Her day passed faster than she realized. Lucy was now on her way to go back home. Ever since she came back to the hospital after having lunch with her mother, she busied herself on some paperwork and consultation meetings. In hope it could make her think less of the blind date.
Lucy was driving when she suddenly remembered to buy some kitchen ingredients. The stock in her house has depleted. She turned the car around, and drove straight to the supermarket.
She bought many things, including some packet of instant noodles and her favorite Pringles chips. Heading to the counter to pay, she halted at a man's wear section.
'We need to buy Aubrey some clothes..', she thought to herself.
She had given him her father's shirts, and it was thanks for the fact that her father left them in her house when he once visited a long time ago.
She wanted to buy Aubrey clothes but she didn't want to buy them alone. She preferred to bring him here instead and let them choose together. But knowing him, would he like to come out of the house?
".. It's dangerous, his captor might still be looking for him.', Lucy sighed internally. Her hope was crushed.
She thought it would make a great memory to go shopping together. Like a date..
Huh?
'What?!', she blushed. Her face reddened instantly.
Lucy shook her head and proceeded to make a payment at the counter. Aubrey's face didn't stop invading her mind.
•••
"Hey Aubrey, let's shop for clothes together.", Lucy said.
They were now in the kitchen, sorting out the things Lucy bought in the market. Aubrey stopped whatever he was doing and gazed over Lucy.
"I mean, let's shop online. I plan to buy you some clothes since my dad's aren't enough for your stay. Would you like to join me?", Lucy smiled a little. Hoping he would agree.
Aubrey looked away slowly. His actions made Lucy a bit disappointed. She went silent. But a minute later, she was given a small note.
(I'm sorry for troubling you to this extent. But I'm thankful for your thought. I promise to pay you back.)
Lucy's happiness mood flipped over the parameter. She was so happy! He agreed!
"Yes! Let's do it later tonight!", she giggled. She looked so innocent.
Aubrey didn't know what he did to get such response from Lucy. She was easily sulky but persuaded at the same time. Her face wasn't easy to read since she had learnt to not let her real feelings shown. As a psychologist, it was her greatest weapon.
Aubrey just nodded and smiled a bit. She was being cute.. he couldn't help it.
Later that night, they sat on the sofa, side by side. Lucy opened her tablet and started to browse through Google.
"Hm.. where should we start from..", she mumbled.
They first started from Kooding, an online korean clothing store. They browsed through the 'men category' and found some nice shirts.
"Oh! I like this style, you should wear this.", she said happily.
Aubrey nodded. He didn't know what to say. All of the things they had chosen and sent to the 'shopping bag' were expensive. But it was not like Lucy couldn't afford it. She was rich. Her family owned the hospital and its branches around the country. She was one of the upper class women one would find.
Well.. and he too, was not out of the list. To say the truth, Aubrey was more wealthy than Lucy. The shares he possessed were more than enough to spend for a lifetime. Being a Lee, he was a man everyone wishes to be. Many would die just to take his place in Lee Group.
"See this Aubrey! The cardigan suits you, which color should we take?", Lucy turned to see him. Her eyes shone like a star in the night sky.
Aubrey was lost in her glittering eyes. Her dark eyes reminded him of his own hair color. Both were black. And he found lights beneath her eyes. And some seconds later, he found himself in those same eyes. He became speechless. He didn't know how to react.
He felt like Lucy had changed him for new. The way she talks and the way she smiles. All of them were engraved within him in a short period of time. She was kind, too kind to someone like him, a stranger who showed up right outside of her house. A runaway like him.. who now had nothing.
"Aubrey?", Lucy stared at him. He was unresponsive.
She saw his feature clearly. He was good looking. His bangs ran down his forehead right above his eyebrows. A little bit messy yet it made the point. His hair was soft, a mixture of wavy and straight hair.
Lucy looked at him, she saw him smiled but it seemed strange. He was sad.
'Why are you..?', her heart felt hurt. Like it was constricted by bricks.
She didn't know why it felt like that.
'I know..'
She didn't want to admit.
'.. I'm afraid.'
She was now standing on the edge, at the mountain top. She had to choose whether to fall or to back away.
Perhaps she didn't actually had a choice. Her chest hurt again. Her heart beat faster. Her face was red.
She knew the signs.
But she couldn't say anything. Not until he was ready to leave his past and come to the future, and stay in the present. Where she was waiting..
'I'll wait..'
She finally decided.
'It looks like I've fallen for you, Aubrey.'
Aubrey was still drowning in his thoughts. He felt good whenever he saw her smiled. The way she looked at him was not something he could easily describe. Her soul was sincere, her real self reflected in the eye.
But somehow he also felt suffocated. The light was too blinding for someone like him who had lived in the dark.
He felt safe whenever she was near, but he also felt inferior when he realized he was not someone normal. She pushed him to her bright world but his anxiety pulled him back. He knew then, they were two different people. She was his doctor, and he was her patient.
His heart told him to give in to her, but his mind said otherwise. He was not going to stay for long anyway.
Aubrey was not stupid. He knew why he was wavering right now. He already developed an unknown feeling towards this woman. But he didn't dare to voice it out. His walls were high and sturdy. It was not that easy to get in. Because he was a broken man.