It became harder to hide that I felt the same way Mark does towards me. I can't find the sense in me to tell him that I whole-heartedly felt the same, but I guess it was obvious that I did because I allowed him to kiss me the day ne confessed. It wasn't enough for Mark though, he wanted to hear me say it to him, person to person.

"So, what do you think if me?"

We were sitting in his office when he had asked me the question that broke my focus on the drawing in front of me.

"You?" I looked at him who sat at his desk. "I think you are quite the charmer." I felt the need to flatter him in a teasing manner.

"Oh, really?" He gave me eyes that narrowed to my soul. "Then won't you say you like me too?" A smirk was shown.

My face no longer tightened with a smile. Instead, I fell into quiteness at the mention of that. He wanted to hear me admit it and I wasn't sure if I was ready. Somehow, I pictured an angry Kimberly.

"May, are you going to answer me?" He walked to the chair that I sat across from him and leaned onto the corner of his desk.

"I..."

"Do you not like me?"

"I do..."

"Then can you say it to me straight so I actually know how to take us seriously?" His tone lost the silliness he had. He sounded serious.

"Mark, I like you...but..."

"But?"

"Nevermind. Yes, I like you..." I didn't sound too confident with my answer, but I knew that my feelings weren't lying either.

"Perfect, let's go on a date now!" He was overly excited that he had pulled me out of the office, out of the building, into his car, and off to someplace unknown to me.

----

More time were spent together, but it had finally reached the time to present the project that Mark and May had been working on. Once they've shared with the board members of the company, many adored their work and approved of it. After their partnership was over, it was harder to actually find time to sit with one another again since their agendas were now different with other individual works. Mark began to miss seeing May since he no longer saw her everyday. Though the worked on the same floor, it was harder to meet since he'd have meetings and she'd be running around sending papers and what not. It became hectic for some time.

"May, finally I get to see you." Mark ran into her in the staff lounge. She had stopped for coffee.

"Finally I get to see you."

"Let's make up for the lost time tonight. Dinner?"

She thought for a bit to see if she was avaliable. "I'm free. What time?"

"6:30. I'll pick you up?"

Hesitation built up in May, "Uh, no. Let's just meet somewhere, yeah? I...um...have errands to run."

Mark found it odd, but he nodded. "Okay, let's meet at Kim's Garden."

May agreed with the plan and they both fled to do their duties after. She was so close to blowing her cover, but good thing she covered up in time. Mark on the other hand, was powered to work just so the night will come quicker.

----

I waited by the door of Kim's Garden to see if Mark was here yet. I wore a creme, white dress that stopped above the knee that wasn't too loose or tight. It clung onto my body just right. In my wedges, I stood comfortably. I saw that everyone in Kim's Garden dressed elegantly so I didn't feel too bad about my choice of wardrobe. I fixed my curls onto one side as a cool, night breeze was coming in.

"Hey, you look beautiful tonight." Mark walked from behind me and I turned to meet his gaze. He was claded in a baby blue, buttoned-up long sleeve dress shirt with black slacks. He of course wore black dress shoes to complete it.

"Thank you. You are right on time, Tuan. Let's go."

"Wait, actually-"

I watched him again as he still stood a few steps behind me.

"My sister's in town and my parent's called for dinner, so can you join us?"

I wanted to back down from that offer. Meeting his entire family wasn't what I was in for. "Oh, well then we can do dinner some other time." I smiled, but inside I was a bit sad. I looked forward to having dinner tonight too. This guy was seriously making me fall head over heels. I never thought it was possible for a man to make me want to spend so much time with him like Mark.

Though I refused to have dinner with the Tuans, somehow I ended up in Imperial Palace for dinner with Mark's family. He had talked me into it and I couldn't win the battle, so here I was sitting in front of his sister with his parents. Mark sat beside me..

"Mark, we didn't know you were bringing a friend with you." Mr. Tuan calmly stated as he dragged a spoon full of soup into his mouth.

I glared at Mark, shooting lasers at him for not telling me that my prescence was a surprise instead of an invite. I felt like an intruder.

"I told Grace, but I guess she forgot to tell you and mom." Mark eyed his older sister. "You didn't tell them?"

"Oops, I forgot. I was too excited to see you all." Grace was a bubbly person, the total opposite from Mark. She talked, a lot. He can go on for ever about one topic or bring upa million more. I could see that she's the one who keeps the family active because she had brilliant ideas of family outings.

She greeted me kindly and I did the same. "Let me guess, you are my brother's girlfriend?"

"Uh-" I was taken back and was about to defend myself, but she said a name, too familiar to my ears.

"Kimberly, right? It's nice to finally meet you."

Mark jumped into the conversation in a heartbeat, "No, this is May."

Grace didn't show any sign of embarassment, but apology. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I just thought you'd be Kimberly-"

"Would you stop saying that name, please?" Mark politely interjected his sister.

Grace didn't say anything more after saying, "Sorry for mistaking you. My brother just has too many girlfriends he speaks of and I never really got to meet any, so I thought you were the latest one I heard about."

Whoa, it all came too fast. He's had girlfriends before? He told me he's never been in a relationship. Why was Kimberly also mentioned? I had numerous questions jogging all at once. Grace was blunt, but at least she seemed to be telling the truth aside from Mark who probably lied to me from the start about how he is and his 0% dating experience.

I heard Mark settled downed his utensils. "Grace." She hushed again.

"Mark, why are you so harsh on your older sister? She was only stating her confusion." Mrs. Tuan was quiet just like her son, but she managed to speak up.

"Sorry." Mark replied. He kept his cool the whole moment, but a hint of annoyance was visible.

Mr. Tuan sipped his wine, "I miss seeing Kimberly around. How is she?" Again, that name was thrown into a conversation.

Mark heaved, "She's fine." The napkin that was stuffed into his shirt to prevent any splattering was thrown onto the table, but he was still very calm.

"Why don't you bring her around sometime again-" Mrs. Tuan was cut off by Mark.

"Thank you for dinner. I'll be sending May off now." He got up from his seat and bowed to his parents. He looked to Grace, "Now that you're back from Taiwan, stop by my place sometimes."

I didn't know what to do, so I got up hesitantly, following Mark's every move. Just like that, dinner with the Tuan's was over.

Mark guided me to the parking lot and since we came in different cars, I walked to mine. "You should go back in there. I drove her myself anyways." I sounded upset because I was. Trusting Mark wasn't an option. I felt lied to and he seemed to have guitl written all over his face. I got into my car and before I could close the door on him, his hand gripped the door open.

"Why are you mad?" His voice was so soft and low that it made me feel weak.

"I'm not and if I was, you should know why." I only looked forward.

"Look, let's go over to my place and we'll talk about it."

His words sounded insulting and truthfully, I was a bit filled with anger because I suddenly didn't know my purpose of liking Mark. Was it because he was handsome? Was it because he seemed sweet and noticed me? He could be lying about everything he said to me if what Grace revealed earlier was all true. " Is that what you say to every girl after you take them to meet your family? You seduce them into liking you then take them home??" My words came out harsher than I thought. It's not that I meant what I said, but it flowed at the right time.

"Why are you saying stuff like that? I'm not like that!" He of course defended himself.

I breathed, "This is exactly why I stay away from liking any man. They could be deceiving just like you." I managed to close the door on him and start the engine.

Before I could take off, Mark made his way quickly to the passenger side and got in. "Get out, Mark."

"Not until you understand me. You know I like you."

"I know, but we aren't dating. The whole 'liking' each other is like childplay only."

He didn't say anything regarding that. He in fact, avoided it. Instead, he ordered me to take him home.

"You drove here. I don't have the time to take you home."

"But I gave the car keys to Grace. It's actually her car that I just kept for her time out of the country."

With that, I had no choice but to send him home.