I’ll Sing To You, Mr. CEO

CHAPTER 9: RISK

Lhan was surprised when she opened the box. The food was good for two to three persons. A warm feeling enveloped her heart. This was the first time she received a food delivery from him. What touched her was that the food delivered were all her favorite even the coffee that came with it. Sweet and sour pork, garlic prawns, corn and mushroom soup, and leche flan for dessert were included.

Before she started to eat her phone rang. She answered it quick when Dunce' name appeared on the screen.

"Was your food delivered on time?" A hint of tiredness can be heard from Dunce, but the joy in his eyes were visible.

"Uhm. Thank you!" Lhan.

"Can we video chat? I want to see you." Dunce childishly asked with his beggingly and sweet voice.

Lhan switched on the rear cam of her phone and was greeted by Dunce' smile. The latter was so happy when he saw her pretty face. He just finished his meeting and ordered his late lunch. But because he missed Lhan so much, he requested for video chat so they could eat together at the same time.

"You ordered a lot."

"I miss you." Was Dunce answer.

"It's already 2pm there. You're eating your lunch late." Lhan felt embarrassed so she tried to change the topic. She could not say I miss you, too. But she really wanted to say the words.

Dunce smiled. He could feel her concern even without her voicing it. "Our meeting just finished. Let's eat!"

Lhan didn’t know how to react or what to say so she just nodded. She felt overwhelmed even though her face remained expressionless.

The two ate at the same time silently. Dunce looked at her most of the times while Lhan ate with head bowed. Even though they never conversed, Dunce felt contented and happy. After they ate, Dunce told her that he would be back in after three days which he did.

Their setup was back to normal when he arrived. Dunce never failed to visit Lhan almost every day. He either came to school to pick her up or brought her dinner at home.

Dunce became even more persistent in pursuing her that sometimes she felt being choked not because of his presence but because of those unfamiliar feelings that kept disturbing her. Although Dunce presence brought her a sense of joy and bliss, there was still an unsettling feeling that bothered her. And she was not ready to take the risk.

Days passed and Lhan could no longer stand the overwhelming emotions that Dunce brought her. She thought that the only way to solve it was to drive Dunce away. She was determined to stop him from pursuing her.

So, when he came to their school, she bombarded Dunce with series of questions. "Don't you have work? Why do you come here even at school? Mr. Dunce, what can make you stop from courting me? Aren't you tired coming here and there?"

"Be my girlfriend. That way I am no longer courting you instead we can call it official dates. Get in!" Dunce was resolute.

"No! I told you I have no plans of being in a relationship. Especially not with you!"

"Why?" Dunce calmly asked.

"First, you're too old for me. Second, the gap of our status is even way bigger than our age. Third, you are too bossy, arrogant and imposing that I cannot keep up. Fourth, are likes don't match at all." She uttered with her fingers counting all the reasons she laid.

"First and foremost, our age gap is only 6 years which is I think the ideal age gap for couples. Second, I don't care about your status so don't be self-conscious. I want to have a relation with you and not with your money. I am already rich so I don't need a rich girlfriend. Third I think I match your character since you are so easy going and have too much free will that most of the times lead you to a dangerous situation. I can protect you. Fourth, opposite attracts and really, I am willing to try those things that you like." He said confidently. No way was he going to back down.

"Still the answer is no!"

"Then I'll continue to pursue you."

"If you will do that, I'll start hating you!"

"Good! There's a saying that the more you hate the more you love."

Lhan's jaw dropped for seconds. Why couldn't she win an argument with him. Fleur surely will laugh at her.

"Will you not comprehend what I am trying to relay?" She was starting to lose her calm.

"Get in.” He was still calm. Even though Lhan was rejecting her, he believed that he was making a progress. “We are becoming the center of everyone's attention. You don't like to gather so much gossips, do you?"

Lhan surveyed her surroundings and truly most people around look at the two of them. 'Whose fault is it? Why does he have to drive an expensive car?' She couldn't help but think that way. Having no choice, she climbed into the car and seated at the passenger's.

Dunce smiled and thought, 'in this kind of situation it is really easy to coaxed a girl who doesn't like to attract attention. So cute!'

"So where do you want to go?" Dunce was unmindful of her rejections.

"Home! I want to take a rest. I have work later." She answered blandly.

Not so long, Dunce parked in front of a restaurant.

"Why are we stopping? I said I want to go home." She said as she observed him got off.

"I know. Wait here." Dunce went to the restaurant and after a few minutes he was holding a box of takeout food.

"Here. Eat this before you go to sleep. That way you have longer time for rest." Dunce’ voice was full of warmth and care.

She couldn't help but be touched by his action. She thought carefully and decided to invite him in exchange of the meal. "Fine, let's eat together. I am not that heartless to drive a person away when he did good to me."

Dunce smiled happily. They both went up to Lhan's flat. She served the table with all the food that Dunce bought.

"Is your friend always out? I haven't had a chance to meet her yet." He roamed his eyes around the four corners of the house, checking for possible male intrusion.

"Didn't Boss Aljun told you that she is his girlfriend? I guess he already introduced her to your friends? They've been in a relationship for 3 months now." She explained.

Dunce settled his attention to her, finding no significant changes in the house. "Not yet. He said his girl is always busy."

"Yeah. She is currently out of the town due to her internship." Lhan continued to converse unaware of Dunce cctv-like eyes.

"You are always alone? Isn't that dangerous?"

Casually, they talked as if Lhan had not rejected her earlier.

"No. Soon Fleur will finish her internship. She might come home in a week or two. Also, your friend made sure that there's always a guard downstairs. He even yelled at the building owner for not installing a cctv before. Now the whole building is equipped with HD CCTV."

"That's better then. Hmm, does Aljun comes here or visits your friend regularly?"

"Yes. If Fleur is here, he stays here. He sleeps with her almost every day Fleur is her. He fetches her during weekdays and sent her to school which gave us free rides. Brings her food or go on dates."

"You don't go with them?"

"Sometimes. Fleur is my best friend after all so she also wants to spend time with me. Though it is kinda awkward." Lhan answered while continuously eating her food.

Soon they finished their early dinner.

"I'll go home now. Have a rest." He patted her head before he strode out. "Wait for me tonight. I'll take you to the bar." He said before closing the door not giving her a chance to refuse.

Dunce really never gave up. He continued buying her food and fetching her from school. It also became a routine for him to stay at Lhan's place during Sunday. Lhan just let him be hoping he would get tired of pursuing her.

But her heart was starting to betray her. She was getting accustomed to Dunce presence. Her days without Dunce became dull. But still trying to fool or more like convincing herself that she wasn't missing him at all. But sometimes she felt contradicting feelings. Although part of her wanted to be with him, part of her wanted to avoid him due to the fact that she felt weird, uneasy and anxious at the same time. She never fell in love before so all these emotions that she encountered were new and unpredicting.