CHAPTER 10

Keira's face was extremely crumpled when Drey, together with the girls, arrived at the Medical Center.

"What happened?" Lana asked with a worried tone.

"Nothing, I just tripped. I'm fine now, no broken or twisted bones," Keira said as she glared at Drey.

"Oh my gosh, why are you killing me with your eyes?" Drey whispered.

Keira's lips twisted into a wry smile as she said, "I will really kill you if the boyfriend issue is not rectified to Zach! From now on, don't you dare come near me whenever we are inside the base!"

Drey laughed, "Is that it? Just let him think like that. Trust me, it will serve a good purpose in the future. Geez, girl… Let's take our time once we are inside and enjoy the ride afterward."

Then, he added, "Complete Physical Examination will take a few days, so cadet candidates are required to stay in the billeting area provided by the Academy in AFZMC. So, if we pass today's test, you will surely have more time afterward."

Keira pouted her lips and said, "I already told him but I don't think he made out what I said. It's frustrating if he really believes that I'm in a special relationship with you. How can I pursue him then? So, make sure you clarify everything if you have the chance or you will really end up dead!"

"Alright… I will do so, be at ease, sis. Can you walk? Or should I carry you?" Drey asked and quickly closed his mouth when Keira narrowed her eyes at him.

"Hahaha… I can't imagine you Drey carrying a woman. It, for sure, will be very creepy to look at!" May said teasingly.

Drey arched an eyebrow and said, "I can't imagine myself too, but if it's anyone among you girls, that's okay. I will even carry you three altogether!"

The bantering was interrupted by Field Marshal Chan's voice.

"Did you have plans to call me and inform me what happened? If it was not for Zach informing me, then perhaps you would really not say a thing, right?" He asked with a furrowed eyebrows.

Keira smiled at her father, then nodded, which made Field Marshal sigh deeply.

"It's nothing, Dad. Besides, I don't want you to worry about this kind of tiny thing. It's just a simple bruise. Zach informed you?" Keira asked in amazement. She quickly stood up and hugged her father.

"He knows me! He knows me! He remembers me, Dad!" She burst out in joy while all the people inside the room ended up exchanging meaningful gazes while Field Marshal let out another long, deep sigh.

...….

Zach was staring at his laptop with a blank expression for a while already.

"Weird," he muttered, which did not escape Torin's sharp ears.

"What's weird, bro?" Torin asked and looked at Zach's screen.

They were formulating a good plan to submit by the end of this week on how they could penetrate the terrorist base at Country X and save the lives of some of their countrymen who were captured during the terrorist attack on one of the tourist spots in that area.

It was reported that there were around fifty civilians from their country captured by the terrorists and among them was an important figure. This mission was top secret and the media were all shut to report anything concerning the matter.

Torin's eyebrows creased because the sketch looked fine to him, then he grinned at the thought of what a cadet mentioned just a while ago. He was actually itching to tease his friend but the timing was off because of the seriousness on Zach's face as he reviewed the plan.

'It's perfect timing,' he mused inwardly as he smiled.

"Bro, nothing is weird on that screen. It looks perfectly fine with me though. But if you are seeing yourself carrying a beautiful, young woman in your arms on that screen, well that definitely looks weird to me you know…" Torin said in his most serious tone as he looked intently at Zach's monitor.

With his eyes still at Zach's monitor, Torin added, "So, do you also find it weird? Or how was it? Did you feel something weird? I bet it feels good carrying such a beauty right?"

*Toink!*

"Ouch, man!" Torin exclaimed when his head was hit by the notebook which Zack was holding.

"Get ready, because I will deploy you in this mission. You'll be in the first batch!" Zach said with an arched eyebrow.

Torin with his unamused face complained, "What? Bro, can you, at least, let me have a love life just once before deploying me anywhere?"

"Stop babbling nonsense or your one year vacation from the battlefield will be down to six months only." Zach declared before he left Torin who just ended up scratching his head.

Zach then let out a long sigh as he walked and looked at his uniform. 'Why do I still smell her?' He thought inwardly because Keira's scent seemed not to leave him. But for some reason, he liked how she smelled…

Then, he shook his head… He was too old to get affected by a teenager.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

*The next day*

"Keira, did you ask Uncle when will the results for the preliminary test will be out?" Lana asked as they stopped jogging around their neighborhood.

Keira was panting hard with her body bent while her hands were placed on both her legs for support. Sweat was all over her face.

"Dad doesn't know… Since I am participating, he didn't meddle at all with the things concerning the admission test and new recruitments…" Keira said with short breaths.

She and the rest continued with their daily exercises and group training. They wanted to be ready in case they received a positive result on the previous exam.

"Keira, tell me honestly… What is it that you are really planning? Because I'm sure you won't stay long inside the military academy, right?" Lana asked as she sat on the nearest bench. Drey and May followed her and took a sit too. Keira remained standing.

"Well, honestly, my plan is to pursue Zach… Get him under this tiny hands of mine… He is the man of my dreams… my first love and will be the last of course." Keira explained exaggeratedly with dreamy eyes and clasped hands, which made May laugh.

"Yeah, right… We already know about it, sis, but we are curious what is Keira's serious plan? I'm sure you also want to get a degree and it's not like you are serious about becoming a soldier." Drey commented as he wiped his own sweat with a towel.

Keira sighed and stretched her arms upward, then placed them on her waist.

"I will study journalism… while doing military training." Keira declared. Of course, she would get a degree of her choice and that was for sure.

Though Zach was her initial target for entering the Military Academy, it didn't mean her world would be revolving purely around him. She hated taking a road without knowing where it's heading.

"Hmm, what if you failed getting admitted? I'm curious, we never know what will happen. Let's say you have failed the final tests. But of course, it's just hypothetically. So, what is your plan in that case?" Lana asked out of curiosity.

"Sis, you know me. I never fail." Keira declared with a wink but then she added, "But in case that happens, which I'm sure will not, my last resort is to do the shotgun wedding."

Yes, by hook or by crook, she would make sure she succeeded in getting what she wanted!

"Urghh, are you serious?" Lana asked completely open-mouthed.

"What if Zach hates you because of that? I mean Zach came from an ordinary family unlike ours. We can get married without love you know… I mean arranged marriage or forced marriage is normal in our kind of society and I don't think it's normal for his kind to…" Lana paused and looked at Keira's crumpled face.

"Oh yeah, I understand, Lana. Keira will trap Zach like an antagonist in a drama, scheming various things to get the male lead. But then, who would dare to refuse someone like Keira? I mean she's the total package and you couldn't ask for more in your life." May uttered nonchalantly.

"Precisely, but I doubt Zach… I mean the man seems so hard to cage. And I think Keira will have a hard time dealing with him, but of course, it's not impossible for Keira at all." Drey voiced out his opinion and was about to drink water, but May snatched it from him and quickly drank it.

"As for me… I still don't know what I want so I will just tail at you guys at most." May said with a grin.

Keira sat beside them and muttered, "Well, I'm still young to think about marriage but I know what I want and Zach is the number one on my list. So, he will end up with me no matter what."

Yes, she was stubborn but what could she do? She really wanted General Zacharias Lim…

Then, she grinned as she felt fuzzy and hugged herself. She was carried by Zach in his broad and strong arms.

"I should trip myself whenever I see him." She murmured. Because of that scene, she ended up dreaming about it all night.

"If I were like her, I think I would rather choose to stay single and eat chocolates!" May exclaimed with a chilling expression as she shook her head while staring at Keira's twinkling eyes and dreamy face.

"I know right? She's getting worse and that's just for the third encounter. Imagine if she sees him every day?" Lana murmured as she shook her head too.

May hummed, then Drey followed. It was Beyonce's Crazy In Love song…

Drey: "Got me looking so crazy right now, your love's

Got me looking so crazy right now (in love)

Got me looking so crazy right now, your touch"

May: "Got me looking so crazy right now (your touch)"

Got me hoping you'll page me right now, your kiss

Got me hoping you'll save me right now

Lana stood up and looked at them, sitting on the bench with a twitched mouths.

Lana: "Looking so crazy in love

Got me looking, got me looking AT THESE CRAZY FRIENDS!!!"

_______

"This is very impressive!" Senior General Ling blurted out as he looked at the results of the written exam.

"Field Marshal Chan's daughter almost has a perfect score. Only five mistakes? Do you even score like that, General Liu?" Gen. Choi, who also looked at the results, asked while pointing with his chin at the results in complete amazement on how well Field Marshal's daughter wrote the exam.

"Oh yeah… I remember you and Gen. Zach had almost had the same scores. Oh, Zach scored 98 points and you 95, just like Keira." Senior Gen. Ling commented. They got the results for the multiple choice exam.

Jeru hid his irritated expression as he composed a smile at the Senior Generals but chose not to comment any further.

Keira really had done a good job on the written exam. She was perfect and a perfect match for him in which he was sure his grandmother would approve of.

He looked at Zach who was just silent as he inspected the results. He had heard of the incident about Keira's tripping and how Zach carried his woman.

Yes, he already considered Keira as his woman because sooner or later she would become one.

Then, he took a quick sharp glance at Zach. His blood boiled. He hated the fact that they were being compared every now and then. And now, Zach even dared to be in the picture when it came to Keira.

Ever since he was a child, he did everything to please everyone, especially with the high standards of his grandmother. He strived his best by any means just to excel at everything.

He would not care who he stepped on just to achieve his goal.

Zach met his gaze and said, "Yes? Do you want to say something to me, Gen. Liu?"

He shook his head. Then, suddenly Jeru blurted out, "I think it's not good for Keira Chan to be admitted inside the Military Academy. Once our family formally talk about marriage, I will suggest her to study abroad instead."

"Oh... so it's true? Field Marshal Chan's daughter is really a beauty, and I heard that many have been bewitched by her. So, you take an interest too, but it's really surprising… I did not expect it to be as serious as this." Gen. Choi commented as he looked at how serious General Liu's expression was.

Zach heard it because Jeru spoke very loud and clear. He frowned as he believed that Keira already had a boyfriend. Then, he suddenly recalled Keira saying about the guy not being her boyfriend.

That time he was not quite himself because he was too distracted while he carried Keira in his arms. There was something weird about him that time, but he quickly diminished those thoughts and the weird feeling it brought.

Rich people were really complicated... Arranged marriage was just a natural and common thing for them.

How dull could it be? Marriage for convenience only. 'That's the last thing I would do.' Zach thought silently. He would only marry because of love and because he wanted to be with that person for the rest of his life.

He was the conservative type and that matter or talk about marriage was something important and sacred to him. It was not a game for him, unlike others who treated it as one and would just play around.

He suddenly felt pity for Keira to be a part of such a set-up at a young age. How nice would it be if she could enjoy her youth first, then choose someone on her own will?