Day 26

Kris didn't know what to feel after reading what Alex has written down for him on the post-it. Was he supposed to laugh because she chose the word GALAXY to describe him? Or was he supposed to feel pissed because it's not a good description? One thing he knew though, that he'd go to Kai afterwards and they'll talk about it.

'She's engaged. I thought you knew she's out-of-bounds from the very beginning.' Kris is starting to regret telling Kai everything. He told him that he feels something special for the model. Kai, being the straight forward friend that he is, keep telling frankly in his face that he should've known better than offering Alex a stupid girlfriend proposal. It made matters worse and now Kris could only hope he didn't ask her the first place.

He knew Alex is engaged. He doesn't need people to tell him that over and over again. If only he can tell Kai to shut up. But maybe he needs to hear what he's got to say. Even if that involves scolding Kris like he can't think for his own.

'What are you expecting?' He heard Kai asks.

Kris is lost. 'What?' 

'Are you expecting she feels the same way for you too?' 

Kris wants to say no. Of course he isn't. Even when Alex told him about her current status with her boyfriend, it's not like Kris was hoping their relationship would continue falling apart and the former would come up to him and build a new one. That's not going to happen. 

He still hasn't answered Kai's question.

A few years back, before Kris found out that he's in love with Lexy, he persuaded her. Come to think of it, he actually didn't court her. Because it was that on-the-spot kind of relationship; Lexy didn't even play hard to get. Kris always knew that she feels the same towards him. 

It's different this time. Kris knows that he and Alex has gotten closer through the weeks. And that his feelings for her have somewhat intensified too. But what about Alex? Can an engaged woman fall in love with someone else? If that 'engaged woman' is Alex, can that 'someone else' be him? No. No. She loves Clint. 

'I can't believe this.' Kai said after a while. He's misinterpreted Kris's silence.

Kris was more shocked of what Kai said next. 'I can't blame you though. Alex is beautiful. Not just that. She's young and strong. And down to earth too. As a matter of fact, correct me if I'm wrong, that's the type of woman you'll definitely get attracted to.'

Kris shook his head. Not because he disagrees but because he knows that Kai is right, in every word. He only wished Kai hasn't said it. It didn't make him feel even the slightest better. Tomorrow, on their 26th day together, Kris will ask Alex questions. Questions he's been asking himself the previous nights. Questions Alex can only give answers to.

The love that Kris feels for Alex is something that's kind. Something that doesn't require her to love him back. Something he just wants to give and take none in return. But just like his song, he'd call himself a liar if he says that it isn't going to make him happy if she's in love with him too. Even if that may sound impossible. Even if that could only be a lie. He wants to know for once. Just this time.

The next day Kris invited Alex to his newly renovated condominium. Kris hates it. He hates the fact that just seeing Alex standing their on his doorway makes him smile. He hates the way she's making him feel unsteady. But he also likes it. He likes having her around. He likes how her smile can flatter his heart. He's starting to sound bull.

His condo is quite small. It's located on the 7th floor of Pioneer Gardens. Right after the door is the small dining set and sitting area. There's two comfort rooms, one beside the kitchen and one upstairs. Alex sat down on the bean bag, leaving her shoes on the doormat. 

Kris looked at her tired image. Alex leaned on the wall with her eyes closed. She just finished another commercial shoot, and Kris his pre-recorded performance for an afternoon music show. 'Do you want to take a nap before we eat?' Kris has all the foods stored in the refrigerator. He woke up early that day to cook for his and Alex's dinner. He put everything in the ref so he can re-heat them later on.

Alex thought about it before answering. 'I'm hungry.' She said, animatedly touching her belly.

'Okay. This will only take minutes. Relax and feel at home.' Kris said, moving to the kitchen and opening the microwave. He got the chicken curry and fish fillet from the refrigerator and put them in the right heat. When he looked back at Alex, she's no longer sitting on the bean but looking at the mini frames he's got on the walls. 

'You've become more buff.' She commented after seeing a pre-debut picture of him.

'I've been working out.' He shared. 

Her eyes reached the fridge and she laughed. 'Why did you keep that?'

It was the yellow post-it she wrote for him in the bazaar. Kris couldn't think of a reason not to keep it. It was his idea after all. 'I want to be reminded that I'm a galaxy guy, you know.'

Alex rolled her eyes, making Kris ask, 'Have you thrown my note?' 

She hesitated. Kris thought she have. But she later shook her head. 'No, I'm keeping it somewhere in my closet.' That's a relief.

Kris arranged the table and Alex helped him put down the utensils. She then took the seat across from him and served herself with the rice and viands. Unlike her, Kris is still not that hungry so he just sit down and watch her eat. 

'Did you cook these?' She asked after gulping on her mango juice.

Kris doesn't wish to tell her that he woke up early to prepare all of it. He doesn't want her wondering why he'd do something like that for her. He doesn't want to give himself away. He just nod.

She beams. 'Good job!' She showed him the thumbs-up. Kris hasn't cooked a real meal for a long time. 

'Thanks,' he muttered.

He looked from her hair tied behind in a knot to her round eyes to her pointed nose to her bubbled rosy cheeks to her chewing lips. Then she caught him doing it and the look on her face was warning him not to stare at her again. Kris smiled.

'I want to know some things and I want you to be honest with me.' Kris said.

Alex searched for the seriousness in his eyes. After some time, she nodded. 'Bring it on!' She accepted the challenge, not knowing that it's going to be one that she would've avoided herself.

'You're not supposed to be here, if you didn't show yourself again after I've said goodbye on the fifteenth day. Why say hello again? And make new conditions?'

'Uhm...' How must she say it? Kris waits. 'The first fifteen days were not so good. I thought maybe there can possibly be better days, with you. So I gave it a chance.' Kris remembers what she wrote for her on the post-it. I take risky chances with this adventurous girl.

'Then what's the point of limiting that days down to fifteen? Why not be friends without a deadline? Why only for another fifteen days?'

Alex stopped eating. She's sitting with her palms on her lap underneath the table. 'Clint's coming on the 27th.' 

Just that. Kris waited for her to say more but it was just that. 'So what if he's coming?' He tried to think it over his mind. How can she be so sure that their 30th day will be or not be on the day Clint arrives? What's the point? It's like she's actually telling him that she can't be friends with him anymore once her boyfriend's back. Of course she can't. She's engaged. 

'I don't think he'll like the idea.' She looked at Kris and the latter saw the fear in her eyes. What is she afraid of? 

'The idea of what? You seeing me, me seeing you? Why?' Alex didn't answer him right away, giving him more questions to ask. 'What about Xiumin? Can you stay being friends with him when your boyfriend's here or not? What's the difference?'

Alex is hiding something from him, and she will not say it. She can't possibly like him too. She can't possibly fear that she might fall in love with him if they see each other beyond a month. She can't. Kris repeated those lines in his head, only ending each thought with the big question 'Can she?' 

He's completely surprised with himself when he told her, 'You don't have to answer if you don't want to.' Maybe he's also scared of what she has to say. Of how far her honesty can go. He hates it when one second she's smiling and the next second she's not, all because of his doing. Instead he asked her, 'Are you excited?'

Alex didn't understand what he meant. 'Excited?'

'Are you excited to get married?' That brought something painful to his chest. He will never ask that ever again.

'I think so.' Her answer sounded doubtful although Kris was sure she made an effort to hide the uncertainty. 

Then Kris finds himself saying these words out. 'You'll make a very beautiful bride.' The fact that he can feel himself wanting to reach out to her and touch her hand sounds absurd. He is in love with her in every careless way. 

And Alex has only one reply. 'Thanks.'

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Happy April! Okay, before anything else, I'd like to apologize for not updating for soooo long. It's been ages and I've been really busy the past weeks (busy with reading other people's stuff and keeping up with friends). Every time I think of continuing this story I feel like I have to go over the last chapters so that I can feel the emotions again. I know this might be a lame chapter or a very short one compared to the previous updates but this is all I can do for now. It felt good having a little me time the last few days. I've read the whole Divergent series and now I'm starting with Fallen. I can't promise when I'll be able to update again but let me just say thank you for keeping up with this Kris fic of mine. Please subscribe, leave comments and upvote! Saranghamnida! :)