DO YOU ALSO THINK I'M COLD?
After fifteen minutes was over, everyone came back to where Jacob, Hana, and the rest were waiting.
"Let's go?" Hana asked them since she was their tour guide.
"Aye! Aye! Captain!" they responded to her in a joking manner but they also trusted her to bring them safely to the right place.
Hana led the group with Jacob walking right beside her. She was holding a handkerchief to prepare herself in case something would drip out of her nose along the way.
"Isn't your bag heavy? How about I carry that for you?" Jacob offered when everyone's lagging few meters behind them.
"I am fine, boss. I might be clumsy at work but I am good in carrying my own things."
"I see." He stayed silent for a moment before speaking again. "If ever you feel tired, just give me your backpack."
Hana narrowed her eyes at him with doubt. He was being extra nice to her which made her doubt his intention. "Why are you being nice to me, boss? Are you trying to cover up your words yesterday?"
"I thought you forgave me already."
"Yes, I did. But it makes me uncomfortable when you are being extra nice. It seemed to me that you are not yourself again."
"I am not being extra nice. I just really want to become friends with you."
"Friends with me?!" Hana stopped walking and faced him directly while pointing her fingers towards herself. "Boss, why do you want to become friends with me?"
"Ah? You don't like it?"
"It's not..I mean..wait..I don't want to get any special treatment from you. Are you friends with everyone at work?" she directed her question at him while shifting her gaze to her colleagues who were following them.
They looked towards their boss and gulped with their dry throat. They really wanted to say that they weren't friends but if they do so, would they lose their job?
"Of course we are all friends. Shouldn't everyone become friends? It would be easier and comfortable to work with friends." Liam butt in and answered her question.
'Thank you for saving us, sir Liam.'
Everyone wanted to express their gratitude but they could only smile at him and to their boss. Hana was also doubting Liam's answer but, seeing everyone's smile, she felt convinced.
"Okay. Let's become friends." Hana told her boss.
"Really? You want to become friends with a cold robotic man like me?" Jacob's question made everyone grimaced. They never thought that their boss knew this nickname. Customers and staff usually describe him this way.
"I don't mind but, there isn't really any benefits in becoming my friend."
"I don't think about benefits. I just want you to treat me like how you treat your colleagues and Lily."
They two of them didn't notice anything at all. They were just exchanging statements and making conversation but, everyone following behind them could see their happiness. It wasn't just because they were becoming friends with each other. It was something else that they didn't want to say.
Sometimes, it's fun to become a bystander and watch someone's love life develop into a happy ending.
Liam on the other hand didn't want to just become a bystander and watch over them. He wanted to become one of the reason that they will have a happy ending.
He was watching them quietly while formulating some plans to help them develop their relationship. He wanted to make them even closer than friends.
'Wait! I know that Jacob likes her but, does she like him?' He stopped on his track while thinking about this question over and over again. He had been to the cafe but he had never observed Hana. He was only observing Jacob's reaction in the past.
"Tsk! I overlooked something. I need to find a way about this."
Lily nudged him with her elbows since he was mumbling to himself. "Are you okay, sir Liam?"
"I am fine. I am fine. Don't worry."
"Okay." Lily left him alone after confirming that he was okay.
Liam jogged to follow her closely. "Say Lily, you and Hana can be considered best friends, right?"
"I think so. Why?"
"Do you know what kind of man does she like?"
"I don't know but, I am sure it isn't someone like you."
"Hey! Why do you have to insult me?!"
"I am not insulting you, okay? I am just telling you the truth. Not everyone will like you, okay?"
Liam was stupefied with her frank and straight forward answer. He knew that Hana won't like him but he didn't need someone to tell him that.
"Don't be hurt with my words, sir Liam. Even if Hana doesn't like you, you still have plenty of women to play with. Don't be discourage."
"I can't really tell if you are insulting me or comforting me." Liam snickered at her. He felt so bad that he wanted to leave her behind. Even so, he still walked closely behind her to make sure that she and everyone else were safe.
While they were bickering back and forth, Hana and Jacob were happily chatting in front of everyone. They talked about so many things that they haven't shared with anyone yet. Their voices were low as if keeping things a secret between them.
"So much for this silly stuff, do you also think that I am cold and a machine-like person?" Jacob whispered his question. Even though he never spoke of this matter, he didn't like Hana to think of him that way, too.