“Is there something wrong, Robert? You’ve been quiet,” she asked.

I simply shook my head, faking a smile as hard as I could.

“If you say so. I have to get back to work,” she replied. “I’ll send Grandpa Ben outside to hand you that herbal medicine he mentioned a while ago.”

She began to walk towards the bakery when I blurted out, “Do you even feel the same way as I do?”

My sudden question stopped her from walking. She slowly turned around, baffled. “What?”

“I’ve told you many times about how I feel whenever we’re together,” I replied, standing still. “The last time I was here, you simply giggled. Today, your answer… I couldn’t tell if it was just vague or you don’t feel the same about me.”

“I thought my actions were answers already to what you said,” she answered, her eyes widened with shock.

“Those ‘answers’ - that’s what you call them - aren’t enough,” I complained, my hands on my waist. “I don’t know why you giggled. I don’t know if it’s because you feel the same way or you just think that I’m foolish to feel that way.”

“Robert,” she started to walk back to me. When she finally reached me, she immediately looked me in the eye. “I reacted in such a manner… because I feel the same way as you do.”

I was gutted. I felt all fuzzy inside, butterflies went crazy in my stomach. My heartbeat raised out of excitement and now, containing a smile is the challenge.

I cleared my throat before proceeding with a question, “Why couldn’t you tell me directly?”

“Robert, I’ve met a lot of horrible people in the past and I can’t just trust someone again. I was afraid when I felt that I was getting too comfortable with you,” she explained. “I was too afraid and I’m still afraid to admit to myself that I feel the same.”

I moved closer to her, our faces near to each other. I held her cheek and asked, “Why would you be afraid of something such as that?”

“Laura!” someone shouted from the bakery, interrupting our conversation. I looked to the door and saw Ronald coming out of the bakery. Ronald would always shout at Laura. Is he always like this?

“I’ll be right behind you, Ronald. Give us a few more minutes to talk,” she said, not bothering to turn around.

“I don’t have a few minutes! I need you to get back to work now!” he shouted once again.

Laura rolled her eyes and finally turned around. “All I’m asking for is a few more minutes! Is that hard to do, Ronald?! If I were you, I’d return inside and mind my own business!” she snapped.

Ronald was taken aback by Laura’s reply. I don’t think Laura has ever shouted at Ronald before. If she has done it in the past, her screaming wouldn’t be some kind of horrific manner for the man.

Grandpa Ben then came from behind him, asking, “Is there something wrong?”

“Laura has arrived but instead of going back inside, she’s asking for a few more minutes,” Ronald complained as he turned to Grandpa Ben. “We need her now. More and more people are starting to arrive.”

Grandpa Ben then saw me standing behind her. “Oh, hello, Robert. Don’t leave just yet, I’ll fetch your medicine for you,” he greeted. He then turned to Ronald, “As for you, give them a few more minutes. I have to get something for the boy.”

“But Grandpa Ben--” Ronald wasn’t able to finish his sentence. Grandpa Ben didn’t waste his breath on arguing with him. He simply pulled Ronald by the collar and walked back inside.

As soon as Grandpa Ben and Ronald weren’t within our sights, Laura returned her attention to me. “I was afraid of what I feel because I never trusted anyone the way I trusted you,” she started explaining. She added after a pause, “The last time I trusted someone with everything, I was betrayed. I told you, all my life, I’ve been cautious in trusting people.” She looked down to her feet after.

Cupping her gentle face in my hands, I slowly lifted, making sure that our eyes would meet. “You don’t need to be afraid of me, Laura,” I said as I laid my forehead on hers. “That’s the last thing you should think about when it comes to me.”

For a moment, we stayed in that position. She closed her eyes as she moved her head down once more, drowning her face more into my hands. I caressed her cheeks with my thumbs, my forehead still on hers. We stood silent in front of passers-by but I didn’t care. At that moment, it was only me and her. And nothing else mattered.

She let out a sigh, slowly removing my hands from her face. “I have to go back inside,” she took a step back. “I will see you soon, I guess,” she added and turned around, making her way to the door.

“Tomorrow, then?” I quickly asked. I won’t let her leave without knowing that I can see her tomorrow.

She stopped walking and slowly turned her head in my direction. “Tomorrow,” she smiled. After that, she proceeded to go inside.

That response, accompanied by her smile was enough to give me the feeling of rush, excitement.

Controlling my grin, Grandpa Ben finally came out and handed me the medicinal potion. As I received the potion, he remarked, “I guess everything turned out well for the both of you today.”

I looked up to him and he had a teasing smirk on his face. I chuckled and simply nodded.

“I won’t keep you here any longer. Have a safe trip back.” And with that, Grandpa Ben went back inside the bakery.

I jumped onto Lady and started my journey back to the castle.