She tiredly rolled her eyes away from him.

"I'm sorry. Fine, I'll make you something." Kiana apologised, as she didn't have the strength to continue the dramatic comebacks with him.

He watched as she dropped her handbag on the floor by the side of the counter, then walked over to the kitchen sink to wash her hands. For Enrico, watching the look on Kiana's face wasn't very encouraging. She seemed stressed out and ready to collapse any moment. This might not be the best way, but it was the only way for him.

"So, what would you like to have?" Kiana asked, as she finally turned to him. Enrico let out a scoff.

"I don't know. You're the cook. You figure it out." He rudely told her. Kiana glared at him, his attitude pissing her off. He was being a jerk for no good reason. She believed they were past this stage of being at each other's throat, but now, it seemed she was wrong.

"Fine." She replied in a sigh, before turning away and towards the fridge. Enrico watched expectantly as she opened the fridge and scanned through with her eyes.

Kiana scanned from bottom to top and heading towards bottom once more, she suddenly stopped. Her eyes rested on the round shaped cake lying there in the fridge. Her brows slightly furrowed in confusion, but she eventually presumed it was Enrico's. Thinking aback, she realised that she rarely ever saw him eat a pastry, so it was kinda odd for a large cake to just be lying in the fridge. Curious a bit, she drew closer to read the writing on it.

Happy birthday, Kiana.

She read within her mind. At that very moment, it didn't click. It didn't quite settle and suddenly just like the snapping of two fingers, it all came back to her. It was her birthday. She had completely forgotten her own birthday. How could she? She had been so caught up in her life affairs that she forgot her own birthday. In the past few years, sometimes she would remember and other times, it'll just pass like every other normal day, but not once... not once in those years had she gotten herself a cake and that thought brought her back to reality. There are only two of them living in this house. If she didn't get it, then it could only be the other housemate. A little dumbfounded, she reached both hands in and carried the cake, she turned to Enrico, who tried his best to act like his normal self.

"You..." She started, her voice quite shaky as she looked from the cake in her hands and up to Enrico.

"...You got me a...cake?" She asked, her voice low and partially shaky. The expression on her face, quite softer than a few minutes ago.

Enrico reminded himself to remain cool, so he put up a simple smile. That one smile and Kiana could feel her heartbeat slowly accelerate. She gently laid the cake on the counter. She stared at it for what seemed like forever, before looking up to him.

"You... remember?" She asked once more, the act alone still unbelievable to her that it caused mixed emotions within. Kiana was confused. She really didn't know what to believe anymore about Enrico.

Enrico noticed the whole surprised-confused-sad expression on her face. The way she stared at him made his heart break.

"Yeah. It's my memory. Sometimes, it's a curse and most other times... a blessing." He replied, not giving her a direct answer.

"But...you... hate me. I mean I... I broke your heart." she added, her voice clearly shaky. Her eyes became filled with tears, ready to roll down her cheeks.

Staring at her, this wasn't the expression he aimed for. Actually, he imagined her laughing out loud and eventually smiling, eyes filled with joy and not tears. He only wanted to see her happy.

He got off his seat and took a few steps further away before turning back to her. Her eyes had followed him all the way. He lightly shrugged his shoulders.

"Hate." He stated before shifting his eyes away from her. That very moment, for the first time in years, he thought hard about that very word, before eventually shifting his eyes back to her.

"Perhaps... I thought I hated you so much that when I saw you again after all those years, a thirst for revenge boiled within me, but eventually, it turns out... I never really did." He voiced out, much to his own surprise. He was saying things he hadn't admitted to himself. Things he never gave a serious thought to, because his mind was all clouded up with the wrong things.

She couldn't hold them back in anymore, so they went rolling down her cheeks. She was immediately engulfed with a lot of emotions and without further thinking, she walked directly up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, quite taken him aback. While holding him in an embrace, she shut her eyes to take it all in.

"Thank you." She appreciated, in a shaky voice amidst sobbing. While her head rested on his shoulder, he placed his arms around her as well, enclosing any space there might be left in between them.

"Thank you very much." She appreciated once more amidst sobbing and Enrico let her. He lightly and continuously patted her on the back for comfort.

After what seemed like ages of her pouring out everything she has got, Kiana recalled herself and exactly whose arms she was in. Slowing down on the sobbing and sniffing to control herself more, Kiana gently withdrew herself away from his arms, creating a narrow space between them. Thankfully, he didn't object. His actions showed that he understood. She noticed the tear stains she left on his shirt and felt a little silly and embarrassed.

"I'm sorry." She apologised, as she quickly attempted to wipe off the tear stains using her hands. Unable to get the outcome she hoped, Enrico eventually stopped her.

"It's okay, they're only tears." He told her hoping it would make her feel better and somehow it did, so instead, she quickly wipes her face and sniffs once more. She was barely able to look into his eyes for fear of breaking down once again. Enrico had somehow, in his own way, been so good to her. Remembering her birthday when clearly, she didn't. That alone broke the ice.

"Are you okay?" He asked, noticing how quiet she had suddenly grown. She immediately nodded.

"Great, then you wouldn't mind cutting the cake, right?" He asked, trying his best to lighten the mood and make her feel more comfortable. She put up a brief smile, while nodding before taking one look at him. Enrico smiled back.

She walked back to the kitchen and Enrico followed behind. While she searched for a table knife, Enrico stood still, arms folded across his chest watching her find her way in the kitchen. His eyes followed her every action right until she stood beside him, right in front of the cake with a table knife at hand. She looked up to him with a simple smile on her face and he smiled back, before she focused her attention back on the cake. He watched her gently cut the cake before eventually cutting out a slice. She placed it on a plate with a fork, then placed the plate on the counter in front of him. She did the same for herself.

"Happy birthday." He quoted, right after she was done and she replied alongside a shy smile.

"Thank you." She appreciated before cutting a piece from the slice of cake on her plate using a fork.

"I got you a present." He suddenly stated, causing her to instantly look up to him.

"Present?" She asked, a little surprised. Honestly, nothing that happened had been expected. Enrico nodded with a broad smile before walking away towards the living room. She watched him pick something off the sofa and made his way back to her. He placed the small gift bag on the counter in front of her. She looked at it and then to him.

"Go on. Check it out." He urged her confidently, which was what she eventually did. She inserted her hand into the bag and grabbed what her hand could fill. Drawing it out, she realised it was a rectangular shaped box. The packaging looked fancy. It made her wonder what he might have gotten for her. She went further and opened the box. She felt frozen for a moment as she stared at the brown leather wristwatch. It was simply beautiful. She raised her eyes up to Enrico.

"A wristwatch." She stated, still a little shocked by his act of generosity. Enrico nodded once more.

"Yes. As I searched for a present, I wondered about what Kiana would like. What would I give her that she doesn't have? What would make her really appreciative? I recalled every minute when you took a look at the time on your phone. Why? Because you didn't have a wristwatch so... I got you one. I hope you like it." He narrated and Kiana couldn't help staring at him. He was doing so much for her, whereas she... she hasn't been able to do a single thing for him.

"It's beautiful... Thank you." She appreciated and Enrico replied with one of his warm smiles.

"Here, let's see how it looks like on you." He told her as he got the wristwatch out of the box and helped her put it on her left wrist. Afterwards, they both stared at it.

"Beautiful! Obviously only your wrist could pull this off." He commented, causing her to smile and eventually chuckle. It might have been just a chuckle, but for Enrico, all he could see was sincere happiness encoded within her eyes. Exactly what he had expected.

Kiana noticed his eyes on her. His stares brought along with it a shy feeling, which she couldn't quite help. She decided to return to what she was about doing before the present came along. She picked up her fork, which had some cake on it, she got ready to put it in her mouth.

Enrico noticed how she had taken back control of herself. He wasn't done seeing a smile on her face. If one could not loosen up on their birthday, there would be no other time to loosen up. He quickly scrapped off a little icing off the cake using his index finger. Without warning, right at the verge of inserting the cake into her mouth, he placed the icing on the tip of her nose. Her eyes widened at him in surprise regarding his action, but all he did was smile.

"Why are..." Her words trailed away as he applied another on her cheek then let out a light chuckle, whilst staring at the expression on her face. Slowly, she drew up a simple smile. It was her birthday. He took care of her, so she was going to allow it.

"Enrico..." She tried once more, but her words trailed away as he applied another on her other cheek.

"Fine!" She exclaimed, finally giving up her composure. Instantly, she let go of the fork and scraped off some icing off the cake, using her finger as well.

She gave her best attempt to apply some on his face for revenge, but Enrico wasn't going to let her win, so easily so he kept leaning backwards away from her, dodging her every attempt. Along the line, it grew really playful and Kiana was laughing almost as hard as never before in a long time. She was having fun chasing after him, trying to succeed in her plans. All other thoughts are blocked out and forgotten. For a moment there, one would think the world had changed.

Enrico finally came to a stop, liking what he was seeing. Her laughter filled his ears as she caught up with him. Seeing victory, she took hold of it, as she finally smeared his face with the icing; with a simple smile on his face, his eyes remained on her. Slowly, her laughter died down as she noticed just how glued his eyes were on her. The same simple smile on his face. She, on the other hand, couldn't get herself to stop smiling as well. Yes, she was happy, so she couldn't stop smiling. He made her happy that day and, for a while, made her forget how messed up her life might actually be.

Right there. Right that very moment, Enrico accepted the fact that he has fallen madly and deeply in love with her. He would do so much and anything to keep that smile on her face forever. Slowly, he raised his hand to her face and when his fingers brushed with her cheeks, she felt sparks fly up her body. Her heart raced like never before and her eyes felt like a magnet attracted to its opposite pole. She couldn't look away. She couldn't move away. That right there, that very moment was solace for her.

She watched as his face drew closer and closer towards her. Her mind went blank and all she could hear was the seemingly sync of their heartbeat. He gently placed his left hand on her waist as he drew closer. Kiana was no fool. She knew what was about to happen. Her heart was thundering so loud and she deeply anticipated what he was heading for.

Ever so lightly and gently, he placed his lips on hers for a kiss and, both as a whole, accepted it, as their eyes shut in response to savouring the moment. Time came to a standstill.