Chapter 3: Long Day, Happy Ending

I went out for a walk in the city, but then out of nowhere, men in black suits started following me in their cars. They looked at me through the open window and I started to run like hell. I don't remember doing any crimes, but if you saw how buffed those guys are you'd probably be running too. After running for a while, I stopped at an alley to rest for a bit.

*splash*

I heard the splashing of the puddles which led me to believe someone was nearby. I tried escaping through the other side of the alley, but the men in black suits were already standing there. Since I had no choice, I decided to enter a random door.

"Welcome Sir, what can we do for you?" A girl suddenly said while getting close to me.

I was so red that steam was coming out of my ears.

I looked around and realized it was a bar. The men in black suits entered and caught me. They dragged me out of the bar with little to no care about my well-being.

"You got some nerve entering a bar and flirting with another girl when you have a girlfriend."

"Huh, that voice." I looked to the direction where the voice was coming from.

"Winter?"

"So, care to explain yourself?" she told me in front of the men in black.

"I have one, but first, let me ask you, who the hell are these guys?".

"My bodyguards".

"B-bodyguards?! They look like hitmen. I thought they were going to kill me."

"That's silly, they were just escorting me"

"Why were they chasing me then?"

"While I was riding around, I saw you and tried to say hi, but then you started running."

"WHO THE HELL WOULD JUST SIT THERE AND LET MEN IN BLACK CATCH THEM?!"

"You're overreacting Glenn." She said with a giggle.

I stop and stare at her for a while.

"When you smile..."

"Huh?"

"You look really cute."

"Flirting with me in front of my bodyguards, you must have no shame at all"

"Agh, forget I said anything."

"No way. "When you smile you look cute." How manly you are. "

I bang my head on the floor.

"Please stop AHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Anyway, I still have a meeting I need to attend to, wanna come with me?"

"No thanks, your bodyguards don't seem to be keen on the idea."

"Bye then!"

"See ya!" I said while waving.

Things got pretty bad, I started walking again and ran into Arby while he was with a young girl. We look at each other for a while....

"You animal." I said in utter disgust.

"Huh!?"

"Your existence is a threat to all men in relationships, and what's more is you're with a little girl."

"I'm not Dean dumbass, she's my little sister."

"I don't believe it one bit. Little miss did he kidnap you? Did he blackmail you?"

The little girl laughed and giggled so much.

"Your friend is funny big brother."

B-big brother, he really had a freaking sister?

"Huh, you weren't lying Arby? YOU HAD A LITTLE SISTER?! SINCE WHEN?"

"It's no surprise you didn't know, she was really sickly as a kid, so most of the time she would be in the hospital."

"Well, it's all good if you're siblings then."

"You really thought I'd hit on little girls?"

"Well it's not above you, considering the more explicit things you've done."

"Listen to what you're saying in front of my sister dumbass."

"Oh yeah, forgot she was here."

"Looking at her closely now, she does resemble you a bit."

"Of course she does, we're both good looking after all."

"The fact that you said that yourself, makes you a narcissistic weirdo."

"Oh, shut it."

"So, what are you doing here Arby?"

"Buying some groceries."

"For a man who's a ladies man, you're a pretty responsible son."

"Big brother, let's go to the park." his little sister said.

"We'll go when we're done grocery shopping. " Arby said.

"I want to go now." the little girl replied.

"Oh I know, how about I take her to the park?"

"You really would? Glenn?"

"Yeah sure, I'm used to taking care of kids since I have 2 little sisters and all."

"By the way, what's your name little miss?"

"My name is Pearl."

"That's a wonderful name. Hi Pearl, my name's Glenn, nice to meet you."

"I already know who you are, big bro Glenn."

"You do?"

"My brother talks about you sometimes"

While looking at Arby with a smug look on my face,

"Oh, I see"

I started to notice that she looked pale and frail, so I offered to carry her.

"Wanna ride on my shoulders?" I asked

"Really?!" she said with a bright smile on her face.

"Sure".

I carried her on my shoulders and walked towards the park. She had so much fun, and Arby arrived a few hours later. He sat next to me on the bench.

"When you said she was sickly, how sickly was she?" I asked.

"Well, she almost died last year, but she's starting to recover now, so there's nothing to worry about."

"That's good."

"Did it hurt? Seeing your sister on the verge of death? Hanging on a thread of hope? Watching her clinging on to life?"

"Of course it did, I'm her big brother after all".

I can only imagine what that would have felt like, watching someone you love dying in front of you. I guess her body still looks weak cause she's still recovering.

"Big brother! " Pearl cried out.

"Push me on the swing!" she said.

She's really joyful.

"Bye now Arby, I still have things to do."

"Hey wait." He said.

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for today, for taking her to the park."

"Oh, no prob".

I started to walk home and a car stopped by me, and I'm pretty sure I saw this car before. The car's window was being lowered. Wait, isn't that.... Winter's?

"Glenn, are you going home?" She asks.

"Yup."

"Wanna ride with me?"

"Is that okay?"

"Yeah".

I entered the car and saw her in a beautiful dress, I stared at her for an odd amount of time.

"You know, you're being creepy Glenn, stop staring." she said while looking at me with her sharp and irritated eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I immediately look away while blushing.

She's wearing formal attire, she must've been at a meeting or something.

Why the hell was I staring? Now she thinks I'm a creep.

"Stop the car." Winter said to her driver.

"Huh? Why'd we stop?" I asked.

"We'll walk from here." She replies.

We went down from the car and started to walk to my house.

Not a single conversation happened. I started to look at the night sky and saw stars shimmering above, but even more dazzling than that, was the moon.

I decided to talk,

"The moon is beautiful tonight."

"It sure is."

I look at her and the words "but you're even more dazzling than anything in the night sky." almost slip by my lips.

"Doesn't your feet hurt? I mean you're walking in heels."

"It hurts like hell, but I decided to walk you home."

"Sorry for troubling you to walk me home, I feel pretty bad making a girl walk me home."

"I already told you, that's sexist. Even a girl can walk a guy home."

All of a sudden, she trips and I rush to catch her, luckily, I made it in time. I looked at her while she had her eyes closed and was scared of falling. She grabbed on to me tightly and I felt her weight on me.

"You okay? Did you hurt your leg?"

"N-no, not really."

"Good, while we're still heading to my house, w-want me to give you a piggyback? I don't mean anything weird by it, it's the least I can do since you walked me home."

"I'll call your driver, so when we get to my house they'd be there and you won't have to walk anymore". I added.

*She nods*

She hopped on my back and I have to say, she was pretty light. We talked for a while, but then she suddenly stopped replying, she's... asleep. I could feel her breathing heavily on my nape while she was sleeping, she must've been really tired. Her chest pushed gently against my back while her arms were wrapped around my neck. I arrived home and saw her car. I slowly carry her inside the car, making sure not to wake her up. I got a closer look at her and a small thought came to my mind, "Even when she's asleep, she's still beautiful. She looks so peaceful and elegant."

I went inside my room and laid down on the bed with my arm over my forehead. I couldn't sleep, not when the image of her in that beautiful black dress while sleeping was still fresh on my mind. Her eyes gently closed, while she had light makeup on.

This day started pretty rough, but it gradually got better. I guess.... happy endings really do exist.