Filed to story: Sweetheart Do You Still Love Me
“You’ve been trying to run away from me the whole night.” The look on her face says to stay away from me. Hank was upset about that.
Yelena averted her gaze and looked outside the window. “I’m not trying to run. Just a little uneasy, that’s all.”
Hank noticed her blush, and the sense of unease in his heart lessened. Maybe it’s not what I thought. “Why are you uneasy?” he muttered, trying to weasel the answer out of her.
“I don’t know?”
“Do you like me?” he asked.
Yelena blushed, her ears pink. “No. It’s not… I’m… It’s…”
Suddenly, Hank leaned over and huddled closer to her. Yelena could smell him, yet she didn’t move away.
He stopped about an inch away from her face, and Yelena felt a little claustrophobic.
“You’re so dishonest with your feelings.” Hank wanted to tease the timid girl. “Do you not like me then?”
Caught by surprise, Yelena didn’t know how to answer that, and she hung her head low.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Too shy?”
Yelena gulped. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Then you answer my questions.” Hank gulped and caressed her cheek. “Do you like being with me?”
Yelena wouldn’t lie about this. “Yes,” she said.
“Do you like me being with you?”
“Yes.” Whenever he was around, she felt safe. It felt like he could settle any problems for her.
“What if I were to be with some other girl?”
Yelena imagined that, and she frowned immediately.
“I don’t like the idea.”
“Then you like me.” A weight was lifted off Hank’s shoulder. As long as she likes me, then I can settle everything else.
“P-Perhaps.” Yelena was able to express her feelings easily when she was with Max. She was the one who courted him. However, she couldn’t even form a coherent sentence now. She had no idea why she became so shy.
“Do you want to be my girlfriend, then?”
The confession caught her by surprise. She looked at him. Her nose was still red from the cold because she had just gotten in the car and the heater wasn’t hot enough yet. Her eyes were glimmering like a bunny’s. Hank felt like teasing her.
A long, long while later, she blurted, “Do you like me, then?” It was a stupid question, but she had no better ones. She was at a loss.
“Why do you think I confessed?” She’s usually smart, but she’s slow now.
“I-I see.”
“So, do you want to be my girlfriend?” She’s still hesitating. I should up the ante. “If you date me, I can settle any problem for you. No questions asked.”
Yelena didn’t like hassles, and she would be at a loss every time she came across any problem. That was a great deal for her, and her eyes shone. “Really? Anything?”
“Of course. I don’t take my word back. The ball is in your court now.” Hank crossed his arms and stared at her.
“But I just broke up. Getting into a new relationship so soon is… not that good, I reckon.” She had let everything go, but still, she thought it was unfair to both Max and Hank.
“Why not? It’s been three months since you guys broke up, not three days. It’s enough time to move on for both of you.”
Yelena mused over his words.
“Besides, you guys have talked it out, and he has let things go, hasn’t he?”
“I guess so.” Yelena thought he had a point.
“Then just move forward as well. Date me.”
Yelena was surprised at how aggressive Hank was, and she was reminded of herself. He’s just like me back then. “O-Okay, then.” She couldn’t believe she had gotten herself into another relationship all of a sudden. “Why did you confess all of a sudden?”
Hank cocked his eyebrow. “I didn’t confess. You did.”
Yelena thought back on the conversation. Oh yeah. He did trick me into saying I liked him, but he never confessed.
“So, you mean to say I confessed?” I’m the one coerced into this relationship. How come I was the one who confessed? Weird.
Yelena couldn’t figure out how this happened, while Hank felt delighted. He was annoyed that Yelena courted Max. He didn’t like that she was hesitant when it came to him, but she didn’t even hesitate when it came to Max. So, he came up with a trick to make her confess today. And she fell for it. Hank was a little smug about that.
“Fine. We’re already together anyway. I should just let this slide.” In the end, Yelena chose to forget about this little episode.
“So, what’s this about you going abroad?” Hank was annoyed just mentioning that. Elspeth and Max knew, but only he didn’t.
Oh, he’s mad. I’d better explain. “Um, the management wants me to shoot a film. It’s in Wohler, so I’ll have to go abroad for about six months.”
“When are you setting off?”
“Three-thirty tomorrow.”
So that’s why Max was unusually nice. Everyone knew Max would undergo training in Wohler. The list of applicants was open to all in the company. They’ll be going to the same place, so he wanted her to stay and see if he would get any chance to rekindle old flames. Good thing the girl held on, or he would have taken her back. Glad I confessed tonight.
Hey, maybe I’m a seer. Hank heaved a sigh of relief. “I can’t go with you because I have work to do here, but if you need anything, call me. I’ll put everything on hold and go to you.”
Yelena felt warm and fuzzy inside. “Oh, it’ll be alright. I’ll call if I ever need anything.” She was getting used to relying on Hank for everything. Even if she didn’t need anything, she still would call him.
“Good girl. I’ll get you a present.” Hank turned the car around and drove toward the city center.
“But it’s late. Where are you taking me?”
Hank smiled. “You’ll see.”
They eventually arrived at the mall. It was ten at night, but the mall was still bright and alive. It was open 24 hours a day, after all. Hank led her to a jewelry store and told the staff to get him the limited- edition ring. “Get the ring I told you about last time.”
“Butterfly’s Kiss?” The retail assistant smiled.
“Yes.”
Um, he seems to know this place too well. Yelena’s mind drifted elsewhere. “You used to bring your exes here, didn’t you?” How else would he know this place so well? And he knows their products too. Very suspicious.
Hank rolled his eyes and ignored Yelena.
“Here’s the thing you want, boss.”
Boss? Yelena choked on herself. Man, that was a stupid question I asked. This is his shop. Of course, he knows it well.
The retail assistant placed the box on the table and slowly opened the lid, revealing a gleaming diamond ring with butterfly wings on the sides.
“Do you like it?”
Yelena was stupefied. The ring was immaculately designed. It’s prettier than Elspeth’s latest design. Elspeth sneezed the moment her friend had that thought. “Yeah, I love it.”
Hank held up the ring and put it over her right middle finger. “Then wear it well. This’ll tell everyone that you have a boyfriend.”
Yelena blushed. A ring on my right middle finger? That’s not a sign I’m taken. That means I’m engaged. “It’s a bit too early, isn’t it?”
“No. You’re my girlfriend.” He wore the other ring on his finger. “And don’t take it off. I want to see the ring on your finger when we have a video call every night.”
A lawyer and a bossy boyfriend. Ooh. She teased, “Someone’s bossy.”
“Only to you.” Hank looked at her lovingly.
