THE PAST few days went by in a blur. They had done everything they wanted at the resort. They’d gone fishing on the expansive man-made lake and also went hiking. They visited a waterfall on one of their hiking trips. They tried the outdoor hot tub along with the spa services. Yumika was having the time of her life on their vacation. On their last night, they decided to have a picnic outside. It didn’t rain, and the sky was perfectly clear that night.
During their stay, Cade had taken care of her. He made sure she ate well, and whatever she wanted to eat, he ensured she got it. Sleeping next to him wasn’t a problem either—he had given her permission to wear his shirt to bed. He was also very gentlemanly, making sure not to cross the pillow that separated them.
But one morning, Yumika found herself crossing that boundary. She woke up, hugging Cade. Luckily, she woke in time and managed to shift back to her original position before he noticed. Thankfully, it never happened again. The last thing she would want was to freak him out.
“How’s the garlic butter crab?” he asked after she finished the last of the crab.
She smiled sheepishly. “The best,” she replied. He laughed, clearly pleased that she enjoyed the special dish he had cooked just for her. He had ordered the crabs, but he prepared them himself, especially for her.
After they ate, they briefly went back inside to wash the dishes. Yumika had volunteered, but Cade helped her anyway.
“How did you know garlic butter crab is my favorite too?” she couldn’t help but ask once they returned outside.
Cade flashed his pearly white smile but didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he opened a bottle of cranberry-lime sparkling water and handed it to her. He opened another bottle for himself.
“Remember when we had our engagement dinner?” he asked.
She nodded, recalling that awkward time. Cade had been very reserved back then.
“Mom mentioned that it’s one of your favorite foods, so that’s why she had it prepared,” he continued.
She blinked. “And you remembered it?”
“Yeah, I do,” he said with a shrug, smiling before bringing the bottle to his lips for another sip. Then he spoke again. “I learned how to make it when I was away. Apparently, it became my favorite too once I tasted the dish. One time, I was craving it, so I tried making it for myself.”
Butterflies suddenly fluttered in her stomach. Cade may have seemed indifferent before, but he knew so much about her—so many little things. He knew she was allergic to lilies, that her favorite flower was sunflower, that she loved Japanese food and garlic butter crab. He even knew her neck flushed when she was embarrassed—something she never realized about herself. He had noticed the tiny wrinkle on the bridge of her nose when she was thinking too hard.
He knew so much about her, even the smallest details, and she had no idea why.
There was a twinkle in his eyes as he continued.
“I also know that you’re not afraid of needles. When we had our flu shots, Steph cried so hard, but you? You didn’t even shed a tear. Instead, you just watched.” He laughed, recalling the memory.
“You like horror movies. Remember that summer sleepover when my male cousins intentionally played a horror movie to scare the girls? You didn’t even blink. Instead, you enjoyed it and finished the movie with us. You’re not picky with food either. Even exotic foods—you’re game. Your favorites are barbecued chicken intestines and balut. Most especially balut. And you can’t swim, which is why you don’t enjoy going to the beach that much. But you prefer the mountains. You like hiking or camping.”
She stared at him, genuinely surprised. She had never imagined he knew all those things about her.
“I-I didn’t know you paid attention to me before,” she started softly. “You were indifferent, and you barely talked to me. I thought you didn’t care about me.” She exhaled gently, almost afraid to speak the words aloud.
He fell silent, as if unsure what to say. The smile disappeared from his lips, and his expression turned serious. Suddenly, Yumika felt nervous—had she said something wrong? She swallowed hard. He didn’t move, just stared at her. For a moment, Yumika wondered if he’d drop the topic and head back into the cabin.
But then he spoke again.
“I do,” he muttered softly. “Unconsciously, I do pay attention to every detail about you.”
Yumika’s heart fluttered at his sudden confession.
CADE MEANT every word. It was only then that he realized he truly did pay attention to every detail about her. He had unconsciously noticed the girl he once thought he would despise until his last breath. Years had passed, yet he remembered everything about her. Yumika was also the reason he tried new things—he was slowly coming to like her favorites too.
He had always been a beach-and-sun kind of guy. But after college graduation, he tried trekking—and enjoyed it the first time. He had learned how to make her favorite garlic butter crab. Even her favorite sushi, he found himself craving it.
Somehow, she had not only managed to get under his skin, but she had hijacked his thoughts too. He had tried to ignore her as best as he could, yet he ended up knowing so much about her. He would admit it—he had felt intense anger when he heard her begging her parents that she should be the one to marry him. He hated her for it and made her life miserable in the process. But during those two years he was away, he realized that if she hadn’t been the one to marry him, his life would have been even more miserable. He would have been thrown into the corporate world with heavier responsibilities and expectations. His marriage to Yumika made him realize what he truly wanted. It had taken years—and his father’s death—for him to see how genuine this woman was. She had been obsessed with him when they were younger, and it had caused her so much heartache. Yet here she was, forgiving him and bringing out the best version of himself.
Yumika fell silent. He could see the faint pink flush on her cheeks from the soft lights surrounding them.
“I’m happy to know that you somehow paid attention to me, Cade. But rest assured…” She swallowed. “…nothing will change. I won’t make this awkward for you again.” She stood up, seemingly ready to leave, but he caught her hand.
He stood, still holding her hand. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Your confession won’t give me any ideas,” she assured him. “I’m already satisfied being friends with you. I won’t ask for more—”
“Friends?” he barked, and she flinched. She grimaced, startled by his sudden outburst. He hadn’t meant to shout like that.
“Aren’t we friends?” she asked softly, her voice trembling as if afraid of his answer. He realized he had rejected her so many times that she feared he would reject even the friendship she longed for.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. “Friends shouldn’t be thinking of kissing their friends, right?” he said, and she gasped. “Because all I think about every damn time is tasting those inviting lips of yours.”
Her lips parted as her eyes widened, staring at him. Oh, hell! Cade dipped his head and claimed her lips.