"Do you still remember the favor you asked me during your sixteenth birthday?" Leo asked as he hugged her from behind. "I want to ask the same thing to you today."
Charmaine paused. Favor? What favor? Her sixteenth birthday was a big event. Her parents threw a big party for her and Leo was her escort that night but... what exactly did she asked him that day?
'Let me love you.' Charmaine's pupils dilated. Those four words echoed inside her mind. That night during Charmaine's sixteenth birthday, she pulled Leo and led him to the garden after she saw him dancing with Jienna. There, she cried and asked him to give her a chance to love him. Was it the thing he was talking about?
"What favor?" she asked.
Leo sighed. "Let's date and get to know each other. Don't ignore me and give me a chance to get close to you. Please, let me love you." he recited. Those were Charmaine's exact words back then. Now, he's saying it to her.
"But... you hate me, don't you?" she said with a sad voice. "I remember you telling me that.... You're not interested in dating me at all... or in marrying me."
Leo's eyes darkened. He didn't realize it back then, but that must have hurt. He was too callous before. "But you told me... 'then I will make you interested in me and in marrying me! I will make you fall in love with me. Just give me two years.'" he reminded her. "We didn't finish that two years because you left. Now, I think we have to start all over again. I think you owe me this."
Charmaine stared at their reflection on the window. Back then, she really did say those words. I asked him for a chance to love him, foolishly believing that if she gives her all, he would learn to love her one day. But Leo remained cold to her. The only thing that changed was, he didn't avoid her anymore. He allowed her to touch him. He gave in to her requests, accompanied her wherever and whenever she likes. It could have been enough, if only he showed a bit of affection to her.
"I did that because I loved you. How about you? Why do you have to do this?", Charmaine challenged him with that question. Perhaps deep inside, she wanted to hear from him that he has feelings for her too. But Leo didn't answer that question. He could admit his feeling to himself but not to anyone else. Those cheesy words won't come out of his mouth. It was like the words were stuck in his throat.
Charmaine waited for a while but didn't utter a word. In the end, she sneered and pried his arms away, freeing herself from his embrace. She knew Leo won't tell the words she wanted to hear. She was even afraid that he would tell her he's only doing all this for Luke. She was about to walk away to avoid more disappointment but she suddenly felt Leo reaching for her hand. She turned to look and saw Leo looking straight into her eyes.
"I haven't liked anyone before. But I also want to have someone special. Can't you be that woman?" Leo sincerely asked her. "You've been the fiancee I acknowledge since we were young. You're the mother of my son. I can't imagine being with someone else."
Charmaine raised her hand and covered her mouth in surprise. That was one incredible indirect confession there! She can't believe Leo Ji is capable of saying such cringe worthy words! She felt ecstatic, embarrassed and amused at the same time. She found him so cute that she couldn't help but giggle.
Seeing as to how much Charmaine was laughing at him, Leo let go if Charmaine's wrist and looked away. His ears reddened in embarrassment and he turned around to hide his face. He was glad to see Charmaine laughing though, so maybe the humiliation was worth it?
"Anyway, you owe me one so you have no choice but to date me. I won't take no for an answer." Leo stated in his vague attempt to get rid of his embarrassment. After saying those words, he walked away and left the hotel room for a walk. That conversation was just too mortifying for him! He better get some fresh air to calm himself and come back later when Luke is already awake.
Charmaine stared at the door for a long time after Leo left. When she came home to Chelsea city, she readied herself to share Luke with Leo. After all, they resemble each other so much that it's impossible to hide their relationship. She even feared that Leo might want Luke for himself. What she didn't expect was to come home to a much warmer Leo Ji. He's still the same stoic person whose emotion rarely show on his face but he's currently much gentle than before. Would it be safe to bury the hatchet now? Must she give their fate another chance?
***
Leo took Charmaine and Luke to a restaurant for lunch, and went on shopping afterwards. With Charmaine holding Luke's hand and Leo following them from behind, they toured the avenue of Champs-Élysées for a few hours, shopping for bags clothes and others. Charmaine looked radiant as she tried on a pair of new shoes and Luke was speechless as he had a taste of a sweet chocolate parfait from one of the shops. It was already five in the afternoon when they finished and Luke was so tired that Leo had to carry him back to the hotel.
Charmaine glanced at Leo as they were walking back to the hotel. In his arms, the sleeping child rested his head on his dad's shoulder. Somehow, this doesn't feel like a date, but a family trip instead.
Leo caught the woman staring at him with a smile and he immediately looked away. He's a young bachelor holding a child in his arms, does he look funny? "It doesn't feel like a real date, right? Are you disappointed?" he asked, still avoiding her eyes.
Charmaine took a deep breath and just looked ahead. "Well, either way, I still enjoyed it. Today is really fun." she said before turning to Leo and meeting his eyes. "Thanks." she uttered.