Luke touched the window pane as if trying to trace the rain drops running down on the other side of the glass. The rain started pouring again half an hour after they arrived and there wasn't any sign of it stopping anytime soon.
"Mommy... the rain won't stop. Can we just stay the night?" he turned to Charmaine and then asked. Well, it's a good excuse to stay, he thought.
Charmaine glanced in Leo's way. She doesn't have any problem about staying except it'll probably be awkward for them two adults. But Leo responded by standing up and calling for Luke. "Let's go! I'll show you around!" he said.
The wasn't huge so it only took them a short while to visit the other rooms in the ground floor which was the dining and the drawing room which was connected to the study. After that, Leo led them upstairs.
"How much did you spend for this house?" Charmaine asked while they were climbing up the spiral staircase.
"Not that much. Just around fifteen million pounds." Leo answered.
Charmaine was satisfied with the figures but Luke was not. "Millions? How can you spend millions when you're out of job?" he told him.
Leo just chuckled. He's getting use to this tsundere little boss. "Well it's alright. First I get a house, and then I can get a wife. I'll think about getting a job later when I'm running out of cash." he jested when they reached the first floor.
Charmaine glared at Leo and then turned to Luke. "He's just kidding. You can't take him seriously."she told the boy. She was worried he might believe that his father was such an irresponsible person! In truth, Leo Ji is a workaholic who will never allow his bank account to run dry. Surely, he has plans laid out.
"You can pick any room you like." Leo told the boy. He then turned to Charmaine. "Take this one over here." he gestured on rooms in the southern part of the house. "The one in the right is bigger."
"If mom will stay in this room then I will stay next to her room. This one!" Luke exclaimed pointing to the other room. There are a total of five bedrooms in that floor. Two rooms in the south, another two in the east and one in the west of the house. Luke stopped to think. "Which of these rooms is the biggest?"
"This one room in the west. This is the masters bedroom." he told them. He then opened the door for them to see what's inside.
"Wow! This room is huge!" Luke exclaimed as he entered the room. "Why won't you let my mommy stay in this room then! You're stingy!"
Leo Ji sighed. "Because it's inappropriate for us to stay in the same room. And..... come on! Let me show you your mom's room." he said before leading them to the other bedroom. Charmaine just followed them around. The master's bedroom sure was dull. Why would she covet that? She was watching the two boys with disinterest when Leo Ji opened the door to 'her' room, revealing the interior which was surprisingly different. Obviously, the room was customised.
The room was cozy and warm with the wall painted a light shade of peach: her favorite color. On the left side of the room was the bed covered it white duvet. Behind it was a wallpaper of pink tulips. On the left side of the room was the vanity table and closets and in the middle were two armchairs facing the bed. There are only two windows in the room and between them was a glass door leading to the balcony. Collectively, the room was simple but dreamy.
Seeing that Charmaine was somewhat satisfied with his arrangement, he left her first to show Luke his room. When he came back, he found Charmaine checking the closet.
"Do you like it?" he asked.
Charmaine turned around and opened the closet wider. "This clothes..." she said pointing on the clothes hanging on the closet. "Who left them?"
Leo Ji approached Charmaine and stood in front of her. "Of course I bought them for you. I bought some for Luke, too. His is in his closet. What have you been thinking?" he said with a smile. "You accused me of wanting you because you're part of the plan so I messed up the course of my life. You told me you want to be someone else's world so now I'm making you mine. You'll be my world from now on." he confessed.
Charmaine's face flushed red. Did she really say those things? Why would she? "I didn't say that!" she denied but then quickly recanted. "What...what else did I say?" she nervously asked.
Leo Ji laughed. "You said no one cares about what you want. And that you're very unlucky to be stuck in an engagement with me. That's when I decided I have to end our engagement.... because I want to show you that I care about you and I'm willing to give you what you want."
Charmaine was incredulous. Did she really told him that she didn't want their engagement? And was he trying to tell her that he genuinely like her now? That was just unbelievable. She looked away unable to continue meeting his gaze.
"But... didn't you like Chanel Aikens?" she mumbled.
Leo Ji reached for her hands. "I met her during a banquet. I've never seen her again after that. What made you think I'm interested in her?"
Charmaine shook off his hand and turned around. "She's beautiful and charming."she remarked.
Leo Ji didn't answer and just watched as Charmaine Song approached the bed. He watched as she sat on it and tested the firmness of the matress. Suddenly, her hand slipped she fell on her side. She was about to get up when she noticed something painted on the ceiling. Cherry blossoms painted on the ceiling just above the bed. Suddenly she was reminded by something.
"I wish some day, I can wake up to the sight of the cherry blossoms every morning." those words echoed in her mind.
Charmaine turned to Leo. Those were words she said during their first date when she was only sixteen. Could it be that he remembered?