She's clumsy. Nice thought as he keeps on dragging Kasey towards their school clinic. She didn't even think of herself first. She already has a wound on her forehead and it's bleeding, yet, she still wants to go.
"Hey, do you hear me, I said let me go." Kasey continuously insisted as she tried to pull her hand away from Nice. "I'm fine anyway so there's no need to go there, besides, they are waiting for me." she continued.
"But I said we will go to the clinic to clean your wound, so stop being stubborn and come with me quietly" Nice strongly insisted as he turns to face her.
Kasey immediately stops insisting instead she quietly walks with him to the clinic.
"Mr. Tolentino, what's the matter?" Adrian asked, their school nurse asked as he saw them entered the room. "You don't seem to be injured, so why are you here?" the nurse added as he examined him from head to toe to see if Nice has injuries.
"I'm not the one who's injured," Nice said in a monotone as he pulled Kasey who was standing behind him, making her stand in front of him. "She is," he added as he placed his hands on her shoulder making her stand still so that she won't have a chance to hide behind him just like what she did earlier when they saw Adrian.
"Your forehead is bleeding," Adrian commented when he saw blood on Kasey's forehead. "We need to clean and disinfect it immediately, take a sit first," he added as he pulled out a chair beside the bed inside the nurse's office. "Gemini! Can you bring here the first aid kit!" he shouted while he was disinfecting his hands with alcohol.
"Here- Oh! What a beautiful lady we had here." the nurse named Gemini said in amusement as she saw Kasey.
"Gemini? what an odd name." Nice whispered as he pulls Kasey towards the chair.
"Yeah, her name was very unique," Adrian commented. "She's new here since my partner before is now working at the hospital near here," he added as he prepares the disinfectant and cotton balls he will use. "I will disinfect your wound now, okay? Though, it will sting a bit."
"D-don't," Kasey whispered as she clenched her fist and hug her own trembling body while bowing her head as if she was hiding from someone.
Adrian suddenly paused his hands holding a cotton ball with disinfectant mid-air as he glances at Nice with a puzzled expression, but he wasn't able to get a proper answer from him, since, just like him Nice has also a puzzling reaction.
"Don't touch me!" Kasey shouted as she pushed away Adrian's hand that surprised them, even Kasey, herself, was surprised by what she did. "I-I mean, I can clean it myself," Kasey murmured, stuttering as she began panicking.
"Adrian," Gemini called his name to get his attention. "Maybe it's better if I'm the one to disinfect her wounds, she seems to be afraid of guys," Gemini suggested as she took the cotton ball from Adrian.
Nurse Gemini was right she seems to be afraid of guys, she acted the same way she used to be to the boys at our class in the first few weeks since she transferred. Nice thought as he recalls how afraid Kasey at that time when their classmates tried to approach and befriend her.
Is she really afraid of guys? But why?
And just like that Gemini manages to disinfect and treat Kasey's wound.
As Nice silently watches Nurse Gemini treat Kasey everything makes sense to him.
During their class or even during break time, he unconsciously noticed that Kasey barely talks to the boys in their class even from the other class, unless it is needed or necessary especially during their group activities. And the way she acted earlier was the same when one of their male classmates pat her shoulder. Nice doesn't mind it all before because she with Cherry and Diane and whenever they're together, Kasey was always quiet, she barely talks to them, unless it was Cherry and Denise who will talk to her first.
But I hold her hand a while ago, I even drag her and she didn't react that way at all… What's wrong with me today?… Why am I thinking about her and why am I overthinking this?… Her business was hers and not mine!. Nice argued with himself.
"Okay, it will heal in a few days," Gemini told Kasey as she finished applying ointment to Kasey's forehead and palm. "You don't need to worry too, it won't leave a scar since it wasn't that deep nor big after all," she added as she taped a small piece of gauze on Kasey's forehead then a piece of band-aid to her palm.
"Thank you," Kasey responded shyly.
"Let's go, I'll send you home now," Nice stated as he picked Kasey's bag.
Kasey stares at him, puzzled about what she heard. "Huh?, Why?" she asked.
"It's already quarter to six, isn't it obvious?" he pointed out. "And it's better to send you home instead of letting you go alone." he reasoned out.
"Besides, you're a girl and it's dangerous to let you go home by yourself, especially that you're not that familiar here," he muttered to himself.
"I-I'm alright, I'll just contact someone from our house to pick me." Kasey declined to Nice offer.
Then she gets her phone from her pocket to dial the landline number at their house when all of a sudden she put it back in her pocket.
"Why?" Nice questioned her. "I thought you will call someone from your house?"
Kasey wasn't able to look back at Nice in embarrassment. "My phone was low battery," she whispered.
"Let's go, I'll send you home." he offered as he drags Kasey once again towards their club room. "Wait for me here, I'll just get my bag," he said and then he left before she can utter a word.
After getting his stuff they headed towards the convenience store near their school gate, to get his motorbike -MV Agusta F4CC- that his father gave to him as a gift for his eighteenth birthday months ago. He has a student license and he was at a legal age anyway so he chooses to use his motorbike instead of letting their family driver send him to school every day.
"Here, wear this," Nice instructed Kasey as he throws to her his spare helmet.
"What is this?" Kasey asked clueless as to why Nice throw it at her.
"A helmet!" Nice impatiently said. "Wear it and come up here," he added as he rides his motorbike.
"Okay," she responded as she hesitantly rides on his motorbike.
And for a moment Kasey thanked that their school uniform -their skirt- are knee-length and much longer than what she used to wear in Japan.
"Hold tightly," Nice said as he starts the engine.
"Wait!, where should I hold?" Kasey asked.
'Oh, God!' Nice exclaimed in his mind as he glances at Kasey.
"Here," he said coldly as he grabs and pulled her arms towards him to wrap them around his waist. "Hold tightly, if you don't want to fall."
Nice was taken back by the sudden pace of his heartbeat when Kasey tightens her hug to him.
'Huh? what's this? Why I became nervous all of a sudden,' he questioned himself.
"By the way, can you please tell me your address?" he asked dismissing and ignoring the sudden abnormality of his heartbeat.
Nice drove immediately towards Kasey's address after she told him where her home address is.
Kasey also lives in an exclusive subdivision like him and her house was bigger than theirs, it was so huge for a girl like her living with her grandfather, it was a mansion.
"Thank you for sending me home." she thanked him.
"It's nothing," he replied without looking at her.
His attention and eyes were fixed at the familiar black Bentley Bentayga SUV parked outside Kasey's home.
That was dad's car!
"Why don't you come inside and have dinner." she invited him. "It w-was just my way of saying thanks to you and repaying you for driving me home."
"Thank you for the offer, but I'm fine." Nice declined.
"Good evening Miss Kasey." one of their maids greeted as she saw the two of them at the front gate.
"Good evening too Ate Len." Kasey greeted back. "Is Lolo at home already?" she asked. (Translation: Ate - older sister in Tagalog.)
"Yes, Sir has a visitor too," Len responded. "If I heard it right, it was Mr. Tolentino, the owner of those famous five-star hotels here," Len explained.
And upon hearing his surname, his father's surname, Nice confirmed that he was right. It was his father's car.
"Are you alright, Nice?" Kasey asked as he looked up at him with concern.
Nice blink his eyes for a few times as he saw Kasey looking at him.
"H-huh, of course, I-" he was cut off when he saw his father come out from the gate.
"Nice!, what are you doing here?" his father asked, surprised that he saw his son.
"He is my father," Nice explained when he was the questioned look on Kasey's face.
Behind his father is an old man in gray hair and with a good body built for his age.
"Mr. Tolentino, what are you doing here outside? The dinner was about to be served, you can invite your driver too to join us." an old man suggested when his face brightens up upon averting his gaze towards Kasey and Nice.
"I'm home Lolo!" Kasey cheerfully greeted her grandfather.
"My dear, how was your day?" her grandfather asked her when it noticed her forehead. "Wait, what's with that wound? Are you alright? Does it hurts?" he asked continuously as he walks towards her granddaughter to see her forehead. "Who is this young man?" he asked as he averted his eyes towards Nice.
"I'm alright Lolo, you don't need to worry," Kasey assured him. "He's my classmate, Nice Tolentino." she introduced Nice.
Nice looks so nervous as he stares at the old man in front of him. It was like he was about to be interrogated for being seen with his granddaughter.
"Good evening Sir."
"He is my son." his father said as he greeted Mr. Okamoto.
The old man then invited them for dinner which his father accepts, while Nice silently followed his father with respect.
"You have a great son, huh? he got his good looks from you and your late wife." Mr. Okamoto complimented him as he glances at him and smiles sweetly as if he was his grandson.
And just like Nice, Kasey followed silently as if she was just a wind beside them.
Mr. Okamoto guided them towards their living room, where the interior design itself shows how wealthy but humble the Okamoto family is.
Nice can't help but examine the interior and the living room itself in his amusement at how simple it looks like but on the other hand, it shows how the status of the Okamoto's when a portrait caught his attention, in the center of the living room there was a family portrait. His eyes were immediately focused on the young lady with a wide and carefree smile on her face, the kind smile that was the total opposite of her smile that he always sees.
"Lolo, I'm going to my room first." Kasey excused herself.
"Okay go ahead." Mr. Okamoto responded while he was still busy discussing with Nice father the proposal and projects between the two businesses. "Why don't you take Nice with you?" the old man suggested mischievously.
"Huh?!, me going to her room with her? no way!" Nice disagreed in his mind.
Kasey immediately stop and froze upon hearing her grandfather's suggestion. And with her eyes wide open she turns to face her grandfather who was smiling from ear to ear, while the man sitting beside him was also smiling and enjoying the old man's humor.
"Lolo?!" Kasey exclaimed. "It's not a good joke." she flatly said as she took a glance at Nice who was now busy browsing on his phone.
His grandfather just chuckled at the sight of his granddaughter showing new emotions and different facial expressions and reactions on her face.
Kasey then immediately pouted her lips as she turns and walks back towards her room. A few minutes later she came down wearing a plain palladian blue a-line long dress a total opposite of her usual pair of loose shirt and shorts in respect with their visitors, at the same time their maid informed them that their dinner was ready.
"By the way son, Kasey was the girl I was mentioning to you, she was the one I want you to meet." Mr. Tolentino happily informed his son in the middle of their dinner. "I wasn't aware that she was your classmate."
"Me too. I wasn't aware that the young man I want my granddaughter was already her friend and classmate." Mr. Okamoto agreed.
"Mr. Okamoto, you're granddaughter was lovely and on top of that she's charming and I can see that she's independent." Mr. Tolentino complimented Kasey which made her shy. "With due respect, I want her to be my daughter-in-law in the future," he added enthusiastically.
"Papa!" Nice hissed in shock.
"No way! Her? My wife? Impossible!, I never thought of her in that way, being infatuated with her cross my mind so does being in love with her and being in a romantic relationship with her. It never crossed my mind at all." Nice silently and strongly disagree with his father's idea.
While Kasey, on the other hand almost choked herself in shock as they heard Mr. Tolentino's statement.
"Same here Mr. Tolentino." her grandfather agreed with a wide smile on his face as if the two of them were not there sitting beside them.
"Lolo!" Kasey hissed.
"We will not force the both of you to be together, but, honestly my dear I want Nice to be your husband if it would be possible." Mr. Okamoto assured her. "I like this young man," he added as he patted Nice shoulder, who was sitting beside him.
After that little conversation, the two businessmen continue their business talk, while Nice and Kasey remained silent as they finished their food.
"Nice, thank you again." Kasey thanked him for the nth time as she sees him off.
"It's nothing okay?" Nice said, a little bit irritated by her nonstop thanking him.
"You already thanked me earlier, that's enough already, so stop thanking me." he continued while he was putting on his safety gears.
"See you tomorrow at school," he added as he put on his helmet before he starts the engine of his motorbike.
"Yeah. See you tomorrow." Kasey responded, almost a whisper.
"Drive safely," she added, but Nice didn't hear her as the sound of his motorbike engine overlapped with her voice.