Sip 4

The flowers are blooming, even the cold wind can't stop them from standing and showing off their beauty. A few children run and play on the ground. Family and friends are gathered.

As she walks along the path, she turns around and freely runs like it was only her.

"Brother Samuel! Look! The leaves are falling as the wind blows, it looks like a scene in those dramas!" Cana turns around and freely runs and jumps excitedly.

*click

He captures several poses of Cana as she freely runs and happily plays. He slowly smiles and looks carefully at the screen.

"Beautiful..."

"What's beautiful? Did you take a picture of the flowers and leaves?" suddenly she was in front of her. He immediately closed the screen and placed the phone in his pocket.

"Yes, it's been a while since I went to a park, it's quite refreshing to be here." he replied and patted her head as usual and signaled to follow him, they sat at the empty table and chair.

"You bought quite a lot brother Samuel, are you that hungry?" she asked as the food they bought is now on the table.

"I am quite busy this morning, so I didn't have breakfast." he tried to reason out and hoped she'd believe him.

"Ah, that's not good, you better eat now. But next time at least have a bread even when you are busy, Mom said that skipping breakfast is not good!'' She speaks so normally and he looks at her, it's the first time she talks about her Mom.

"Okay, I'll remember that." he didn't want to dig further, he wanted her to open up freely and let her be comfortable talking about herself, he wouldn't want to rush her. He'll do it slowly and carefully.

"Wow! You even bought a cake! You're really a sweet tooth aren't you?" She happily eats the other slice of the cake and savors it. He just happily smiles and watches her eat, seeing her makes him full already.

"Brother Samuel, try these! I dip the chicken in the cheese sauce, it's creamy and tasty!" she unknowingly stretched out her hand out of reflex handling the fork to him, but to her surprise he held her hand and took a bite, she was taken aback at his action as it seems like she's feeding him.

"It's too... Cheesy and a bit salty..." he said as he chewed. Then he looked at her, turning red from ear to ear.

"Are you feeling unwell?" he asked.

"No.. Uhm... I mean... I'm fine, I was just surprised that you ...eat ...directly ..." she stammers as she tries to point out his actions.

"Ha!... Pfft... You're a cute little kid... "

"Wh-what are you suddenly saying?" Realizing that he was actually teasing her.

"You usually teased Mia and Samuel when they're together but you yourself aren't prepared for such a thing?"

"Ah, because they're so obvious sometimes that I want to take revenge at them in a playful way. Also, I thought you're going to grab the fork, I never thought you'd feed yourself that way."

"Did it make your heart beat faster?" he said flirtatiously, trying to give her a hint.

"You're teasing me..." she said coldly and now she's back to normal and starts eating as if caring for nothing. It was a long way to go for her.

They were walking back to the parking lot as they finished the meal.

"Thank you for the good meal Brother Samuel, I feel so full! I think the fatigue these past exam days all flew away!" She stretched her arm and unknowingly that a bicycle was rushing on her way. She was immediately pulled back and held a hard rock chest and a familiar scent of a man.

"Hey, be careful, you almost hit us!" he exclaimed to the bicyclist that almost fell to the ground as well.

"Cana, are you alright?" he checks her if she has any injury for suddenly grabbing her.

"No I'm fine, but uhm..." she' s conscious with the strong arms supporting her back to her waist , the hand touching her face and the closeness of her body and the body heat she could feel, now she's afraid of him hearing her heartbeat.

"I'll send you home, let's get into the car." he slowly let her follow him, while still holding her hand.

Ah, he's really an adult...

[Mom, Dad, I'll be visiting you this summer. I heard that kiddo's gonna graduate high school soon. Let's celebrate together.] 

"She'll be glad to hear that, okay see you soon son."

The video call ended when the children arrived at the house.

"Mom, was it your older brother who called?" asked Romeo, who just came in.

"Oh, you're home son! I thought you'll be back by tomorrow?"

"Yeah that was the plan, but isn't it Cana's end of final exams? I am here to celebrate, I bought some cheesecake for her."

"Oh I see, she was upstairs in her room, I asked her for dinner but said she's full already and will not be eating."

"Is she sick?"

"No, she's not... She said she already ate a lot celebrating with a friend."

"I see... I'll just greet her and ask to eat the cake later mom."

He went upstairs and knocked at the door, she's not answering so he decided to open the door.

"Cana, are you asleep already?" He slowly peeks at the door and sees her sitting across the bed, thinking deeply.

"Cana?" this time she looked at him,

"Ah, brother, Rom I didn't hear you, sorry."

"I'm here to congratulate you with a cake. Good job on the exam!"

"Thanks brother." Noticing that she is acting not the usual, every time she hears of a cake she will definitely jump in joy and eat it immediately.

"Are you feeling unwell? Did you get a cold?" He's worried about his little sister, even if they're not related by blood he cares for her.

"Brother..."

He waits until she speaks again, that has taken him aback.

"Are all adult men really flirtatious?"

*****

"What!!!?" Mia screamed upon hearing her best friend's confession to her, they were in the courtyard of the school. Though there were only a few students, the other party asked her to keep her voice down.

"I mean... I think I have a slight crush with him... It's just that the other person was an adult... So I don't think this is good." It was Cana who's blushing and confused.

"You really mean.. You really like brother Samuel!" She again spoke his name and upon hearing it her heart really did beat faster.

"Who said it was Samuel!?" She was surprised when she didn't even mention that it was him.

"You have no other friends, and besides it was brother Samuel who's always been with you." Telling her a fact, which she admitted.

It's obviously all written on her best friend's face that she finally fell in love.

"Yeah.. I think...so." 

"Cana, I'm really happy!" It was unexpected that she suddenly talked like that.

"When we were kids, you rarely wanted to be attached to other people, I am happy that you're slowly acting like your age." Mia has watched how Cana closed her heart to others with fear because of her past and now, it was such a great step for her that she wanted to support her best friend just like how Cana supported her when she fell in love with Simone.

"We're still young, I am happy that you're sharing your first love with me as your best friend!"

"I said, I am not sure yet... And it's only a crush, not love!"

"Whatever it is you're feeling, it's still your first and that's what is important. You have to give it your best okay?"

"I still haven't decided whether I should confess or not. He's far from my league, plus he's an adult."

"Should I ask Simone about his brother so we can put a plan for your confession?"

"That's a bit."

"C'mon! You supported me, so I'll be rooting for you until the end! Fighting!"

[She finally realized it! Let's proceed to the plan! - Mia]

"Ah, these kids really... I am planning to take it slow, I said." But deep inside, he's delighted to know about it, still hearing the thing directly from the person is what feels the best. Now he just needs to wait and is looking forward to meeting his little girl soon.