She felt her head expanding. What did he just say? When she did not respond to him, he sent her another message.
Come out, I miss you.
I'm busy.
Let me do that.
No.
I'll just go there instead.
Sweetheart immediately opened her door and, looking lost, she walked towards the counter.
"How are our sales going?" Her assistant, Janae, turned to her.
"Did you do anything wrong? Boss has been staring at your office for quite some time now and he doesn't even want to leave the cafe. He's just stuck like a decoration on the table over there."
"Why? What do you mean? No!" She just blurted out.
They looked at her, amused. She caught him staring at her too, looking amused. She started contorting her face in too much pressure.
"What's wrong Sweetheart? You're destiny is here and you're acting like you just saw something unpleasant." One of their patrons started teasing her.
"What are you talking about? What destiny-" She stopped talking before she could even put her foot on her mouth. She felt his cold gaze from his side.
Unable to handle the pressure, she ran back to her office and slammed it shut. A few more seconds and she can already hear a soft knocking on the door.
"I'm busy." She said loud enough to shoo the person away.
"Have some tea to calm your nerves." Handsome's voice sounded distant. Didn't I just tell you I don't like tea? She walked towards the door and opened it, irritation clearly written on her face.
"I don't drink-. Hey! What are you doing? Get out!" Handsome just walked inside, a glass of water on his hand.
Once he found a comfortable position to sit, he offered her the glass of water that he's holding.
"That's warm water, it should help you calm down." he gently said.
She reached out to get the glass of water but he just put it down and grabbed her hand instead. He pulled her to his lap and carefully tucked the messy strands of her hair behind her ears.
She's still sulking when she looked at him but he remained gently smiling at her.
"What would you like to do?" he carefully opened the topic about their current situation.
"It's so awkward." she meekly replied after a long moment of silence.
"Is my presence getting you concerned?"
She just looked at him. She wanted to say yes, his presence is causing her too much pressure but she doesn't want to keep him away either. Why is having a relationship this difficult?
Handsome sighed and propped her on the chair. He gazed at her face as if memorizing every part of it. After a while, he grinned and left her office.
She then heard his car's engine starting as he revved from the cafe. Janae then opened the door to her office afterwards.
"You did it, didn't you?" glee is clearly written on her face.
"I have not left my office except earlier when you started accusing me of doing something wrong."
"Stop pretending. Boss already told us." Janae deadpanned.
Sweetheart's eyes almost popped out of her head.
"He what?" He did not even asked her. How can she face the people in there now?
"It looks like you were just annoying him after all." Janae continued speaking.
"Boss told us not to make you feel awkward because you won't be doing those things again now that he already has a girlfriend. Girl, why didn't you tell sooner. We've been teasing you with him and he has a girlfriend. It would be too awkward if he brings her here soon." Sweetheart scoffed, I'm that girlfriend, but she instead smiled.
"Sorry." she just replied. When she went out of her office, their boss is gone and their usual customers have also stopped teasing her.
Some, though, are sympathetic. Is Handsome that stupid? How can he not choose you? Whatever, you're better than anyone, I'm still shipping you both!
"Well, I was just annoying him anyway." she grinned.
Their day went as usual then. Some are already contented with Handsome's request while others wanted to know more and they stayed longer. Others just can't accept what has happened but life must go on anyway.
If anything, the only difference now would be the fact that she's already missing the guy she used to shove away. She glanced at her phone but did not get any call at all. Not even a message.
So she's obviously sulking when they closed the cafe. Her face is already on a long frown as she locked the doors to their cafe when she felt two arms envelop her in their embrace.
She tried to wiggle away but the person just buried their face on her neck and breathed evenly. When she inhaled the familiar scent, she relaxed a bit and tousled the person's hair.
This is the exact position that got them on spot when a bunch of flashlights are directed on them, showing their faces.
"Aaaahhh!!!!" she screamed first before their shocked audience could even react.
It looks like their patrons have been dissatisfied with what happened and camped outside the cafe until late at night to ambush Handsome and his 'girlfriend'.
The shocked audience just looked on as she pushed Handsome away, opened the door to the cafe and locked it from the inside. Handsome just smiled helplessly as he shook his head in amusement.
"Yeah, we're dating." Handsome smiled at them apologetically.
Sweetheart kept on screaming in panic and their audience just looks on. Fully stupefied.
"Go home now everyone. And please stop teasing her. I still have to calm her down." Their neighbors, friends, acquaintance slash regular customers broke from their trance and chattered with each other as they walk their ways home.
"I told you, he really likes her."
"Duh, she likes him, too."
"Did they just realize that now?"
"I thought I'll see a new face here."
"Are you planning to steal his 'girlfriend'?"
"When did started dating?"
"We're they just fooling around with us?"
"Whatever. I'll come here early tomorrow." The voices got drowned as they walked further away.
When he saw that there's no one left behind anymore, Handsome walked towards the door and knocked.
Sweetheart's forehead is covered in sweat when he saw her open the door. He reached for a hanky and carefully wiped it away.
"We have to let them know," he's talking about their parents.
Sweetheart nodded hesitantly but she also knows that this is for the best. When he stretched his hand towards hers, she bravely reached out and grasp it. Together they walked back home.