January 24, 2021: Uitwaaien

Syn walked around the lake, tracing its edge with her evenly distanced footsteps. The lady's strides were light and slow, wanting to stamp the image that she's currently witnessing with her eyes.

For the reason that she only had running shoes on, her feet were freezing. Still and all, she repeatedly submerged them in the stacks of snow. Thankfully, the coat that Konrad gave her made her feel the warmth she needed to survive. She was able to ignore the unsavory sensation, concentrating on the euphoric feeling in her heart.

Occasionally, she would sigh in amazement, ceaselessly hung up on the view that she solely thought to have existed in an enchanting fairy-tale -- One that made her life seem as if it's the story of a forgotten servant.

She was fascinated, so much so that those who were observing her would be spell-bound by her reactions rather than the purity of the winter lake's spectacle. That fact could be proven by seeing Konrad's enamored gaze that was on her.

The lake was not that wide, considering that the man could perfectly scrutinize every inch of her countenance even if she was on the farthest side. As he noticed the little movements made by the lady, he couldn't help but smile, though ever so slightly, because of her innocence.

Meanwhile, Syn wanted the snow to land directly on her head, so she removed her cap. Once she did just that, Konrad was not able to do anything but hold his breath.

That fleeting moment, when the specks of frozen crystals caressed her delicately disheveled hair and pale skin, seemingly outmatching the pure whiteness of snow, it suffocated him.

What met his gaze were those solemn yet downcast chromatic eyes. They turned into stunning eburnean irises, seemingly changing hues once the achromatic color of the surroundings reflected off of them.

And here he thought he was the type of man who loathed even the imperceptible idea of prostrating himself to a different entity other than his own. However-

'If the feeling of surrender is similar to this, I would gladly succumb to it for as long as the eternality of time could allow.' Konrad said to himself, following it with an utterance full of ravenous desire.

"Your beauty is as breathtaking as when I first saw you, Syn."

The lady glanced at the heavens, closing her eyes to indulge in the exhilarating ambiance. Somehow, knowing that Konrad was with her deepened the elation that she was reveling in.

Syn remained in that position for a while, stopping when she was satisfied. She then put her cap back on since the prickling cold was starting to hurt her head. She proceeded to walk towards where she left Konrad. At that instance, she rushed her way back, afraid that she might've wasted the man's time.

Upon reaching Konrad's side, she quickly bowed her head while still heaving from her short run.

"I'm sorry, Mr Brecheisen. I kind of, uhm, enjoyed it too much. I must've wasted your precious time."

At first, Konrad was merely going to forgive her. Withal, he thought of something that he was coveting to do.

"Well, I won't deny that," Konrad uttered, compelling Syn to scold herself mentally.

She kept her silence as she waited for his continuation.

"Though, if you follow one of my requests, I will forgive you."

"Request?"

"Yes, request."

Syn had no intention of denying the man's request, but she was anxious about not being capable enough to accomplish it. Nevertheless, she strengthened her resolve on account of all the things that the man had done for her.

"If it doesn't involve me giving you any amount of money, then please go ahead and tell me what your request is." She stated as she raised her head to face Konrad.

The lady's eyebrows shallowly furrowed when she saw that the man's slightly upturned lips.

"Do not fret, Miss Rosenfeldt. Money isn't an issue for me. What I want you to do is call me by my first name." Konrad articulated his request as he approached the lady to fix the coat she was wearing.

Once she heard his demand, Syn tilted her head to the side. She knitted her brows even deeper as she contemplated. 

"I think you can bore a hole on my head with your intense gaze, Miss Rosenfeldt. Is there something wrong with what I've said? Is it not doable for you?"

"No, I mean, you could have just told me instead of requesting it."

"So if you can do it, please try calling me by my name now."

Syn looked at the man straight in the eyes. It was quite a task for the lady since she had to recline her head to accommodate their height difference of a foot and a half.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me today, Sir Konrad." She said, all along getting lost in the moment.

Hearing her utter his name was an appeasing melody to his ears, taking him to a point where the sensation overwhelmed him. In that manner, they stared at each other for who knew how long.

Thereafter almost a minute, Konrad broke the quietude.

"You're very much welcome, Miss Rosenfeldt." He responded, stepping back to create some distance between them.

His statement earned him the judging eyes of the lady. 

"What's the matter, Miss Rosenfeldt? Are you that unhappy with my request?"

"No, it's not that. It's just unfair."

"Unfair?" 

He was not curious regarding why the word appeared in their conversation. If anything, he was anticipating it somehow or another. He was glad that his understanding of the lady's personality was accurate.

"I called you by your name, so you need to call me informally too."

"Well, I don't really mind doing that. However, you do remember that you promised to repay my kindness, don't you?"

"Yes, I'm positive that I will pester you on how I can reciprocate your efforts, whether you will want it or not."

Konrad noticed that Syn's determination only increased proportionally to his refusal. Hence, he found another method to welcome both of their desires.

"Let's do it this way. I will change my endearment from Miss Rosenfeldt to your first name once you've returned the favor that I did for you today. Does that suit your tastes?"

Syn's face immediately brightened up when she harkened Konrad's suggestion. For certain, she would linger on the guilt of not making amends for the man's benevolence.

The lady's demeanor turned the emotion in the man's eyes to one that was docile, healing his stoic self. Regardless of how pleasant it was, it still gave him a completely uncomfortable feeling. He was not ready to surrender himself to it. 

For the man, it was a perplexing sentiment that there were two contradicting reactions battling inside him.

'This is a pain to deal with, though I'm sure that it's merely a matter of physical attraction.' Konrad assured himself, vehemently denying the growing existence inside of him.