12 Marking their Meeting

Both of them just continue staring at each other for the next seconds to come.

That is until Winter realizes how much Marcellus has been sweating this entire time. He must have been so scared that it is both hilarious and pitiful. Not thinking much, she then pulls her pink handkerchief out of her skirt pocket and walks closer to him.

"Here, wipe those beads of sweat off of your face..." Winter nonchalantly offered as she handed it over to him, catching him off guard.

"While you do look hot in that, I still feel sorry for you."

Marcellus thinks of how he'll respond - but not without feeling his brow twitch a little at that.

On any other day, he would be glad to receive something like this from a lady. He has always been a gentleman, after all. Without hesitation, he would have responded by grabbing her hand and having her put the handkerchief on the side of his face. Then, he would lean closer to her and ask her to do him the favor of wiping him herself - a gesture that would get any woman swooning and melting in a puddle of goo.

But with this peculiar girl, he highly doubts that something like that will work.

"What got you stalling all idly? Go on and take it, you baby," she huffed in annoyance before slapping the handkerchief on the side of his face and rubbing it, making him yelp a little in pain.

She is not going to let herself be embarrassed by offering her handkerchief and insisting him to accept it but only to end up getting rejected. He will take it whether he likes it or not. Besides, she already knows that he is not going to appreciate such a thing.

"The heck is wrong with you, lady?! You keep doing the weirdest things!" Marcellus blurted out in miff and incredulity.

"Wow, you're sweatier than I expected..." Winter trailed off with wide eyes, not minding his comment.

"Were you about to piss your pants-"

"Have you really no shame?"

"Don't worry. I don't judge."

"Yet, you kept laughing like there was no tomorrow."

"Because it's funny. Have you ever even seen yourself?"

Right then, Marcellus holds the hand that Winter is using to wipe his face, making her stop.

He then narrows his gaze at her without releasing his grip. She blinks at him in bafflement, taken aback by how he suddenly looks all serious. The way he stares at her is intense and gripping - perhaps, a little too much that both of them fail to realize that they have nothing but a small gap in between them at that point.

Though immensely dazzled by his striking features, she remains calm and pretends unaffected.

"My, my... What is this, Sir Lexington...?" Winter then started again with a sly smirk.

"A CEO hitting on a high school girl? Oh, how scandalous, Sir~"

"Huh? What...?" Marcellus muttered vehemently, smirking a bit despite how he was starting to get more peeved.

"Hitting on you? Excuse me, who're you again? I don't think any girl would just ruin my date for no good reason – highschooler or not. That's unless you're actually a fan."

"You're still on with the belief that I'm nothing but a walking disaster who just happens to pass through your dates?"

"Well, what do you expect? I don't know what you're up to. Try putting yourself in my shoes."

"Hmmm... I would like to, but I don't think they would fit."

Again, his brow twitches.

It's immature of him to lose his cool on a little girl like her, but to begin with, he has always been a short-tempered one. He badly wants to know what she wants as early as now. This is still the starting line of his career, so he can't afford to slip by ignoring what seems to be a small and unnecessary detail at first.

"Okay, little missy. Quit talking like you do know me. Will you stop beating around the bush already?" Marcellus said underneath his breath, almost hissing.

"Yeah, well...Perhaps, I might have dragged this on for too long..." Winter calmly replied, spreading a small smile.

"I believe that there is no use to introduce myself at this point, though. You can call me however you like. The thing is, I keep following you around like this because-"

"Sir Lexington! There you are!"

Then, both of them paused.

Winter was cut off when Anne arrived out of nowhere. She came emerging from a dim hallway and rushing in their direction, looking quite frantic. That's when she decided that she had to retreat again, thinking that they could no longer keep up with this conversation now that she was around.

"What are you doing here?! I thought for sure that you were just right behind me!" Anne exclaimed hastily while Marcellus could only look away and pretend as if nothing happened.

"Is he with you, Ma'am? I'm sorry for taking some of his time..." Winter chimed in all of the sudden, catching both of their attention.

"He found me here earlier. I was so scared that I could not move, so he stopped for a moment and helped me out. It's all good now, though. Thanks to him, I did not faint."

"Goodness! You shouldn't enter this kind of place if you're that delicate, young lady! We've got rules outside, didn't you see them...?! In any case, we can just keep you company until we reach the exit."

While Anne continues to fall for that lie, Marcellus can't help but look at Winter in confusion and disbelief - a bit stunned by how she keeps doing both the unexpected and the unwarranted.