Chapter 26

“Go grab yours,” I urged quietly to Jaxson as I lifted a tray full of food.

But he just stared at me, puzzled, as if he didn't get what I was saying.

“Why are you the one carrying that, Cattleya?” He asked.

“Of course, Jax, no one else is going to do it for us. Now, hurry up and carry that so we can find a seat and make the customers next to us get their food too.”

“Are you serious...?” He mumbled as his eyes shifted behind us, seeing the line stretched clear around the corner, so he had no choice but to slowly approach the tray of food and gently carry it as I said. “Can’t I just call some staff and ask for assistance?”

I started laughing quietly because of how Jaxson ended up looking now. I tried my hardest earlier to contain my laughter so he wouldn't be embarrassed, but I couldn't help myself and burst out laughing at the way he carried the tray with a puzzled expression on his face.

I caught a quick look at people secretly snapping photos of him and also trying to hide their giggles.

“Come on Jax, yours is not even that heavy compared to mine. What are your biceps for?”

Jaxson is currently making everyone laugh with his adorableness. 

After finding a seat, I began to lower the tray I was holding to the table and waited for Jaxson to do the same. I picked this seat for us because it's an inch close to the window, and seats like this are rarely vacant. Also, the night was so refreshing that we could see the outside and the star-filled sky while dining and resting.

My gaze was drawn to Jaxson as he struggled to balance the drinks on the tray so that they would not spill.

“Ahh, finally,” Jaxson murmured as he placed the tray he was holding on the table, catching his breath.

He appears to have walked for several miles when, in reality, the counter was just about 20 steps away.

“It took us a million hours before we could finally have the food. But, in any case, I'm going to start eating now. I have worked so hard to get this food.” He exclaimed as he couldn't take his gaze away from the food. “For the first time, carrying this tray and waiting in line while witnessing others already enjoying theirs made me ten times hungrier. Now, how am I supposed to eat this...?” Jaxson added, raising his gaze to me.

“See? The fruit of your effort tastes better.”

I chuckled as I began taking one of his orders, which is the cheeseburger. He thought about it for like forever before deciding on this burger. He claimed that it was the most normal-looking and that other of the meals on display were strange.

I opened half of it and handed it to him, gesturing to him as if I were biting a burger.

“I know how to eat a burger, Cattleya,” he said emphatically, and I just chuckled back.

“I assumed rich people don't eat burgers and food like this.”  While removing the wrapper from my rice to begin eating, he simply gazed up at me.

“Though,” Jaxson interjected. “This is my first time. I only saw the commercial on the counter where we got meals, but it's very clear how to eat this bread now.”

I just let him speak whatever he wanted and started eating my food because, despite what Gunther had done to me, I was already feeling hungry. Perhaps I'll just take it slowly so as not to upset my stomach.

“Don’t you think that it’s funny how everything is wrapped in this paper?” Jaxson said of a sudden.

“You're hilarious. Why don't you try your luck at stand-up comedy?” I chuckled. “Look, everyone hides their laughter every time you speak. If you don't want people to hear you, lower your voice a little.”

Jaxson grunted as he lowered his hand clutching the burger after taking a mouthful. “Why would I lower my voice while everyone else here is shouting instead of chatting calmly? And this loud music, Cattleya, it’s making me raise my tone and I don’t know why.”

“All right,  do what you want then,” I responded, still giggling. “Hand over your rice to me. I'll open it for you.”

As he looked for his rice, he raised both of his brows while munching. He slowly picked it up and handed it to me with eyes closed, causing me to burst out laughing.

“Oh goodness, it's so strange,” he said as he handed the rice still wrapped in paper, with his eyes still shut tightly. “I never thought handing rice could be so awkward,” he said, nearly laughing. “I am feeling the whole rice with my hand. It is so small.”

I can't stop laughing because of Jaxson, I couldn't even hold it back even after opening the rice and dropping it gently on his plate. I feel like I could feel tears in my eyes from laughing too much.

“It's all right now. It's already on your platter.”

Jaxson slowly opened one eye before looking down at the rice on his plate. He broke out guffawing, and I couldn't help but laugh hysterically at his reaction. We appear to be a bunch of lunatics who are constantly laughing and finding everything hilarious.

Perhaps people are wondering what is so funny that we can't stop laughing.

“I'm going to try fried chicken with rice for the first time. I mean, this is my first time eating chicken.”

My mouth sprang open in surprise at what he said. "Do you mean never? How about when you were a kid? It would be such a loss to be a child and never have even a taste of fried chicken! Try it right now!”

“I haven't even finished my cheeseburger yet. You seem to enjoy forcing me to try new things.” He said, smiling.

“Go on, go on.” I'm not sure why I'm so excited right now because Jaxson has never experienced anything like this.

I simply have this bizarre sense that I want him to have everything he's never had before. And I want to take him to places where I believe he will enjoy himself.

I saw Jaxson squeeze the entire burger in his mouth and chomp it like a squirrel.

“It tastes good. Isn’t it?”

He nodded as he continued chomping.

“I just realized how cute you are. Have you been like this ever since you’re young?” I asked in curiosity. 

I really love it when my brother Charles acts so cute. Even in the simplest moments, I enjoy watching him. Just like this. Seeing Jaxson eat in front of me and how much he enjoys his meal, I think I really enjoy small things like this.

I noticed that Jaxson took a long time to respond because he was still chewing his food. I sat back and watched him drink the cola, waiting for his reaction.

“Ahhh.” Jaxson made a sound after slurping the cola. “So this is how it tastes, huh? I've seen our employees drink this almost every day, but I've never even had a sip.” he chugs the cola from the cup's lid. “What was your question again?” 

“I asked if you'd been like this since you were a child.”

Jaxson wiped the corners of his lips with a tissue. “I'm not sure. Since my mother passed away, my life has been in full swing. Company, university, conference hall, business trips, and being with them are all things that come to mind. It's the first time I've tried going out and dining at places like this.”

After hearing that from Jaxson, I was stunned into silence. 

His voice betrays the smiles he flashed on his lips.

“Is that also the reason why, after meeting that little girl earlier, you suddenly became quiet?”

Jaxson seems to be hesitating to answer me when he simply stares at me as if examining and pondering my eyes. 

I raised both brows, expressing to him that I was still paying attention.

When he just averted his eyes away from me and took another swig of cola, I was perplexed. But this time, he drinks it even more vigorously than he did earlier.