IT WAS CARTER! Cheska got up and opened the door for him. “I was about to sleep. Why?”
“I brought you a hot green tea. It will help you relax better and sleep soundly.”
"How sweet," she whispered. He was carrying a tray with a small kettle, a small glass, and a small gold canister. Was that a biscuit? I think it's too small for a biscuit container. Is this a forced diet? "Did Tita send that for me?"
“No. Umma is asleep already. I was the one who prepared this for you. To relieve stress.”
“Why? Do I look so stressed out?” Ouch! That’s kinda offensive.
"With so much that happened today, anyone will be stressed." he put down the tray on the low table. "Lean against the wall."
Surprisingly, she complied. He turned on the music player and the instrumental flute music soared across the room. "That is nice."
He picked up the gold canister. "Close your eyes."
“W-why? W-what are you going to do?” she asked nervously.
He knelt beside her. "You will find out as soon as you close your eyes."
Still a little nervous, but she closed her eyes anyway. She heard the sound of the metal canister when he opened it. If it contained cookies, does that mean he will serve her with it?
“Okay. Relax,” he said and she felt his face slowly approach hers. 
She could smell his minty breath. His warm breath fanning her face. Cheska's heart was palpitating. Kiss. Carter is about to kiss her.
She felt like a princess who had been asleep for a long time and was about to be awakened up by a prince’s kiss. I’ll pretend I didn’t know he was about to kiss me, that I wasn't aware of his intention. I’ll act surprised.
She had never been kissed by someone she liked. Well, she was kissed when she was in highschool during their JS prom by her classmate just to prove to everyone that he was not gay. It was not a happy experience. And there was her date after she graduated from college. He was a classmate of hers in college and courted her but she didn't feel anything towards him. She was not simply interested.
But with Carter, he didn’t even kiss her yet and she was already so excited about it. My heart, don't give up just yet. This is my first real kiss, if ever. Yes and yes to stress relievers.
Cheska held her breath when she felt something touch her forehead. Was that a kiss? Why does it feel damp, cold, and sticky?
She opened her eyes and touched her forehead. "What the…."
Carter stopped her hand. "Don't take it off."
Their faces were not that close to each other anymore but she could still feel that wet thing stuck on her forehead. She removed it and saw the white wet paper in her hand. "What is this?"
"Facial mask."
“Why is it too small? And square? It doesn’t even fit my face.”
Carter just laughed and fixed the face mask back on her face. “Because you needed to put it piece by piece to complete the mask. Umma uses that to relieve her stress and prevent wrinkles.”
"This is Aunt Selinas?" she asked, touching the pieces of the mask on her face. Gosh! Do I really look that stressed out? Like, umma-level kind of stress? Was not even Eun Young level of teen stress? Ouchie.
“It’s effective. Stay put so I can properly put it on you.”
“So it’s just a facemask. Why did you even ask me to close my eyes anyway?” she commented while he put the rest of the facemask on her face. 
"It’s to prevent the liquid from going to your eyes. Just don't move too much so we can finish this already.” She kept quiet and let him do finish what he was doing. "What do you think I'll do to you?"
"Nothing," she replied, her mouth pouting. You just made me hopeful. I thought there was a kiss, but there wasn't.
"You can open your eyes now," he finally said. He had covered her face with the mask. He handed her a cup of green tea with a smile. “Drink it. It will be good for your complexion. And makes you slimmer.”
"My complexion is bad and I'm fat?" she asked.
"I never said anything like that. I’m just saying that that’s the beauty regimen around here. Don’t be too sensitive,” he said. “I just want you to relax. Do you always have to be so defensive?”
She sipped on her green tea. "I'm not defensive." I just want to know where I stand.
He lightly tapped her cheek to put the facemask in place. “You are on vacation. You should be thinking about how you can relax. Do you want me to give you a foot massage?”
"Y-you don't have to serve me," she declined.
But she ignored her words. He took her foot and placed it on his lap. “You are tired. You’ve been walking all day. And this is just a small thing for me to do to reduce your stress. It was my family’s fault anyway.”
She was startled when she felt his finger gently squeeze the sole of her feet. 
“O!” he uttered when she accidentally kicked him in his stomach.
She gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Y-you don’t really have to give me a foot massage. I’m kinda ticklish. You'll only get hurt."
“Do I look hurt? It’s okay even if you kick me.” And caressed her foot again with his palm. 
She kicked him again and tried to pull her feet free from his grip. "It’s really unnecessary, Carter." But he tightened his grip on her. He doesn’t have any plans on letting her go. “Are you a masochist or something? Do you enjoy getting hurt?”
He just grinned. “Don't mind me. Just focus on the pleasure. Don't think of anything else. Relax, free your mind and drink the tea.”
"You are something else, Carter,” she whispered and drank her tea. "You're not going to give up on me, are you?"