"Uh, okay. I'll look around the new flavors first before checking out." Rowan felt happy knowing they were still around. When he headed to the other section, he figured he should buy a few things he had never eaten before.
"I wonder which of these is up to Duke's taste… also Arrow's…" he mumbled to himself as he took a small shop basket and readied his loose change. After all, he needed them for the dispensers.
This candy shop had multiple dispensers that needed coins to operate. The counter did have packaged candies and a bill exchanger, but most times, the patrons wouldn't even speak to them. The kids would go inside, push a coin into the dispenser, get four or five candies, and leave like nothing happened. That was also why Rowan liked coming there.
Even if he didn't want to spend more than he had, he still came to the exchanger and deposited a few bills. His shop basket was almost filled to the brim when he got to the counter. There were just so many, and he knew that he might never return to that place. Arrow might also take away half of it, so he needed to buy a lot.
With a blush on his face, he cleared his throat. He saw how the attendant smiled widely at him. Rowan almost murmured, "Ten packs of the strawberry drops please…"
"You must have been a huge patron of the shop before you moved out." She giggled as she processed the purchase and bagged the candies inside the shop basket. "Thank you for loving our candy!"
"No problem…" Rowan chuckled before looking down again. He still felt like a small child with all of those sweets. After receiving the bagged candies, he kept his head low to find a candy he would taste first. After all, he had to share that with Duke as well.
Another grown man entered the shop. Since the person didn't call out to Rowan, he figured that wasn't Duke. Rowan just ignored that man… until the man blatantly stepped right in front of him.
If that was Rowan three years ago, he would have collided with the man. It's just that Rowan managed to step back before the bag even touched the other person. A glare also shot from his eyes, his face not even lifting from looking down.
"How disappointing. I really thought you'd changed after what you showed me last night…"
"…I don't remember you or Connie having anything to do with this shop. Why are you bringing your evil out here, Scott?" Rowan snapped as he turned his nose up.
Out of all the people he could run into today, it was Scott who had fled from his home after last night. However, the man still acted like he was not terrified of Rowan's return. A strange air of scorching tension blew in between them, but Rowan was the first to move to the side to walk past the other.
"I don't have a lot of free time right now. I'm not wasting more seconds on you," Rowan said, but Scott moved to grab his arm. If Rowan was not careful, he would have spilled some candies at the sudden pull. Another glare was sent to the profile of the other man.
"Who was that guy with you last night? I know he's with you if he speaks about you… and me." Scott turned to Rowan when he said the last two words. "Say, Rowan, what are you hoping to achieve now? Launching those paintings… Do you want me to pity you?"
Rowan passed the candy bag to his other hand before shrugging Scott's grip off his arm. The painter only moved a bit to face the other. "Pity? I don't want your pity… I want your blood."
"My blood?" Scott turned to face Rowan, but the painter jogged off before their eyes would even meet. When Scott turned behind him, he saw how Rowan ran up to Duke with a huge smile. He even showed off the candies in the bag, letting Duke take one before they left the shop as if Scott was not there.
They only had a short free time. They had no time to waste on Scott, no matter how much of a villain he was to Rowan.
Scott only clicked his tongue and walked straight to the counter. The attendant saw their encounter, but she didn't know why she grew so scared. In the end, she just stayed rooted in her spot and prepared the usual order for that man in front of her.
She presented the bag to Scott. "Five packs of strawberry drops. Thank you for your patronage!"
…
"I saw him walk inside. Did he not do anything to you?" Duke asked as they continued strolling along the sunny and crowded city. The summer sun was strong, but it never dampened the enthusiasm of the people under it. However, the people's volume in the streets was not enough for Rowan to get distracted.
"He tried to make me talk to him." Rowan huffed as he kept the similar hard candy Duke picked in his mouth. Since he was making it roll inside, he kept on biting a few chunks off. "I would have said something awful, but it was inside my candy shop. I'm not going to taint that place just because of him.
"Also…" Rowan made the candy roll to one of his cheek pouches and grinned at Duke. "If I argue with him, I would have less time to spend with you. It's not worth the exchange—at least, not today. Let's see more places. We don't have a full hour anymore."
"You have a point."
Duke only chuckled as he pulled Rowan closer to him. His arm was on Rowan's shoulder because Rowan was holding the candy bag with one hand and the wrapper in the other. Since the weather was hot, they didn't have to be in multiple layers. It was easier to feel Rowan's body heat pressing against his body.
He then hummed as he remembered something. "Rowan, you might have to stay in the hotel alone tonight. I was called in for an extraction operation. Pareidolia is normally asked by other groups, but Sir hoped we answer when it happens. After all, more friends, more clients for everyone."
Rowan's bright eyes dimmed a little. "You're still working? I thought we were on vacation this week. I should have listened to Locket. Are you going to leave after dinner? I'm still at a guesting by then."
"Sorry, Rowan. I'll make it up to you tomorrow afternoon." Duke kissed the blonde wig on Rowan's head, but his eyes glistened differently outside Rowan's gaze. "Don't worry, it's worth my absence. I'm not going to leave you before you reach the hotel tonight."