitting across from each other on the ride, Henry sheepishly says, “I know you said this is one of the most clichéd things to do here on a date, but I’ve always wanted to come up here with someone I care about.”

“Okay, but same.”

He laughs. “Good. Then I’m not the only one crossing off a bucket list item today.”

Henry leans over to kiss me, and soon we’re making out as the wheel slowly takes us higher in the air.

When our car reaches the very top, Henry pulls away with a smile. “Look outside. You’re going to love the view.”

Now that the sun’s gone down, the entire pier is lit with all sorts of bright lights. They look tiny, like neon-colored fairy lights. But everything is still really pretty.

It’s too dark to see the ocean around us, but I can hear the gentle whisper of the waves below us. And the cool ocean breeze feels so nice that I close my eyes.

“I honestly can’t believe any of this is real,” I say.

Henry gently grabs my hand. “It’s real. And it’s all thanks to you. You worked really hard, you got yourself through the competition, and you inspired so many people. You’re amazing, Skye.”

“You know that’s probably the billionth time you’ve called me amazing, right?”

“I can’t help it.” He’s closer now, his face inches away from mine. “It’s true.”

And then we’re kissing again, gently and softly at first, butthen long and hard, until we have to stop to catch our breath.

I tell him the words I couldn’t say to Mom. “Thanks for believing in me for all this time.”

“Of course. I’m going to keep believing in you. Because you’re—”

I laugh. “Amazing, I know.”

He lightly taps my nose. “No. This time, I was going to say fabulous.”

I let out a laugh. “Really?”

“Just kidding. I was actually going to say you’re an extremely hard worker. You work harder than anyone I know.”

We snuggle against each other until the Ferris wheel car descends back to the ground.

“I’m honestly really worried about what’ll happen in Korea,” I say as we get out. “What if hard work’s not enough? There are probably so many people out there who think like Bora.”

“Well,” Henry says in an incredible impression of Steve that makes me giggle, “I can always call them and give them a good talking—”

I laugh and lightly smack his arm. “Stop it, that was so good it was actually kind of scary. I eventually figured out what to do with this competition, so I guess I can figure it out in Korea, too.”

“There you go. If it makes you feel any better, when I first started modeling, I had no idea if things were going to work out for me, either. Sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Henry holds out his hand, and I take it.

We slowly walk down the brightly lit pier in comfortable silence while little kids rush up and down it, nearly running into us. It feels like I’m living out a scene in a Korean drama.

“Besides,” Henry finally says when we reach the end, “you’ll have me there with you for moral support.”