The cramped interior of the car was thick with tension, the air so stifling it seemed to press down on every breath. Lucas Zeller sat in the driver's seat, his strikingly handsome features tightened into a rigid mask. His intense eyes were fixed straight ahead, refusing to glance to the side, yet his grip on the steering wheel betrayed him—the knuckles on his hands were white from clenching too hard. A small flicker of frustration burned in his gaze, a clear indicator of his terrible mood.
Chloe Grace stole a cautious glance at Lucas, using the corner of her eye to assess his stormy expression. Her heart skipped a beat. *He's angry. Really angry.* But why? As far as she could recall, she hadn't done anything to upset him. Yet ever since they left the private dining room where they'd shared a meal with Yuto Miyazawa, Lucas's demeanor had been clouded by irritation.
"If you want to stare, just do it openly," Lucas suddenly remarked, his deep, velvety voice breaking the silence. "Why are you sneaking glances like a thief?"
The unexpected comment startled Chloe. Her tongue, mid-thought, stuck out awkwardly in response, and she froze with wide eyes like a deer caught in headlights.
Lucas turned his head slightly to look at her, raising an eyebrow. "Chloe, are you trying to reenact some ghost from a haunted house? What's with that look?" He paused for a second and then waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it. I didn't say that."
"Lucas, I wasn't sneaking glances!" she defended herself, trying to sound indignant.
"Really? Because it feels like your gaze has burned a hole into the side of my face," he retorted, glancing back at the road.
Chloe blinked, caught off guard by his remark. Then her lips curled into a sly smile. "Wait… does this mean you noticed I was watching you? Were you secretly paying attention to me this whole time?"
Lucas scoffed, refusing to meet her gaze. "Don't flatter yourself. It's just that your stare was too blatant to ignore."
Her smile faltered for a moment before she asked softly, "Lucas, are you upset with me for some reason?"
"…I'm not," he replied curtly, his voice low. But even as he said it, he avoided her eyes. "I just don't enjoy attending events like the celebration we just left."
Chloe frowned. "If you don't like those kinds of gatherings, why did you agree to come with Yuto in the first place?"
Lucas shot her a side glance. "Didn't you push me into it?"
Her cheeks puffed in mild frustration. "That's different! I wasn't forcing you—I was helping you face your true feelings. Giving you a chance."
"A chance?" Lucas repeated, almost incredulous. "You mean to say you're forcing someone to like you and calling it 'creating opportunities'?"
"Of course!" Chloe replied with a cheeky grin. "What if you secretly like me but don't realize it until it's too late? If I give up on you, you'll regret it. So, I'm helping you figure out your feelings before that happens."
Lucas let out a derisive laugh. "I can't decide if you're delusional or just hopelessly shameless."
"Fine," she huffed. "If you're so confident you don't like me, at least give me the chance to know for sure. Let me prove it to myself. Once the time is up and you still don't feel anything, I'll leave you alone."
Lucas fell silent, the words hitting a nerve he couldn't quite pinpoint. As they approached a red light, he glanced at her briefly. "Chloe, what do you think of Yuto Miyazawa?"
Caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic, Chloe blinked. "What do you mean? You know him better than I do. I've only met him twice."
"I mean… what's your impression of him?"
She paused, tilting her head in thought. "Well… he seems nice overall. I mean, I did feel like he manipulated the situation a bit at first, but he's not unpleasant. He's polite, sincere, and his appearance is—well, he's quite attractive, isn't he?" Her voice trailed off as if unsure how much to say.
Lucas's jaw tightened imperceptibly. "'Not unpleasant'? 'Quite attractive'? That's all it takes to leave a good impression on you?"
Her brows furrowed. "Why are you making such a big deal out of this? I don't even know him that well! You're acting like I've done something wrong."
He exhaled sharply, gripping the wheel tighter. "Never mind," he muttered. "Forget I asked."
Chloe studied his profile, trying to make sense of his cryptic mood. "Didn't you say Annie called you about something urgent? What happened at the café?"
Lucas straightened his posture, rolling his shoulders before answering. "Annie didn't call. Nothing happened at the café."
Her jaw dropped. "What?!"
"You heard me."
"Then why did you make such a big deal about rushing out of there? We didn't even say goodbye to Yuto properly—it was so rude!"
"Would you rather I left you there with him to finish your cozy little dinner?" Lucas snapped, a rare edge of jealousy slipping into his tone.
Chloe stared at him, wide-eyed. "I don't understand what you're implying. What does this have to do with Yuto?"
Lucas's lips pressed into a thin line. After a moment, he sighed. "Forget it. It's not important."
As they pulled up to their destination, Lucas cut the engine and opened the door. "We're here. Let's go."
Chloe hesitated, still trying to process the sudden shift in his mood. She followed him out of the car, her thoughts swirling with unanswered questions.