[Music Recommendation: "Scenery" by Kim Taehyung (BTS - V) available in Youtube or Spotify] ~ Please listen to it in a loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this chapter ~

I hardly managed to gulp down the food I just ate. Of all the times I could slip my tongue… it just had to be when we're alone together. Cold sweat started to trickle down my forehead. Oh my goodness. Please, Kaiden. Pay it no mind. I didn't mean to say it like that. Well, I'd love it if we marry someday but… I didn't want you to find out about it so soon. My heart wasn't ready yet. Please don't take it seriously.

I blinked a couple of times waiting for his reply. Kaiden's face was in total shock from what I just said. Maybe I should try explaining instead?

"Ahm, I—ah… I mean—"

"Pft! Ha-ha-ha! So you'd marry anyone who's good at cooking?" Kaiden laughed hard. "You better not or you might end up marrying all the chefs that you'll meet."

"R-right. I'm just joking though. He-he-he," I laughed awkwardly and resumed eating. Haaah… stupid me.

A moment of silence passed by as we ate.

"Since we already slept, what do you want to do next?" Kaiden asked, breaking the awkward silence between us.

"Hm? Oh yeah. We won't be able to sleep anytime soon," I nodded. "I don't have anything in mind. How about you?"

"No homework? Or projects you need to do?"

"Nope. For the first time, my professors are merciful. And you?"

"Just one but I'm done. I did it at school earlier when we had free time."

"Wow. I should do that next time, too."

We tried thinking what to do for a moment.

"Hmm… how about playing a game?" Kaiden suggested.

"Ooohh, Armageddon? I haven't played that in a while."

"No, not that. Another game."

"What game? Not 'Monopoly' again? I'll never win in that."

"Hmm… I have jenga, or cards, or other board games—chess, snakes and ladders, scrabbles, there's lots in my room. If you really like video games, I have a couple you might like. Pick whichever you want."

It was then that a brilliant idea came to mind.

Since Kaiden was so favoured by the Almighty, any games that required skills would be in his advantage. There was no way I could win in those—video games, chess, uno or any card games, monopoly or any board games. Jenga… I'm too clumsy to win in that. Hmm… I needed something that would rely heavily on luck. Rock, paper, scissors? But that would be too boring. We're no longer children. Now what could that game be?

'Oh! That one! He mentioned he has it. Then, I can execute my brilliant plan. He-he-he…'

And so, after a moment of silence, I turned to Kaiden.

"How about… we play 'Snakes and Ladders' but with a twist?" I asked him, grinning.

His eyes widened in surprise. "What twist?"

"Since it's easy to play, we can finish one round in just a few minutes," I explained, "so… I'm thinking what if we add 'Truth or Dare' with it? The loser will have to pick between truth or dare. If the loser picks the truth, then he or she needs to answer a question truthfully; and if he or she chooses to dare, he or she will need to do the dare." Waggling my eyebrows, I smiled at him. "What do you think?"

"Oh, that's interesting," he smiled with a smile that seemed to contain lots of mischievousness.

"It is! I didn't want to just do a simple 'Truth or Dare' and just a simple board game, so why not combine them, right? He-he-he… Be ready to answer lots of questions or do super daring dares," I deliberately taunted him.

Kaiden smirked. "Really? Why don't you tell that to yourself first. I'm sure I'll win more rounds than you."

"Don't be too sure. I'm pretty lucky with dice you know."

"You're on."

We taunted each other a few more times before we went back to Kaiden's room to play. He took the board game from a shelf in his gaming room and laid it down on the coffee table. We sat on the sofa as we picked our pieces that we'd use as our avatars for the game. I picked the blue piece and he picked the black one. I noticed he was pretty fond of black. That's probably his favourite colour.

And so, the game started. For the first round, I started to lead the game but when I was about to win, I just had to land on a snake! Waaaaaa! Because of that, I fell four rows below and Kaiden won. What the heck! Why couldn't I even win the first game?

"Well, looks like I won," Kaiden smugly taunted me.

"I'll win in the next round FOR SURE! Hmf!" I pouted.

"Ha-ha-ha! Goodluck on that. But first, truth or dare?"

'Kyaaaaaaaa! Why do I get to be the first one punished? Almighty! Please favour me in the next round! You love me, too, right? Don't make Kaiden win all rounds, please!'

Nervous of his question, I decided to do a "dare" first. I wasn't so sure what kind of questions he'd ask and I couldn't afford him asking if I liked him or anything along those lines.

"Hmm…" Kaiden pondered what to order me.

Then, his eyes lit up, as if he thought of the most wonderful idea. I got goosebumps seeing him like that. How I hoped it was something doable on my end.

"Ah, I know," he said with a smirk on his face. He would always do that when he planned on something mischievous. Then, he ordered me... "Show me your phone."

…

…

…

My whole world just stopped. My heartbeat hammered in my chest and cold sweat started to form on my forehead.

'Oh my goodness… Of all the things he would ask… it just had to be showing him my phone… Yup. My darn phone that had his picture as my wallpaper. KYAAAAAAAAAA!!! I'm so doomed! What will I do? Oh nooooooooooo… I'm internally crying right now and screaming and being crazy.'