It’s 1 in the a.m. and everyone are bidding each other goodbye as they left Yen’s shared house. Yen stare at Mark and Nat weirdly noticing the weird atmosphere around them. Nat is helping him enter the car but she is clearly shaking from the too close contact after what happened earlier. Yen have no idea what happened.

“Is Mark heavy, Fei?” Yen abruptly ask as Mark is now seated on the passenger. Nat turn to look at Yen and Jackson beside her after she close the back car door where she keep Mark’s crutches. Mark chuckles. He is somehow happy the girl is shaken by him. He doesn’t want to get his hope up but she was the one who kissed him first.

“No..no, he’s not.” She fake an eye smile. She then approach the couple shaking both their hand as she is the last one to leave among the other guest except for Jacskon who will be staying over to help cleaning up. “Merry Christmas you both. I would love to help but I have work early morning tomorrow..” She scratch her head awkwardly.

Jackson quickly piped in. “It’s okay Fei, we might need our time alone.. Right, babe?” He whispers at Yen’s ears. Yen turns red and slaps his arm that is about to wrap itself around her neck away. Jackson laughs and Nat shyly laughs before bidding the couple goodbye and enters the car.

‘Right..’ She freeze at the when reality hits her. She remember she is now known to Mark. Nat decides to stay silent first and start driving.

---

The drive is awkward and Nat is now more conscious of the glares Mark throws at her. Since it’s Christmas Eve, Beijing street is super packed with cars who maybe are also on their way back from celebrating. No longer comfortable in the silence, Nat switched on the radio and as if heaven is punishing her, romantic and love songs plays on the radio on cue. ‘What the hell??’ She gulps. Even Mark finds the need to speak up because they won’t reach home anytime soon.

The silence is killing him.

“Nattasha..” He tries. Nat turns to him. ‘Right..He knows..I have to ask..’ She mentally facepalm. That was the most crucial thing right now. Yet, the feeling of their lips against each other flusters her more. She quickly shake her head and turns to Mark.

“I..” She hesitates. Already pulling the car off at the road side, stepping out from the traffic for them to talk. “How do you come to know that name?” Her brows slightly meet. Mark nib his lower lip, returning her gaze and rest his head back.

“I have been observing you.. since the start..” He huffs. ‘What?’ Nat didn’t know. This is new.

“What do you mean?” She ask the older male.

“I find you mysterious and somehow circumstances seems to make all my assumptions met..” He simply conclude. Nat twiddle her fingers, looking down at it. “What did you find out?” She is nervous. This is her first time, getting caught by someone. Mark smirk. He grab her twiddling fingers causing her to gasp.

This is not how Mark usually is but the fact that the woman had kissed him first give him confidence. The slight hope that he actually could pass over those walls she built around her and get to know the real Nattasha, not the pretentious Lim Fei.

“I found out.. I’m into you..” He bit back the embarrassment because he have decided to go through this. Even when he knows that’s not what her question is about. Nat hastily pull her hand away and clears . Evident blush crept on her cheek. The male grin. Almost, his heart couldn’t contain the joy and he would pull her in for a kiss again. But he wouldn’t want to freak her off.

“That’s not.. w—what I..m-mean..” She stutters. She then look away. ‘Get a grip girl!!’

Mark’s soft chuckle made her turn to him.

“Remember when you stumbled and your phone flew?” He decided to tell her what she wants to hear. She nods. “Second Heaven is a private night club and.. I just couldn’t get the image of you partying at such place at 3 a.m.” He tell straight to her, noticing her confused face.

“I saw the message..” He clear out. Nat mouth shapes into an ‘o’. “Then?” She squints her eyes, knowing that’s not the end. Mark starts again. “I was gonna assume you’re just a wild girl despite your good resume and one night, I saw you walking out of Blackjack..” He lift a brow at her, trying to read her expression.

The girl continue to stare at him, the awkwardness long forgotten. She need answers. Mark can’t help but admire her features that is staring right back at him. He quickly look away, holding himself back causing Nat to eye him weirdly. “I called you that night and you lied about your whereabout, I got suspicious. I went to the building entrance to ask the guards where you were heading..”

‘Christ..’

“You asked about me?” Nat ask again with widened eyes. He nods. Worried, the female lean back and bit her thumb nail. ‘They’ll assume he is someone who knows me..’ Mark eyes her warily. “Why?”

Nat wave her free arm, her right thumb still on her lips. “Continue..” She demands. Mark clears his throat and continue telling her everything he knows and how. He cannot help but notice the girl spacing off from time to time but pretends to focus on everything he’s saying. ‘What’s wrong wi