The Name of His Sweetheart

Chapter 10: Edited

*Continuation of Flashback*

"Only a question?"

The girl tilted her head when she asked that.

Deep down, she somehow felt stupid because asking that question meant blatantly showing the other party that he got the shorter end of the stick!

She mentally facepalmed herself.

Now, what must she do if he wanted something literally impossible? She barely even had enough money for two people!

"Of course." Kevin happily replied while silently adding, 'for now,' in his mind.

Well, he was not lying, right?

"Phew..." She was relieved. Good thing he didn't change his mind.

But she didn't know if she should be thankful for that. There were many kinds of questions and some were better left unanswered. Hence, she strengthened her resolve and prepared for the deadliest question to strike.

Seeing that she was all ready like an adorable bunny prepared to fight a big bad wolf, Kevin secretly hid a smile of love and affection and asked, "What's your name, sweetheart?"

She was immediately taken aback, "Only that?"

His question made her realize and remember that he kept calling her, 'Sweetheart.' It's scary how fast she got used to things.

Although the nickname was very endearing, where in the world was she sweet? Where in the world was she as lovable as a heart?

Maybe he needed glasses like Kyle. Maybe he used this nickname for all the women he met or for some other reason she had no right to care about.

When she realized the words that left her mouth, she immediately regretted it.

What, "Only that?" Saying those words would only increase her debt! She was blatantly showing the other party that he got the shorter end of the stick yet again!

Kevin mischievous smiled, "No. Not 'only' that."

This time, he was telling the truth with no hidden lines before, after, or in between. He would definitely take full advantage of every opportunity to get her heart without fail.

'I knew it.' Upon hearing that, the girl secretly thought and sighed inwardly.

She felt like an idiot.

In front of this handsome individual, not only could she not control her poker face, but she was also digging her grave.

Why oh why?

Maybe it was because of those looks?

[!]

But looks were just looks. Even the potatoes were quite handsome for her. They were also very delicious. They even had a price! So maybe it's not due to his looks but his skills. Really confused. #Need answers online. ASAP.

[Damn. Close enough.] A voice out of nowhere sighed.

=Back to Kevin=

Of course, in reality, Kevin was capable of knowing her name without even asking her. But he had to. No, he "wanted" to. Not because he was a gentleman but because it was the first step to courtship.

[He finally lived up to his IQ for once.]

Well, even though their love story (for Kevin) did not start off right and even though he was able to eat a bit (a lot) of tofu here and there, Kevin knew he still had to ask for her name for he was the perfect gentleman, ey.

He was a perfect gentleman who would do everything for his own pleasure, not even bothering with the feelings of others. Yet right now, he was patiently sacrificing his own physical pleasures for fear of how the girl would see or judge him and, most of all, of how their future would turn out to be.

He was a perfect gentleman who never enjoyed the shackles of confinement to him or anyone else. However presently, he enjoyed it. Or, to be more precise, he loved the feeling so much that he badly wanted to confine her entire being to his own and his own to her's with shackles that could never be broken.

He was a perfect gentleman who valued privacy and boundaries. He loved being alone, despite not showing it. Yet here he was, hating the thought of it, moreso the thought of losing her.

Never, in his wildest dreams, did he think that he would end up this way.

He ended up far from his ideal 'perfect' gentleman.

And to think that he barely even knew her yet. Not even her name.

=Back to the girl=

Since she had no other choice, she might as well tell him her name.

"Ok, then..."

'My name... huh? Wait... Why is he asking for my name?' Her thoughts were gradually becoming a whirlpool.

"!!"

Wait, did that mean that Kevin wanted to become friends with her?!

Badump. Badump.

But why? Why her? He actually wanted to be friends with her? Someone like her who didn't have any friends, not even one?

[Do you need a reason to be friends?] A small voice gently whispered out of nowhere.

Ah? Did she just hear that? From where?

'Stop stalling! He's waiting for you to answer him!' She mentally scolded herself. Her thought whirlpool was gradually calming down.

Ok, then. Friends or not, she must tell him her name!

"I... ah... I am..." Her entire face slowly yet gradually reddened until it became a big delicious red ripe tomato.

"Uh... I'm..." She became fidgety and shy.

She quickly turned away from him and inhaled and exhaled deeply.

Sigh...

Yeah, right. (Note the sarcasm).

She immediately took her words back. This was clearly not an easy question! How on earth did she forget that she had no experience in the department of 'making friends?!'

Ayayay...

It's just a name. Why was she so nervous?

Aside from having no experience, she knew it was also due to the movies she watched in the past.

Ever since she was young, she would buy and watch every movie that her mother was part of despite the very limited money she had left in her wallet and the very limited time she had left on her hectic schedule. Of course, her mother never once cared about this fact. Her mother did not even bother to ask about or look at the movies she watched at home.

She saw only one movie that her mother took part in that had a happy ending.

After that movie, it all changed.

The movies her mother took part in always had a sad ending. The stories of friendship always included betrayal, jealousy, and separation between childhood or best friends.

This explained why she was very hesitant in proceeding towards the very first step in making friends despite dreaming to have the best of friends.

However, since she owed him her life, she might as well take the risk.

No, she 'had to' take the risk.

"Haaaa..." Breathe in. Breathe out.

Meanwhile, Kevin was very contented watching her in the sidelines, displaying all kinds of emotions from thoughts plainly written on her face.

She was so cute! Damn, he might have another nosebleed.

"Haaaa..." Breathe in. Breathe out.

[They're clearly meant to be, ah.] A voice snickered.

Of course, since the girl was so concentrated on her own problems, she never noticed the slight changes on Kevin's face or how dangerous he looked as if he was a hungry predator eyeing his most delicious prey.

After she strengthened her resolve, the girl quickly looked back at him, straight in the eye, like a hero ready to be slaughtered for the greater good.

Like magic, Kevin's expression changed from a hungry predator (big bad wolf) to an adorable pet (cute husky) who was eagerly waiting for her answer (or command).

Then, her resolve, which was strengthened a few moments ago, weakened yet again.

[Of course, it had to.] An invisible head nodded firmly.

How can she tell him her name if he kept looking at her like that!

[Behold! The deadly "puppy eyes" power.]

While shifting her gaze from the mischievous glint of his eyes, the girl blushed tremendously and tried to face away from him. However, it was all for naught, because Kevin (remember his hands are both free) held her chin with one hand while disregarding the tingles so that she had no choice but to look directly at him.

The girl blushed even more when she could not look away.

In Kevin's line of sight, he saw all kinds of flowers blooming all around her, coupled with extremely rosy cheeks, ears, and lips, while she cutely glared at him for not releasing her chin.

If he continued to look at her, he would die from so much moe. But if he looked away from her, he would die from so much regret for a lifetime.

This was one of the hardest decisions he had to make, even if he was a genius!

[Just admit you are stupid.]

Yet since he was a professional in the gentleman department, he did not even blush or let go of her chin. He only tremendously blushed in his mind and affectionately smiled at how adorable his first love was.

At this moment, they looked picture perfect.

However, upon closer look, Kevin's ears were slightly red, for the difficulty of keeping his image was just too much. Of course, his other hand that was not holding on to her chin was 'very slightly' shaking from the pressure of trying to hold back a nosebleed.

Once she saw his genuine and affectionate smile, the girl let go of all her anxiety. She thought that she was bound to make friends in the future, but it just so happened to occur now.

With a new-found determination, she bravely looked towards his eyes that glowed like black jewels amidst the sunlight and promptly replied, "My name... is Scarlet…"

At that moment, Kevin saw the most beautiful expression aside from her smile. He saw a confident and resolute yet slightly embarrassed beauty saying her name while looking straight towards him in the eye.

Only him.

Badump. Badump.

'When will she spare my heart?' Kevin felt another deadly cupid arrow shooting towards his heart and making another invisible romantic bloody mess, making him realize that he fell for the same woman an nth time. Despite the constant pain of his heart racing and being struck, he did not care.

He wanted more.

He wanted her all.

For the first time, Kevin felt alive.

"Scarlet, huh? What a beautiful name." Feeling as if he was on cloud nine, Kevin gave her a tremendously beautiful and destructive smile. This was merely the start of their story. He happily looked forward to the future and the pain of falling for her again and again.

Scarlet thought he was happy that she answered his question. She, too, was on cloud nine and blushed. She wanted to look away so badly upon realizing that she made her very first friend. But since she was trapped by his 'chin-hold,' she had no choice but to hesitantly look him straight in the eye and gradually smile back in return, disregarding her tomato face.

What Scarlet did not know was that Kevin never planned to stay as mere 'friends' with her.

Without Scarlet noticing, 'friend' Kevin darkly gazed at her adorable enchanting smile and placed slightly more on her chin as if he was using all his might to hold back something very dangerous from escaping from within.

There was no doubt that Scarlet would face more troubles in the future.