But was it enought?

No, my mind shouts immediately. But like a dog running away with my tail between my legs, I say instead, "That's not necessary. I'm fully capable of walking a few blocks on my own,"

"If that's what you want," he mutters, sinking into the couch. His arms fold over his stomach as he rests with his eyes closed, chin tilted towards his chest in what looks like a rather uncomfortable position.

It calls to mind the morning I found him sleeping on his sectional, and I wonder briefly if he stayed up all night after our card game or if he had to get up early to meet his aunt. Either way, for a vacation, he hasn't gotten much sleep and I'm afraid that's probably my fault.

My lip twitches as I head back to my room. I don't know if it's leftover feelings from our conversation last night or the way his hand gripped mine just now, but I do need a break from him. I'm under no illusions; I heard him loud and clear last night:

He doesn't want a relationship. He wants to keep things the way they are currently. It's what's best for both of us.

And I agree. Totally. It's the smartest move on our parts.

Except there's something about him that makes me react without thinking. My pulse races too fast; my skin crawls with a weird heat wherever he touches; my blood rushes through my veins. This weekend was about cementing our story. Confessing our feelings wasn't on the agenda.

Well…

Kai didn't really confess his feelings, did he? He did not claim to have feelings for me, only attraction.

Attraction. I can deal with that. In fact, real, mutual attraction can only help us at this point. It's probably been the thing supporting this charade the entire time. It certainly hasn't been my acting skills or on-the-fly cover-ups.

I slip on my jeans and a loose floral shirt, picking it because the bright colors will help with my mood and it's the least form-fitting thing I packed. After last night, I think I need to do what I can to help the situation, not make it worse.

Dressed, I then step across the hall to finish my morning routine. The bathroom matches the rest of the house in its coastal theme. The standing shower is done in white and sea glass green tiles. Items probably picked from the beach outside hang on the walls. Putting my travel bag behind the faucets of the pedestal sink, I pull out my pink toothbrush and minty toothpaste.

The biggest problem will be to keep the attraction in check, I think as I brush. Maybe we need to talk about adding more boundaries around our public interactions. Obviously, when we're alone we can keep things casual. Just don't get carried away.

Cleaning my toothbrush and rinsing my mouth, I put it away and pick up my hairbrush. I took a quick shower before bed last night just to rinse off the sand and salt from the beach, but my hair needs a little work. As I raise the brush to my hair, I catch my face in the mirror. It's not any different than it was yesterday. My eyes are still a warm dark brown, my hair still has a natural bounce, despite its currently tangled state. My cheeks have a rosy tint to them that I used to cover with foundation when I was in the office. Rosy cheeks made me look too young and youth equals inexperience.

It's the same face. But this is the face that Kai was looking at when he said he'd invite me into his room, the implications of what would take place if I dared him clear.

A rush of energy sweeps through me. I bite my lip to contain the smile.

Kai is…whip-smart. And so, so pretty. I can't think of a single person who would have the presence of mind to deny him anything he wanted if he pursued it hard enough and long enough. And there's something about this face that he likes looking at.

It's such a small thing. Yet, it changes everything.

We definitely cannot act on it.

My lip pops out, red and puffy. Taking a deep breath, I pull my shoulders straight and school my features into cool confidence. We – mainly I – need to put personal feelings aside and focus on the task at hand. That's what this weekend is about.

I can do that. I've always done that.

Finishing my routine with a small bit of mascara and some lip balm, I leave the bathroom with a new sense of purpose. Grabbing my bag and sandals from my room, I return to the living room. Kai is still lounging on the couch, though he's adjusted to being laying across the cushions. He's tall enough that his feet hang off the end, but perhaps the book he's got is too interesting for him to care.

"I'll be right back," I sing.

He doesn't wave or even acknowledge that I've said anything. It's already nearing noon and the beach outside is full with a new wave of beachgoers. Cars and people cover every square inch of land between our house and the market. It's the perfect day for the beach too. The sun hangs high and white fluffy clouds dot the sky, casting shadows on the sand. Still, it's not too hot.

The walk also helps my mood. Or maybe it's just being around people who don't expect anything from me. It's been a while since I've received so many genuine smiles from people passing by. Across the road from the market shop, the diner we ate at yesterday is overcrowded and bursting with people. Inside, the market is slightly better, but at least there's still room to move.

My main purpose is breakfast for Keiko. I invited her, so I should be the one to do all the work. My options, however, are limited. I think about getting some eggs, since I know I can do omelets and Kai will eat them. Omelets are so boring, though. I want more fanfare, something that will impress her.

I want Kai to know that I respect Keiko and their relationship. Kai cares for her. I saw it in the way he tolerated her comments with an endearing look of patience. He thinks fondly of her and I've never seen his thoughts so obviously written on his face. He said if he ever had a special someone, he'd introduce them to his parents. But I have a feeling "his parents" is really code for "the side of the family he actually likes."

Kai wasn't intending to introduce me. I intruded on their moment. The only reason he didn't fight me harder is probably that he didn't want to ruin our secret. I want to show him that I understand the position I put him in and will treat her with my best.

So, an omelet is a no-go.

Twisting around other customers, I scan the shelves looking for anything that will work. A small market like this won't have the best ingredients for a homemade meal but I believe I can make do. I pick up a box of pancake mix. Of course, a premade box mix isn't going to blow anyone away. But maybe with some fresh fruit, it'll be just nice enough.

Still unsure, I add it to my hand-basket and continue. Since it's lunchtime, I also toss in a bag of chips, the ingredients for sandwiches, and a box of granola bars. I look for anything that can serve as dinner in case he doesn't want to go out, but everything has either been picked clean or looks unappealing.

I scan the items in my basket and decide they'll have to do. If Kai has something in mind, he'll have to speak up.

The check-out counter is along the sidewall. There's only one register, which has created a bit of a line, but I'm in no hurry. The uniformed cashier greets me with a big smile when it's my turn. I place my items on the counter between us, and as she scans them, she comments on the good weather and asks how long I'm staying. I'm sure she has the same conversation a thousand times a day and somehow, she still manages to sound interested in my answers as I rattle them off.

As I pull out my wallet to pay, I notice a sign behind her that I couldn't see before. I thought the wall display were just decorations so I didn't pay much attention. On closer inspection, I'm floored to discover it's actually a wall of specialty teas and coffees.

More importantly: they're running a sale.

I carry two large paper bags back to the house. They lack handles, forcing me to carry them in my arms. I bought a lot more than I thought I would, and as I struggle to adjust them so I can open the door, items threaten to topple out of the top. When I finally get the door open, they do, ruining my moment of success.

"Sad," I pout, looking between the boxes of tea on the floor and the bags in my still too full arms. There's no way I'll be able to get them.

Kai's gray hair peaks over the edge of the couch, followed by his eyes. I can feel his inquisitive gaze but notice that he doesn't move to help.

"Don't mind me," I reply, stepping through the doorway and over the obstacle course I've made for myself, "just lay there."

His head disappears behind the back of the couch again. "Seems like you've got it handled,"

I cast him a hard side-eye, knowing that he can't see it and wouldn't retract the statement even if he could. I unpack the bags in the kitchen, filling the cabinets and fridge with what I bought until everything is put away and the kitchen is clean again. There are only two things left on the counter and I stare at them, debating with myself.

Kai doesn't celebrate his birthday and I can accept that. It's not everyone's thing.

But I didn't buy this for his birthday tomorrow. I bought them because I want him to have them. I could wait until after we return, so there's no confusion.

That's stupid, I think. I bought him a tea and a teapot. It's not like it's something super special. Grabbing the white bag and the box, I enter the living room and sit opposite Kai. The cards are still on the table, ready to be shuffled and dealt.

I clear my throat to get his attention. The book dips as he diverts his focus from the page to me. His eyes are lighter than usual; definitely lighter than last night. Maybe it's the sunlight that's coming through the windows, but everything about him seems lighter than usual.

"I got you something," I say, setting my gifts on the table in front of me and pushing them over. Quickly, I add, "They're not for your birthday. I just want you to have them."

He eyes the gifts with a deep wrinkle between his brows. "What are they?"

"Uh," I hum at the question. The teapot has the name and an image of the item on the box and I thought the loose-leaf tea would be obvious. "Why don't you open them and find out?"

He picks up the box first, opening the top to eye the clear glass teapot and two matching mugs inside. There were many to choose from, but for Kai, I picked something simple in design. When I look at it, I think 'This clearly belongs to someone who doesn't have time for cutesy things' which sounds like Kai to me. I thought the clear glass and square body said manly sophistication, but he just stares blankly at it.

"You can put the tea in the strainer there," I say, pointing to the picture on the box.

"Right," he drawls.

I pick up the small white bag. "And this is my favorite work tea. I was actually surprised that they had it, you know, because this brand is expensive. Even for a small bag like this, I used to have to wait for my bonuses to come around and then buy a small amount. But this tea is worth it. I could drink it when I worked late and be alert, but it wouldn't keep me up all night, so that's why it was my perfect work tea."

"Ah," he says as he reaches out for the bag. I got him a good amount because, well, I could afford it.

"I know you usually drink coffee, but I thought you could appreciate this because of how late you usually work. I would know," I say, my laughter trailing off at the end. Truthfully, I was excited when I bought him these gifts, not a doubt in my mind. His lack of reaction, good or bad, is throwing me off.

He opens the bag, peering inside. I wait on the edge of my seat for any indication of his thoughts. Closing the bag, he nods.

I guess that's thanks?

"I got you a small bag of coffee too since they were having a sale," I tell him, motioning towards the kitchen, "but I'll admit I was out of my depth with all the different blends, so it's just a dark roast."

"This is fine," he says. "I drink tea as well,"

I smile at the approval. Success.

"Do you miss it," he asks unexpectedly. At my look of confusion, he adds, "Working in an office?"

"Yeah," I sigh, leaning my elbow on my head to support my head. To anyone else, it's a simple question. Between us, it means something else. "I miss waking up and having somewhere to be. I miss the routine. I miss working out a problem even if no one else saw it. I even miss the late nights and meeting the Man from Upstairs."

Recognizing the nickname and where it came from, Kai smirks briefly. It vanishes just as quickly as it appeared, but I caught it and laugh quietly to myself.

"Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't go back to that company even if Boris begged me," I continue, "but I find myself struggling to recognize my life without having a clearly defined role that I'm dedicated to wholeheartedly."

Kai watches me closely as I speak wistfully of another time. Finished with my stroll down memory lane, I clap to break the somber moment, pulling a smile back on. "I guess I just wasn't made to be a rich man's wife,"

I mean it as a joke but the silence falls flat between us, creating an air of awkwardness that has me internally screaming.

"Don't sell yourself short," Kai says, defusing the mood with his usual unaffected manner. "Kay makes it work. If she can, it can't be that unattainable,"

I scoff, not believing what I'm hearing. "Kay? Have you lost your mind?"

"She works, her husband holds a position on the board of his family's company, and Ralf works for Hiwatari," Kai shrugs as if this is all obvious and grounds that any of them should be held as good examples. "And who knows what Salima is going to do when she leaves, but she'll have to work as well. That work ethic doesn't come from nowhere."

"You sound almost appreciative," I say, my tone continuing to be combative in the face of his neutrality. "It's almost as if you see something positive in them,"

He nods, agreeing. "Yes. Hilary, people aren't all good or bad."

"A month ago, you had nothing positive to say about them. Now it's people aren't all good or bad?" I throw my hands up, "That doesn't make any sense; you can't have it both ways."

Kai braces his elbows on his knees, leaning forward over the table. "Why can't both be true?" He challenges. "Why can't I dislike them and still respect some of their qualities?"

"You don't just dislike them, Kai," I urge. "You come off as having utter contempt for them,"

"I do."

"Then how can you see anything good or worth respecting?"

"Your argument is that Kay isn't worth respecting as a working wife and mother because I personally dislike her? That's the stand you're taking?"

I shake my head, "You're deliberately misunderstanding,"

"I'm just trying to figure out what you're saying," he says. "If there's a misunderstanding, then clear it up,"

I gawk in silence for a moment, wrapping my head around how our conversation devolved from me doing a nice thing to arguing over his hated aunt. Kai, though, has never looked so invested. His eyes track mine, wide and sparking with interest.

He holds up his hand, raising a finger with each of his points. "She is married to a rich man, she is a mother, she runs her own household, and she is well known in her field. Tell me exactly why she's not someone who you would otherwise hold as an example for yourself, had I not already poisoned you against her,"

"Did I ever tell you that she said she was supporting me over Mathilda?" I ask, but truthfully, I'm hoping to distract him.

"No, but I'm not surprised," he says. "Now, answer my question."

"Why aren't you surprised?"

"Why aren't you answering the question,"

"Is this a game of 'I asked you first'?"

"If you want to be six and act like you're on the elementary school playground, sure,"

"It doesn't count," I finally spit out. "It doesn't count because she was raised with money. Of course, she can be a rich man's wife. It's all she's ever known."

"But that doesn't negate the fact that she works. And not just for her family. She had to go to school and earned it on her own merit. Besides that, her work as a geneticist is respected. She's good at what she does, even if I personally disagree with her methods and values."

"Well, you may be able to separate the person from their accomplishments but I can't,"

"You can't?"

"No, of course not,"

I wait for his response. Our back and forth has been quick up until this moment, and I'm so caught up in our debate that when he doesn't immediately answer I falter. My heart beats excitedly and I feel as if I've been sprinting across an open field only to find myself on the edge of a cliff as he stares at me.

"We're not talking about Kay specifically." Kai finally speaks, "you said you can never be a rich man's wife. My point is that you're working off the faulty assumption that being the wife of a rich man means sitting around, having tea parties, and running charities. But clearly, some women can have careers and still have successful marriages,"

"At what cost?"

Kai tilts his head in question.

Swallowing, I carry on, "Sure, Kay's life looks good from the outside, but at the end of the day her marriage is based on greed and convenience, and her daughter is planning on leaving the family. At the end of the day, it's a horrible life. I can't imagine that happiness it's any easier for someone else to attain. Not when money is an important factor of the relationship."

He laughs with dark bitterness. "You win. That is true."

A daring thought enters my mind and I perk up. "You know who I think is a good example," I say.

"Who?"

"Mrs. Golubeva,"

Kai sees where I'm going the second her name slips from my mouth. I recognize the horror as he realizes I'm calling on his promise yesterday. I relish the look as he physically retreats from the conversation, sitting into the cushions again. All the interest he showed moments ago caves in, leaving a sullen, sulky Kai in its place.

"I believe you owe me a story about Yuriy."

As much as I like sparring with him, I won't make him tell me anything he doesn't absolutely want to. That's not a good foundation for us, and I'm not foolish enough to believe that I can make Kai do anything he doesn't want.

But he doesn't need to know that.

"These are your rules, Kai," I point out, adding a teasing layer to my tone. "We negotiated terms. I told you my story about Carlos. Now it's time for you to hold up your end."

The minutes tick by. I wait, hands folding over my knees, in eager expectation. From Mariah, I know they didn't get along at first. At some point, something changed that. I can't fathom what it could be and after all my miscalculated guesses, I won't dare to hazard another one. I suppose it's admirable that Kai is so furiously protective of his friendship with the difficult redhead. That type of trust is something to envy. The lack of anything similar in my own life causes a pang of loneliness that I chase away.

"What do you want to hear, how Yuriy and I met or how Mrs. Golubeva is involved?"

Both. I want both. "Which came first?"

"Mrs. Golubeva,"

"Then that's where I want to start."

He almost looks relieved as he closes his eyes. When he opens them again a few seconds later, he leans forward and grabs the deck of cards on the table. Clearing my gifts away, he begins rippling and making the bridge repeatedly.

"Yuriy was young when his father took control of Ivanov Tech. He was overeager and thought he was ready. But the stress got to him and he started drinking and the drinking ruined his relationships. Within a few years, the company was worthless and he was thinking of dissolving it. That's when Mrs. Golubeva stepped in.

"She had been with the company since its start as the personal assistant to the previous president: Yuriy's grandfather. The circumstances which led to Yuriy's father making her CEO in his place and giving her 51 percent ownership is highly rumored and unconfirmed."

He gives me a pointed look while he makes yet another bridge with the cards. It's the only time he's looked at me since he started and I get the sense that I should understand what it means. However, I have no idea what that sweet, jovial lady could have done. I refuse to even consider it so that it doesn't tarnish my image of her. Whatever it was, she was probably right in doing so.

"Afterward, his father abandoned the family," Kai keeps going, "and was found dead on the streets of Moscow a few years later, penniless and still an alcoholic. His mother remarried fairly quickly. The new husband didn't like having Yuriy around and so, in true rich parent fashion, shipped him off to boarding school at the age of nine. He was never invited back to his mother's home. Even when the school closed for break, he stayed in the old Ivanov home, alone with the servants."

"That's horrible," I whisper. An image of little Yuriy floats before my eyes, sitting alone at a large table too big for him, eating by himself.

"Mrs. Golubeva didn't let it go on. Once she discovered that's what his mother did, she took over caring for him. He stayed in her home over breaks and anything that he needed, she saw to it. It's unspoken but generally understood that she's been saving the seat at the company for Yuriy."

"CEO?" I ask with surprise.

"President," Kai corrects. "When he wants it – if he ever wants it – she'll turn the company back over to him. I think that was always her plan."

"What if he drives it back into the ground like his father,"

"Yuriy wouldn't bother taking over if he didn't think he could do it. And he wouldn't try if he wasn't serious." Kai shakes his head, "Underneath the sarcasm and irresponsibility, he knows what he's doing,"

That must be why Kai even bothers with him, but it doesn't explain how he got to know that. Kai takes a deep breath, cutting the deck again to set up for another shuffle. Now is not a good time to push for that story, I think.

"Julia and Golubeva seem close," I say to take the conversation in a different direction.

"They respect each other. Managing Yuriy is a full-time job. You couldn't pay me enough to deal with him on that level."

"It's funny," I say, "I thought you were the one with the tragic backstory and Yuriy was the one raised with a silver spoon in his mouth; completely spoiled. But really, the roles are reversed."

For once, the cards falter, falling out of line and scatter on the table. "I'm not spoiled," Kai says firmly. His glare indicates he will not hear arguments on this.

I laugh even deeper. "Poor little rich boy," I say but let it end there, not wanting to upset him too much.

He shakes his head, gathering the cards and organizing them.

"Does Yuriy talk to his mom?"

Now his look is tired irritation, lips drawn in a straight line, and I, getting the message, look away. Another hour and a half have passed and now it's nearing three. The day's nearly gone but sunlight is still pouring in through the windows and French doors, making the white curtains glow soft yellow. Outside, I can still hear the crowd on the beach.

My stomach rumbles and I realize I'm starving.

"About my aunt –" Kai starts.

"Are you ready for lunch – Oh," I trail off, waiting for him to finish. Guilt twists inside of me as my face pinches. He wants to talk about his aunt. Sheepishly, I smile. "I'm sorry I overstepped. I promise it won't be that bad. I'll do all the work and you can just enjoy the morning with Keiko. I bought pancake mix!"

"Can you make pancakes?"

I frown, offended by his lack of confidence. "It can't be that hard. You mix the batter, put it on the griddle, and then flip when it's ready. That's only three steps. No different than the omelet and you ate that just fine."

Kai's eyes narrow slowly, hiding all his thoughts. "Then I guess it won't be that bad," he says.

"Right," I nod.

Wrong.

So, no one told me that pancakes burn quickly if you're not watching them closely.

"How have you never made pancakes before?"

"It's not that unusual!" I shout, staring intently at the griddle where one small circle of batter bubbles slowly. "Have you ever made them?"

At his sharp sigh, I automatically turn to glare at him. He's been huffy since I started. I nearly cut myself trying to slice the strawberries and he took over, stating he didn't want to have to drive me to the emergency room and let me bleed all over the rental.

He arches a bored brow in the face of my glare. "Your pancake is burning,"

"No!" I gasp, turning back to the griddle and sliding the spatula under to flip it, only to reveal a dark and crispy top. "No,"

A light giggle erupts from the small table in the small breakfast nook where Keiko sits, waiting patiently for a stack of pancakes and fruit if I can ever get some out. Her hand covers her mouth, eyes little crescents behind round glasses. It does a lot to refresh my mood.

"Why don't you go sit with her and stop standing over me," I say to Kai, trying to bat him away from the stove.

Taking the opportunity, he grabs at the spatula and tries to yank it away.

He's trying to steal my spatula!

"Let me," he says when I tighten my hold and refuse to give it to him.

"No, this is my thing! You go sit,"

He let's go and I put it behind my back so he can't get to it anymore. "I've already sat at watched you burn through nearly half the batter,"

"That's a gross exaggeration," I laugh.

"If we leave this to you, we'll have nothing but fruit, and I'd actually like to eat something of substance today."

"Hey, I made you sandwiches yesterday,"

"Cold sandwiches,"

"So? It's not like you are starving. And if it's really that bad, you have a car sitting in the driveway,"

"Which I might have to use to go get us actual food."

"It's Sunday morning, so there are even more people than yesterday. You'll be waiting for hours."

He holds out his hand. "Just give me the tool."

I bite my tongue to keep the very unkind thing I was about to say to myself out of respect for his aunt sitting a few feet away. Instead, I surrender the spatula to him and back way, wiping my hands of it. "It's all yours," I say with a wry smile as I leave the kitchen in the few steps it takes to get to the table.

"Now, we can talk," I say to Keiko.

Another huff.

"I'd like to know, has he always been so pompous or is this a new thing?"

And another.

Keiko smiles, laughing at us. "Yes, he's always been this way. It was cuter when his cheeks were rounder, though. Perhaps we indulged him too much, but he was the only baby in our family at the time."

"No, don't take the blame. He should know better at this point."

"You appear to handle it just fine,"

I pretend to polish my nails on my shirt at the compliment. "You just have to show him who's boss,"

Not a huff, but a laugh. A short one. More like a hack. In fact, I can't be certain he's not choking on something.

"Anyway," I continue once we're sure Kai will live, "I'm really happy you agreed to come over. I've only had a chance to meet the Hiwatari side of the family."

Her face softens. "It's nice to get to know you too, Hilary."

"I'm sure this is all really weird and sudden for you. It was the same for my parents,"

"We were just worried. We know Kai makes his own choices, but we didn't know why we were being excluded from the celebrations. We agreed to hold off until-" Her gaze travels over to Kai.

"Until he said something," I finish, understanding. Their scared any pushing on their part will only drive him farther away.

She nods. "And then we heard the rumors of another woman,"

I grin proudly. "Soichiro doesn't like me very much,"

"He didn't like my sister either. He secretly told her she could still be with Susumu, but just not married to him,"

I gasp. "He did the same thing to me!"

"No,"

"Yes!"

She leans towards me in a conspiratorial manner. "Personally, I don't think he's liked anyone since his wife,"

And just like that, another string appears, begging me to pull and unravel all its secrets. I resist, filing it away for later.

"These are ready," Kai calls.

Keiko moves to stand but I motion for her to stay seated. "You're our guest, even if it's your home technically,"

We laugh together. Turning around, I narrowly avoid crashing into the plate Kai is holding out. It's topped with three perfectly round, golden pancakes, drizzled with a small amount of syrup, and garnished with sliced strawberries.

His eyes are flat as I smile at him, taking the plate in two hands. It doesn't budge when I try to slip it from his fingers. Even though he's only got a single hand holding it, his grip is stronger. I look up questioningly.

"Having fun?" He whispers.

"Sure," I reply, "She's going to tell me all your dirty little secrets from when you were a kid. How old you were when you stopped wetting the bed, if you picked your nose, your first crush. You know, the good stuff."

"Too bad for you, all the good stuff from my years at school. You'll get nothing from her."

"I think I'll decide that,"

"You know, I can still hear you two,"

Smiling once more, I try to take the plate again and he lets me this time. I return to the table and present it to Keiko with a flourish. "Sorry about that. He doesn't know when to quit. And frankly, neither do I,"

"I think that's good. Not the fighting, of course. But if you don't give up easily, it means you'll never give up on each other,"

Her comment takes me by surprise and I spare Kai a glance. He's returned to the stove, quickly flipping out another two pancakes. Unexpectedly, I feel a desperate longing. I want Kai to have that kind of relationship, even if it's not with me. But I know he'll struggle to find it, being so focused and closed off. I know because I have as well.

In my imagined future for Kai, he ages regally, those good Hiwatari genes kicking in and giving him an air of mature sophistication. He'll go on as he is now, with his circle of close friends but alone nonetheless. I can see each of them finding someone... but not Kai. Kai remains alone, staring out the windows of his top-floor office, and the little kingdom below.

Kai appears at my side, breaking me out of my thoughts as he sets down a plate in front of me and then takes a seat on the other side of the table, next to his aunt. The pancakes in front of me glisten with syrup and I eagerly grab my fork, cutting a triangle out.

Out of respect for Kai, I keep the conversation with Keiko light. I focus instead on her, asking about her work as a teacher. She is so mild-mannered and sweet that I have a hard time believing she manages a classroom full of kids but she loves it. Kai remains quiet, as per usual. He cuts his pancakes properly, with a knife and fork. It also seems that he doesn't have syrup, opting for just the fruit instead.

"This was lovely, Hilary," Keiko says as she dabs her lips with the napkin.

"Well, Kai did all the work," I say.

In response, Kai's gaze lifts to me and I decide that he's begrudgingly humored at my giving him all the credit in the end. I did intend to help, though.

"Thanks to both of you, then,"

Kai stands, taking his plate and hers. "I'll walk you out, just give me a moment,"

"I can take care of these," I say, rushing to take the plates from him.

He lets me with a look of appreciation, and while he accompanies Keiko out, I gather the cups of coffee and tea we shared, the silverware and napkins, and put the remaining food away. All that's left is the dishes, which I start right away.

It's officially our last day. We'll make the return trip home tomorrow morning, going back to our game of secrets. I think we're ready this time. I may not know everything about Kai, but I know more than when we arrived. And I do understand him better. I can anticipate his needs, his reactions.

The door clicks closed and Kai appears in the nook, leaning on the counter as I wash the dishes and set them out to dry.

"Keiko approve?"

"Of course. Even if she didn't, she'd never say anything."

Still, I feel triumphant that I was able to convince her of my worthiness as if this was a trial run for what's to come. I felt more myself as well, and not like an actress playing a part.

"I kinda wish we could stay here," I say dreamily, drying the last plate. "It's so beautiful and peaceful."

"Would you give up working for a permanent vacation,"

I sigh. "You have a point. I'd get restless eventually. But this place"- I look around, finally coming back to Kai. "Thank you for bringing me."

He nods once in acknowledgment before taking a breath. "I got a call when I was outside,"

I steel myself at the foreboding tone of his voice. Whatever he's about to say, it's not good news.

"It was Kay. She was letting me know that I'm expected at the family estate tomorrow for my birthday dinner since apparently, I celebrate my birthday now,"

"Oh," I mumble.

Another family dinner. With less than a week's notice this time. I have no doubt that this is another ploy by his grandfather and Mathilda will be waiting, ready to stand by Kai's side for pictures. They're probably plotting how they're going to get me away from him at this very moment, spinning their plans and sharpening their daggers.

I'm scared. And excited.

Kai watches me as my mind races with ideas as I imagine how we're going to come out on top.

"Vacation's over," I say, trying to match Kai's proud smirk. "Back to work."

Whew. The drama I've gone through to get this chapter finished and I still barely have the time. I'm racing to post this as it is, haha. I'm so sorry it's late. I really wanted to have it up last Wednesday/Thursday. I really do want to spend some more time with it, but getting it up was my goal this week. Thank you for your patience!

That being said, I'm not sure that this won't happen again. So I am going to take a break just so that It's not an added stress. I anticipate that this distraction that's come up will end around August, so that's when I'll plan to start posting again. Nothing is wrong, so please don't worry. As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the chapter! - Konix