::Dance 3::
As they had to practice their dance together, Daren and Katherine’s relationship improved greatly. Katherine showed great enthusiasm for dancing and Daren was getting more and more attracted to her. Katherine could also feel his passion for singing. After dance practices, they would have their meals together and Daren would send Katherine home. Both of them seem to have eyes only for each other and didn’t notice the stares coming from other dancers. “ How thick-skinned!” “How can she get so close to Daren so easily? Daren is everyone’s idol!” “ Does she think she can become rich if Daren married her? Dream on! Daren would never fall for someone as cheap as her!” “I thought Chris was her boyfriend! And now she’s sticking to Daren! She’s two-timing, that slut!” Everyone was too busy gossiping and none noticed how oddly Josephine was behaving.

“ Katherine, I have something to ask you…” Daren said suddenly as he stopped the car. “ Hmm?” Katherine looked at Daren with her luminous eyes. “ Will you be my girlfriend?” Daren looked into Katherine’s eyes deeply. Katherine was not at all shocked for she had fallen for Daren too and she believed that it was the same for Daren. Her feelings for Daren had grown by leaps and bounds over these few days. “ Yes…” She uttered the word that Daren was hoping to hear. Daren was over whelmed with happiness. He pulled Katherine into his arms and hugged her tightly. “ Hey there’s no need to hug me so tightly…I can’t breathe!” Katherine protested. Daren laughed as he released Katherine from his iron grip.

As Daren’s car pulled into the parking lot below the one room apartment that Katherine rented, Daren appeared to be frustrated. “ Daren?” “ Kat… I want you to move to my house.” Daren turned and told Katherine seriously. “ I can’t bear letting you stay at this place. It’s not safe for a girl to live here alone. Come live with me. I’m sure my mother will like you a lot. She can take care of you too. You don’t have to worry about my father as the head quarters of his company is overseas and he is working there.” Daren requested. Move in with him? Isn’t it too fast? And how can he be so certain that auntie would accept her? Uncle will still have to be notified even though he is overseas is it not? Questions ran through her mind like a bullet train. “ Kat… Please?” Daren’s eyes gleamed in dark. “ Alright… I’ll move in… But only if auntie approves okay? If she doesn‘t approve, then I‘m not moving in. ” For the second time that night, Katherine gave a answer that made Daren feel over the moon.

“ Let’s go to my house tomorrow okay?” Daren asked as he pulled over a chair to sit down. “Okay…Do you want some coffee?” Katherine’s voice rang from inside the kitchen. “ So late? No thanks. Will you be able to fall asleep later if you drink coffee?” “ Nope.” Katherine laughed and walked out of the kitchen. “You were pretending to ask?” “Yup. Haha. I’ll go pack a few belongings.” “ Just pack a few clothing and it’ll do.” “Just a few?” “We can always buy new ones…And besides, these rags aren’t fit to be worn.” “ Hey!” Katherine glared at Daren. “Okay okay…I’m sorry okay? Don’t be angry. They might be rags but they look like branded goods on you.” Daren hugged Katherine and replied her cheekily. “ You should be going home. It’s late.” “ Must I really? I don’t want to… I want to stay here with you…” Daren jumped onto her bed. “Your mother will not have a good impression of me if she thinks that I’m those kind of girl that allows boys to stay over anytime.” “Hmm.. You’ve a point there… I’ll go home then. I’ll pick you up around 9am tomorrow.” “Drive carefully.” Katherine reminded as Daren walked out of her apartment.

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“Mum! I’m home!” Daren shouted as he entered his house. “You naughty boy. Where were you? Why did you come back so late?” A elegant and amiable looking lady walked towards Daren. “I went to my girlfriend’s house. I wanted to stay there but she insisted that I come home.” “You have a girlfriend? You didn’t even tell me! If she tells you to go home, I think she shouldn’t be too bad. Bring her over for dinner someday and introduce her to me.” Mrs Kang replied enthusiastically. “Erm… Mum… There’s something I would like to tell you…” “Go ahead and tell me then. It’s not like you to hem and haw.” “ I would like her to move in with us.”

Daren glanced at his mother nervously. Would his mother agree? Mrs Kang remained silent for a while. “ Mum, she lives in a apartment all by herself and it’s not safe. And… Mum… She’s not very ‘compatible’ with our family background…” “If her character is good, does it really matter if her family background is ‘compatible’ with ours? We did not begin as some wealthy family ourselves. Bring her over! If I like her, I’ll let her stay.” Daren grinned and kissed his mother on her cheek. “Thanks a bunch Mum!”

++++++++++

Katherine could not help feeling nervous as she sat in Daren’s car. She fidgeted around so much that Daren could feel his seat vibrating slightly. “ Why are you fidgeting around so much? Need to use the toilet?” he teased. Katherine smacked him on the head. It was obvious that she was nervous and she wasn’t in the mood for jokes. “Don’t worry. I’m here.” Daren reached for her hand and held it tightly.

As Daren pulled Katherine into his house, Katherine couldn’t stop herself from looking around. ‘It was such a big and nice house! It looked so comfortable!’ She thought. ‘Daren is so lucky to be born here and is able to live at such a nice place. I think I’ll have to work for a few hundred years to buy just the toilet of this house.’

“Mum! Mum!” Daren shouted. Mrs Kang appeared in a beautiful evening gown in the shade of violet. Katherine glanced at Mrs Kang nervously. Mrs Kang smiled at Katherine when she saw her. “What a beautiful young lady!” Mrs Kang exclaimed. Katherine blushed. ‘She’s not like what I thought at all. She looks so kind and friendly and there is not a single ounce of arrogance.’ Mrs Kang reached for Katherine’s hand and took her to the living room.

“Hello auntie.” Katherine greeted. Mrs Kang laughed and said “ Sit down. You’re not here to be punished.” Mrs Kang looked at Katherine intently. Katherine turned to look at Daren. “Don’t worry. My mother is just ‘scanning’ you.” Daren whispered. “You’re a very good girl. And very pretty too. My son, you’ve really picked the right girl this time!” Mrs Kang finally said after a few seconds. “What’s your name?” “Katherine Cheng.” “Katherine, will you be my god daughter?”

Kathleen exchanged a look with Daren. “ Mum…” Daren spoke up. “I really like Katherine. I’ve wanted a daughter for so long. But alas, I hadn’t been able to conceive after I had you.” Mrs Kang looked at Daren. “And what’s so bad about Katherine becoming my god daughter? Haven’t you heard of qin shang jia qin? We’ll be ‘bonded’ together even more if she becomes both my god daughter and my daughter-in-law.” Mrs Kang looked into Katherine’s eyes. “Are you willing to become my god daughter?” Katherine started at Daren helplessly. “Just say ‘Yes.’ ” Daren’s eyes gleamed. “Yes.” Katherine said. “Good!” Mrs Kang looked at Katherine happily and patted her on the head. “Welcome to the Kang household.”

xiaoxi's note: i tink it's starting to get slightly more exciting now??:)