"Kris, what the hell?!" I jerked away from his hold trying to calm my bewildered heart.

"Did I scare you? I...I'm s...sorry," he stuttered and with my eyes fully adjusting in the unlit fire exit, I could see his worried look.

"Scared me? I almost died from heart attack! I thought it was some psycho kidnapping me or God knows who," I replied, the tone in my voice a note higher.

"Sorry, I just want to talk to you in private."

"You could have asked nicely rather than grabbing my arms all of a sudden. You even covered my mouth for goodness sake!" I said, realizing a bit late that my tone was harsh so I added in a softer voice, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Kim Woo Bin. Are you dating him for real?"

"What? You went through all the hassle just to ask that?" I asked, a bit confused at his sudden downrightness.

"Samantha, tell me the truth. Do you really like him?" His voice was firmer and more anxious than before. Like he's readying himself for something.

"I already answered that, didn't I? What you see is what you get."

"Fine, let's say I accept that excuse of yours but what I see is different from what I hear and read. Clearly, that Woo Bin guy is in love with you but you...I don't know. My instincts tell me something. But I don't want to believe anything unless it directly comes from you."

"What does your instinct tell you, Kris?"

He held my gaze before answering my question. "That you still like me. The way you do six years ago," he said in a voice too low that I have strain my ears to hear. When his words materialized in my mind, I gulped. I'm caught.

"What made you think that way?" I croaked while I try so hard to calm my wildly beating heart.

"It's funny but, I felt it," he said in an amused tone like he's enjoying an unspoken joke. But his amused look was gone as fast as it came. His face became a picture of seriousness. "Tell me I'm wrong and I won't bother you again. Ever." He added the last word in a pained tone.

"And what if you're right?" His head jerked up at my statement. He wasn't expecting me to say it.

My heart was racing in anticipation. His answer could either make me or break me. I should have thought twice before asking him. Stupid girl.

He was still staring at me like I'm a specimen he's studying for Biology. His eyes lit up when he realized I mean what I asked. "Then I'd be very happy, Sam," he stated, looking deeply into my eyes. "Because I'm madly, deeply, crazily in love with you Samantha Kim."

Oh. My. God. He said it! He said he loves me! I was shouting for joy inside my head but on the outside I could only stare at him. Then unknowingly, stupid tears rolled down my cheeks and I realized a bit late that I was crying.

"Sam, you okay?" He reached out to wipe a tear that stained my right cheek. "Did I say something wrong? Why are you crying?"

"You stupid jerk. Why are you saying that now?" I whispered in between sobs.

"So am I right? You and Kim Woo Bin aren't really together?" I looked up to see him smiling from ear to ear.

I stalled for a few seconds, savoring his sparkling eyes and sweet smile. "Yes."

"And are my instincts right? That you still...you know...like me?"

"Idiot. Why would I be crying if ain't because of that?" I replied, sniffing. A small smile appeared as I continued staring at his gorgeous face.

"Thank God!" He enveloped me into a tight hug. "You don't know how much I missed you, Sam. I've wanted to hug you the first time I saw you."

"Me, too, Kris. Me, too." I hugged him back tighter than he did.

We sat down at the stairs of the fire exit after our dramatic confessions to each other. He was seated on the top of the stairs while I sat two steps down, wedged between his legs, my back on his chest where I could feel his steady heartbeat, and my head rested on his shoulder.

"This wasn't what I imagined when I'd tell you how I feel about you," he muttered in an amused tone.

"Yeah?" I replied, intertwining my fingers into his. "How do you imagine it to be?"

"I don't know but I'm sure it isn't as dramatic as this." He chuckled, a y one, then fell silent. The room was so quiet that just our rythmic breathing could be heard.

"This feels like a dream," Kris said, playing with my fingers, his breath tickling the side of my neck.

"And if it is, I don't want to wake up," I whispered.

He kissed the crown of my head and muttered, "Do you want to go somewhere? Because fire exits don't make it to top ten places I'd take you for a date."

I chuckled, a girly one which made me flinch. I'm being too obvious. "So you mean this is a date?"

"I'd like to think so." He stood up and grabbed my hand, smiling his crooked, gummy smile. His hand is bigger than mine but it fits exactly wih his. It's warm in a way, comforting even. It's like holding my Dad's hand plus the spark that goes directly to my heart.

"Alright. But where can we go this late?"

"To my favorite place." He dragged me to the elevator and pressed 10.

Kris lead me to a spacious room with nothing but mirrors on the walls. The floor is wooden, polished to perfection. When he said he wanted to go somewhere, I pictured a restaurant and it made me nervous, especially that paparazzis have been hot on my tail. I couldn't take pulling Kris with me in the midst of the issues.

"What is this place?" I queried while looking around.

"EXO's second practice room," he answered while wiping dust on the floor with a cloth. "Sit here." He patted the spot beside him.

"You practice here often?"

"Sometimes. And since our promotions are almost over, no one comes down here often. This is where I usually spent my time thinking about...things."

"Things like?"

"My career, my family, friends but mostly you," he said, touching the tip of my nose.

"Can I know what you were thinking then?" I asked, my curiosity getting he best of me. I mean, he has been acting cold then all of a sudden he acts all lovey-dovey; I ought to know.

He slid his fingers to mine and we're holding hands again. "Don't we look good together?" he said, ignoring my question and jutting his chin to our reflection.

"I suppose," I chortled. I stared at our reflection and he's right, we do look good together. Looking good not in the sense of gorgeousness. We look good together because of the genuine smiles plastered in our faces and the way it touched our eyes.

Kris rubbed his thumb at the back of my hand and spoke in a serious voice. "Sam, I owe you an apology."

"Apology for what?"

"For a lot of things but I'm most sorry for ditching you that day we were supposed to meet. I chose this career over you and left you hanging."

Questions swirled at the back of my mind that I couldn't choose one. But when I stared at his eyes, I realized that those questions don't matter anymore. What matters is the present. "Kris, past is past. We will never move forward if we keep on looking back. You probably have your reasons for leaving without notice and I want you to know that, I understand whatever that is. Our choices broke us apart but fate brought us together again."

"Thank you, Samantha."

"Funny isn't it? Six years have passed since the last time we saw each other and—"

"Correction," he cut in. "It wasn't six years. We actually saw each other last year. Or I guess it's more like I saw you and you just looked at me."

"Really? Where?"

"In Vancouver, around February," he replied, smirking at the fact that he knows and I don't. I searched for the memory that associates with the place and month.

"You did a guesting for a motor showcase event," he hinted when he noticed that I couldn't figure it out.

"Yeah, I remember," I snapped my fingers as I recount the memory. "Wait. You were there?"

"Yup," he replied, popping the p sound. "Actually, I was keeping tabs on your act