Upon hearing what Ken just said, Mandy halted for a split second and stared at him with an expression of annoyance.
She was upset.
Ken removed his hands, which were folded before and looked at her with a smile on his face, as if he didn't know why she stared at him that way.
For about three seconds, they both stood there staring at each other, and afterwards Mandy turned back to go and close the vehicle.
"Wait…wait…wait…!" Ken exclaimed as she ran to her and held her hands.
Mandy turned and looked at him before saying…
"Why did you call me that!" She exclaimed, still upset.
Ken didn't know why she acted this way, however all he told himself, was that he was just going to play along for now.
"What do you mean…?" He asked with a smug expression. "…ain't you the lady who poured coffee on my shirt some days back…?"
Mandy stared at him for a second, without saying a word. And then…
"Is that why you called me that…?" She asked.
"I mean… you were the one who was rushing, so why are you upset." Ken replied with a puzzled, yet funny expression.
"And so, you decided to call me that…huh?" Mandy responded.
Ken didn't utter a word for the moment. He wanted her to sink in what she had just said.
In other words, he wanted her to check within herself, if she had the right to judge him.
"And even so, after that incident you didn't apologize.…" He added.
"WHAT!" She exclaimed, before covering her mouth, to prevent attention being drawn to herself.
Ken stared at her with an eyebrow raised up, while he gave her time to think.
She placed her hand on her chin, and recalled all that happened at the particular incident.
'He is the one that is supposed to apologize not me,' She thought. "…I meant-"
Before she could finish her own thoughts, that particular scene, when she just walked passed him after she had yelled at him, all flash into her head like a wave.
Upon witnessing this particular memory, her expression changed. And now she knew that she was at the wrong.
Although, based on her personality, she could have easily just done like she didn't remember, and walked away from him.
However, she thought about her sister Sheeny. She recalled what her sister had told her and then she decided to do the right thing.
"So…?" Ken uttered immediately as he saw the change in her expression.
Mandy looked up at him while her face turned a bit red. Although, she still had that tough-face expression.
"I admit," She began. "…I was indeed the one who actually bumped into you that day—"
"And?!" Ken cut her short, as he uttered again with an expression that said <where is my apology>
Mandy's face became even more red, as signs of embarrassment filled her face.
"I—I, I…apologize." She uttered, as she stuttered.
However, Ken didn't utter a word and only stared at her.
She noticed this, and thought to herself. 'Isn't that enough…?'
But there was still a moment of silence.
"I Said I Was Sorry…!" She exclaimed, as she got pissed off by the expression Ken was giving her.
'That's Good,' Ken thought. '…With this, I should be able to get her to submit more.'
"Did You Hear Me.…?" Mandy exclaimed, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"O-Oh… yeah, I heard you,* Ken responded.
"That's good…" Mandy said, with a sigh of relief.
To her, she felt like she was about to crumble, as a portion of energy had just left her.
She is a proud lady, and now that she has brought herself this low, to apologize to a guy that she barely even knows that well. She felt that her pride had dropped.
Ken saw the sign of relief in her face, and knew that he had to go even harder. He wasn't about to let this chance go.
He then uttered...
"…That doesn't mean I have forgiven you," He said with a smirk on his face. "…I will only forgive you under one condition."
'This is not a time to give up, I need to get into her more…' He thought.
Upon hearing this, Mandy didn't even falter. She immediately hissed, and turned to close the vehicle' s door.
She was a tough lady.
After she had shot it, she instantly walked through the front of the jeep to the driver's side.
Ken knew instantly, that she wasn't going to listen to him anymore. And if he let her go like this, there wouldn't be another chance.
And so he moved on impulse and grabbed her hand before she could enter the vehicle.
"…How about we go and get that coffee?" He exclaimed real quick.
Mandy halted and turned to look at him, while Ken released her.
"What Coffee…?" She asked, with her usual tough-face tone.
'Sheesh… this lady is a tough one.' Ken thought, before he responded to her.
"You know… " He began. "…since your coffee spilled on me, and you weren't able to get another that day, I thought why don't I get you a coffee in replacement for that day."
Ken paused for a while and took a good look at her face.
There was no reaction of any sort.
'Still acting tough…huh?' He thought.
"And even so I told you I could get you another that day, however you said you can't accept it because you were already running late. So I thought it would be a win win for both of us."
Ken smiled as he ended his statement with the last sentence.
Mandy stared at him for a while, still on the tough face and no smile.
She then sighed a little before saying.
"I guess that will be alright…" She replied.
"YES!" Ken exclaimed as he used his hands for a hurray celebration.
This attitude of his was able to bring out a glimpse of smile on Mandy's face. However Ken didn't see it because he was busy jubilating to even notice.
'He… is just like a child,' Mandy thought, still having that smile on her face. '…I guess that's what you get for having so much younger siblings.' She ended her thoughts, while her face changed back to her normal tough mode.
"I am glad you are happy," She uttered. "…however that can't be today, for I have work to attend today."
Ken ended his excitement and composed himself, as he adjusted his voice.
"So when will you have time…?" He asked.
"Hmm… Let me think." Mandy uttered.
'Since it is coffee that we are only going to get, it should be in the morning. But I don't always have any free time in the morning… urghh'
Mandy became frustrated in her thought, although Ken couldn't tell until.
[Ding!]
[The Lady Mandy… is thinking of a suitable time in her schedule to choose for the date.]
[Since she works every morning.]
Upon reading the message in front of him, Ken thought.
'That is true. The System had done this before. Telling me what the person I am talking to is thinking about. Can it actually read minds?'
Although, that was one thing for Ken to think about. However now wasn't the best time. He had to finish with Mandy first.
'…that can come later. I need to give her a time.' He thought.
"How about on Thursday!" He uttered.
Mandy raised her head, snapping out from her thoughts as she heard this.
"…is that okay with you…?" He asked.
Mandy thought for a while and then gave him an answer while she nodded.
"That is perfect." She said.
"That's great." Ken uttered immediately. "…so I will see yo…u....-"
He froze without completing his words, as he thought.
'See her where? We haven't even picked a place, moreover I don't even have her number.'
Mandy noticed and then said.
"Here is my number, I will text you the place before then."
It was obvious that they couldn't go to that same place where the incident happened. So they had to choose a different place.
"Right!" Ken uttered immediately after scanning the code on her phone and getting her number.
"So I will see you then…?" He said, as Mandy nodded and entered her Jeep.
She started the vehicle, gave him a horn, and then drove off.
Ken was excited that he had taken this step, as he stared at his phone looking at her complete name… Mandy Thompson.
After staring at her name for a while, he placed his phone inside his jacket pocket.
And as he was about to be on his way, he held his name called out by someone.