"I was worried, too," Lily said softly, biting her lower lip, "So I, at least, am glad that Edward called me. I don't know why he did, but I'm glad he did."
"Your friends are good people, Zero," Lily went on, "Seeing you today, made me realise that you tend to skip lunch, right?"
Zero shrugged a bit, "Sometimes."
"It can't be sometimes, if Edward called," Lily protested.
"Maybe," Zero replied, "I don't know."
"Okay, that's settled then," Lily said.
"What is?"
"I'll either come and take you out so that you'll eat, or I'll send you lunch," Lily said, then raised her hand up to stop him from rejecting it.
"I'll also put in some of my new healthy dessert creations, so you can give me feedback on that," Lily continued, "It's a win-win situation. You get food, I get honest feedback. How about it?"
"No," Zero said, "Too much trouble for you."
"It isn't," Lily insisted.
"It is. You don't bake the new recipes everyday," Zero pointed out.
It was Lily's turn to purse her lips, "Then I'll come and take you out for lunch."
"No," Zero replied again, "Your cafe isn't close-by."
"Why don't you let me feed you?" Lily said with a pout, "Or is it that you don't like me to come and this is your way of gently rejecting my help?"
Lily gasped at what she said, and she put her hand to her mouth to cover it. That had come out before she could stop it, and it made her scared that Zero would figure it out.
Her crush on him.
She was so upset at his constant refusal that it came out before she realised it.
Zero, seeing her reaction, thought that she was feeling upset over him not wanting to trouble her.
Without thinking, he took her hands in his, rubbing them as he said to her gently, feeling the need to explain, "No, I like it very much when you come. I just don't want you to go through all that trouble just for me."
Lily's face blossomed as she smiled, and she looked at their joined hands shyly, "It's no trouble for me. As long as you let me, I'll come and accompany you for lunch everyday."
"Of course, if you don't like it, then I won't," Lily said in a rush, looking really worried.
Zero's refusal died on his lips.
How could he refuse this woman anything?!
Especially when she gave such a sad expression like that?
In the future, when Lianne and Zero compared notes about their beloved, they realised that both of them had another thing in common besides being quiet and anti-social. Their weakness whenever their beloved gave their puppy/sad look. Something their beloveds used to the fullest, too.
When Lily saw Zero give a small smile then said, "Okay," she was so happy that she practically squealed.
Zero liked her happy face.
Still, he didn't like the fact that she would go out of her way just to make sure he ate lunch. As he finished up his food, he proposed another idea.
"Lily," Zero called out and stopped for a while. Saying her name made him feel slightly weird for some reason. Come to think of it, had he ever called her name before? He couldn't remember.
Lily, on the other hand, felt the butterflies in her stomach flutter about even faster. The way he said her name, made her all weak inside. Who cares about pet names like Baby? Honey? Sweetcakes and such?
Just hearing Zero say her name was already enough to make her all weak inside.
"Y-yes?" Lily managed to stammer out.
"Don't come for lunch," Zero began, making Lily look shock and a little crestfallen.
"I'll come over to the cafe after work for dinner," Zero continued quickly, causing Lily to brighten up again.
Thinking about it, Lily thought it was a better suggestion. After all, it would take her a couple of hours at least, just to have lunch with Zero (taking into account the journey time and the eating time).
This way, she didn't have to rush and … Lily smiled even brighter as she thought that she would be able to spend a longer time with Zero.
"Okay," Lily agreed happily, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks all flushed red in excitement.
As usual, all of Lily's facial expressions made Zero fascinated. The one he liked the best was when she smiled like this.
Feeling rather happy about it, Zero began thinking that perhaps Edward should be rewarded instead. After all, if it wasn't for Edward, Lily wouldn't have come and now, he could see her every day.
Yes, a reward would be good.
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After lunch, they headed back to the HQ.
Lily didn't know when to raise it up, so she figured she would keep quiet for now. Although it turned out that Zero was not sick, there was still something that seemed to be bothering him.
But maybe she should ask now, before they get back to his office.
Then again, would it perhaps be troublesome since it's not that convenient as they were walking?
Maybe she should wait until tomorrow, when they meet up again?
Just thinking about them meeting up again made her grin once more.
Zero, who was beside her, was silently observing her as always.
The myriad of different emotions that passed by her face just the past two minutes was enough to keep Zero entertained immensely.
First, she looked worried Then, confused. Then, worried plus puzzled. Suddenly, she smiled so widely that it dazzled him.
Just what was going on in her mind?
Zero didn't ask, figuring that she'd tell him soon enough and even if she didn't, it didn't matter.
It was enough to just watch her.
Unknown to him, he had this really gentle look on his face as he was just staring at the oblivious Lily. So when Lily turned to face him, she was taken aback to realise that he had been looking at her all this while.
She blushed, and patted her cheeks, asking him, "What's the matter? Is there something on my face?"
Zero smiled at that question, shook his head and replied simply, "No."
"Oh, okay," Lily replied, smiling.
On impulse, she grabbed his arm and shook it, saying excitedly, "You're really coming tomorrow, right? No excuses and trying to get out of it?"
Zero looked at his arm that was being gripped by a pair of cute arms. Normally, such actions would make him cringe but somehow, since it was Lily, it was fine.
He wondered why that was.
Perhaps it's because she wasn't faking it? It wasn't some sort of ploy or coquettish act to entice him.
It was just how she was.
When Zero didn't answer, Lily shook his arm even more, saying in a gentler voice, "You promised, right? You can't back out. I'm worried about you."
Zero blinked and looked at her.
"Worried about me?"
Why would she be worried about him? He wasn't some weak, soft guy, was he? He wouldn't die just because he skipped a meal or two.
Lily pursed her lips and nodded, "Of course. You're not yourself, so I worry."
"I'm not?"
Lily frowned at him, "See. You don't even know it. So you are coming, right?"
Zero nodded.
Lily smiled and hugged him happily.
Zero hugged her back, patting her on the back. This wasn't the first time he had hugged Lily, and he found it to be quite pleasant, really.
He could get used to this.