Five years.

It seemed to have passed in a blink of an eye, and Sophie wouldn't have believed that she received a book deal for her first novel to be published.

Her life was finally going on such a great path.

She had the best guy ever by her side, for almost six years now, if you consider their one year of friendship.

They had their little apartment now, bought together with their hard-earned savings from their jobs.

Her youth seemed to be a past time now, and now she was doing what she loved, together with the person she loved most.

What else could ever measure her bliss and ecstasy right here and now?

Although being a writer was almost as exhausting as studying mathematics, at least she was free from the confusing equations and all.

She and Keefe could work at home, all thanks to her being an author and Keefe running his very own art museum, and it was the best she ever saw, no bias, she swore.

It was out for the public to see just earlier in the year, and she never really seen Keefe ever so happy before.

"Foster? Do you have a new idea?" Keefe teased as he sat down next to her on the sofa.

Sophie grunted.

"Nope, not even one. How on earth am I going to link this plot to this information?"

She cried as she pointed to the scribbled notes on her laptop, constant reminders that she has yet to link the two any better than her readers.

"Don't worry, you'll find a way," Keefe smirked as Sophie leaned against his shoulder, taking a quick break.

"Hey, you know what, I'm just going to read before I continue," she yawned as she got up, glancing at the dark sky. Had she been working for so long already?

Keefe nodded as he took out the book.

"Just finished annotating!" he flashed her a smile, and Sophie laughed as she took the book, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"You're the best," she smiled as she went to her bed.

She flipped to the first chapter and saw a sticky note on the page.

"Still remember the taco place?"

It was written in Keefe's handwriting, Sophie noticed.

A smile spread wide on Sophie's face as she flipped through the pages, a sticky note on every chapter of the book.

A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind, and she leaned back, sure she was still grinning at her idiot.

"Like it?" he asked, his voice excited and hopeful.

Sophie glanced up, meeting his gaze.

"Were you this bored during the meeting?" She asked instead, and Keefe sunk back, sulking.

She giggled as she gave a small peck to his cheek.

"Come on, I was just kidding," she laughed as she threw a pillow at Keefe.

Keefe smirked, picking up the pillow.

"You don't know who you're messing with Foster," he warned, taking a step closer to her.

"Oh? I don't?"Sophie raised a mischievous eyebrow, leaning forward.

"Nope," Keefe smirked wider, his breath warm on Sophie's cheek.

Sophie's cheeks heated up as she Keefe leaned in-

"Because I'm Lord of the Tickles!"

Sophie burst into fits of laughter as Keefe tickled her neck, her weak spot.

"Okay- okay! I'm sorry!" Sophie managed to shout between her laughter, and Keefe smirked as he let her off.

Then he quickly gave her a real kiss, which she accepted quickly.

It was soft and gentle, like they had all the time in the world just for both of them.

She caught her breath as their noses touched.

Then she flicked his head, having not forgiven him for the tickling.

"Why are you like this?" she laughed, grinning.

"But you love it," he smirked.

Sophie gave him a teasing glare.

She then switched the night light on, before tucking herself to bed.

"Nope, I don't. I hate you, go to sleep."

Keefe snuggled next to her, and she reluctantly gave in to his cuddle.

"Night Foster, love you too."

。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The next day, Keefe had to attend a meeting, one that he was complaining about to Sophie all day long as he was getting ready.

Sophie rolled her eyes as she straightened his tie.

"Go on now, Mr Grumpy-Pants. Pizza tonight?" Sophie asked.

"You're ordering," Keefe agreed as he gave her a small peck on the forehead before leaving.

Sophie smiled to herself, contented with all that she had now.

She went back to reading, already reaching the fourteenth chapter.

"U r my sunshine~"

Sophie couldn't help but laugh at the cringy yet sweet messages on the note. Sh carefully placed them all in a box.

She didn't know whether it was because it was sentimental to her, or maybe it was just to blackmail him next time.

Whichever, she was going to keep them forever.

Chapter after chapter, she finally reached the last one.

She expected to find another compliment of a sort, but it was nothing like that.

"Head to the place where we would go to cool, when you're there you sure won't miss the next clue!"

Sophie inspected the paper, guessing it was some sort of prank.

But there was no harm in trying right?

And besides, how he made it rhyme was pretty cute.

She took the piece of paper, looking in the mirror to check if her outfit was good enough to be seen in public.

Keefe's sweatshirt, baggy pants.

She glared at herself hard in the mirror.

"I'll be real quick," she decided as she left the apartment.

・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The sun was already going to set, and Sophie wondered whether Keefe's meeting was over yet.

The park was as peaceful as ever, as the gentle breeze tickled her hair.

She took a deep breath, wondering what other clue Keefe had waiting for her.

Then she saw it.

Sure enough, under the tree where Keefe had asked her to the prom years ago, stayed a gold balloon.

She smiled as she walked up to it, already enjoying the little game.

The balloon was tied to a string holding a rolled up note with a heart, and Sophie opened it up, awaiting her next clue.

"Remember our very first date?"

Sophie grinned.

Their very first date was at the ice cream place near the park, so it wasn't too far away.

She took the balloon along with her, wondering what Keefe was planning for her though this whole thing.

・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The ice cream shop was pretty empty, only with some people around.

She stepped in, pondering on whether it was weird to bring a balloon with her too.

But as soon as she walked in, the cashier's eyes lit up and smiled.

"Sophie?" She asked, and Sophie was 100% certain she never met this girl before.

Still, she nodded, a little terrified that someone knew her name.

"This is for you," she smiled, passing her a cone of ice cream with a serviette and yet another balloon, only now it was a heart, and no note was tied to it.

She smiled awkwardly as she took it, noticing the ice cream was carmal- her favourite flavour.

"By any chance, did a boy ask you to do this?" Sophie laughed as she cashier smiled.

"Can't tell you that, but look at your serviette, you'll need it," the cashier winked as she went back to work.

Sophie licked the ice cream as she flipped the serviette over, realising the next clue was written there.

"Follow the pretty bird across the sky."

Sophie groaned, trying to remember how this sounded so familiar.

Then it clicked.

The library!

She was reading a poem there with Keefe as they were studying!

She smiled as she waved the final goodbye to the cashier, then went off to the library.

She made sure to finsih her ice cream by the time she walked over, since food wasn't allowed, but she was pretty sure balloons were.

She took a quick glance around the entrance, hoping her next clue was nearby.

Nope, she thought as she headed in, the cold whisp making her shudder a little.

She walked through the isles of book shelves, looking out for another balloon.

Then she spotted it.

Now this balloon was pastel blue, and she went up to it, noticing the scolled up note tied to it.

She read the note.

"Chapter One."

Sophie had the read the clue over to make sure it was only that two words.

She frowned as she stretched her mind, trying to figure out what that meant.

Chapter One?

What did Chapter One even mean?

Unless... he was talking about how it all started?

Her eyes lit up.

It has got to be.

She grabbed the balloon, tying it to the three others as she stuffed the note into her pocket, heading to the antique bookstore.

・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Aunt Marg wasn't there as she went it, the old lady who was took care of the bookstore ever since Sophie was in middle school.

The flowers she grew flourished with happiness and pride outside, and Sophie smiled as she smelt the familiar scent she grew up with.

She went in, the table where Keefe and her would always study at still there with the cushioned seats.

She felt her eyes well up from the nostalgia.

Had their friendship really blossomed into such a beautiful relationship?

She then noticed the transparent balloon, with confetti and a note inside.

A hair pin with bluebells and a gold gem in the middle was on the table, and Sophie picked it up, inspecting it.

Was she suppose to poke the balloon?

She turned her head as she poked it, the pin breaking the balloon as confetti sprinkled around.

She gasped in surprise as the confetti showed on her, giggling as it landed on her head and shirt.

She pinned the hair pin to her hair, smiling at how pretty it looked.

Picking up the note from the mess on the floor, she grinned to herself.

"Alone on the Wide, Wide Sea."

He really remembered everything.

Sophie's heart fluttered, the smile on her face unable to come off.

She headed to the bookshelf, surprised she even remembered it after so many years.

She pulled out the book, and she gasped as she saw something else behind it.

A tiny box.

A ring box.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she opened it, revealing a rose gold band and a tiny diamond in the middle of two interconnected hearts.

One last note was tucked into the book.

"Foster, will you marry me?"

・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.