Katelyn was increasingly happy and happier every time they proceeded from one level to the next of her favourite game in the company of a man she admired the most. Now at stage 52 of the game, she was enjoying every minute and second of the moment.

"The next stage, my dear, won't give us any possible easy time." Lei said as they proceeded to the next level, "I will be protecting the house from above it."

Katelyn excitedly nodded, "Got you clearly."

When the level began, Lei immediately moved his playing tank on top of the house supposed to be protected in the game. He then started shooting the coming enemies as he continuously moved above the house.

Katelyn also started with the approaching enemies around their territory. This time the level didn't have protecting walls and iron that obstructed the enemies from getting to the bird-figured house the players were supposed to protect.

In a short time, the enemies started moving in large numbers closer and closer to the bird-figured house, giving Katelyn a hard time containing them. She suddenly lost focus and started going after the more hard target enemies, leaving the house vulnerable to the other enemies' attacks.

"Lei, it's now getting harder!" She said worriedly, "Come down and help me."

"No problem, dear, I am on the way." Lei said while looking at the situation around their territory. But upon quick calculations, he realized he would be unable to do anything as the enemies would be already attacking the house before he got to it.

"Lei, hurry...!" As Katelyn said, the enemies attacked and shot her tank, now moving to the house.

Lei let out a sigh, pressing hard the controller key on the keyboard to the house, but there was no change in the tank's speed as its game speed was programmed constant. In a second, the enemies wholly attacked the house- its wall protecting the precious bird-figured animation that was supposed to be protected, and in an instance, brought it down in endless bullets. Lei left the keyboard and stared at the final moment of their game over.

"I should have listened to you and not get far from the house." Katelyn expressed in sorrow and diffidence, "It's all my fault!"

"No, no, no, my dear." Lei gently held her hand, feeling its nature and warmth. "It wasn't at all your fault. In fact, if there is anybody to be blamed, it is me. I didn't protect my house, my home, when it needed me the most. I should have stayed around in times of danger and need in order to protect the one person I cherish and adore the most in the entire world."

Katelyn stared at him with an affectionate smile. The words touched her heart with a pleasure impossible to describe, "Okay... no need to put blame on anybody." She widened her smile excitedly, "On the bright side, though, achieving stage 53 is stunningly incredible! I didn't think there was anybody on the planet I could greatly enjoy playing the game with." She looked at him with unbridled energy and enthusiasm, "Thank you. Really thank you. I had a marvelous time."

Lei gently squeezed her hand in his with pleasure, "You have no idea how it makes me happy seeing you happy. I am more than glad to have made you happy." He paused, with a thought in mind, "Besides, achieving stage 53 is equivalent to 53 years of marriage- all the way sharing together the ups and downs of marriage."

Katelyn happily laughed. She found it enjoyable and amusing in the gentleman's idea fixing in almost every situation. Ideas that pleased and touched her at heart.

"Mmmh, and after the fifty-three years, when we are old, you be the first to die." She happily joked.

"It will be my greatest wish, Katelyn." Lei looked at her meaningfully, "If you happen to go first, I don't know if I will be able to take it. I simply do not know, Katelyn."

Katelyn cleared her smile and looked at him deep in his eyes. They showed a sincerity level that had an incredible impact on her heart. She was now mildly gentle, "You do know it was just a joke, right?"

Lei leaned in closer to her and held up her chin with a smile, still the other hand on the lady's hand, "Of course, my dear. I know so." He had brought back a happy smile on his face.

Katelyn's heart fluttered with excitement upon the gentleman's closeness and touch, and immediately, her body started fretting sweetly and nervously. Lei realized this and remembered his promise to her; my dear, I will never try anything that can make you uncomfortable or force you to something against your will. I respect you, value you, and hold you dear in my life. If anything, I will always do something that will please you, and something that I will be positive you will like. Always keep that in mind. With this, he suddenly stood up.

"I could use some books on your shelf." He said, heading to the lady's bookshelf.

Katelyn, with a tinge of disenchantment from the gentleman's prompt action, turned to him, "Of course. Just pick any that pleases you."

Lei went through the books as Katelyn still looked at him. She happened to find the gentleman's standing posture lovely to look at. Everything is majestic in him; is there really anyone like him?

"This will do." Lei finally picked his interest on the bookshelf, "Telecommunication and Government. Let me have a look at the government's atmosphere in telecommunication." He turned to Katelyn with a smile then skimmed through a couple of pages from the book. Katelyn was still at him as he perused through the book.

Suddenly, while still perusing the book, two card-like papers dropped from the book to the floor. Lei noticed the papers and picked them up. Upon looking at them, surprise registered on his face, "These are Club Munch tickets?" He slowly walked to Katelyn while still looking at the tickets, "Night club tickets!"

"Yeah." Katelyn appeared calm and relaxed, even though the gentleman's expression was palpably one of worrying, "Sharon's boyfriend won three tickets to Wizzy F live performance. The last person they had in mind for the third ticket was me."

"And you gladly accepted?"

Katelyn was more surprised as the question appeared rhetorical, "She is my best friend. How could I refuse?"

"Okay, maybe I am not coming across as to my expectation." Lei showed the tickets up in the air, "Have you ever been to the club?"

"Should that be a concern?" Katelyn chose her words carefully after realizing the topic could turn out serious, "It's not like I will be going alone. I will be in the company of people I trust."

"Meaning you have never been at the place, right?"

Katelyn now got up from her seat with a humble and gentle look, "I don't think that should be a big deal, Lei."

Lei stared hard at her for a moment, "As a person who knows more about life than an average or ordinary person, I have come to learn that thinking is entirely different from knowing." The concern he was feeling for her seemed powerful at heart. Never could he have imagined he would feel such a profound concern when there was a likely problematic situation in the lady's life, "I have full knowledge of Club Munch, in and out. It is usually never a good place to most first-timers." He lifted up the tickets and exactly meant the staid expression on his face, "Especially when there is a concert around, and especially at night!"

Katelyn stared up at the tickets before coming back to him, "Lei, I know you worry about me. But I assure you I will be fine. I will be going with a company I trust."

"Katelyn, this is way beyond worry I mean here." Lei said, moving closer to her, "It is now open to both of us that I very much care about you, and I will worry every passing second when you will be at the place." He looked deep into her eyes, "First-timers are supposed to go with people who can protect them. People who strongly care about them. People who will stay by their sides all around the clock. Friends are never enough to go with first-timers. Sharon doesn't know your true worth and value. She isn't strong enough to protect you in any case something happens, and maybe her boyfriend, too." He paused, still at her eyes, "Do you not see your vulnerability of many bad things happening to you?"

"And what is my vulnerability, Lei? It seems you very much want these bad things to happen to me!" Katelyn suddenly blurted. She didn't understand why the topic should have the seriousness that Lei portrayed.

Lei studied her for a while with eyes entirely fixed upon her, "I believe deep in your heart you very much know that it will never even be my wish for anything bad to happen to you_"

"I am sorry." Katelyn suddenly felt a sense of guilt, "I didn't mean to say that. It was just a slip."

"I am glad you didn't." Lei said in a well-modulated voice to capture what he wanted to put across in the best way possible, "What I meant to say concerns your prominent personality. Famous people are different from ordinary people when they are in public settings."

Katelyn understood him, and how right his perchance was. She was a writer and a lot of people read her book. More so, she was a daughter of a famous millionaire, which made her equally famous. But before she talked, a knock was heard at the door. She looked at Lei for a little while longer before going to the door.

She opened the door and standing at the doorstep was a mid-aged woman. She was in a brilliant fashionable style outfit that made her appearance a person of class.

"Hello, Kate." She began happily.

Katelyn also showed a happy spirit, but hers forced, "Hallo, auntie. It had to take you this long to finally meet me?"

The woman was still spirited, "Kate, the never-ending schedules of this place rarely gives one free time. You will come to know of it."

Katelyn smiled, inviting the woman in, "Come in."

The woman walked in, and immediately, her eyes met the other person in the room, "Oh, dear." She looked at her niece, "Are you busy or something?"

"Not at all." Lei forced a slight smile looking at her while walking to the table and placing the tickets on it, "I was just leaving. Excuse me." He then started to the door. But before leaving, he looked at Katelyn, "Have a good day, Kate." He said and walked out of the room.

Katelyn looked at him going with congesting guilt and concern at heart. She strongly wished the gentleman couldn't have walked out the way he did. She wished they had finished the conversation they were having. A conversation that almost brought a misunderstanding between them. Is he right? What her heart now strongly desired was to talk to him and finish the matter with satisfaction.