Chapter 39

As I strode briskly out of the convenience store, a voice called out just as I was about to step onto the parking lot. 

"Cici!" 

It was Xavier, and though he seldom showed much emotion, there was a hint of concern on his face.

 "Are you sure you're going back home now?" he asked, his tone serious.

"Y-yes?" I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

"I can't help but feel that you are about to do something dangerous," he said, his brow furrowing.

"N-no haha. W-what makes you think that?" I stammered. Damn! Why are their intuition always spot on?

Xavier regarded me with an anxious gaze that made my heart flutter with warmth. He always did look out for me—a fact I appreciated, even if it made things more complicated. I wondered why he was so concerned about me every now and then.

"Don't look at me like that; everything's fine," I said with a genuine smile, hoping to ease his worries.