LOGINShare
Chapter 21: Falling In Love
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Conrad, Alfred, and Olivia were hanging out in Skinny Pizza. They were eating pepperoni pizza with their own pasta dishes while drinking their favorite beverages, and talking to one another.
“This place isn’t bad,” Conrad said.
“Yeah, next time let’s explore the whole New York City so that we can find a better hangout spot,” Alfred said jokingly.
“Can I just ask, is it possible that all of us aren’t from here?” Olivia asked curiously. “Like not living in New York.” She continued.
“I think so…” Conrad answered. “I am from Philadelphia.” He continued.
“While I came all the way from the Philippines,” Alfred answered.
“Wait, you’re from the Philippines?!” Olivia said excitingly. “Oh, I always wanted to go there, was it like there?” She asked Alfred.
“Full of great people, tourist spots, and food,” Alfred answered.
“You haven’t gone there yet?” Conrad asked Olivia.
“Not yet, since my parents are always busy with work
Related chapters
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 22: Missing Jaiden More
Conrad and Alfred had arrived back in the apartment building they’re staying in. Conrad let Alfred go to their apartment first since he needs to stop by Sir Hampton’s apartment to pick his unexpected package. Alfred went ahead while Conrad went to Sir Hampton’s apartment.While he’s walking to Sir Hampton’s apartment, he checks his phone to see who called him earlier while he was in a rush. He was surprised to see that Jaiden called him during that time. He wanted to call her back but, realizes that it might be past midnight in Paris since it’s a quarter to seven in New York time. She might be asleep already, and Conrad thinks that he might wake her up.He knocks on Sir Hampton’s door as soon as he arrives. The door opens and he was surprised to see a young blonde woman in Sir Hampton’s apartment. As far as he knows, Sir Hampton lives alone.“Hi, Uhm, is Sir Hampton around?” Conrad asked the young woman
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 23: Virtual Date
It was a Saturday morning and Conrad was busy cooking. After reading Jaiden’s reply, he became excited and nervous at the same time. It’s been two years since their last talk and Conrad doesn’t know what to say to her. He’s also afraid that their virtual date might end up awkwardly and not romantic for the two of them.Alfred gets confused after seeing Conrad being busy in the kitchen.“I thought you guys will have a virtual dinner date together?” Alfred asked confusingly.“Alfred, don’t tell me that you forgot about Jaiden’s location…” Conrad said.“Oh yeah, she’s in Paris,” Alfred remembered. “So, what are you cooking there?” He asked curiously after smelling Conrad’s cooking.“Lasagna with a side of garlic bread,” Conrad answered. “And for dessert, Coffee Macarons.” He said as he showed Alfred a tray of finished macarons
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 24: The Taste of a Rose Garden
Conrad finished cleaning up from his virtual date. He changed into a grey polo shirt so that he can move freely when they will practice baking. Joining Alfred and Olivia’s discussion, he’s surprised that they haven’t come up with anything yet.“Conrad, thank goodness you’re here,” Alfred said in relief. “Olivia and I can’t come up with something.” He continued.“Really, you guys don’t have a single idea on what bake this coming Monday?” Conrad asked.“Well, Olivia had one, but then she won’t tell me what it is,” Alfred said.“Because it’s a bad idea,” Olivia said.“I’m sure it’s not that bad,” Conrad said. “Maybe that idea will be great.” He continued. “C’mon, you can tell us whatever idea you have.”“If you say so…” Olivia took out a small bottle from her bag, ma
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 25: Battle of the Gardens
It was yet another busy Monday in the Institute of Culinary Education. The class has started and Chef Austin gave them two hours and thirty minutes to work on their loaves. As he starts his timer, everyone in the room immediately started working on their loaves.Time was ticking and they start to feel the pressure knowing that making the loaf itself will take time. Conrad, Alfred, and Olivia decided to divide the work according to the skills they learned from their hands-on lessons last week. Even with work divided, it was still time-consuming. Their only choice is to make their loaf bread as fast as possible and cautiously. If they skipped a step or missed an ingredient, their loaf bread won’t turn out as beautiful during their practice.Everyone gathers the ingredients and equipment they needed for their loaf of bread. After that, Olivia starts to incorporate the ingredients needed in a big mixing bowl. She uses the electric mixer for an efficient result of mix
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 26: Conrad's Rival
Chef Austin had finished judging everyone’s work. During those judging moments, the groups who reached or surpassed Chef Austin’s expectations received a high score. While the group who didn’t reach his expectations received an average score, but Chef Austin told them that they needed to work on their skills more. Overall, no one failed but, Conrad was still skeptical about Chef Austin not telling them about the two groups doing the same bread.Once the bell rang, Chef Austin dismissed the class, and everyone was longing to go home due to their exhaustion. As everyone went out of the room, Conrad tried to talk to Chef Austin about the test they’ve done today. Unfortunately, Chef Austin told Conrad that he couldn’t speak to him since he has an urgent meeting with the faculty. Once Chef Austin left the room immediately, Conrad felt discontented by the outcome. He wanted to know the reason behind the test today.Alfred and Olivia came up to C
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 27: Friends or Couple?
The car ride to Olivia’s apartment was quiet. Maybe it’s because of the exhaustion or it could be from the awkwardness that Conrad is feeling. Conrad kept thinking about Olivia’s feelings towards him and couldn’t say a word about it since he’s the only one who has seen it.Once they arrived in Olivia’s apartment, Olivia invites them into her apartment for some homemade honey cake and tea as a sign of gratitude for dropping her off. Alfred and Conrad agreed and all of them went inside her apartment.Going inside Olivia’s apartment, Caroline was watching on their television. Seeing Olivia arrive with Conrad and Alfred, she immediately stands up, approaches them, and introduces herself to Conrad and Alfred. Alfred starts to talk gibberish after meeting Caroline.“I’m Caroline, nice to meet you, Alfred…” Alfred said. “I mean, nice to meet you, Caroline, I’m Alfred.”Caroline
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 28: Complicated Feelings
Realizing that their lips touched, they both felt ashamed out of it. Olivia pushes Conrad away from her to prevent from something happening between them. She starts to think that what they did was wrong and tells Conrad to forget what just happened.“I need to go…” Conrad said. “Alfred still has dinner plans with his father.”“Sure thing,” Olivia said. “Take care, I guess…”They went out of the room and were surprised that Caroline and Alfred are getting along well. Caroline shared that they have a lot in common. Alfred told them that they’ll be having a date this Friday night. Conrad and Olivia are proud of them. But Olivia couldn’t help but be a little jealous for them. Conrad notices her jealousy for them and wishes that he’d come up with a solution that will make Olivia feel better.They said their goodbyes to one another as Conrad and Alfred left the apartment. While they
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 29: Awkwardness
The next day of class, everyone is busy taking notes about pastries, while Chef Austin is discussing. And during class, Alfred noticed that Conrad and Olivia are barely talking to one another. When they talk to each other it was like there is an awkward aura that is surrounding them. He also notices that they take glances at one another.Alfred starts to think that something might have happened between them yesterday. Instead of knowing what happened, he thinks of a way to make them talk to each other.Once the bell rang for a short break, Alfred opens up a topic that might make them talk to each other.“So, any ideas for this weeks’ group or individual work?” Alfred asked them. “Because I do and I think it might be another group work.”“Well, I think it’s going to be an individual work this time,” Olivia answered.“Yeah, same here…” Conrad said.“Okay, why individual?&
Latest chapter
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 52: I'm Glad We're Still Friends…
For the two of them, touring Madison Square Garden was enjoyable. They get to see more than what is shown to the public; they get to experience the greatest moments that occurred there, even if it is just in virtual reality. They get to snap a lot of photos there, some of which are perfect for publishing on social media. Some were also ideal for changing their profile images. Despite this, Conrad is able to make Jaiden happy and enjoy her day, despite the fact that something is bothering her mind. He's simply hoping she'll open up before the day is done. After their tour of Madison Square Garden, they headed to Brooklyn, where Conrad had one more surprise in store for Jaiden. Since it was a little early for his surprise, he recalls how much she enjoyed Frozen Yogurt. So he decided to take her to a frozen yogurt shop he knew. Fortunately, the business was nearby, so there was no need for him to second-guess himself or rush their rendezvous. They h
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 51: I Want To Tell You, But I Can't...
Conrad has finished prepping for their New York tour. He was dressed in a white shirt and jeans with a Philadelphia-themed blazer.He was astonished to see Jaiden waiting by the doorway when he opened it.“Jaiden, everything okay?” He asked worriedly.“Yeah, I just kind of wanted to see what your room looks like.” She chuckled softly. “Hey, it’s the jacket I gave you.” She said as soon as she noticed the jacket. “It looks better on you in person than in the picture you sent me.”She holds onto Conrad’s shoulder and feels the fabric through as her hands caress his arms. She holds onto his hands and intertwines them.After a while, their foreheads stick to each other and they can feel each other’s warm breath. Jaiden gives out a smile as she reminisces the last time she felt comfortable and safe in Conrad’s arms. But now, she doesn’t feel it. It’s like the feeling she felt once, was long gone.“So… You’re going to let me in your room?” She asked as she let go.“Yeah, if you really want
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 50: Surprise!
Conrad felt upbeat as soon as he woke up on Saturday morning. He took out his phone and checked to see if he had any texts, which he did. Jaiden texted to inquire about tonight's movie night.He jumped out of bed, realizing he had forgotten it was movie night with Jaiden. He should have been panicked by this point, yet he was actually cool. It's not the calm before the storm, but rather the serenity of being ready for anything.After yesterday night, he thought he'd finally regained his confidence. But, he still has second thoughts about telling her the truth.He responds to her text and asks when they can video talk. He walks into the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face while he waits for her response. Jaiden had not responded by the time he was through. He knows she doesn't typically take this long to respond, so this was unusual for him. He exits the room and keeps his phone nearby in case Jaiden responds.Moments later, as Conrad was about to eat breakfast, Alfred emerge
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 49: Enchanted Night
The stars and moon shone brightly in the night sky, creating a lovely atmosphere. The couple was walking through the park, hands clasped and a smile on their cheeks.This hasn't transpired in New York since the couple met. The universe seemed to want them to meet and be together. Nothing went wrong on their date, and they intuitively felt like they could face the universe's challenges together.Walking along the park, they came across a huge fountain that seemed like where all the couples hang out. Some are throwing coins into the fountain wishing their love would last, some are sharing an ice cream cone by the side, and some just happened to make their relationship official.Looking around for a place to hang out, an outdoor cafe caught Conrad’s eye.“Want to hang out here for a while?” Conrad asked.“You go on ahead. I think I’m just going over the fountain.” She walked on over there immediately with a bothered look, leaving Conrad behind.Conrad noticed her troubled expression and
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 48: The Start of a Sparkling Night
Friday night, the night where Conrad and Olivia had been waiting for. Both planned an extravagant night for their first date. And by means of making it extravagant, they both wanted it to be perfect. But little did they know, destiny has other plans for them.Conrad arrives at Olivia's apartment at exactly 7 pm as planned. As he was about to knock on the door, his hand stopped before his fingers could even touch it. He asked himself again if this was the right decision as anxiety is creeping up on him.He overthinks that maybe wearing a royal blue long sleeve polo, jeans, and white sneakers was a bad idea. He also thought that maybe he was making a bad decision.He takes a step back, shakes his hands, and takes a deep breath. He tells himself that he looks great tonight, his decision was right and nothing wrong was done as he reminds himself that he’s doing this for love. He regained his confidence and felt ready for their date again.He knocks on the door and patiently waits for Oliv
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 47: Unsureness
Back at the apartment, Conrad was lying down on his bed. After today’s events, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. It got stuck to his mind like sticky notes on a book. However, even though Olivia was acting a bit weird today, he didn’t realize during those moments that she was turning head over heels over him. He asked himself full of hope, “Is she the right person that will fit my future life?” But then, Jaiden suddenly pops into his head out of nowhere. He knew that Jaiden is also the right person, but he was having second thoughts wherein maybe having a long-distance relationship won’t work between them. They might be great for each other, but there will come a time when you will find someone else, and sooner or later, you’ll love that person more than the one you loved first. Alfred knocks on the door as he enters Conrad’s room and stands by the doorway. “Hey, you’ve been quiet for the past couple of hours… You okay?” Alfred said in a worried tone. “Yeah, it’s just that… I’ve
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 46: Turning Head Over Heels
It’s finally Friday! However, it’s not the usual Friday where the day isn’t tiring nor relaxing.Today’s the day when Conrad and the others returned to school after a short break. Yet, they still have no clue about Chef Austin’s plan for today’s class. They clearly haven’t prepared for it and everyone is scared of what’s in store for today.As soon as Chef Austin enters the room, the room became silent and everyone was preparing themselves for whatever was coming their way. Chef Austin puts down his stuff on his desk and was confused why his students are quiet and being so serious.“Is everything okay class?” Chef Austin asked confusingly. “You haven’t looked this serious since our first day of classes.”Conrad stands up from his seat and answers Chef Austin. “With all due respect Chef Austin, everyone is actually preparing themselves for your plans today.”“What plans?” He became more confused by Conrad’s answer. “Am I forgetting something for today?”“Well, from your announcement th
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 45: Best Friend
Conrad was relieved when they arrived at a nearby café that wasn't overcrowded. Going to crowded places makes him nervous. He believes he is being judged by strangers, despite the lack of clear proof that they are. Let's just say that when he's depressed, he tends to avoid going to crowded places.Conrad smelled something aromatic as soon as they stepped inside. It wasn’t the freshly made pastries that the employees are putting inside the case nor the freshly brewed coffee. He takes a look around to see where the fragrant scent is coming from. Then he noticed one of the employees making fresh crepes in front of the customer on the same counter as the coffee machines. However, just in front of the pan, the counter has a glass divider. Perhaps the cafe's manager or owner decided to install a divider to protect customers from injury.Alfred then told him that this is his favorite place in New York. The reason is that the crepes they made give him a warm feeli
The City of Dreams and Love Chapter 44: Dear Conrad
The next morning, Conrad decided to open up his dad's journal once more, while drinking his coffee. He hasn't gotten to read its contents after reading the first page. He didn't expect his dad to leave so suddenly. It was heartbreaking for him, knowing he bid his final farewell. He won't be able to see his dad again, and he won't be able to do the things he wanted to do with him. But he told himself if they were able to cross each other's paths sometime, he would just put a smile on his face and act as if they were once strangers. But even if he left so suddenly, he still wants to find answers in the journal he left, the answers to his sudden disappearance, the key tied to the journal, and the envelopes. Opening up the journal, he gathers the courage to prepare himself for any painful statements inside the journal. The second page read; Dear Conrad, If I were given a wish to be granted immediately, I wish that I could take
