CHAPTER 70: A SWEET GUY

"How much did he pay you?" Maria asks me, looking between disgusted and annoyed and I totally get her.

"No idea since he hasn't paid me," I shrug and turn towards the maid who starts serving our meal, "thank you," I say to her and the maid, still with a very professional poker-face, nods slightly but says nothing otherwise.

This is that kind of family, huh? I wonder to myself. Probably a good decision by not going along seriously with Keaton's pursuit. Handling this kind of things daily probably will take years off of my life in just a day.

"Maria stop it!" Keaton is even more angry now.

"K, just let it go. I really don't mind, honestly. I've heard a lot of people saying a lot of things to a lot of people," I chuckle, probably my words will not make any sense to either of them. I just want him to know that I take no offense whatsoever.

"He can't even pronounce your name right," Maria says to Keaton, scoffing.

"Will you look at that! I'm also uneducated," I grin at Keaton who's seething with anger and probably shame and then I start to pity him, "I'm sorry, I was joking," I grin at him, reaching out to hold his hand.

"I'm really sorry about her," Keaton apologizes to me again.

"It's really not a big deal to me," I tell him, "can we just eat and pretend she's not here if it makes you feel better?" I inquire carefully.

"Like that's going to work," Maris scoffs again but Keaton smiles at me and nods so I take my cutlery and start digging into my food.

"My God I'm famished," I tell him as I inhale the food, and at this point, I really couldn't care less how they perceived me or my table manner.

"Ugh disgusting," Maria grumbles but we of course can still hear her and her words afterwards. Well, actually, it's more like her rapid shot at me. It's slightly amusing to be honest. I've never felt this much hatred from someone before. Especially from someone I literally just met minutes ago. Might as well get used to it since I'll be receiving a lot more of that in the future.

"What are your plans today?" Keaton, trying to distract himself from his sister's continuous blunt remarks, strikes a conversation with me.

"Going back to my dorm and probably pass out," I shrug, "I have a morning class tomorrow so I need the rest," I tell him.

"Right, I remember you told me you're in fourth year and about to head for internship soon," he says, remembering our conversation from last night.

"Right, about last night," I swallow and turn to him in a serious manner, "don't tell Joy about anything I told you last night, okay?"

"Why? Keaton asks, confused.

"Well, if she knows, it'll only be time for my other friends to find out and they can really, really be meddlesome," I tell him seriously.

"What? It's not like they're gonna follow you, right?" he laughs.

"Don't underestimate them," I tell him, feeling incredulous myself. But such things can actually happen and just by the thought of it alone can already make me shudder.

"You have good friends," Keaton says and I nod agreeing.

"They are the best. But not right now," I tell him.

"I get it," Keaton says, holding my hand, "I won't tell anyone." I smile at him gratefully even through Maria pretending to vomit.

"Thanks," I tell him sincerely.

"You done? Want me to drop you off?" Keaton asks after we're done with our lunch.

"Sure, considering you haven't' paid me, I have no money for transport," I grin at him and he, as well as Maria, both choke on their water. I smile gleefully at her and a little apologetically at Keaton. "Sorry, can't help it," I stand up, followed by Keaton who's red in the face.

"C'mon," Keaton drags me away, "before she tries to kill you."

"Bye! Nice to meet you!" I wave at the fuming Maria who, just like Keaton says, looks so ready to kill me.

"That's awfully brave of you," Keaton laughs as we enter his room, "most people will cower and then just bolt when Maria's around," he tells me.

"Was I too rude?" I ask half worriedly. The other half of me? Well, he couldn't care less.

"You were hot," Keaton says before tackling me onto the bed to which I yelp in response.

"Was I?" I grin at him. He smiles back that dimpled-smile to which I have found, that I'm weak against, and then he kisses me. He keeps his hands to himself, though, to my surprise and appreciation as well as apprehension. At least he sticks to his words that he's going to pursue me for real before doing anything else. "If you're not going to do anything else, kindly fuck off," I tell him after a while, still with a smile.

He grins and gets off from me. He helps me up and lets me gather my things. He charged my phone while I was asleep and I check it and it has dozens of missed calls and texts. Guess from who? Heheheheh.

I sigh dejectedly because, well, we're not supposed to, like, hangout or anything last night, but we do tend to spend the weekends together. I just know that there'll be questions when I meet them later on.

"Ready?" Keaton asks, already putting on his jacket. I put my phone away, turning to him with a smile, and nod before following him downstairs.

We walk to the entrance of his house and well, all I can say is that I am greatly impressed. I mean, looking at the overall ground, the place is magnificent. The front law is even bigger than my own house. It's also very well tended with plenty of flower plants.

Keaton's car is already waiting for us and he hops in the driver's seat after opening the passenger's seat for me like a gentleman. "Thanks," I tell him as we drive towards the uni.

"What for?" His voice is pleasant and his small laugh even more so.

"Do you sing?" I ask suddenly ask, and, he, too, seems surprised by the question.

"Sing? Like, professionally?" he asks back, confused.

"Like, whatever," I chuckle, "try singing," I urge him.

"Where did this come from?" baffled, Keaton laughs.

"Your voice is very nice. I like it," I tell him with a smile.

"I'm not sure, though, I've never been told to sing before," he amidst, laughing, "What should I sing?" he asks.

"Any song you particularly like?"

"I don't know… I like to listen to some bands…" he says slowly.

"Like what?" I roll my eyes, urging him.

"Like… One Ok Rock…?" he's so unsure and slightly embarrassed it's really adorable.

"I like them too, sing something, then," I nudge him eagerly. "Can you sing 'Wherever You Are'?" I ask a little too excitedly.

A wait for a little while, rolling my eyes then impatiently pinch his arm. He jerks away in surprise before glancing over to me with resignation as well as embarrassment. He bites his lower lip before sighing and starts to sing a little, albeit very, very softly. I can barely hear it. But I wait for him to gain more confidence. I keep smiling at him, encouraging him and he starts to sing for real.

He starts serenading me. His voice is soft and light and bright. He's clearly untrained but even that way, his voice pierces right through my heart. He sings just a portion of it and some of the lyrics are even wrong, but I really don't mind.

"That was beautiful," I tell him sincerely and I can see him blush. He uses his free hand to cover his reddening ears and I chuckle at that. He's truly too adorable. "You're too precious," I tell him.

"Please stop," he pleads weakly.

"Don't pursue me," I tell him, no longer smiling.

"What?" he turns towards me in surprise, almost in shock, but his eyes turn back to the road immediately. Very aware. That's nice.

"I don't know about anything else," I hold his free hand, caressing and playing with it absent-mindedly. He has big hands. And warm too. "I will hurt you. I'm sure of that, and, please let me speak?" I ask him when he wants to speak, "I like you. You're a nice person and I would really love it if you're to be my friend. I really don't want to hurt you and anything beyond friendship, will surely mess everything," I tell him, smiling.

I feel sad. I really thought that if I wasn't in love with Allen, I could really fall for someone like Keaton. He's probably the perfect guy everyone wants. But no. I have to fall in love with Allen. Stupid, dumb me.

"You're thinking too far ahead, Levi," Keaton chuckles and I pout. "I like you, sure. And I want to pursue you, that's also true. But being far too serious about it will just ruin it, no?" he says to me.

"I'm just saying, you're going to regret it sooner or later," I shrug, having given up on convincing him.

"Let's do it this way," he says, taking my hand and holding it tightly. "I'm going on a business trip the day after tomorrow for about two weeks, and if by the time I get back I still want to be with you, then at least give me a chance?" he asks gently.

"A chance?" I ask with a frown, "how? What kind of chance?"

"Just, let me call you, text you, take you out on a date and all that rituals," he tells me, chuckling. "You really don't have to do anything else but just let me do those things, okay?"

"I really don't have to do anything?" I ask unsure.

"Yes, Levi," he tells me more seriously. "All I need is a chance to see where this may go. You don't even have to like me back, you know? I'm not that kind of person," he reassures me.

"Suit yourself," I sigh, leaning back against the seat in defeat. I really don't get this whole dating thing so really, I'm not gonna argue with him anymore.

"Is that the building?" Keaton asks as we're nearing the dorm complex. I point at the blue building, standing tallest amongst the other buildings. It's one of the first dorms to be built and it's the oldest although also the biggest.

"That one,'' I tell him. Keaton nods and turns his car towards the building.

"Can I take you out before I leave for my trip?" he asks as he stops the car on the lobby of my dorm.

"I don't know…" I tell him truthfully, "I may have a thing with Malik. He's taking me to this fusion restaurant I want to try in his neighborhood," I tell him.

"You're not dating him, right?" Keaton asks, suddenly turning to me.

"Nope," I tell him straight, "he's also not the one I'm in love with," I add just for good measures.

"That's good to know," he smiles and his dimples are showing and I can't help but stare at them.

"Your face is not fair, you know," I frown and pout.

"How so?" he asks, laughing as he reaches out his hand to pat my head.

"It's kinda annoying. I don't know whether to kiss your perfectly adorable dimples or punch your perfectly handsome face," I tell him and his eyes are gone and he holds the steering wheel tightly and bellows.

"Please don't punch me," he says, "Joy says you do martial arts?" he asks.

"Have not been for some time, though. Probably need to start training again," I suddenly thought.

It's true. It's been weeks since I last trained. Maybe I should visit the taekwondo club soon.

"Well, thanks," I sigh, turning to him and offering him a smile, "for the ride and for last night and for, well, everything else," I shrug.

"Last night was probably something I will never forget for the rest of my life," he says seriously.

"Glad some of us won't. I forgot practically everything," I sigh as I tell him, a little regretfully.

"That's hurtful," Keaton laughs, "we weren't that memorable, huh?" he teases.

I roll my eyes at him and grab my bag from the backseat before running to him again, "thanks again," I say and get out of the car. I close the door and he lowers the window so I bend down with a questioning look.

"No goodbye kiss for me?" he asks, grinning. Roll my eyes and inches closer before grabbing him by the collar and crashing our lips together. "I'll call you," he tells me with a smile and I wave at him with a nod. Do whatever you like, I tell him.

He drives away and I sigh, watching his car disappear from sight before turning around to enter the lobby.

Oh. Lookie here! Allen and Joy! Standing there! In front of the lobby door! Staring at me!

Fuck my life. Seriously.