As promised, Eloise had dinner with Katherine. After dinner ended, Eloise wanted to go home and call it a day. She happened to pass by a convenience store so she stopped by to fetch some alcohol. It was those days when she would drink alone just because she wanted to. On her way home, she felts as if she was being followed.
"Not again," she murmured after letting out a sigh. Eloise knew that she had to make a detour and try to lose the stalker. She soon became anxious since the stalker seemed to be catching up to her. Since she was left with no other option, she began to run. Sadly, she ended up in a dead end. "Seriously?" she said, frustrated. Then, she hid behind the huge garbage container, praying that she will not be spotted by the stalker. However, she soon heard footsteps. Out of fear, she closed her eyes and just left it all to fate. When she felt her wrist being grabbed, she screamed as loudly as she could.
"Eloise, it's me," said a familiar voice. Eloise opened her eyes and saw that it was Nikolai. Her eyes were teary since she thought the stalker had caught her. Turns out it was just Nikolai. "You…" she said without being able to finish her sentence out of shock. "I saw you from across the street. You seemed anxious. Then I realized someone was following you so I quickly came after you," he explained. After hearing his words, Eloise was finally able to breathe. "I was so scared…" she murmured. That was when Nikolai gave her a hug and said "It's alright now. I am here with you."
His words were surprisingly calming and it just made her worries and anxiety disappear into thin air. Eloise unknowingly held onto his jacket and leaned into his chest. Nikolai could still feel her shivering from the incident. Moments later, he helped her back onto her feet. "I'll take you home," he said as he held her hand tightly. As they walked back, Eloise was still feeling slightly jittery and cautious of her surroundings. It seemed that she was still surprised from the incident. Once they arrived at her apartment, she let go of his grasp. "Thank you," she said, still had a hint of nervousness in her voice. Just before she walked away, Nikolai grabbed her arm and said "I'll stay with you tonight."
Eloise daringly let Nikolai into her home. It was just a one-room-studio apartment but it was decorated to fit her style. "Um, make yourself at home," she said. There was a slight awkwardness in the air due to Eloise who was nervous to have him over. "You have a nice place," Nikolai said as he sat on the couch. He then saw a photo frame that had a photograph of her family. He smiled as he looked at the photo. "Sorry, I only have water or beer. Which will you have?" she said after rummaging through her refrigerator. "I'll have beer then," he replied with a smile.
"Sorry for the trouble…" Eloise said as she offered him the can of beer. "Honestly, I wouldn't be able to sleep well if I left you alone. So, don't thank me," said Nikolai. "You were planning on drinking alone, right?" he asked pointing at the beer cans she bought. "You can say that," she replied without looking at him in the eye. "Look at me," he said. His words caught her off guard. She didn't know how to react since he put his words in a gentle manner despite it being an order. "You don't look at me. Not willingly, at least," he said before he leaned in towards her who was seated across the coffee table. Eloise moved away and obviously, she avoided looking him in the eye.
"Do you not like the idea of me being your boyfriend?" asked Nikolai after he took a seat. Flustered, Eloise did not know how to respond. She didn't hate the idea of them dating but she just couldn't believe that they are dating. Plus, the lady she met at the café was bothering her. "You…You don't really like me. You are just doing this for fun," she said after gathering her courage. "What makes you think that?" he asked, cold and stern. "You…You are a playboy," she replied despite being scared and worried to hear his response. "I said I want to try to love you," he replied in all seriousness. "I saw you with a lady at a café the other day," said Eloise after much thought. "I know," he replied. His reply surprised her. "You know? How?" she asked. "I saw you. That place is your part-time job, right?" he responded with confidence. She didn't know what to say since her cover was blown.
That was when Nikolai knelt down before her and gently touched her face. Immediately, she blushed. They also made eye contact. "What must I do for you to believe me?" he asked with his deep and gentle voice. Upon seeing her own reflection in his eyes, Eloise could feel butterflies in her stomach and her heart was about to jump out of her chest. "Your eyes… so beautiful," he said, again, with his deep and gentle voice. It was too much for her to take in. She tried to stand up and walk away but he pulled her arm so as to stop her from leaving. This also gave him the leverage - Nikolai was the top, leaning against Eloise who was seated.
"Wh-What are you doing?" asked Eloise, nervous and slightly scared. "Making you realize my feelings," replied Nikolai as he stared straight into her eyes. A moment of silence filled the room. It was clear what was about to happen next if Eloise succumbs to him. With Nikolai slowly leaning in towards her, Eloise found the strength to push him away. "No kissing. The contract only allows holding hands," she said, trying to find an excuse. Upon hearing her excuse for rejecting him, Nikolai could only laugh. It was a really genuine laugh that showed another side of him - bubbly and nice. "I totally forgot about the rules," he said, still giggling. "Now that our relationship is no longer pretend, let's revise the rules," he suggested. His long slender fingers brushed her hair and touched her cheeks gently as he looked her in the eye. "We can do anything with consent," he said. "A-Anything?" murmured Eloise who was surprised yet mesmerized by his gaze and touch.