In Between

Chapter 15

As they exited the room, they saw Red's mother heading towards the living room with a cheerful expression and a smile. His mother noticed that they were dressed and walked towards them. Earlier, Vivian had been too shy to use the bathroom, so Red had given her some privacy and taken his leave, allowing her to freshen up first.

"Son, are you heading out now?" his mother asked, still smiling.

"Yes, Ma. We need to gather more information." he replied, and his mother hummed in response. Red noticed his mother's unusual behavior and smile towards Vivian, diverted his gaze, while Vivian felt shy due to his mother's kindness and warm welcome.

"Anyway, Vivian right?" his mother said, turning her gaze to her with a smile.

"Ah, y-yes, Ma'am?" Vivian replied hesitantly, forcing a thin smile. "You don't need to call me Ma'am, Vivian," she said with a soft chuckle. "Anyway, would you like to eat lunch first?"

Suddenly, before she could reply, they heard a noise coming downstairs, and Red's father appeared. Vivian felt a surge of nervousness as the old man approached them, his gaze fixed on her.

"What's happening here, hon?" he asked.

"Nothing serious, hon." his wife replied as he drew near, still eyeing Vivian. Red noticed this and cleared his throat before speaking. "Dad, this is Vivian, my classmate." he politely introduced, and Vivian smiled at him before bowing her head to greet his father.

"Good afternoon, sir."

"So, a classmate?" his father said, still looking at her. "Well, nice to meet you, Vivian." he added, though his gaze lingered. He then turned to talk to his son for a moment. "So, are you staying here till tomorrow?"

"Yes, Dad."

"And how about Vivian? Which room is she staying in?" his father asked, now fully informed about their stay. Red glanced at Vivian before turning back to his father.

"Since we've been staying here for two days, Vivian has been staying in my room, Dad." he replied. His father looked at Vivian, then suddenly asked, catching her off guard.

"So, is it totally fine with you, Vivian?"

"Uhm.. Y-y-yes sir—" Before she could finish, Red interrupted politely.

"I've set up the sofa in my room for her, Dad." He noticed Vivian's stuttering and realized she was nervous around his father. The atmosphere felt tense.

"Ah, son, are you heading out now?" his mother asked, subtly changing the subject and easing the tension.

"Yes, Ma. We're heading out now. Goodbye, Dad." Red said as they both bowed and bid their goodbyes politely before stepping outside.

***********

Theo Pov.

Lying on my bed, I found this day really boring. I was too lazy to practice, and I wasn't in the mood to hang out somewhere. I didn't have any friends to go with, except Vivian, but unfortunately, she was heading home to Daegu, and I didn't want to disturb her, even though I could. This was my usual weekend routine – nothing much to do aside from studying, which I did day and night, feeling tired from doing it so often. Right now, the only thing I could do was gaze up at the ceiling, thinking about my mother, who had suddenly slipped into my thoughts. Memories of us flooded my mind, and I couldn't help but smile.

I really missed my mom. For those who may not know, my mother passed away when I was 7 years old, in elementary school. That's why my father has been by my side ever since, and I have immense respect for him because he's the only family I have left. As a result, I often prioritize his words over my own desires.

Well, since I'm feeling bored and haven't yet introduced myself in this story, I think it's a good opportunity to share some background information about myself.

Hi!, I'm Theo. I'm a handsome, attractive, and kind person. I was born in Busan and am currently 21 years old. I'm a 4th-year college student at Stone Hurst University, majoring in Law. I'm also a swimmer and athlete at the university, and I enjoy playing football, soccer, and basketball. I have a fondness for vintage things, paintings, and unique styles. While I can be lazy at times, I'm smart and hardworking, even if it's not always obvious. I'm also funny, but let's be real, being handsome is just part of who I am. That's enough about me for now – stick around if you want to get to know me better and see more of my charming side and my handsome face.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard my phone buzzing next to me, knowing exactly who it was. I sat up on the corner of my bed and answered the call.

[On the Phone]

"Hello, Dad?"

"Theo, drop out of the swimming team now." he dropped instantly, and my eyes widened as his words sank in. I paused, feeling uneasy. I had expected him to call and check on me – to ask how I was feeling, if I had eaten, if I was getting enough sleep, if his son is feel good. But it's funny to think that instead of asking me, he called just to give me an instruction and say this.

"Dad?"

"You heard me." he replied.

"But Dad, I—"

"Just do what I've said, Theo." he said sternly, cutting me off. I let out a sigh before responding.

"You're going to be a lawyer, and you need to focus on that only. This is for you to take over our law firm in the future. Do you understand?" he demanded.

"Yes, Dad."

"Good. I'm hanging up now. Give me some updates soon."

I let out a heavy sigh and collapsed onto the bed, feeling drained. I couldn't believe what was happening – how complicated my life was becoming again. I wished my mom was here. How I wished... These thoughts swirled in my mind as I closed my eyes, trying to shut down my senses and forget everything. Forget that I was Theo, the one destined to be a lawyer.

***************

Vivian walked behind him, her eyes fixed on his back as she observed his silence. He didn't bother to ask her anything or glance around; he just kept walking, his focus solely on their destination. This made Vivian feel awkward, and they walked like strangers together. After parking his car in a certain area, they set out on foot to gather information through short interviews with couples about how their relationships started and what experiences made them feel in love. Earlier that day, they had managed to gather some valuable insights from respondents through these interviews, which were part of their study on how love grows and evolves in people.

"Red," Vivian uttered, making him finally glance at her quickly. "Yes?" "Can we just take a few minutes' rest... my feet hurt," she said, catching her breath after walking briskly to keep up with his pace. "We need to gather more," he simply stated, making her sigh in frustration, unable to complain further. She had no choice but to continue walking with him, staying behind him.

After an hour of walking, she couldn't bear to continue. Her feet ached, and her breathing grew labored. She paused and settled herself on an empty bench. Red noticed her stop and approached her as she sat down. Vivian looked up at him as he stood in front of her.

"Just a minute, please?" she said, her tiredness visible on her face as she relaxed her breathing.

"How can we gather data if you keep taking a rest?" he asked.

"Well, do you think we can gather data if I'm horribly panting?" she retorted, making him stare at her, realizing he had no option but to let her rest.

*****************

After taking a moment to stand, she did some deep breathing exercises, inhaling and exhaling slowly. When she turned her gaze to look at him, she found him already watching her, observing her behavior.

"Done?" he asked once he noticed she had calmed down, and she diverted her gaze, feeling shy from their sudden colliding stares. Vivian nodded in response, then looked around to distract herself and avoid his notice.

"Can I have the keys?" Vivian blurted out, turning her gaze back to him with widened eyes and a surprised expression.

"What?! A...a kiss? You ask for a kiss?" She stuttered, her words tumbling out in confusion. Red stared at her, taken aback for a moment, before unintentionally forming a smile that he struggled to control, eventually cracking into chuckles. He found her reaction endearing and amusing. How could she think that way?

Meanwhile, Vivian looked at him, confused by his sudden smile. She couldn't help but be drawn to it, finding it different from his usual expression. As she gazed at him, she felt something unexpected inside her, struck by the brightness and warmth of his smile. She thought to herself that his smile was rare, and she felt fortunate to have seen it.

His smile... she thought, before suddenly snapping back to reality. Huh? Wait, no, no, no! But why is he smiling?

As she kept staring at him, he noticed her gaze and composed himself, clearing his throat to return to his usual demeanor.

"What? I said, can I have the keys,Vivian. A key?" he repeated, and she mentally face-palmed in embarrassment, wondering how she had misheard "keys" as "kiss."

"The one I handed to you earlier." he added, still watching her. Vivian blinked twice, recovering from her embarrassment, and shyly handed the key to him without meeting his gaze. She quickly walked away, unable to bear the embarrassment.

Red followed her figure with his eyes, a thin smile spreading across his face as he found her reaction adorable and amusing. "Funny" he thought to himself.

**************

To be continued......