: Please Take Care of Me

2

This guy was so forward, I could barely handle it.

I hurriedly threw on some clothes.

And ran downstairs.

At the front door stood a man in a black suit, looking austere and refined.

His jet-black eyes, like a vast, starry sky, burned into me.

Suddenly, the courage that had just swelled up inside me seemed to vanish into thin air.

I shuffled my feet, inching my way toward Quinn Caldwell.

Quinn Caldwell had his hands in his pockets, a half-smile playing on his lips as his obsidian eyes watched me.

His deep voice held a slight tension as he asked teasingly.

"What's wrong? Weren't you being so brave just now?"

"Chickening out already?"

I…

'You're supposed to see it and not say it, you know?'

My palms were damp, but I straightened my clothes, lifted my chin, and put on my bravest face.

'I can be a coward on the inside, but I have to keep up the bravado.'

"What are you talking about, 'chickening out'? I always follow my heart."

"Oh? So you're saying everything you said earlier was for real?"

"Real. More real than pure gold."

"Good!" The tension in his jaw eased, and the corners of his mouth lifted, as if pulled upward by invisible strings.

He held out a pair of picture-perfect hands. "Girlfriend. Please take good care of me."

Huh?

'Wait, is that it? I'm getting my wish just like that?'

I couldn't quite believe it.

I wanted to reach out and pinch myself.

But then, a large hand wrapped around mine. "What are you spacing out for? Having second thoughts?"

"No second thoughts, not at all!" 'Only a fool would have second thoughts.'

"Good. It's too late for second thoughts now anyway."

Quinn Caldwell took out his phone and pressed play.

He'd actually recorded our conversation.

"Here's the evidence."

'This man… how could he be so damn lovable?'

'It wasn't just that his looks were my perfect type. It was his voice, his smile, the things he said, the things he did…'

'Every single thing about him pushed all my buttons in the best possible way.'

I knew I was a goner.

"Okay," I mumbled, lowering my head shyly, my voice barely a whisper.

"You should head back, then," his gentle voice said from above me.

"Huh? That's it?" The moment the words left my mouth, I wanted to bite my tongue off.

My fair face flushed as red as a rooster's comb.

I scrambled to cover my tracks. "No, I mean, it's just, a little sudden. Um, I'll, uh, be going now…"

Mortified, I covered my face and was about to turn and bolt.

A large hand caught my arm.

I was slowly turned back around.

My heart hammered like a frightened fawn as I opened my eyes to that handsome face drawing closer and closer.

Quinn Caldwell's lips slowly pressed against my forehead.

Cool and soft.

It was as if a million fireworks exploded in my mind.

My head was spinning.

"My apologies. It's my first time being someone's boyfriend. I'm still new to this."

"So you'll have to teach me, hm?"

He looked at me sincerely, his voice filled with a charming humility.

'This man was dead set on robbing me of sleep tonight.'

Under the spell of his dark eyes, I nodded emphatically. "Mm-hm, okay!"

3

The next day, I had just stepped out of my house.

A black Bentley was parked quietly at my gate.

I was about to walk around it.

Just then, a door opened, and a refined, elegant figure stepped out.

"Shay Laine." His clear, mellow voice called out.

I stared in surprise at Quinn Caldwell. "What are you doing here?"

"Picking up my girlfriend for work."

Huh?

I froze instinctively.

Then, I shyly lowered my gaze.

I watched as he opened the passenger door, helped me into the car, and then handed me a breakfast he had prepared. "See if you like it."

"You made all this?" I asked, marveling at the delicate pastries before me.

"Mhm. I wasn't sure what you liked, so I made a little of everything."

"I like all of it." 'As long as he's the one who made it.'

With a sweet smile, I picked one up and had just popped it into my mouth.

Suddenly, I realized a very serious problem.

"Um, you haven't told Hannah about... us, have you?"

Quinn Caldwell's hand, which was fastening his seatbelt, paused. His long, thick lashes slowly lifted.

A pair of intense dark eyes met mine.

"Heh heh." For some reason, I felt a little guilty and let out a dry laugh.

'Forget what other people might think. Last night, even in my dreams, the idea that Quinn and I could actually last felt like a pipe dream. It's better not to announce something I'm so unsure about. Otherwise, there's no way it'll end well.'

"Um..." My mind raced. "I just think this is all so sudden. It doesn't even feel real to me yet, let alone to Hannah."

"So, I was thinking we could tell her later, when the time is right."

The expression on Quinn Caldwell's handsome face visibly darkened.

I quickly tried to explain, "And, uh, it'll give me some time to prepare, too. I mean, Hannah and I have been best friends for so many years. I don't want this to end with us not even being friends anymore."

I don't know if it was my words or my attitude that moved him.

In the end, as Quinn Caldwell buckled his seatbelt with a CLICK, he replied in a low voice, "Okay."

He then started the car.

But the corners of his mouth were tight, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, and his fingers were gripping the steering wheel a little too hard.

I stopped sneaking glances at him and quietly took out my phone.

'I should probably give my best friend a little heads-up.'

But just then, a text from Hannah popped up.

[I think my brother has a girlfriend.]

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH."

I had just been about to swallow the pastry in my mouth and ended up choking on it.

I clutched my pounding heart.

From the side, an elegant hand appeared, holding a carton of milk out to me.

"Focus when you're eating."

"Oh, okay!" I obediently took the milk and drank it quietly, but my mind was racing.

I didn't dare look at my phone again until I got out of the car.

[What makes you think that?]

My best friend's reply came back quickly.

[He was up early and didn't leave the house right away. He even asked the housekeeper to teach him how to make breakfast.]

[Maybe he just felt like making it himself?]

[Impossible! There's no way he'd suddenly change like that. The only explanation is that he has a girlfriend.]

Me: "..."

'I was speechless. Her sixth sense was truly something else; you really couldn't underestimate it.'

A little while later, another message from her came through.

[Who do you think is so unlucky? To actually fall for that thousand-year-old iceberg! A moment of silence for her! Lighting a candle!]

I stared at the three glaring exclamation points.

I thought to myself, 'Hannah, you really have a way with words.'

I had finally worked up the courage to say something, but now I clamped my mouth shut.