Chapter 23

Camilo did not like what he saw, what he is seeing. And he made that abundantly clear to Mirabel, who felt exasperated at her cousin's obvious jealousy.

"She's been hanging out with, with that hotshot, Ignacio all the time now!" He is irritated at the fact that Ignacio looks handsome, () and a lot buffer than him.

He's been busy babysitting Dolores' kids these past few days, and never got the time to hang out with his girlfriend —nor did she had the time to visit the Casita, as she herself has things to do as well. They're both adults now after all.

"She can have friends with the opposite sex, Camilo."

? The way that man looks at his woman, clearly doesn't have any intention of just making acquaintances with her.

"I know what you're thinking, Camilo. And personally think that you're just overthinking it."

"Overthinking? Look at him, Mira! Shamelessly making googly eyes at , ugh, the nerve!" He huffed, he wanted to snatch her away from Ignacio, but they look like they're having a nice conversation out there. Without him.

"Have you tried talking to her about what you felt?"

Camilo shifted into Antonio and visibly deflated on his seat, his body leaning on the circular table on a coffee shop they're currently stayed on. "That's the problem, Mirabel. We haven't talked in days, the two of us have been so busy lately and I loathe every second without her."

He watched as the woman bid her goodbyes to the man and started to walk over to the two of them. Camilo —still shifted into Antonio, turned his head away from her, fearing that she might recognize him when they locked eyes.

" Antonio, Mira. Have you two seen Camilo lately?"

Mirabel shifted her eyes to Camilo, who's head resting on the table, avoiding his girlfriend's gaze. "Nope! He's been all over the place, eheh... So much work, so little time."

"Oh, I see... I guess I shouldn't bother looking for him then, I don't want to be a burden." She spoke, her voice slightly wavered upon hearing that he's so busy today.

"And, please do remind him to take breaks. I'd hate seeing him all tired everytime I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of him."

"Will do!" Mirabel replied, her eyes not-so discreetly squinting at Camilo, telepathically telling him "You heard her, rest." To which Camilo shrunk on his seat further.

"Oh and Antonio? Are you okay?" He stiffened at the sound of her voice so close to her, he tried to quell the shivers running down his spine when she pat his hair, he oh so wanted to melt into her touch —he missed this, he missed her.

"He's fine! He just ate something bad that's why, ahaha! We're actually about to go to my Mom right now. So uh, yeah!" Mirabel butted in, nervously laughing as she stood up and saved Camilo from his touch-starved self.

"O-oh, okay... If it's not too much trouble, please tell Camilo I miss him."

With his back facing the girl, he desperately fought the urge to look at her. Ultimately, he failed and sneaked a glance only to see her already looking at him with saddened eyes. It's as if she knew that he was Camilo all along, and she just chose to keep silent about it.

Why he didn't just shifted back and talk to her? He doesn't know, he doesn't know why. He probably can't at the moment, as an ugly goo of jealousy just swirled in his insides and clouds his judgement.

"I love you..."

While he's no Dolores, but he certainly heard her. Her voice filled with nothing but longing that he couldn't help but feel his heart crack as he walked farther away from her.

"My, my, the sweet-talking sugar-coated Camilo Madrigal, a How devastating."

"Oh, shut up Mirabel. I didn't break her heart."

"Sure looks like it though, and if Pepa hears of this, expect heavy thunderstorms for a looong time." Mirabel teased further, smirking as the frown on his face deepened with each word she utters.

"You act like we broke up, which we didn't, mind you!"

"Seeing as you guys haven't really talked for days already, you might as well be."

It's not like they're ignoring each other on purpose, their schedules just couldn't align. Still, his heart felt undeniably empty without her, it's truly dull without her by his side.

Perhaps he's quite overdue for a break.

There she sat, upon the soft plain of green grass of Encanto, a bit of a distance from town, but not too far. She mindlessly pulled some grass out from the ground, and sighed sadly.

"Everything is so gray." She told to no one in particular, her hair danced amongst the whistling winds as her lonely heart swam on shallow waters.

She felt like drowning in a foot deep water, her dilemma isn't that deep nor is it that complicated, she just simply don't know what to do about it. Even if she did do something, it's as though her efforts did absolutely nothing.

"Why so blue? Or should I say, gray?" Ignacio asked, wavy raven locks tied into a half man bun as he looked at the woman worriedly.

"Camilo doesn't want to talk to me."

He ponders for a bit, hand on his chin before coming into an obvious conclusion. "Perhaps he's jealous?"

The woman looked up at him, eyes slightly widened at the revelation. "Jealous? Why would he be jealous?"

Ignacio deadpanned at her obliviousness, "Because you're hanging out with me more than him obviously!" Facepalming as he let out an exasperated groan.

Camilo probably caught him () that one time all red faced, asking the woman if she would do an art commission one about him and his possible unrequited crush on a certain someone. . (.)

Ignacio agressively rubbed his face in frustration as he might accidentally make a relationship crumble, all because he wanted the woman to draw him an art piece.

.