Vic's POV:

Looking at his room’s ceiling, a smiled formed on his lips.  He was lying on his back on his bed inside his own room at Taiwan.  Everything that has happened at Japan in the last 2 weeks was playing back inside his mind, right after he read Alysha’s SMS a moment ago.  From all the breakfast, lunch, dinner, walking Alysha to her apartment and shopping…and to that very night…the night he thought everything would end.

After the kiss and make up, they went out for the dinner they had planned earlier.  They talked quite about everything and Alysha asked a lot about his life as an artist, about Adi, Jerry, Ken and Vanness, about the dramas he has and currently acted, and the best part, they talked about their feelings towards each other.  His smile widened when the thought of that exchanged conversation came across his mind.

He was walking Alysha back to her apartment again that night.  He was smiling all the way, even though they were actually walking in silence.  He was happy that they had managed to patch things up.  ‘Things will be back to normal,’ he thought.  Lost in his own thought, he didn’t notice that Alysha has slowed down her pace and was watching him with a very nervous look on her face.  He finally stopped in his track when he discovered Alysha was no longer walking side by side with him.

He turned over his head to look at Alysha who was about an arms length behind him. Making a head gesture asking what’s wrong, he saw the anxiety look on Alysha’s expression.  Feeling worried, he walked towards her.

“Something wrong?”

“Well, I …well…emm…can I ask you a question?” asked Alysha, facing down, looking nervous.

“Hei, sure! You have been asking me questions all night, remember? So, what is it this time?”

Looking up slowly, Alysha gazed into his eyes.  “I...well…why me? Why did you choose to like me?  I bet there are so many beautiful artists or even fans of yours that would die to have you.”

“That was it?  The answer is simple, actually.  Because you are you…and you treat me as me…the real me.  No pretending, no expectations of how I am or should be.  Okay now, since we are at that topic.  I’m asking you your question back.  Why me?  From my observation through your SMS, MMS, I have a feeling that you prefer Japanese boys,” he asked, with a quirky smile on his lips.

“What? You think that as well? To tell you the truth, my ex-boyfriend broke off with me because he thought the same thing, that I am too obsessed with Japan.  Not you too!?” said Alysha, pouting her lips.

“Haha…so you admit to have liking of Japanese boys?  Better not. They are not as nice as we Taiwanese.  Well, if you only like the Japanese culture, it is fine with me…but don’t go smitten with some Japanese boy when I’m back at Taiwan,” he blurted out. Alysha blushed.  He could see her cheek became pinkish in color.  He smiled, ‘She’s even more cute when she blush.’

“Well…I…I don’t think it is up to you.  I’m not your girlfriend anyway.  So, I’ll do whatever I want to…” her voice trailed.  She quickly walked forward in a fast pace, head slightly looked below.  Alysha can’t believe she actually said what she just said.

Vic froze.  He actually just realized it.  Alysha is not his girlfriend.  ‘She’s right.  But…what should I do? I’m not allowed to be in a relationship; especially when MARS is still in shooting.  My manager will kill me if he even knew I befriended with Alysha, yet alone being her boyfriend.’

‘Well, he won’t be if he didn’t know anything about it,’ he thought.  A cheeky grin appeared on his face.

“Alysha, wait.  What’s the rush?” he called up to her, jogged a bit to catch up with Alysha.

Vic grabbed her hand and turned her around to face him.  “Then, let us be in one.  The boyfriend and girlfriend relationship.”

“What?”

“I said, let us be boyfriend and girlfriend.  You like me, and I like you.  So, let’s be a couple.  But, more like a long distance relationship.  We really need to trust each other if we are going to make it happen.”

Alysha was shocked and disbelieved of what she just heard came out of Vic’s mouth.  “Are you sure?  What about your career?  Your popularity?  Won’t this affect you?”

Vic smiled.  “It won’t if we keep a low profile and make it a secret.  By the way, I’m not worried it would affect me.  I’m more worried of what it would do to you, if this break out.  Your life will change and so does your family’s.  Think about this, and let me know by tomorrow’s late dinner.  So now, let’s get you to your home.”

~~*~~*~~

Alysha's POV:

‘Alysha, I’m moving to my new house today. It’s the apartment I sent you the picture of.  So, I’ll paint it blue…our favorite color.  When I finish decorating it, I’ll send you the picture.  Bye girlfriend… p/s: I love this word ‘girlfriend’… :-)’ 

Smiling to herself, she put the phone at her chest.  ‘I love the word too…’ she felt giddy with just that thought.  It has been two weeks now Vic has gone back to Taiwan, and it has been two and a half week, they made it official becoming a couple.  Because of Vic, now she would always go through online forums that dedicated to Vic just to get to know his activities, news and she had been pretty amazed how popular he was especially in Asia. 

Just searched his name at the search browser, all the forums, blogs, and websites about him just popped up like mushroom after the rain.  She has no idea.  And she still can’t believe that she is actually a part of his life now, as a girlfriend and also as his new fan.

When he suggested for them to be in a relationship that night, three weeks ago, she was quite shocked and afraid as well since he also said that her life and her family’s will change if their relationship leaked out to the reporters.  She took 4 days to think about it and lastly, after she really thought it through, she wanted to take the chance.  She doesn’t want to have the regrets of not knowing how things would go between Vic and her.  So, now she felt really happy with her decision. 

Things have gone quite smooth till now. Even Adi and the other guys give their support for Vic and her.  They sometimes called or SMSed her now and then.  Lonely are now so far away from her life.  She never felt grateful.  About her mom, well, she did tell her about having a new boyfriend but, the artist part; she still said nothing about it yet.  She have a feeling her mom would have a hard time giving her blessing if she knew.  For the time being, she’ll mum it from her first and will definitely tell her when the right time comes.

She finally got up and prepared herself for another day at the lab, in the process of finishing her masters.  Going out of the apartment, it was already near noon.  Her stomach growled.  ‘Maybe I should get something to bite first before going to the lab,’ she thought, ‘Ah, I forgot to check the mailbox,’  she realized.  Going back in, she looked into her mailbox.  There was a letter inside.  ‘That’s weird.  There’s no return letter.  Wonder, who it is from,’ she said to herself curiously.

While eating her bowl of rice curry, she opened the letter.  Inside was a flight ticket to Taipei, Taiwan and also a note that read, ‘Surprise, girlfriend!  This is an open ticket, come over here to where your boyfriend is when you’re free.  Hopefully in this week.  I don’t know when I’ll be busy again.  Waiting for you patiently…Love, Vic.’

Smiling, she just can’t express her happiness that built up inside her heart.  Quickly finishing her gohan and walked to her university, she aimed to finish up her week’s progress in these two to three days so that she could go and meet Vic in the same week, as he wished for.