Chapter 98: Chapter 98

Themis' POV

I couldn't help smiling as I stare at Winter who was driving as we were heading to the mall. She asked me to watch a movie with her today since we still have so much time before fetching Elisse from school.

"And why are you staring at me? Don't tell me you're fantasizing about me inside your head while I am driving here?" she suddenly said.

I just shook my head while smiling. Why is she so straightforward? Actually, I never expected to fall in love with her. I thought I was still in love with Belle, but I realized it all when she went missing and everything inside my mind just went blank. I forgot all of my plans and all I ever cared about was saving her and bringing her back to me.

Yeah, I know there is a high possibility that I might regret all of it, but I love her. When I entered this battle, I had nothing to lose so I made moves recklessly, but now that I have her, I finally have something I want to protect.

"We're already here." she suddenly said as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

I stepped out of the car first and made sure to open the car door for her. Upon seeing that, she looked at me with furrowed brows. "You don't have to force yourself to do that. It's alright if you don't act gentlemanly all the time."

"I'm not acting, you silly," I said as I pinched her on the cheek.

She then stood on my right and clung her hand to my arm as we entered the mall.

"You know what? I didn't realize immediately that it's actually nice to be just nobody. Like, no one's asking for your autograph and bothering you while you are busy shopping."

"Right. Having a peaceful life is the best feeling."

"Go inside, I'll buy our snacks," I said when we already arrived at the cinema.

She nodded her head. "I'll wait for you there."

"Okay."

I bought some popcorn and drinks for us when I realized I couldn't use both of my hands. Good thing one of the cinema staffs helped me carry all of the snacks and look for Winter inside the cinema.

"I'm sorry, I forgot you couldn't use your other hand." said Winter as I sat down beside her.

"It's alright. The staff helped me anyway."

The movie that Winter chose was a melodrama about a woman who fell in love with a stranger she didn't know was pretending to be someone else. In the end, she found out about his true identity and the guy also left her.

"Stop crying now. It's just a movie." I kept on consoling Winter as we stepped out of the cinema. She had been crying the entire time. Especially when the heroine got left alone.

I wiped the tears from her eyes and patted her head.

"I can't help crying... that was so tragic... Why did he have to leave her like that? He told him he loves her, but he left him in the end."

"Because that's what he has to do. He had to do that for her. Because he didn't want her to get hurt."

"But if he truly loves her, he won't leave her, no matter what happens."

"He left her because he loves her."

She shook her head. "They promised to each other that they will stay together no matter what happens. But then he left her, he broke his promise!"

"Alright, alright. Just stop crying now..."

"You have to promise me one thing, Matthew."

"What is it?" I asked as I continue wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Promise me you're not going to hide anything from me."

That surprised me. I could feel my hand turning cold as I looked straight into her eyes.

"What now? Promise me, Matthew!"

"But---

"Just promise me!"

"P-Promise... I promise I won't hide anything from you."

That's when a smile finally appeared on her face. "That's right! That's a promise!"

After that, Winter decided to go to a department store where they sell couple stuffs. She walked over to a mannequin couple wearing pink couple sweatshirts with 'She's mine' and 'He's mine' written on each of them. They also have arrows that points to each one if you wear them and walk beside each other.

"What do you think about this one?" she asked me.

"I think that's cute."

She smiled and called the saleslady. "We'll buy this one."

"Would you like to wear them already, ma'am and sir?"

"Oh, sure!"

Since Winter insisted on it, I had no choice but to wear it. She was so happy upon seeing me step out of the fitting room."Ah, you are so cute!"

I looked away while scratching the back of my head. Because of that, I could feel everyone staring at us as we continue walking inside the mall.

'Oh my God, isn't he handsome?'

'They look cute together!'

'What an adorable couple!'

"Matthew, I'll just go to the powder room to re-touch my make up. Wait for me here, okay?"

"Okay."

I decided to sit on a bench as I wait for Winter. All of a sudden, two teenagers approached me.

"H-Hi, can we disturb you even for a while?" asked the girl with a short bob hair.

"Huh? Sure, what is it?"

She glanced at her friend and smiled at me. "We actually find you handsome. Can we take some pictures with you? Maybe two or three are enough. Please?"

"Sure."

"Ahh!"

They immediately stood beside me and took their phone out of their bags as they started taking pictures with me. It didn't take long until a lot of teenagers and even women my age started asking me for photos.

Winter's POV

I looked at myself again after re-touching my make up. When I finally got contented with how I look, that's when I finally decided to go out. I got surprised when I didn't see Matthew anywhere.

Wait, I told him to wait here. Where is he now?

I roamed my eyes around, but I still didn't find him. Not until I overheard the conversation of two women beside me.

"Oh my God, he is so handsome!"

"I think he's a celebrity!"

"But I'm actually wondering why he has an eyepatch? Is he blind or something?"

"It doesn't matter! He is still so handsome!"

That's when I saw a group of women holding up their phones as they circle around a man with a cast on his left arm.

That's Matthew!

I ran towards them and made my way through the crowd until I was already standing in front of Matthew. Three women were posing cutely beside him. My blood boiled when one of them even clung her hand to Matthew's hand. I immediately grabbed that woman by the hair and pushed him away from Matthew.

"Winter."

"What the hell?!"

I glared at the woman. "Do you even know that this man already has a girlfriend?!"

"Hey, woman. How dare you push me like that?! Who do you think are you?! Oh, are you his older sister?!"

"What did you say?! You ugly witch!" I yelled as I pushed her again, which caused her to fall to the ground.

I was about to lunge at her again, but then Matthew grabbed me by the hand and dragged me away from that crowd.

"H-Hey! Don't stop me! Let me teach that ugly woman a lesson!"

But he didn't listen to me. He continue dragging me with him until we reached the garden of the mall where there weren't much people. I brushed his hands off mine and glared at him. "Why did you stop me, huh?! Because you enjoy flirting with those ugly women?!"

"Winter, they asked for photos. I never thought many women will come to ask for my photo after that."

"And you were obviously enjoying it. Really, Matthew? While I'm not around? How can you do that to me?!"

At first, he was just staring at my face. I got surprised when he suddenly smiled at me.

"And now you're making fun of me? You really think it's funny? Huh?!"

"You're cute."

My brows furrowed. "W-What?"

"I said you're cute. So, this is how you look when you're jealous. Your nose is red."

I averted my gaze from him while my feeling both of my cheeks burn out of embarrassment. "You're so good at it. At teasing me. How can you even treat your girlfriend like that? You know what? Might as well I just find another man to be my boyfriend. Someone who wouldn't tease me a lot. Bye, I will—

Before I could even walk away, Matthew grabbed me by the hand and intertwined his fingers with mine. "I'm sorry, but there is no turning back. You are mine now, right? Even the sweatshirts we are wearing know it."

I tried pulling my hand back, but he held it tightly while smiling at me. Later on, he faced me without letting go of my hand. "I'm sorry if I hurt you because of that. Don't worry, I will never entertain any other woman again. I'll ask for your consent first before letting them stand beside me. Can you forgive me?"

"You're forgiven. As if I have a choice."

"Thank you. Shall we go eat now?"

I nodded my head while pouting. "I'm actually starving now."

"Alright.Let's go find a restaurant."

Matthew never really let go of my hand as we look for a restaurant to have lunch. In the end, we chose one that serves steak. He even pulled a chair for me as he always does which made the surrounding women look at me with jealousy.

"You're always getting everyone's attention wherever you go.

You must be a naturally-born celebrity." I told him as we started eating.

"Shall we buy something for Elisse before going to her school?"

"Yes, she'll love that. By the way, I haven't told grandpa about us yet. I mean, about our relationship being real."

Matthew nodded his head. "Let's tell him tomorrow."

"For sure, he would be so happy."

"Of course." he said as he grabbed a napkin and wiped the corner of my mouth with it.

"Matthew."

He made sure there wasn't any dirt on my face before looking at me again. "Huh?"

"We should think of a good endearment."

"Endearment? I thought we're just going to call each other, babe?"

I frowned. "That's sexy, but too common. I know a lot of couple broke up with that same endearment."

"Alright, then what shall we call each other then?"

"Hmm. How about, honey? Or maybe sweetheart?"

"Isn't that common too? How about pumpkin?"

My eyes widened when he said that. I put my glass down and started laughing out loud. "Pumpkin?! Where did you even get that? That is so childish!"

"I-I just thought of it.."

When I noticed that he got embarrassed, I stopped laughing and smiled at him instead. "Alright, then let's just call each other that. From now on, we're going to call each there pumpkin!"

"But I thought--

"Pumpkin! You are so handsome, my pumpkin."

Matthew smiled. "And you are so beautiful, my pumpkin."

We both scrunched our noses after realizing how cheesy that sounded, but we just laughed it off and continue eating.

"By the way, I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"If you haven't been into any relationship yet, then..

Matthew looked at me with furrowed brows. He was really waiting for what I was going to say. "Then what?"

"Why are you so good at kissing? I mean, how did you even know how to do it?"

"W-What?"

"I learned how to do it because of my workshops before. But you never done any workshop, did you?"

He shook his head and chuckled. "I'm a man, Winter. I just naturally know how to do it."

Okay, he is such a boastful man who's great at kissing.