My schedules for the day had exhausted the life out of me. Even with the exciting thought of meeting with Kris, my body was dragging me behind. When it finally ended, and my manager and members saw me off at the train station, I found myself breathing my first breath of no burdens.

                I ended up sleeping the whole way on the train so I'd be fresh to meet Kris. Despite how shabby my face and clothes were, I was just happy to finally be in his embrace.

                I found him waiting for me with a picnic basket, outside the motel he had checked us in.

                "I'll put your stuff in for you; wait for me here," he said, taking my bag.

                "Can't I see the room first?" I asked.

                "Nope," Kris spot back, with a cheeky grin.

                He suddenly became a lot less subtle. I had no intention of stopping whatever he was planning but I couldn't help but think he was being a little hopeless at how obvious he was being.

                "OK…now I definitely gotta see it," I said, attempting to push my way past him.

                "No, no, no!" he exclaimed, holding me back. "We're gonna come back! I promise. Just not yet! There's stuff I'm still organising."

                "Oh!" I groaned with as much aegyo as I could muster. I gathered air in my cheeks and crunched my nose playfully.

                "Ahh, you're so cute! But still no," he said, patting me on the head like a little girl.

                "Eh, crap," I groaned.

*

                It almost seemed like a miracle to be able to sit comfortably with Kris on a hilltop and ignore all our burdens for just once.

                Looking out into the cool open air and watching the sunset, I soaked in the view of fresh green grass and the inviting fragrance of fresh spring water. Behind me, Kris held me warmly and occasionally landed soft kisses on my cheeks and neck. I never wanted the moment to end.

                "You know what?" Kris suddenly asked. "For a little while this morning, I wondered if you were really gonna come."

                "Why wouldn't I?" I asked, meeting his eyes. "You think I could pass up the one day to be with you? If I could afford to pass up more days, I would."

                Kris smiled. "Honestly…I didn't think you'd prioritise me that high."

                "Of course I do!" I insisted. "If I were just a regular person, you'd be the top of my priorities! But I'm not a regular person, as much as I try to be."

                Yesterday, I was the one feeling speechless and flustered. This time, it looked like Kris was. I didn't see why; his planned worked, he got me out and he made a day for the two of us.

                "I love you," he said, softly. "I love how you work and how you care for your members. And mine. I love how you stand by your word. All the more beautiful it makes you, just like the first day I laid eyes on you."

                I scoffed lightly. I'd never get use to being complimented like that; even from Kris. The whole time, I kept asking myself…"why me? I can't be all that. What the heck have I done so well to make him think that I was worth his time?"

                "I was debating over whether I should ask you now or wait till we were in our room," he continued.

                "Well, since you brought up the subject, you should probably ask now," I said. "Unless it's heightened PDA, which I'd much rather you wait."

                Kris chuckled lightly and started teasing me with dry kisses. "I'll have you know every move and moan I get out of you is copyrighted to me and me only. So I'll 'PDA' however and whenever I want."

                "All right, all right," I said, as he made his way around my jaw line. "So what were you saying about asking me something?"

                He stopped kissing me and turned around. He reached into the picnic basket behind him and pulled out something I couldn't see.

                "I know you'll say it's too soon. But I promise you, after today…I promise I have no intention on rushing anything. But…I feel like I have to ask you now if I can ever see you again before the end of the year."

                "Rushing?" I asked.

                "I remember you telling me that you hated weddings, and that you just wanted to embrace every moment with your partner without anyone's judgment."

                Suddenly, I felt my breath being out of me and my heart pounding around my entire torso.

                "But…for my mother's sake…would you reconsider?"

                Along with the last remark, I finally saw what he had in his hand that he had pulled out from the basket. Resting in a black satin covered box, no bigger than the size of one's palm, was a small diamond cradled in a tapered silver band.

                I felt the last my breath being out of me as I let a tear drop. His eyes were deadlocked on mine, but mine were on the ring.

                "Serenity Sao…will you marry me?"

                I let another tear drop. I agreed that there was no way we could rush this. But he was right; once this was said and done, the more time we would have together. He seemed legitimately hell-bent on me being the one for him. So my last question to myself was: "is he the one for me?"

                "Yes," I whispered.

                Kris raised his eyebrows. I let out a giggle with tears still pouring out my eyes.

                "A dozen times, yes!" I exclaimed.