Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Kailee's face turned sour, almost like she was about to throw a fit. But seeing all the people around, she held it in.

"Ha, you must be kidding, right?" she said, but when she noticed Clara's equally sour expression, she felt a rush of satisfaction. Clara's hand, which had been hanging by her side, slowly clenched into a fist. How on earth did these two know each other? Back in high school, she'd never seen Lewis and Kailee say even a word to each other. Seeing them so chummy now made her wonder if Kailee was really one of Lewis's exes. Quickly regaining her composure, she turned to Lewis. "Kenzo, Kailee isn't your ex-girlfriend, is she?"

"No," he replied instantly, making Kailee roll her eyes in frustration.

"Right, no. My taste back then couldn't have been that bad. If anything, I had a crush on King," she quipped, handing her card to a nearby waiter. "Check, please."

Just then, Lewis pulled out his own card. "You helped me with that penalty fee yesterday, so it's only fair I treat you today, Kailee. Don't be shy."

His smile was maddening, and Kailee was seething inside, itching to wipe that smug look off his face. The other women present had mixed reactions, especially Clara, who managed a strained smile. "Kenzo, even if she's not an ex, she must be a friend, right? How did you two meet?" Clara pressed on.

Kailee hesitated, thinking back to her first encounter with Lewis. It wasn't anything memorable. She lowered her lashes, still puzzled over how she could have been so foolish as to date Lewis back then.

Her silence stretched, but Lewis filled it. "Sophomore year, during the school festival."

Kailee was known for her poor memory, as Joseph often teased, her mind couldn't hold onto much. When Clara asked, she genuinely couldn't recall, but Lewis's reminder jogged her memory. He had been the emcee, and she was there to play the violin. With no friends around, she was left to change her outfit alone backstage when the zipper got stuck. Desperate, she called out to Lewis, who had just come off stage, for help.

Lewis, popular and handsome, seemed an unlikely savior.

"Kenzo, can you help me with my dress? I'm up next and can't get this zipper up."

Facing away, her entire back exposed, she didn't think much of it in the western context. Lewis's cool fingers brushed against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. They weren't even in the same class, and Kailee only knew of him by reputation.

When the zipper finally closed, she breathed a sigh of relief, ready to dash off, but his grip on her wrist stopped her.

"How about a kiss, Kailee?"

She turned, incredulous.

"What?"

He was serious. "Well?"

"Uh, sure."noveldrama

Their bodies close, his scent of clean soap enveloping her. The kiss lasted two seconds before Kailee pulled away, sensing something was off. Why would someone not close to her want a kiss? She felt weirded out as he grew bolder, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Kenzo, that's enough, I have to perform."

He let her go, wiping her lips.

"Let's grab some late-night food after the show?"

"Uh, no thanks."

Kailee was confused, her cheeks flushed. She wasn't good at saying no back then, a bit of a pushover. Looking back, Kailee was still angry. Just because they had kissed, when he suggested moving in together after graduation, she agreed.

Her brother was busy, no one paid her much mind, and she found fault in everything around her. Any mistake he made, she exploded. Breakup threats were a constant. But honestly, she never really felt involved with him. Harsh as it might sound, aside from that kiss, nothing happened between them.

Seeing her lost in thought, Lewis thought she was reminiscing, but Kailee quickly snapped out of it, taking her card back from the waiter.

"No need. I don't want to owe you anything. Plus, my boyfriend would get jealous if he knew another guy was treating me to a meal."

Her tone was indifferent, and seeing Lewis's mood plummet, she felt like she had scored a point.