Pov Taeng
When I reached his room and knocked softly, the door opened almost immediately.
Kit stood there like he'd been waiting right behind it.
Golden sunset light flooded the room behind him, painting everything in warm shades of orange and honey. For a brief second, I forgot how to breathe.
Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.
The door closed behind me, and before I could say a single word, his lips were already on mine.
The kiss was hungry—deep, confident, unmistakably Kit. His tongue slipped into my mouth like he already knew exactly how I'd respond, and I did. Without hesitation. Our tongues tangled, slow at first, then more demanding, as if we were making up for time we hadn't actually lost.
So much for taking it slow, I thought faintly.
His hands moved over my body like they belonged there, steady and sure, sending shivers straight down my spine.
"Kit…" I breathed when I finally managed to pull back just enough to steal a breath.
He smiled—lazy, dangerous—and brushed his thumb across my lips, wiping away a trace of saliva.
"How do you call me," he asked quietly, "when we're alone?"
Of course he knew the answer.
"Kiki," I exhaled.
His smile deepened.
"That's right," he murmured. "My little cooker."
My heart did something stupid in my chest.
Before I could tease him back, he took my hand again, opened the balcony doors, and led me down the steps toward the beach. The air was warm, the sand still holding the heat of the day. I felt a flutter of excitement low in my stomach.
Where are you taking me now…?
When we reached the beach, I stopped short.
A table stood there, set up perfectly—ingredients neatly arranged, pots, pans, fresh vegetables, spices. Everything ready.
I stared at it, then at him.
"We're making something together," Kit whispered against my ear. "Little cooker."
I swallowed.
Cooking. On the beach. At sunset.
"Okay, wow. I did not see that coming." I said with a smile.
I stepped up to the table and started preparing the food, still half in disbelief. The sun dipped lower, painting the horizon in soft pinks and golds, the sea calm and endless beside us.
I'd never experienced anything like this—standing barefoot on warm sand, chopping vegetables, while my boyfriend looked at me like I was the only person left in the world.
And honestly?
I loved it.
Then I felt it.
His breath—right behind my ear.
Exactly where he knew I was weakest.
My hand slipped.
The knife almost fell, and I nearly cut myself.
I shot him a look, half annoyed, half flustered.
"Kiki," I said, trying to sound stern, "go over there. Let me finish cooking."
He laughed softly but stepped back, hands raised in mock surrender.
While I cooked, I noticed him take out his phone.
He was taking pictures of me.
I glanced over my shoulder and struck a deliberately seductive pose, tilting my head just slightly.
He chuckled. "You have no idea how hot you look right now."
"Liar," I said, but I didn't stop smiling.
He moved closer, close enough that I could feel his presence again. Then, without warning, he lifted me and sat me gently on the table.
"Kit—" I started, but the word dissolved into a breath.
He dipped a piece of bread into the sauce, holding it up to my lips.
"Taste."
I opened my mouth.
The flavor was rich, warm—perfect.
But before I could say anything, I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck and pulled him in, kissing him deeply, tasting the sauce and him all at once.
When we finally pulled apart, I smiled at him, breathless.
"Ten more minutes," I said softly. "Then it's ready."
I hopped off the table, but Kit didn't let me get far.
His arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me close. His lips traced slow, deliberate kisses along my neck, my nape—down to that spot that made my knees almost give out.
I bit my lip, focusing very hard on not burning the food.
God, I love him, I thought, smiling to myself as I kept cooking.
Love, heat, salt air, sunset.
And Kit—always right there behind me.
The dinner was ready not long after.
Kit led me to a beautifully decorated table set right on the sand. Soft lantern light flickered gently, and small flowers were placed around us—some on the table, some half-buried in the sand, as if the beach itself had been invited to join us.
I stared for a moment, genuinely speechless.
"You're really trying to make me fall in love again, aren't you?" I teased.
Kit pulled out a chair for me with a dramatic bow. "Again and again."
We sat down, the sea murmuring quietly beside us, the sky slowly darkening above. As we ate, we couldn't stop teasing each other—stealing bites from each other's plates, arguing playfully over who cooked better, laughing whenever one of us almost knocked something over.
At one point, Kit raised his glass and said, completely serious, "To my favorite cooker."
I rolled my eyes but clinked my glass against his. "To my favorite control freak."
He laughed, that warm laugh that always made me feel safe.
Between jokes and stolen smiles, the conversation slowly shifted.
"Niran and Chak," Kit said thoughtfully, poking at his food. "Everything's about to change for them."
I nodded, my gaze drifting toward the horizon. "Yeah. They've been fighting it for so long… now it's real. No hiding."
"Do you think Chak's ready?" he asked.
I smiled softly. "He is. He's scared—but he loves Niran too much to walk away. And Niran… he'll change Chak's entire world without even trying."
Kit leaned back, watching the stars appear one by one. "I think they're going to build something solid. A real future."
"So do I," I said quietly. "Their life won't be easy, but it'll be honest." "Like ours."
For a moment, we sat in comfortable silence, the weight of that future settling gently between us—not heavy, just real.
After dinner, Kit suddenly stood and held out his hand.
"Come on."
"Where now?" I asked, already smiling as I took it.
"Just trust me."
He led me farther down the beach until we reached a large white screen set up facing the sea. In front of it stood a wide, incredibly comfortable couch. On a small table between us lay two controllers.
I blinked. "You planned this too?"
"Of course," he said casually.
I sat down, picked up one of the controllers, and glanced at him sideways.
"Alright," I said, pretending to sound serious. "If you lose, you get a punishment."
Kit raised an eyebrow. "And who chooses it?"
"I do."
He didn't even hesitate. A slow, confident smile curved his lips.
"Deal," he said. "Little gamer."
My heart skipped.
I leaned back against the couch, controller in hand, stars above us, waves behind us, Kit right beside me.
Yeah, I thought, this is perfect.
And whatever the future held—for Niran and Chak, for us—we'd face it just like this. Together
The screen was a blur of colors, and Kit was winning. I could see the focused intensity in his eyes, his thumbs moving with practiced precision.
I need a distraction, I thought, a mischievous idea forming in my mind.
I waited for a crucial moment in the game.
Just as Kit was about to land a final blow, I dropped my controller, leaned over, and pressed a soft, lingering kiss right against his jawline.
Kit's breath hitched, and for a split second, his character on the screen stumbled. I pulled back with a triumphant grin, ready to take advantage of his distraction.
But I underestimated him.
Instead of losing focus, Kit let out a low, dark chuckle. Without even looking away from the screen, he reached out with one hand and found my most sensitive spot on my ribs
"Nice try, Little gamer," he murmured, his fingers dancing against my skin in a sudden, expert tickle.
I let out a loud yelp and collapsed back against the cushions, squirming and laughing so hard I couldn't even breathe, let alone pick up my controller.
"Kit! Stop! Kiki, please!" I gasped out between fits of laughter.
"You started it," he teased, finally dropping his controller as the 'Victory' screen flashed his name.
He hovered over me, his eyes glowing with triumph and something much warmer. "You thought you could distract me with a kiss? You're going to have to try much harder than that."
I lost.
And the worst part? I knew it the second my character collapsed on the screen.
I groaned dramatically and dropped the controller onto the couch. "This game is rigged."
Kit's eyes lit up with pure triumph. "A loss is a loss, Little gamer."
"Wait—Kiki, hold on—"
Too late.
In one smooth motion, he lifted me up like I weighed nothing. I yelped, instinctively wrapping my arms around his neck as he laughed.
"Kit!" I laughed, half-panicked, half-excited. "What are you doing?"
"Collecting my prize."
Before I could protest again, he carried me straight toward the sea. The cool night air mixed with his warmth, and my laughter echoed across the beach.
"One—" he said, swinging me gently.
"Kit—!"
"Two—"
"Don't you dare!"
"Three."
He tossed me into the water.
I hit the sea with a splash, laughter exploding out of me as I surfaced, brushing wet hair out of my face. "You're dead!"
He jumped in right after me, water splashing everywhere as we started chasing each other like kids—splashing, laughing, trying to soak the other more.
At one point, he caught me around the waist. I squealed, then laughed harder when he pulled me closer instead of throwing me again.
The world felt smaller then. Just us, the sound of the waves, our laughter dissolving into quiet breaths.
He leaned in first.
The kiss was soft at the start, salt on his lips, water dripping down our faces. I kissed him back without thinking, fingers tangling in his wet hair. Everything else faded—the beach, the night, time itself.
"If this is the punishment for losing the game," I thought as our lips met again, "then I want to lose every single time. Every day. For the rest of my life.
After a while, we finally went back to shore, shivering slightly but smiling like idiots.
Kit spread a large blanket on the sand and pulled me down with him. We lay side by side, shoulders touching, the warmth of his body slowly returning to mine.
Above us, the night sky stretched endlessly, stars scattered like secrets.
I was just about to say something when I saw it.
A streak of light cut across the darkness.
"My god," I whispered. "Kiki—look."
He sucked in a breath. "A comet…"
We both watched it silently, our hands finding each other.
"I've never seen one before," he said softly. "Not like this. Not in real life."
My heart tightened. I turned toward him, eyes shining. "Quick," I said, squeezing his hand. "Make a wish."
He closed his eyes immediately.
So did I.
And in that moment, with the sea behind us and the stars above, I knew—
whatever I wished for, I was already halfway there.
Because I was lying right beside him.