Watching her retreating back, a crease appeared between Darren's brows. Why was she always rushing away from him? Was he that scary? He touched his jaw in confusion. Or perhaps... Did he go too far with the teasing? But he just loved seeing her expressions. That's why he couldn't stop his mouth from speaking so ridiculously. Here he was lamenting over the fact that he might have gone too far. He didn't even know whether she'd cry again like she was doing when they first met.
He really didn't want to see her cry like that. As for why? He generally hated the girls who cried. But for Xiu, he didn't feel repulsive but there was an irk in his heart that he couldn't let go of. However, even he couldn't tell why he was having this kind of feeling for a stranger.
At Xiu's side, she had stopped running after a good distance away from Darren.
'Huh? Why am I running?' She wondered to herself and went into a deep thought process. 'It's my second time meeting him and I have thoroughly embarrassed myself before him. But so what? He is a stranger! I might never even see him again. So, let's get even!'
With a newfound determination, she turned back and briskly trudged his way. He hadn't moved from his place. But seeing her coming back, he was perplexed. 'Forget it, since she is here, I should apologize for my words.' He decided silently.
Xiu stopped right before him and pointed at him accusingly as she started, "Listen, Mr. Hot Spices," Darren's brows quirked up at that nickname while she continued, "I know that both the times we met, I was at fault. My emotions got the best of me and I ended up in Men's Bathroom. And this time, I was lost in my thoughts and ended up at Men's hot spring. It was not INTENTIONAL both times." She emphasized on 'intentional' on purpose.
'Men's hot spring? Miss clumsy is getting the wrong idea again. That's a private property for goodness sake! I can even sue you for trespassing!' Darren thought to himself.
However, Xiu hadn't thought of the possibility that it could be private property. According to her, if there was a Spa at such a good location, it wouldn't be odd to have public hot springs as well.
"I am definitely not a pervert!" She was still trying to prove her point here. "Also, we are not close. So, it's not fair that you shaded me so many times in the past thirty minutes. Especially about something really personal!" As she said the last sentence, his eyes lowered to see the movement of her slightly red lips. But Xiu thought he was looking at her chest and she tightened her hold on the towel. "My eyes are also up here."
Darren lifted his eyes to meet her honey-brown ones and found them quite warm. Like a sunny day. Fascinating indeed! "Thanks for your reminder!" Xiu sensed his sarcasm clearly and fumed. "Why don't you cut the chase and come to your main point." He suggested knowing very well that she wasn't here to explain herself to him. She didn't look like the kind of person who would spend hours just to clear their image.
She huffed and looked away from him as she said, "As you said, you have self-respect. But I also do. Your words offended me."
Darren felt even more guilty as he heard her words. "So, what do you want me to do?"
"Apologize," Xiu answered without dilly-dallying at all.
Darren nodded, "I am sorry." Xiu's eyes widened up as she heard his apology. Did he just agree? Just like that? But didn't men prefer to keep their so-called pride and ego? She was really confused but her confusion went up a notch as he continued, "I was trying to tease you. I know it was wrong of me. I know my mistake very well. But just like last time, I wasn't judging you. Calling you Ms. Pervert... It was supposed to be a harmless joke. I didn't mean it. So, I am really sorry about it."
Xiu's mouth was agape as she was stumped for words. What was she supposed to do or say? Since he apologized so readily and so sincerely, she felt like she was the main culprit all over again. Why was he making her feel guilty? He was being savage with his comebacks at the hot spring but Xiu thought he was even more savage now.
Hold on! Is that the feeling of being starstruck? She shook her head immediately.
"Um... Erm... How can you agree so easily to apologize? You could have just shooed me away. I mean you're a man, I won't be able to stop you even if I wanted to," she was mumbling as if all of this was meant for herself to hear out loud.
Darren gave a sad smile as he said, "My mother raised me better than that." Xiu was stunned still as he pulled on his shades and turned to leave saying, "Don't take my useless words to heart. It's your life, my opinions shouldn't matter in it. Adios!" With that, he left.
Xiu also started walking towards the Spa. 'My mother raised me better than that.' His words had really struck a chord. A buried memory flashed in her mind as she lifted her hand to touch her cheek.
"Ptak!"
A resounding slap. Xiu hissed in pain as her fingers lightly brushed her cheek as if that wasn't a memory. As if she was living through it all over again.
With that one slap, she had lost her footing and fell on the ground back then. And then she heard a grating old voice, "Son, why are you sullying your own hands by touching a filthy and immoral woman like her? Our servants are enough to remind her where she belongs." That woman was HIS mother who actually incited him to hit her.
And there was another mother in this world who raised her son to be a real man. Xiu's bit her lip as she felt her chest stuffed up. Xiu couldn't help but look back at the spot where he stood. She read that first snow was a magical event. Today, she met a man whose eyes reminded her of the first snowfall and he turned out to be a magical but weird person.
She chuckled to herself and shook her head at that thought. She never thought she'd associate snow or magic to a person. That too a man!