[76]
“You’re quite reckless walking around this night alone. No one to keep you company?” asked Andrew as he looked around. He still had to be vigilant even though the place where he met Giselle was far from people watching him.
Ah… she didn’t expect what Andy said to be true at all. He shouldn’t have doubted the people who were loyal to him, right? But the two years in exile made Andrew really careful in his behavior and steps.
“I guess it doesn’t matter, does it?” Giselle smiled widely. Her warm chocolate cup was back to its original shape. It was full and could be enjoyed with a sandwich that turned out to be quite delicious. Just for the company of those who still wanted to enjoy the night. “Anyway, Justin said I don’t have to worry about people wanting to do me harm. Unless you suddenly show up without any notice. I think you’re a ghost.” Giselle chuckled in annoyance.
Which was responded to by a crisp laugh from the man who hadn’t changed much from the last time Giselle had met him. Except that his appearance was much more human than before. That is to say, more expressive and less depressed.
“I’m still alive, even if I’m not, it’s not a matter of me haunting you.”
Giselle was lost in the laughter that Andrew had created. “You’re still talking out of your ass.” she took a sip of her hot chocolate. “How are you? How did you know I was here? And I don’t want there to be a coincidence that you live in this town. And all this time? Two years you just disappeared after causing an uproar in Centralia? I thought, you really vanished into thin air and never wanted to show yourself again.”
Andrew was amazed by all of Giselle’s narration, which seemed to be without pause. Moreover, the girl’s eyes looked teary, her voice was also full of worry and anxiety, but it was covered by the arrogance of the way she spoke. Like the Giselle he remembered, she rarely made her point clearly.
“Are you asking me or bombarding me with your worries?”
Giselle scowled in disapproval. “Forget about my question earlier. I was just joking.”
“Unfortunately, I’ve already recorded all your questions in my heart. Do you still want to hear my answers, or do you want to forget them?” Andrew leaned back on the garden chair they were sitting on. A little distance away just to make sure Giselle was comfortable. Lest the excitement in his heart make him forget, Giselle is still the same as she was two years ago. unreachable.
But seeing her wearing only a black cardigan with a loose T-shirt and long culottes, as well as her appearance with no makeup at all, made Giselle exude an unusual beauty. Which makes Andrew actually not want to divert himself anywhere but to stare at the model whose name still tops the list.
Speaking of models… Andrew should be self-aware, right, who he is now?
He is no longer the Kingston of luxury. He was just…
God, just tonight give him the opportunity to quench his thirst to see Giselle in person. After all this time, he was only satisfied through the social media that he always followed. Whatever Giselle was doing, she knew and followed it. Although sometimes it was a little late because Andy didn’t always communicate with her. Andy was the only one whose communication hadn’t been cut off since he first decided on the craziest thing in life.
What does he regret?
Not at all. Instead, he felt more free and alive even though he had to go through several trials. And also moved places and cities to avoid the pursuit of his father’s men. He doesn’t want to go back yet and if possible, he wants to continue living the life he chose this time. maybe because he was tired and no longer found traces of himself, his father finally stopped bothering him.
But it left Andrew stranded in a city that didn’t offer much in the way of luxuries. Wasn’t that a stroke of luck for him? It should be, but similar to what Great Asia had shown, he was having a hard time finding a job. Especially with him choosing to keep his background under wraps.
“I was just wondering, how have your last two years been, Andrew?” Giselle turned her head. And locked eyes with the man who had not yet taken his eyes off her. if Giselle could correct her assessment of the man, somewhat, there was a slight change. That’s right. Andrew looked thinner than the last time Giselle remembered him wearing a blazer or a fancy suit.
But now?
“So far so good.” Andrew smiled, his eyes already averted as he felt it was no longer appropriate to stare at the girl he longed for. He swore to death he missed her but he couldn’t quite put into words what was ruling his heart. It was stuck in his throat, blocking almost all of his breath, but at least… he was happy. Giselle was just as charming as she looked on social media and the many commercials she starred in.
“What exactly happened?” asked Giselle curiously. Which made Andrew turn his head briefly.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g
“As reported, right?” Andrew glanced at the clock on his left hand. “It’s quite late and I guess you must be expected by your assistant, right?”
Andrew’s words had some truth to them. “You’re right. I didn’t realize thirty minutes had passed. I think Brina is starting to look for me.” Giselle sighed, grabbed her shopping bag, and prepared to return to the hotel.
Andrew chuckled. “Come on, I’ll take you to the lobby.”
“You live around the hotel?”
“Of course not.” Andrew held out his hand. “Your shopping bag, Giselle. Let me carry it for you.”
“Don’t,” prevented Giselle with a blush on her cheeks. She didn’t want to risk Andrew knowing what was inside.
“I can’t let myself walk by your side without helping at all. It’s light, but at the very least, such a trivial thing relieves you a little.”
Giselle shook her head immediately. “I’ll carry the shopping bags.” She moved ahead of Andrew, who she knew was only shaking his head in surprise but following her. Maybe it was just Giselle’s feelings but she felt that there were several pairs of eyes looking at her with a curious look.
“You’d better wear this.” Andrew took off the baseball cap he was wearing under his hockey cap. “Hide your face a bit. I don’t want any bad gossip about you tomorrow.”
“Bad how?”
Andrew smiled as he put the hat on Giselle. Choosing to concentrate because Giselle was staring at him uninterruptedly. As if waiting for Andrew to answer the question just now. “Well, like this is better.”
“You’re avoiding some of my questions, Andrew,” Giselle said with a look of displeasure. “Did I ask the wrong question?”
“No.” Andrew still maintained his smile.
“Then why don’t you answer?”
“It’s getting late. You’d better get some rest. I only know you’ve been here for about three days, right? I guess your work schedule is very busy.”
Giselle growled in annoyance but couldn’t voice it for some reason. It was as if if if she kept asking, she was showing what she felt about Andrew. She was grateful, really… she was very grateful to be able to meet Andrew here even though it was very surprising. What did he say? Did Andy tell you?
“You said… Andy told you about my schedule while here?”
“That’s right.” Andrew paused for a moment as he watched Giselle’s steps as she prepared to cross the highway. Although it wasn’t too crowded, they still had to be careful. “Come on, the lights are already giving us the signal.”
Giselle obeyed Andrew who was one step ahead of her. It was as if the man was trying to protect Giselle. His gestures said so and somehow made Giselle feel comfortable around him.
“I asked Andy about you once,” Giselle said quietly but then, her eyes widened in disbelief. “You asked him to keep quiet? Not tell me about you?”
Andrew didn’t speak, just smiled faintly, which made Giselle even angrier.
“You’re too much!”
“I’m taking care that everything goes as it should─”
“You don’t consider me your friend? It was stupid of me to worry about you, send you messages, even find out about you from people who might know you well! but what did I get? You shut off access for me to know how you are?”