Why?

'….Why?'

Why did he come for her?

Why didn't he ignore her like everyone had done in her life?

Why didn't he look away like everyone had done in her life?

Why?

'Why did you look at me….when no one….' Tears unconsciously gathered around Calla's lower eyelids. Her glistening honey brown eyes remained on the broad back of the man dragging her by the hand in her front. His grasp around her wrists was firm and not loosened, giving her a sense of security that she was safe and telling her that he would always be there just for her.

A feeling that she had always wanted in her life.

'Even my family….and him….' Calla lowered her gaze to the ground. A lone tear trickled down her cheek, only on the masked side of her face.

Her husband didn't even give her this feeling of protection. In his eyes was only her late twin sister and not herself.

''We're here, Calla.'' Vincent's voice pulled Calla from her wandering thoughts. Lifting her head, her gaze came in contact with the familiar calm and simple scenery of the backyard of the commercial department.

A place where she had hoped to see Vincent.

''…...'' Halting her footsteps, Calla lowered her gaze to the ground once more. Her arm around her textbooks tightened, her fingers shaking and digging through the hardcovers as she pressed them more to her chest. Her other fingers were still within Vincent's firm grasp.

''Why?'' Calla voiced out her true thoughts, her soft voice coming out in a whisper. It penetrated through the faint breeze, audible enough for Vincent's ears to catch.

'Why did you help me?'

Calla did not believe that he helped her out of kindness. He probably needed her help for something. There was no such thing as true kindness in her dark world. Everyone who interacted with her in the past only needed her for two things.

Her beautiful twin sister, and her influential family.

She never had someone who interacted just for herself, and she believed Vincent was the same as those people.

As Calla waited for an answer, Vincent only stared, his eyes were unreadable as his eyes took in the visage of the young masked woman whose head remained lowered as if she was protecting herself.

He had stopped when she suddenly stopped walking after him, and he also watched all her reactions until she asked that question 'Why?'

Why?

Just a simple word, yet a heavy question, demanding an answer from him. An answer that would determine the relationship between them.

For a moment, not a word was uttered between the two people standing in the presence of a lone sturdy tree. A young masked woman who lowered her head in uncertainty, and a young man who stared at her with eyes, unable to depict the feelings from his heart.

''I understand.''

A voice finally came through the silence. A masculine voice belonging to only Vincent, whose lips relaxed into a thin smile. A smile telling stories of his hidden pain. His blue eyes were also the same.

'You understand?' Calla could not fathom his words, and she wasn't giving time to, as Vincent had no intention of ending his words right there with those two words.

''You know, Calla….I am touching you, the real you.'' His eyes trailed down from her face to her hand in his grasp. Her hand bearing the same scars as her neck, and probably her face.

''…...''

Touching the real her?

*Gasp!* A faint gasp escaped Calla's lips.

As though realizing the meaning of his words, Calla struggled to get her hand out of his hold. Vincent was right. She never allows just anyone to touch her, yet she casually allowed him….so easily. He was even touching her scarred hand, yet he never pulled away…not even once.

 ''Let me….''

''You allowed me to touch you....unlike last time, Calla.'' Vincent interrupted, shortening the distance between himself and Calla in very slow steps. ''Doesn't that mean that I am someone to you, Calla?''

''Vincent…''

''Admit it, Calla. I am someone to you. Don't push me away because of your insecurities.''

''Y-You don't understand anything about me, Vincent. Just leave me alone….like everyone else.'' Pleading with those words, Calla rose her head, her tear-stained face and teary eyes meeting Vincent's gaze. ''Please….''

She didn't want to get to hurt again. The hurt she had within her was more than enough. If Vincent crossed the line that even Miss Lola and Jenna had never stepped over….she wouldn't know what to do, when Vincent decided to abandon her….like her family had done.

What if he finds out about her past? Would he look at her the same way as everyone else?

Calla didn't want to know the answer, when it was already within her.

''I am not worth your time, Vincent. Just leave me alone.'' Calla's voice was steadier, and her teary gaze on him was more serious than ever.

''…..You are finally looking at me, Calla.'' Vincent's smile was different from his pained one. It was very warm and sincere, shaking the pillars of Calla's words...and heart. ''Do you know that your eyes are different from what you said?'' His steps came to a stop. His body towering over Calla's petite figure, and his eyes straightly fixed on her trembling one.

''...''

''Then….what If I promise you that I will never leave you alone?''

''Vincent…'' Squeezing her eyes tightly, Calla called out sharply. She wanted an end to whatever was going on right now between them.

''What If I promise to stay by your side forever?''

''Stop….''

Before Calla could complete her words, her face was suddenly grabbed, and her eyes shot open in alarm. A princely handsome face occupied her entire sight.

''You…'' Her eyes trembled at the realization. The arm securing her textbooks became loose, and each of them slipped from her hold. Calla would have picked them up immediately, but her attention was wholly focused on this man who held her entire face so gently in the palm of his face. No sign of repugnance appeared in his gaze, even his fingers cuddled her masked face.

''I am sorry.'' Vincent chuckled at her stunned face, leaning closer until their foreheads were inches away from the other. ''Your textbooks fell because of me. Did any touch your feet?'' he asked, his tone laced with worry.

''….Let me go.'' Following a momentary pause, Calla said softly. She did not reply to his worries.

''No.'' Vincent instantly replied. ''I will do no such thing, Calla.''

''Please…'' Calla pleaded, her tone seeming more desperate than before.

''Not a chance.'' Vincent did not budge. The tiny space between their foreheads disappeared because of his effort to close the distance. Now, their foreheads touched, and Vincent felt a cool sensation of the mask on his forehead, just like his fingers on her masked face.

''If someone sees us now, Calla, we'll seem like lovers unable to part from one another to the person.'' Vincent jokingly said with his warm smile. ''But….for anyone…No…for me to reach out to you, and for you to acknowledge my existence in your world, I will have to put in more efforts than what I am doing right now.''

''...''

''Do forgive me for behaving like a frivolous man, but you'll have to get used to it as I will do something like this and more every day till you acknowledge me as your friend, Calla.''

''...''

''You know, Calla….When I laid on my bed in the previous night, I really anticipated to meet you, and I also wanted to ask you a question.''

''…..What?'' Calla found herself following him, asking him what question he wanted to ask at the moment.

''Did….'' The words did not immediately come out of his lips. For some reason, Vincent felt nervous. It wasn't a hard question for him to ask, but somehow…the words just didn't slip out. They felt a little heavy for him to voice out.

But…

He did not want to give up.

''Did....Did you miss me at all….Calla?''

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