Chance Encounter

"Ehehe. I finally found you, Luke!"

Alice thought as she smirked in victory. Walking into a small cafe Alice couldn't help but stop and stare in barely concealed excitement.

She finally found that rascal!

Looking at the young man seriously making coffee was too surreal for her.

His bangs were hanging low, almost obscuring his bright green eyes and his onyx-black hair that was haphazardly arranged. He was sporting a light stubble that went well with his pale face.

He had grown well.

"Well maybe not too well"

Alice noted in amusement as she eyed the black lip ring that hung on his thin light pink lips as well as the skull-shaped earring that hung from his right ear.

"Hehe, looks like he's going through his emo phase."

She couldn't help giggling at the thought but quickly awoke from her reverie as she noticed a little girl standing in front of her in the queue, looking at her with a concerned face.

"OH THANK GOODNESS!! I'm wearing a mask! I'm wearing a mask! No one can recognise me…probably"

She chanted in her mind in relief. Alice kept forgetting her status as a celebrity whenever she felt a craving for coffee. Today happened to be another one of her episodes where no one was there to get her coffee. Usually her manager had Alice's assistant do this but she happened to be on leave today.

Even though she left without telling anyone, doesn't mean she didn't disguise herself properly. It would be fairly challenging for most to tell looking at her current attire.

But he might.

He's always been very observant.

So vigilant and cautious.

That's why he's always been the biggest scaredy-cat ever, not that he would ever admit it.

If she revealed herself now would he remember her?

And if he remembered would he run like the little scared boy he was…

Maybe not.

But being careful never hurt.

With a turn of her heel, she marched right back out of the little cafe with her hands still in her pockets and a newfound goal to look forward to. With a tap on her earpiece her phone proceeded to call someone who could help. As she waited for the call to pick up, she pulled out an old tablet and started to tap on peculiar patterns and symbols in seemingly random orders.

"Grandma, could you ask Grandpa to look into someone. I need to know everything from where he lives and studies to places most frequented."

Alice asked in a deliberately softer voice to help in her persuasion.

"Dear, what trouble are you up to right now? Don't bully innocent people like this. Minding one's own business is the key to a peaceful life, I tell you" Grandma replied with an exaggerated sigh.

Honestly, this granddaughter of her's was the main source of almost all her headaches. She really wished to she would stop being mischievous but could only lament in silence as she and her husband were mainly at fault with them spooling her rotten.

"Yah yah, but this guy is my business! He's no innocent person. He's a little thief, Grandma!" Alice replied indignantly.

"How can he not be…" Alice murmured in an inaudible voice that carried a hint of loneliness and longing as she subconsciously held the pendant on her necklace. Weirdly enough, the pendent looked like a coin that had a layer of rust stuck to it.

"Aigoo, I doubt he's as bad as you make him out to be…Whatever, I'll let your Grandpa know and he can decide if it's alright to meddle like this." Grandma replied, instantly deciding that pushing this problem onto her husband was the best course of action or else her mental health might be in jeapardy. 'Out of sight, out of mind', was also another piece of advice Grandma lived by to attain a peaceful life.

"Thank you Grandma, love you!"

"Hmph! I'd believe you if you'd go back to school and complete your education. This isn't my generation where having one and not having one are all okay. Just because your career is fine doesn't mean it-"

"Okay OKAYYY! I'll join a school! Even better yet, I'll join the school that that boy is going to! Two stones, one bird!" she replied with a smug grin as she realised that this was the perfect opportunity to appease her naggy Grandma and reunite with that fool!

"It's one stone two-…never mind. Let me know when you're starting to attend school!", replied with obvious exasperation at this air-headed fool of a granddaughter she has.

"Yahyah, I'll attend for sure, after all, there seems to be someone really interesting there.."

Alice replied as she looked back toward the cafe with a mischievous smile plastered across her face.