Rename the White and Black

CHAPTER IX - ENGAGEMENT RINGS (Part 2)

I went home at five in the afternoon. I saw Kai sleeping on the couch and I did not bother about him anymore. I went directly to the bedroom, unbuttoning my long sleeves. I quickly looked at the opened door and he was standing in front of me. I covered my chest and I was getting shy to him. He should not see my true color.

“Kai.” I whispered while not looking at him.

“Why were you late to come home?” he asked me, making me tremble and he came near to me. “Where did you go and who was with you?”

“At the T’shop Café, any problem?” I hesitated.

“Who was with you? Any companion?”

“It was Haji, my best friend.”

“I don’t like him.” he said seriously and made his way back at me. “Get away from him.” he added and left me.

After taking a bath, I saw a big box and when I opened it, it was a white gown. Before I put on the gown, I locked the door first to secure myself from him.

The gown had long – sleeves with a heart shaped sequins from my cleavage to my stomach. My cleavage was seen slightly and it made me shy to get out. I got my make up kit and covered my neck down to my cleavage to make a good tone of my skin. After I curled my hair, I heard the noise of the car outside.

I went out, struggling to walk with heels and I saw Kai wearing his white tuxedo with a black neck tie. His hair was fixed, looking more handsome. He reached my hand and he guided me to the car. The three inch heels made me uncomfortable to walk. As I put on the seatbelt, he drove fast and I panicked, making me nervous too, as I felt the mixed emotions because of our engagement.

I did not thought that this would happen tonight in an unexpected way, place and time. If only I could go away and hide afar from this place, I would do it but it was hard to refuse the wish of Lolo Emman because I love him.

I stayed at their house and as I looked down from the balcony, I saw few people gathered tonight. I could not imagine myself having this feeling. I felt like a princess with a prince. My thoughts were cut when the music started to beat then, the host started to entertain the guests.

I stayed at Kai’s room and sat on his bed. I noticed the loud and sweet music outside. It was a melodious song that made my heart felt calm and I never heard it before. I looked around at his bedroom while I was hearing the people’s noise outside and may be, they were chatting about the engagement party.

I realized that his room was clean and neat. I could not see any dirt anywhere. At his small side table, I saw his picture smiling with his mother cuddling him. I think he was familiar like I saw him before but I could not remember when and how.

I heard a knock at the door and it was him. He was holding a tray of foods and drinks for two. I watched him putting it on the study table.

“Let’s eat. I know that you’re hungry.” he invited me with his serious face.

“I am not yet hungry.” I said against him and my stomach started grumbling. I realized that I did not eat my dinner. He laughed a little and I frowned at him. I came near to the study table and eat with him. I saw his sweats were on his forehead even his room had a cold atmosphere. I got my handkerchief and wiped his sweats.

“You don’t need to do that.” he seriously said while he was not looking at me.

“Okay.” I put my handkerchief back to my pouch.

I noticed that it was a plate of carbonara, and I said, “Wait, it’s good for one person.” he ignored me and he got a fork, twirling it on the pasta.

“Say ‘ah’,” he commanded and I opened my mouth. What was happening to him? Sometimes, his actions were weird. He was stuck and sometimes, sweet. I could not understand him.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked him curiously.

“I was following my grandfather’s command because I love him too.” he answered. At the end, he expressed what he felt too. I smiled.

“You don’t have to do this because I know that you’ll not like the way I am.” I clearly said, looking at the food.

“Why, do you like me?” he asked without hesitate. I stopped breathing for a second, thinking why did he asked me about it. “Why could you not answer me? Was it true?” he added to his question. It was a sound of silence around us.

“I don’t know.” I hesitated.

“Just say it.”

“I don’t know, Kai. I really don’t know.” I answered him, shaking my head.

He requested me to feed him too and he told me that this was just a practice for later’s engagement party. What was running to his mind? Why did he always do this?

It was a knock from the door that made us apart from each other. It was their maid smiling at us and told us to get ready. He guided me to cross my arm to his arm. It looked like a fairytale of a princess.

I smiled while we were walking to the hall near the engagement party’s place. We walked downstairs and I saw him smiling. His face was glowing in my vision and he looked like a fully grown man. We sat on the two chairs in front of few people. May be, only friends and relatives were invited. I saw Haji from afar smiling at us.

The message of his Lolo Adolfo made me smile and laugh because he told us the funny things that Kai did when he was a kid. We also watched the video clip of Lolo Emman that made me cry. I missed him. I was surprised when Kai wiped away my tears using his fingers and he told me that if I cry, I would be more ugly because of my scattered make up.

I was stunned at the moment that Lolo Adolfo gave the small box to Kai and when he opened it, there were two engagement rings.

Kai put the ring in my finger which has an infinity design with tiny diamonds around it and it was the same to his ring. I also put his ring on his finger and the people applaud for us, saying congratulations. We sat near the beautiful cake and it was his expectation awhile ago. We fed each other while smiling, showing that we really enjoy our sweet moments.

After the engagement party, he invited me to his room. It was already past twelve when the party was done. I sat at the couch, feeling tired and after a few minutes, I went to my things. I was surprised when I opened my bag of clothings. It was changed as I put out a shirt and I suspected that it was replaced by someone while we were not in his room. I put out the clothes and I was shocked when I lifted a blue night dress with two black bikinis. I saw a red night dress too and I realized that it was the same as my size. I blushed as I imagined myself wearing these night dresses and bikinis.

“Is there any problem?” Kai asked at my back, drying his hair with a short towel. He wore blue v-neck shirt and a gray shorts. I noticed his reddened face again as his usual look. I hid the night dress and I looked at him.

“Nothing.” I laughed a little and I hurried to the bathroom. I was reaching for the zipper of my gown but I could not reach it. The door opened and I was shocked that it was Kai, my knees began to tremble as he asked me, “Do you need help?”

“Please don’t look at my back. Please, close your eyes.” I told him. I was nervous if he would see my true color. He did not respond and I asked him again not to see my back.

“I don’t want to see your back. I’m just helping you.” he seriously said. May be, he did not want to see my dark skin at my back. Good to know but he was still a man. I think it was not right. I was about to tell him to stop but he was at my back and he was slowly pulling down the zipper of my gown. I covered my chest and looked at him, checking if his eyes were opened. Yes, his eyes were closed.

“Thank you. It’s good for you to go out.” I said, showing my smile at him but he just smirked while his eyes were closed. He went out and I rushed to lock the door, making myself sure that it could not be opened again.

One thing that I forgot was my make up kit and he should not see me like this. May be, he would panic if he would see my natural color. I checked him at the bed and around the room. I dashed to get my pouch because he was not here. I need to put some make up on my arms, and exposed areas because of this night dress.

How could I get out of the bathroom? May be, he would laugh at me or he would think that I was seducing him. Erase, erase! Huhuhu How could it be? I did not like to be humiliated by him because of my looks. I looked at my reflection first at the mirror and said to myself that I could do it.

I went out and I saw him scrolling something on his cellphone. He looked at me and he was stunned while I was walking. He seemed to be looking to my head to toe that made me shy and blushed. I put my pouch in my bag and I ignored him.

I sat opposite to him and scrolled my messages. I saw the text messages and missed calls of Haji that made me surprised.

"Are you okay with him?

"Aren't you going to run away?"

"Are you really going to continue this?"

"Good luck, Sae. Hoping for your happiness with him."

"I know that you can surpass all of this. I will be here always, Sae.”

I smiled at his text messages and I did not noticed that he caught my cellphone out of my hands. My brows met when I looked at him. He was holding my cellphone and he even read my messages from Haji. Wait, why did he get my cellphone?

“Give it back to me.” I frowned and came near to him. I saw him surprised at me.

“So, you wanted to run before our engagement?” he asked me curiously and his furious eyes met mine. He looked irritated and he gave it back to me that made me smile.

“No. I will not surely run away to you. What I do is for Lolo Emman and why do you react like that? Wait, don’t tell me…”