He smiled warmly at her, the same warm smile he always gives her when they were young, she smiled back and sat opposite him.
"How are you?" he asked.
"I'm always doing good big br-." Sweetheart caught herself before she can even finish it. She also saw him looked shocked but he did not speak.
"I heard you've started investing on the stock market."
"Yeah."
"How was it? Let me know if you are having any trouble with your investment."
"I'm just starting so I'm still learning the ins and outs of the market." she modestly replied although she knows it has been flourishing but compared to what he has already accomplished, she's just at the tip of it.
"Oh." he just said, his words lost in his throat again. He looked like he came over for something so when her mother served them tea and left, she went straight and asked him.
"What did you come here for?" he looked taken aback by her inquiry. She started stirring the tea on her cup and did not see his face.
"I came to negotiate something with you," he finally replied after a little bit of silence. She stopped stirring her tea and stared at him. Those same dark eyes, they looked deep and dark. Unable to read anything from his face, she gave up.
"I'm not entering into any kind of business." she swiftly answered trying to dismiss him. So he's only here for business, she thought to herself and shrugged it away.
"Can I persuade you?" he changed his words.
"No." I don't want to talk to you, I want to watch TV.
"Why not?" his tone sounded challenging which irked her.
"'Cause I don't like to venture into business. I'm already happy with my quiet life investing in the stock market." he just looked at her intently. Gone was the adorable girl that always looked up to him. She's a grown up lady now that can make decisions on her own.
"I heard you purchased a piece of land at the end of this street." She stared at him, shocked. How did he know about it? She even forgot about it since it has been a couple of years ago.
It was her impulsion that made her buy that piece of land. It was actually owned by an older couple and when the old man died, she offered to purchase it from his wife. The old lady agreed knowing that she lives around the area. To those who'd see, they'll probably think that she's a very nice person, purchasing the land and letting the old lady stay there as long as she wanted.
In fact, it was actually her young love that led her to the purchase. The same piece of land is the only other neighbor of Handsome's parents' house.
While going home from school, she heard by chance that the old lady is looking to sell their property. She begged her to let her take it instead. She was just in in highschool then. She secretly took all her savings from the bank and even asked for a loan from her father so she can pay the old lady.
Her father was very willing to help since they also knew the old lady but her only reason is to ensure that she'll be the only neighbor Handsome would have. She won't allow anyone else to get near him in this lifetime.
But that was before, when she was young, compulsive and immature. She had long paid the loan she took from her father when she was in college and eventually forgot all about it. The old lady's family decided to take her in due to her advancing age and so no one was able to look after the land anymore.
The local government has once approached her to at least have the area cleaned to prevent any wild animals from occupying the house. She paid for some laborers to have the house demolished and cleared of the grassy surroundings. She wrote up a contract to get it maintained at least once a month so she never paid attention to it. Her card gets charged every month from the contract that she wrote.
"How did you know about it?" she snapped back from her own reverie and asked.
"I asked around." he just replied, took the cup of tea from the table and sipped from it. She eyed him, suspicion in her eyes. Nobody knows about it apart from her parents and the old lady.
She suddenly remembered that he had his internship at their local government's engineering department so he must have gotten the information by then.
"Is there a problem with the place? I already spoke with the local government and had it maintained so you should not worry about any wild animals occupying it." She said the same words she was given when the local government spoke with her.
"How much will you sell that to me?" she was surprised. He really is here for business, she scoffed to herself.
"I'm not selling that property." she firmly replied.
"But you're also not using it. It's just laying stagnant there." he reasoned and she agreed with him internally. But still...
"I'm getting it maintained." she may have gotten that piece of land because of her own childishness but she's keeping that land as a respect to the owner who trusted her. Besides, that was her first investment.
"That's the only stagnant place here in our community."
"You don't live here anymore," she corrected him as she rolled her eyes in annoyance. Ugh, I want this conversation to stop now.
"My parents live here." He opened his mouth to speak again but nothing came out, he just sighed and sipped on his tea again.
"I live here. And I don't think our neigbors would mind." she stood up and got a pitcher of water from the fridge and gulped it down. Ah, it's so refreshing. She brought her glass of water back to the living room and sat again.
"I'm sorry, it's non-negotiable. If you're planning some business, you can rent the area but I'm not selling the land over to you." she took a deep breath before she spoke again. He fell silent for a moment before he replied.
"I'm planning on setting up a cafe in that place. The area is just suitable for it so I thought I can just purchase that from you since you're not doing anything with it."
"Okay." after a little contemplation, she agreed.
"Okay? You're agreeing to the sale now?" he tried to asses her answer.
"Okay, you can use the area but I'm still not selling the land."
"So I'll...rent it? You have nothing to use the land with?" he probed further.
"I don't know, I just promised the old lady I'll keep it," she replied and moved her gaze toward the area. They have a large window that opens to the location but his parents' house will always be seen first before she could even take a glimpse of the area. She looked back at him instead, getting bored by the minute.
"I'll send you the contract then." He stood up and she followed suit.
"Let me see you out." She's still polite.
"It's okay. Finish your tea, it's getting cold." she glanced at her own cup of tea.
"I don't like tea."
"Oh!" the looked of shocked was evident this time on his face and she raised her eyes in wonder. Didn't he knew? Oh well.
"Drive safely." She tried to finish the conversation so she can continue watching TV again so she just walked him until outside their main door.
"Thank you." When she saw him by his car, she turned around and grabbed the main door to their house.
"Sweetheart!" she heard him say so she turned her head back.