"What!" Rosalia responds in shock. Everyone around them starts laughing at Sir John's unusual words.
"Shut up, everyone! And you, what is 'what'?" he yells, silencing all the employees around them.
Internally, Rosalia sighs. I'm going to die today; this punk is too much to tolerate! How pathetically he is insulting me! She stays silent for a moment, processing his proposal before deciding to play along. She repeats his words with a slightly dramatic flair.
"Sir John Andrew, I always come late because I'm afraid of falling for your handsome face. You know, you are worldwide handsome, and I'm not even your type. I'm always afraid—what if I fall in love with you, and you're not going to accept me, even if I die? I'd be sad forever. That's why I'm late. I'm sorry; I won't do that again."
Sir John seems taken aback, narrowing his eyes. "Yah, girl! How dare you flirt with me? You know my age!"
She stares at him, genuinely dumbfounded by his reaction. "I know I'm worldwide handsome, but you are not my type, and I hate it when people praise me. I don't like to get praised at all!" His exasperated tone brings a small smirk to her lips.
She mutters quietly, "Punk!"
"Did you say something?" he snaps, eyeing her suspiciously.
Rosalia shakes her head quickly, denying it.
"Now, repeat after me: 'Sir John Andrew, as you are a worldwide handsome and kind man, please consider me today,'" he commands, clearly enjoying the game he's playing.
She sighs with a mix of resignation and disbelief, then repeats, "Sir John Andrew, as you are a worldwide handsome and kind man, please consider me today."
Sir John chuckles, appearing satisfied. "Oh, Rosalia, you are embarrassing me now. You know I don't like it when people praise me. Okay, go to your work."
With a sigh of relief, Rosalia quickly retreats to her workspace. Meanwhile, Sir John shakes his head, pressing his fingers to his temples with a shrug. "What to do with my handsome face? Everybody falls for it."
As the clock strikes 8 PM, Rosalia's work schedule comes to an end. She gathers her belongings and, glancing at her phone, notices a missed call from Henry. A small smile spreads across her face, and she immediately dials his number, eager to connect with him.
"Rosa, have you finished already?" Henry's warm voice fills her ear, soothing her tired mind after the long day.
"Yeah. Why did you call me a thousand times?" she teases lightly.
"Come out; I'm waiting for you," he replies, a playful tone in his voice.
"Okay, wait, what?" she asks, caught off guard. She hears him chuckling on the other end, which makes her smile even wider.
"What are you saying? Have you gone mad?" She quickly ends the call and rushes out of the building, searching the bustling street for him. Her eyes land on a familiar figure standing beneath a cherry tree a few paces away, and she breaks into a run, sprinting towards him. When she reaches him, she stops, panting.
"Hey, calm down," he says, smiling softly as she catches her breath.
She glares looking at him. "Why didn't you pick up my call earlier?" she asks, a hint of impatience in her voice.
"Sorry, sorry! I was so busy," she replies sheepishly. "But why are you here? Do you know how dangerous it is for you to be out here like this? What if that filthy mafia sees us together?" Her tone takes on a worried edge as she eyes him closely.
Instead of answering, Henry immediately pulls her into a hug, catching her by surprise.
"Omo, what happened to my baby bear?" She pats his back gently. "Did that jerk bother you?" she asks, her voice filled with concern.
"No, surprisingly, he didn't. I hope he never shows up in front of me again, but if he does, I'll lose my baby bear," she murmurs, pulling back slightly from the embrace to look at him.
Henry chuckles softly and shakes his head. "Stop caring about me so much. I'm not a child," he says, trying to appear annoyed, though a smile plays at his lips.
"You are my child forever," Rosalia insists, patting his cheek affectionately. "I have so few people in my life and don't want to lose any of them." Her words come out softly, filled with genuine warmth.
A smile flickers on Henry's lips at her words, his gaze softening as he looks at her. There's a comfortable silence between them, a moment of understanding that doesn't need words.
"When will you be free?" he asks, breaking the quiet.
"Maybe in a few days," she replies thoughtfully.
"Let's go somewhere, then," he suggests, his eyes brightening at the idea.
"Wow, seriously?" she exclaims, unable to hide her excitement.
"Yes, cutie," he teases with a grin.
"But… how come you're suggesting an outing?" she asks, feigning suspicion. "That's not like you at all."
Henry laughs, shaking his head. "Because my mind is going blank," he admits, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Definitely, I'll go—but you have to leave now," she says, pointing towards the street, trying to send him on his way.
"No way! I'm going to drop you home," he declares, crossing his arms. "And don't worry about me. I'm all right."
She raises an eyebrow, amused by his sudden determination. "I wonder if you've gotten any superpowers. Aren't you afraid of that mafia anymore?" she teases him, poking at his side playfully.
Henry shakes his head, exasperated but smiling. "I can go home alone; don't worry. You should leave now," she insists.
With a soft smile, she reaches up and gently strokes his chin, gazing into his eyes. Henry's protective instincts kick in, and he swiftly takes her hand, guiding her toward his car without another word. Confused by this sudden change, she falls silent and follows him, examining his side profile as he drives.
"Henry, did something happen?" she asks gently, hoping to understand his sudden change in mood.
He keeps his focus on the road, not answering immediately, which only makes her more curious.
"Did I do something wrong?" she tries again, her voice filled with concern.
Finally, her persistent questioning makes him glance her way, though he tries to play it cool. "No, I'm not worried," he says, patting her head affectionately, though the faint shadow of worry in his eyes doesn't escape her notice.
They soon reach her home. "Here we are," he announces as he pulls up in front of her house. "Now go home and get a good night's rest, my cute Rosa."
They share a warm smile, both living in the moment fully before she finally steps out of the car.
"Okay, go home safely," she says, giving him a small wave before closing the door.
With a final wave, they say their goodbyes, each heading their separate ways with the quiet comfort of knowing they'd see each other soon.