First Kiss

Mia had dreamed of this moment but never imagined it would be this heated and consuming.

Wes had closed the distance and sealed her lips with his in a soft, warm kiss. She stiffened at first, her mind unable to catch up with her body as a wave of emotions washed over. His mouth hovered before hers for a moment, not pressing or demanding, like a silent request for her consent.

And she responded by returning the gesture in her own clumsy, inexperienced way.

How he still waited even though it was obvious that all his restraints had unravelled made her chest flip. Then, impossibly, the world vanished. The flicker of the big screens and the blur of passing strangers seemed to have ceased.

All that existed now was him, her, and the shockingly sweet, breathtaking reality of their first kiss.

‘It feels so…wonderful…’

In the past, he would kiss her everywhere but on the lips, would handle her as if she were a delicate art piece. He’s always so gentle and considerate, never pushing boundaries. But right now, while still full of loving care, she felt a raging fire in his touch that seemed voracious.

It was so intense it bordered on possessive, and it lasted longer than she dared hope.

Her hands curled around the front of his shirt, and he pulled her closer, his head tilting to cover more of her. All the while, the kiss deepened—slow, tentative, yet full of certainty. Her mind scattered and focused at the same time as affection, excitement, and an electrifying thrill tangled together with the fear buried underneath.

When they pulled apart, her lips were tingling, her pulse jumping, and her chest almost bursting.

She met his gaze, then drew back at the look of reverence and ecstasy on his face. His eyes shimmered, his cheeks tinged with red. He appeared as if he worshipped her, causing a squeak to leap out of her throat.

“W-Wes, ermmm…”

“I love you, Mia,” he said suddenly.

“Eek! I-I-I…! I also-”

“OH MY GOD! IS THAT WES ASHTHORNE?!”

Alas, screams and squeals tore out from the city's square, phone cameras flashing and faces lighting up with delayed recognition.

The onslaught broke the intimate air, but not the spell of the kiss for Mia. Her heart still raced from the memory, more so when she felt him hold her hand. He smiled at her in reassurance, then started running away and pulling her along.

While the crowd roared and rioted around, the late morning sun beamed down on the couple, their steadfast love aglow with a newfound strength to face tomorrow together.

---

“Breaking! Wes seen with first-ever girlfriend!”

“Fans are going wild! The beloved Sun Prince might be officially dating?!”

“It’s heartbreak for all the ladies as Ashthorne’s golden boy gets taken!”

“Who is she? When did it start? People are desperate to know!”

News came out hours ago, but Wes’s phone notifications kept pinging until now.

He ignored them, staring instead at the cityscape outside with his hand propped over his chin. From the driver’s seat, Seth stole a glance at him. His shoulders squared, and he let out a tense breath before opening his mouth to speak.

“So, you two are spotted in public after your birthday, and people are searching all over to learn more,” Seth began, “But you’ve finished scouring Ms. Mia's photos and videos that have circulated online—from the mall, from school, from L’Atelier. They’ll now find only what you want them to, what shows the best of her and makes her favorable. But it doesn’t end there, does it? You’re just getting started, and judging by where we are heading now, this is where it’ll be.”

“You make me sound like an evil mastermind.”

“More like a puppeteer pulling the strings.”

“Well, yes. I have to take that extra mile if I want to avoid problems in the long run,” Wes remarked, “Because I did this, Mia could continue with her everyday life. They wouldn’t find their address anywhere on the internet, so they couldn’t track her down. They wouldn’t know her close friends either, given how few her traces were on social media. That being said, I did more than ban posts and collect blackmail material for certain individuals.”

“Young Master, you…” The man looked appalled. “...You manipulative stalker.”

Wes cast a cold smile on him, eyes razor-sharp. He could be such a menace, he admitted, but he thrived on it. Seth figured as much long ago, though it didn’t stop him from calling him out.

“Pardon me, sir.” He cleared his throat. “I know you have it under control, but this whole thing is blowing up more than expected. No matter how hard you try to hide her, they’ll find a way to get to her sooner or later. Won’t it be better if Ms. Mia…?”

Seth’s voice trailed off at the sight of him now grinning.

It’s not the pretentious smile he wore for shoots and interviews, but the kind that reached his eyes and brightened his face. There’s no helping it when he saw their destination come into view, his chest heaving with excitement.

“You’re enjoying this.”

“I am,” Wes chuckled and shrugged. “I did wait for it not to be a secret anymore... Finally.”

---

“Finally! You’re now dating in public! I’m happy for you, Mia! Oh, but I still don’t like him.”

Jenny nearly spilled the contents of her juice box as she shifted in her seat and threw her hands up in celebration. Behind her, Zayne was whistling, Arianne was swooning, and both Derrick and Ian were staring in astonishment. Mia slowly withered inside, every fiber of her being urging her to forgo lunch and bolt out of the classroom.

She wanted to disappear.

The morning had been chaotic, what with everyone bombarding her with questions as soon as she arrived. It was noon now, but nobody appeared to have gotten the hint that she was not answering and would rather keep to herself.

Some had sneered at her out of envy and spite while others were skeptical. The criticism hit hard, but thankfully, Jenny was with her. Most had given up in the end after she told them off.

"I was there when they first met, so it’s true. Either you stop putting that person on a pedestal, or you stop meddling in other people’s business.”

Jenny was so cool and confident at that moment. Mia could all but hope she could be like her someday.

Arianne bounced around in glee. “You’re the girlfriend, I see! Amazing! Incredible!”

“So, it’s official? That Wes Ashthorne is in a relationship?” Derrick blurted out.

“And with you?” Ian breathed in disbelief. “No wonder you’ve been so secretive.”

‘Ah, no, I just really didn’t know.’

Zayne crossed his arms. “How did it happen, though? Aren’t you two, like, polar opposites?”

“Oh, but Zayne, opposites attract~” Arianne cooed. “Doesn’t that make it more romantic~?”

Derrick shook his head. “I get what he means. She does seem like the exact opposite of him.”

‘Yes, yes. I know that already.’

“Right, isn’t he the protagonist in ‘Shadows of the Sun’? Where he gets his ‘Sun Prince’ title from?’ Ian interjected, to which Zayne nodded. “Yeah! Man, he’s so awesome! Oh, doesn’t he do fashion shows too? I saw him in perfume and shoes ads. Also, in the magazines in convenience stores!”

“You’re forgetting he’s the future head of a company as well—a real human powerhouse,” Derrick added, followed by Arianne shouting, “Okay, okay! We get your point. But none of that makes Mia any less, especially since he chooses her out of all women! She’s impressive for that! So, shut it.”

‘This is how others perceive Wes.’ Mia was invested even though she couldn’t keep up with the conversation—motivated, even. ‘He’s a bigger deal than I initially thought. I told him to wait for me, but at this rate, he might have to wait for me forever to catch up to him!’

Mia still hadn’t told Wes about her and Claire’s secret, about her being a finalist in L’Atelier’s fashion competition. He felt way out of reach for her, but with this, she hoped she could bridge the gap even for a little bit. She wanted to surprise him, too, and she wished he would come to believe in her more.

‘I-I can do it! For him! For myself! For us-’

“Hey, look! Something’s going on out there!”

Hearing that, Mia snapped out of her quiet self-affirmation to find the class in a sudden frenzy.