When Violet returned, Peter just left. Scarlett kept on sneezing, "You caught a cold! Why are you not wearing winter clothing? "
"I forgot... "
"Jeez...! "
Minutes later, Peter returned. But the first thing he did was place the tray on the table and cover Scarlett with his trenchcoat. Violet saw it and didn't seem to mind, since she's experiencing the same thing from Parker, but something was off.
The trenchcoat was something she saw before. Like way back during the war?, " Scott, this is my best friend, Violet! "
"Violet? " he was surprised to hear the name, he turned around and almost lost his knees' strength. His eyes nearly popped out of his head
Violet choked on her coffee, "Cough! Cough! Sorry...! Cough! "
The two stared at each other for quite a long time, "Oi, Oi! You two! Quit ignoring me! "
"Sorry, nice to meet you Ms. Violet. " Peter said as he held his hand for a shake.
"Likewise... " Violet said
"I'll send you outside after you finish. "Peter said as he turned around, "Excuse me... " but before he even took three steps,
"... Mr. Peter Müller. " Peter froze on his spot.
"Huh? " Scarlett is more than confused, "Peter... Müller...? "
"No... I've must've mistaken him for someone else. " Violet replied
Both girls continued sipping their coffee and milk, but Peter was out of it the entire time. He nearly dropped his tray multiple times, "Oi, Peter! You don't seem to be with yourself! " Otto whispered, "What's up? "
"None of your business... "
"There he goes again... Keeping things to himself. " Otto thought
After they finished, Peter sent the girls outside. On the other side of the road, Parker was already waiting. Violet acted natural and pounced in his arms as if there was no certain someone around. But Parker felt a familiar vibe. He raised his head and saw nothing but a murderer, a monster, a bloodthirsty demon all in one body.
He suddenly felt like he wanted to hit him, but since Scarlett was there, and Violet was insisting on going home, he restrained himself, "Let's go, Darling! " Violet said
"Mmm... "
Inside the car, Parker asked Violet, "What's that guy doing there? "
"Who knows? Well, from the looks of it, he works there. "
"I see... "
Peter observed them in the shadows. He was staring daggers at them as they drove off, "Oi! Oi! You're ignoring me again, oi! " Scarlett called, jumping in front of him
"Oh, huh? What? "
"Peter... Müller...? " Scarlett heard it clearly and curiosity tickles her
"That uhm... Let's talk about it next time. " he said as he hailed a cab
Scarlett removed the trenchcoat and tried to give it back to Peter. But he stopped her, "Keep it for now. "
"But- "
"Sigh... No more but's! Do you want your cold to worsen? " he waited until Scarlett was sitting inside the cab. He stood outside until she was no more than a dot. Then he returned to work
"I'm home! " when Scarlett got home, her father noticed the big black trenchcoat on aher shoulders
"Daughter, where'd you get that? " he asked
"Oh! Uh, a freind lent it to me. He told me to return it tomorrow at school! " her father noticed something familiar with the trenchcoat. It looked like more than just a trenchcoat, but a German war uniform. Not to mention, Peter's medals are attached to it, and Scarlett's father noticed them too.
"Can I take a good look at it? " he asked
"Absolutely not! I-It's soiled, father. And... And I got to go! " then she ran back to her room. Truth be told, she was just afraid that her father might misunderstand her of dating with someone.
"Sergeant, did you saw that coat on my daughter's shoulders? " he asked the man pushing him around on his wheelchair.
"Yes. I did too Lieutenant. It was the German war uniform. " he replied
"I wonder who lent it to her. " he thought.
The next morning, again at the same place, Peter spotted Scarlett, and offered again to take her to school on his bike, "Here. " Scarlett handed back the trenchcoat. Well, this time she was already wearing winter clothing.
Peter searched for something, and was relieved that his medals are safe and sound, "They caught Father's interests. Are they that important? " she asked
"Of course! They're the symbol of hardships we had, and the symbol of our achievements. "
"Wow! Considering you have a lot, you must've done more than enough! " she exclaimed.
"Sigh... Whatever. Study hard! " he said as he waved goodbye
"Yes! "
Peter, for one of the rare times he did, smiled. For some reason he was feeling a little happy being around her. He decided that he would fetch Scarlett from he would always find her in the morning, and give her a ride to school, everyday.
One day, Scarlett asked Peter to go out with her, "I'm going out for a while. " he told Otto. But he returned late at night.
"That's what you call 'a while', huh?! " he growled
"Like as usual, none of your business. " since then, every Sunday, since it was Peter's day off,he and Scarlett would go out somewhere.
Days, weeks, months have passed, taking Scarlett to school and going out on Sundays, became Peter's daily routine. He started to take a liking with this little girl, and considering Violet only as his younger sister. But, he never had the courage to tell her.
Otto noticed that every Sunday Peter would go out in the morning, returning quite late at night, "You're dating Scarlett, aren't you? " he suddenly said
"You-PANG! " Otto hit him in the head with a rolling pin
"I know you, Peter. "
"Argh, so what? And it's not like, we confirmed our feelings yet, and it's none of your business! "
"Haha, finally you admitted it! "
Three years had passed, a lot of things had changed. Violet and Scarlett are now on their fourth year. The coffeeshop's owner had passed away. Since she was a widow with no children, she entrusted the business to Otto, the barista. It was him who first made the coffeeshop had a name, of course he was the only one she can trust.
Otto, in returned didn't betrayed the trust given to him, and continued to make the coffeeshop grow. Having enough money, he and Peter are able to buy a bungalow of their own.
For three years, Peter's and Scarlett's relationship also developed for the better, but none of them had the courage to tell their true feelings, until...
One Sunday while going out, Peter was quiet the whole time, "What's the matter? You've been silent the entire day. " Scarlett said.
Both were walking on the Longfellow bridge, and they continued walking silently until Peter stopped in the middle of the bridge. She never seen Peter be like this, so she grew afraid, "Scott? Scott? What's the matter tell me, please! " she said as she started shedding tears.
Peter felt pained seeing Scarlett like this, so finally he made up his mind, "Scarlett... I... "
"You... You what? "
"I... I... "
"...? "
"I like you Scarlett! "
"Huh?! "
"No, correction, I don't like you. I love you! "
When he raised his head, he saw tears endlessly streaming down in Scarlett cheeks, "Uh, I... I...! "
"Haha, don't worry, it's not what you think. I'm just happy! " she said amidst crying nonstop, "Happy that you share the same feeling! "
Finally knowing they shared the same feeling, Peter had been wanting to kiss her. Enveloping Scarlett in his embrace, he slowly leaned over for the kiss. But as his lips were just about to touch hers, "Oi! Can you two, get yourselves your own room?! " it was Otto!
"Damn you, Otto! " alright, this time, Peter's tongue slipped
"Huh? Otto? " asked Scarlett, "Now you mention something like that, I remember three years ago, Violet called you Peter Müller...? "
Both were rendered speechless, "Sigh... I guess there's no use hiding it from you. " Otto said
Peter and Otto brought Scarlett to their home, "Wow! You finally get to buy your own home! "
Scarlett was led to a huge room. What she first saw was a huge red flag with the swastika cross, hanging from the ceiling. On the left side was a huge painting of Adolf Hitler. There was nothing but a huge cabinet and a chest inside. Peter opened the cabinet, and showed it to Scarlett.
It contains all of Peter's and Otto's war uniforms, helmets, Peter's pershing cap, a radio box, and many more. Otto showed Scarlett the contents of the chest beside the cabinet. It was all the weapons the two of them used during the war. The same MG42 machingun mounted in the Stalvormund, mp40's, some grenades, Peter's and his' Lugger pistol. Wait, how on Earth, did they managed to hide this things?
"We are both German soldiers. " Otto said
"Not only soldiers, but high-ranking officials. " Peter said as he dangled the Knight's Cross in his hand.
"My real name is Otto Lindemann. "
"Mine is Peter Müller. "
Scarlett was speechless. Then a while later, she smiled, "None of it matters! " she cheerfully said.
"Scarlett... "
"So what? I'm just happy to have you...! Peter! "
Peter was more than happy, that he wanted to hug her tightly, but before he did, Scarlett stopped him, " Wait, first promise me not to hide anything from me ever again! "
Peter took a glance at Otto. He nodded his head and went to fetch something out of the cabinet. The next thing was Scarlett was handed a picture frame. Inside was a picture of five men sitting on top of a massive tank, "Remember the 'Black Tiger' your father told you? It's that tank. "
Scarlett saw Peter and Otto in the picture, "Y-Youre... "
"I am the commander of Tiger tank Stalvormund. Otto's the driver. " he honestly confessed
Scarkett was silent for a moment, "You're the commander of the 'Black Tiger'? "
"Scarlett, I'm sorry I hid it from you. It's just I don't want to lose you. I... "
"Who cares?! " she suddenly said. Even Otto was surprised by her reaction, "That doesn't change who you are. You're still the Peter Müller that I love! "
Peter fell to his knees. Tears streaming down his face uncontrollably, "Scarlett... "
Even Otto can't resist getting this eyes a bit watery. This girl, is more than just kind hearted.