The Best Aunt Is Back

When Dana comes back to the table she has a solemn expression on her face and asking if they can cut the date short for she wants to go home. He tried asking her why, but she refused to say.

"Let me just pay our bill." Grand gave up on asking her the reason why she has to go. It is clear she won't say anything.

"Here's my share," she said, opening her wallet.

"Hey, what do you take me for? I don't let my date pay," he said with wrinkled eyebrows. He left Dana on the table to pay in the cashier.

Watching his back, Dana couldn't help but grin stupidly. She was thinking that Grand called this meetup a date. She feels frustrated that it has to be cut short. Ellise called her, saying their aunt is waiting at Madame Bae's house and wanted her to be there ASAP.

"Let's go," Grand said, handing her a box.

"What's this? she asked, surprised.

"Muffins," he said widening his eyes in an exaggerated manner like she's asking a stupid question.

"I know they are muffins, but why did you buy it?" perplexed, she asked.

"Because you love them," he answered seriously. Then pulled her from the table.

"Where should I bring you? Let's get a taxi."

"No need for a taxi, it's walking distance from here."

Grand turned around to face her, "You were in a taxi when you arrived." he said with a questioning tone.

"I have to meet my aunt in her friend's place and her house is near here. Just there actually," she said pointing the street across from the coffee shop.

"Okay, let me walk you there."

Dana was itching to ask Grand if they are going to meet again, or what was the meaning of those words he said in the coffee shop. But she doesn't want to come across as clingy so she keeps her mouth shut and plays it cool.

They walk in silence under the Sycamore trees lining the street. Grand having her walk on the inner side of the sidewalk. It still surprises Dana that this man could be rude or gentleman in an instant.

After walking for fifteen minutes in silence. She stops in front of a grilled gate in a narrow alleyway.

"This is the place. Sorry, I can't invite you in." she smiled apologetically.

The truth is she can invite Grand inside, and she's quite sure that Madame Bae won't mind. Bobby would pop up here anytime without any words of complaint from Madame Bae for she doesn't mind.

But Dana isn't worried about the owner of the house but her aunt that is waiting inside. Hence, she won't invite Grand in. She doesn't want to explain things to her aunt right now. How could she explain when she herself has no idea of what is going on between her and Grand. They did meet up but her questions were barely answered. She ended up having more questions and as confused as before.

"Thank you for inviting me."

"The pleasure is all mine. Regrettably, we had to end it shortly but I would love to invite you again in the future. That is if you don't mind." he said with expectation.

Dana forgot the possibility of bad news waiting for her inside upon hearing that Grand would invite her again to go out.

"Sure, you can just send me a message in WeChat. That is if you don't block me again," she said playing the guilt card that works perfectly.

Grand scratches his nape in embarrassment and says, "It won't happen again Muffin."

Muffin. He's been calling her with it, she was about to ask him about it when the gate creaked behind her, and she heard Ellise voice.

"What are you still standing here? she asked. "Oh... Grand... what are you doing here?" she added, confused, after seeing that she isn't alone.

"I'm dropping Dana off," he answered like, dropping her off or being with her in that matter is something that is already a normal occurrence.

"See yeah!" he said as he turned around and walked back to the main road.

"I didn't expect you to be there," she said to Ellise while they are walking inside. "Is aunt Joy mad?

"You have to find out for yourself if she's angry, for why I'm here, the same reason why Grand is with you. We have a half day break today."

"Though I'm surprised that you are hanging out with Grand," Ellise asked with an underlying tone of wanting to know more.

Dana pretended she didn't catch the tone in Ellise's voice and just kept silent. She doesn't know why suddenly she wants to keep everything about Grand for herself.

"Tadaima," she said in a cheerful voice entering the living room where Madame Bae and aunt Joy were waiting.

"Brat, it looks like you're doing fine! Not feeling any amount of guilt for the people you left at home? she asked.

"She even went on a date," Ellise said, sitting down on the couch across aunt Joy.

Dana gaped at Ellise. She never thought she would tell-tale to their aunt. How dare she! She didn't invite Grand inside because she doesn't want him to be under the radar of their overprotective aunt. And now Ellise just,..told her about him. She felt betrayed!!

"Sit down Dana and tell me about him," she said in a serious tone.

She sits beside aunt Joy and glares at Ellise, who is acting in front of her like she did nothing wrong. The nerve! Dana thought fuming.

"Ahem, Dana?"

She shifts her sitting position to face her aunt. "There is nothing to tell. He just asked me to have some coffee."

"And who is this he?" probing, she asked.

She pointed at Ellise and said, "Her team captain in CTF."

Ellise raised her eyebrows at her. She glared at her in return.

"Hmm, no wonder." her aunt commented.

Dana's eyebrows twitched with the seeming disinterest of her aunt. Did she get it wrong? She's not going to scold her about Grand. She's torn between relief and worry with how the conversation went. But she decided to keep quiet.

"Why are you here?" she inquired.

"Well of course because I missed you," she said pinching both her cheeks. "And because I'm taking you shopping."

Dana's eyes widened with joy. She badly needed a new wardrobe!

---

"What do you think of this Grand guy?" she asked while Dana and Madame Bae were busy in the changing room.

Ellise looked at her sipping tea. "He's a good team captain."

"Is he a friend?"

"Not really, I knew him from way back. His family lives in East City too. The same building where Dana is staying right now."

Joy raised her eyebrow of where the story is going.

"Dana doesn't know. And I didn't tell her." Ellise said with a straight face.

"And why is that?" she asked, lips curving into a smile.

"No reason," she said, averting her eyes.

Their conversation was interrupted when Dana stormed out of the changing room.

"Which one is better?" Dana asked with four dresses in her arms. A store assistant tailing behind.

"Just get them all." Ellise terse reply.

"You're a fun shopping companion. Thank you!" she said sarcastically.

Ellise just smirks at Dana.

"Are you done? Our dinner reservation is in the next hour."

"Yes, I'm done. Madame Bae was an amazing help," she said handing all the four dresses to the store assistant. "I'll get them all and all the rest I've already chosen over there," she said.

The assistant gave her a pleasant smile, and asked, "Should we send them over or will you bring them now?"

"I'll give you an address and you can send them tomorrow at ten."

"Indeed it needs to be delivered, we don't have enough space for all of that in the car." Her aunt looked on in amusement seeing three staff hauling all the clothes Dana got.

She handed her card to the waiting assistant and said, "Have her name in my tab for a future shopping spree."

Dana shrieked and threw herself in her aunt's arms, saying "You're the best!"

"Brat!" she replied amused.

"You are not getting anything?" she asked Ellise who was just peacefully lounging in the armchair.

Looking at her she looks so regal just sitting there with her poker face. She smiled inwardly thinking what her fanboys in the CTF circle would think of this side of her. Ellise caught sight of her and threw her a puzzled look, which she answered with snapping her photo.

Ellise gave her an annoyed look. But before she could do anything Madame Bae gave an instruction to the store manager to have Ellise's name under their store list to be the first to get the new arrival from the store, which the manager happily obliges.

"Thank you for accommodating us in such short notice." she heard her aunt saying.

"It's our pleasure to serve you." the manager said politely.