「06:24 | Tuesday」

Ma'am Iris doesn't want to have any form of intimate relationship with me due to us being a student-teacher whatsoever.

I know it's just an excuse of hers though. I'm sure it isn't the true reason why she doesn't want to be close with me.

That's why I'm going to go to her again and persistently ask her about it.

“Crystal, I'm going out!”

“Ah.”

Crystal wearing an apron— albeit just really an apron, pops her head out of the kitchen then wave at me.

“Aren't you going to give me a good bye kiss?”

She's fidgeting her body with a rather flushed face.

Hell. She looks so adorable.

But no.

“I won't give you a kiss. Make sure mom doesn't see you this way Crystal.”

“I'll be obedient if you give me at least a peck on my lips hehehe...”

She giggles coquettishly.

What's the deal with her?

What is she planning this time?

Hmmm.

What was that?

I saw a glimmer hidden behind the kitchenwares at seven o'clock of Crystal.

Bloody hell. Is that camera?

What the hell are you planning?

You're currently naked right now wearing nothing but an apron.

Why are you recording this?

And why do you want me to kiss you? To blackmail me?

I made the right choice of not getting seduced by her adorable acts.

I should leave immediately.

“Good bye my beloved li'l sis.”

I walk out of the living room and close the door without looking back.

Should I take pedicab or tricycle?

It's still early so I guess I'll ride a pedicab today.

“!!”

*Swoosh~*

Wh—

Somebody grabs my arm. I didn't notice her presence at all.

More importantly...

“Why are you here, Eli-chan?”

“I need your help.”

She's not in her uniform.

Eli-chan is wearing a fitted black t-shirt underneath a jet-black windbreaker. She's not wearing her skirt for school but a dark blue short jeans. And she's covering her eyes with a black baseball cap.

She look really suspicious right now. And Philippines is too hot for this outfit. Especially at noon.

Agh.

“What is it?”

Did something happen?

“I... Help me buy presents for your parents.”

What? Presents?

“Are we skipping class today?”

“En.”

I have no problem with that. However...

“You don't need to worry about buying presents for them. Mom and dad doesn't mind that at all. Just be there and meet them.”

“No!”

“......”

“It's your fault for being so abrupt!”

Was I the one ignoring me all this time?

But she really have an attitude of obstinacy right now.

“So you're coming with me!”

She then suddenly drags me away without waiting for my reply.

“Wait— Don't grab me like that— Agh... I can't walk properly— Bloody hell. Listen to me. Eli-chan!”

She's not listening.

And just like that, she drags me with her into the jeepney that stops in front of us.

I sit beside her at the far back of the seat. Eli-chan still isn't willing to let me go.

“It's early in the morning yet you two are being so lovey-dovey.”

The driver smiles teasingly at us. The other passengers giggles.

“But isn't it tuesday today? Don't you have school? You shouldn't skip school for romance.”

“It's urgent. ”

Eli-chan answers him before I could speak.

“I see. Well then have fun.”

The driver smiles wryly before driving his jeepney away.

I'm currently receiving many gazes. The passengers are looking at me who's being tightly hugged by Eli-chan.

She doesn't want to let go and so she looks very clingy. Or am I being seen as a gigolo?

Ah. I can't sit properly.

My spine hurts.

“My little girlfriend Eli-chan... Can you please let me go? I'm not going to run away.”

“............................No.”

She says without the intention of listening after a long pause. What was that for?

This is so unfair for some reason.

I was eager to get closer to her for the past several days but she doesn't let me to.

And now that I want her to let go, she doesn't want to.

Oh hell. She's really very willful.

“Kuya, here's my fare. Please pass it to the front.”

A grade 7 student boy hands me several pieces of coin.

I take it from him and pass it to Eli-chan's seatmate who will then pass it to the driver.

“Where are we going Eli-chan?”

After coming down from the jeepney, Eli-chan still haven't let go of my arm. We're now in Centro Naga.

“There.”

“Dahlia mall?”

“En.”

“What are you planning to buy?”

“..........”

She didn't answer but drags me forward instead.

“Eli-chan, you don't need to be so anxious. My mom is an easygoing person. She won't shame you nor scold you.”

“..........”

Did she even hear me?

Whatever. I'll just observe for now.

So with that, I once again got dragged into the mall.

“Eli-chan, are you planning to buy mom some clothes?”

We're in the female apparel section of the mall. She's walking in front of me busily looking at the fancy clothes displayed all over the place.

She's no longer grabbing me which is very much welcome by me.

“Yes.”

“These clothes are too expensi—”

“I'll buy her some jewelry as well.”

What?

“Don't worry, I'm using my own salary I got from the gang.”

“That's not the point. I don't even care if you use mine. I mean to say that there's no need to spend this much.”

Eli-chan looks at me with a little hint of dejection.

“Are you against with me being close to your mother?”

Huh?

“Of course not. Don't jump to conclusions.”

“Then why are you preventing me from buying her gifts?”

“Eli-chan, did you forgot that our family is also rich? We just don't spend that much. So if mom wants expensive clothes and jewelries, we could also afford it. There's no need for you to spend so much.”

“!!”

Oh hell. Not good. That sentences could make her misunderstand.

“Eli-chan listen—”

“I know... I know that it's pointless.”

“I apologize.”

She refuse to speak any further and she looks angry and defensive right now. She's biting her lips and even refusing to look at me.

Bloody hell. Is this happening again?

Like hell I'll let this misunderstanding cause another fight between us. It's already troublesome enough with the present one.

“Eli-chan, please listen to m—”

“No! You don't need to say anything. ”

She turns around to leave but I grab her arm.

“L-Let go... You can't tou—”

“You lost the bet. ”

“That's...”

“I won't let you go without clearing the misunderstanding just now.”

“No...”

She struggles but she's weak for some reason.

“Fufu. No— Hmm...? Eli-chan.”

I look into her eyes. She is struggling but then goes back to her expressionlessness after understanding my message.

“Let's go somewhere desolate.”

“.........”

I drag Eli-chan away and walk out of the mall going towards the alley where I played with B-Marc.

Even though, it's morning, the alley is still somehow dark.

I and Eli-chan mask our presence waiting for those guys.

“Did they go into this place?”

“Yes. Let's go or we might lose them.”

“What are they doing in an alley? They're really suspicious.”

“We should only hurt the guy though. Boss said we shouldn't mess with the girl.”

“Okay.”

“Wait. I can't see them. Are you sure they came here?”

“Of course. You're with me as well didn't you? I don't also know where did they go?”

“Hello there.”

““!!””

I kick the guy on his back to push him farther into the alley. Eli-chan did the same.

““Agh!””

The two fall into the ground. They look back at us with confusion.

“What are you two doing?”

The guy I kicked hurriedly stands up and asks me while being vigilant.

“You should know that. Aren't the two of you have been following us?”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“I see. What are you doing here then?”

“We heard two suspicious people roaming inside the mall.”

The other guy stands up as well patting the dust off his security uniform.

“Mark, should we kill them?”

Eli-chan pulls out a silver knife from her belly band.

““!!””

The two step back and take their gun out

“Well no Eli-chan. It will leave a trace.”

Oh hell. You're so violent.

“What should we do with their boss then? He wants to harm you. We should get rid of him immediately.”

“Do you two really think we will let you do that?”

“Put your weapon down.”

They aim their special .38 at us. Aren't they being too rash? We're just highschool students.

Just what did Rolfo say to them about us?

“I might need him for something Eli-chan so no.”

“I said put your weapon down!”

“Fufufufu.”

“.........”

I look at them.

“What do you think will happen if the two of you shoot two highschool students inside a dark alley? Who will they believe more? Besides, you've been following us and CCTV cameras should have recorded that. You're both more suspicious po kuya.”

“That's...”

“Why don't you try shooting at us po?”

““.........””

They look at each other.

“Put the knife down first.”

“You sure you want to risk your life for Rolfo? Oh hell right... Don't you have your own family?”

““!!””

“If you both got imprisoned, what if something bad happened to your respective beloved family...?”

“Are you threatening us...?”

“Would it be worth it po if they get involve for the sake of your boss? It's not your prioritized desire right? So please put your gun down.”

They glance at each other again before putting their gun back into their holster after seconds of contemplation.

“That's the right choice for you. I don't want to fight as well you know. I'm currently on a date.”

“!!”

Eli-chan turn to me jerkily.

“We're not on a date Mark!”

“Boy and girl are together skipping school to go shopping, if that's not a date, what is it?”

“We are here to buy presents for you parents!”

Then she suddenly looks dejected.

“....Buy you're so against it...”

She puts her knife back to her knife holder inside her shirt.

“Anyway, you can leave now. And please tell Rolfo he shouldn't risk his life. It will be sad if he's son lose another parent.”

I step out of the way and watch them leave warily.

Now then, time to deal with—!!

I immediately grab Eli-chan's hand. She's about to run away after all.

“Where are you going?”

“I'm leaving. You don't want me to be close with your mom anyway.”

“When did I say that?”

“Let me go!”

“Nope. We still need to buy presents right?”

I grab both her arms tightly.

“What's the point? Whatever I buy, you and your family can afford it anyway!”

“Fufu. That's true.”

“!!”

Eli-chan bites her lower lip and she increases her strength. I can barely hold her down.

“That's why the present you should give is something that will be immeasurable.”

“.........”

Her ears twitch adorably. She's not looking at me but she is at least listening now.

“Mom loves sweets like I do you know.”

“.........”

“So why not bake some sweet breads for her? That will be more than precious than any fancy clothes and expensive jewelries.”

Eli-chan looks at me this time. And she's no longer struggling.

Fuu~

My arms are already starting to feel tired.

“You know how to do that right?”

She didn't answer immediately and she looks like she's conflicted.

“But— But I don't know any original recipe. Anything I bake is something you can buy somewhere as well.”

“It's not just about the food Eli-chan. It's because you're the one who will make it. Which bakery can we buy Eli-chan's handmade sweets?”

“.....um...”

“None. We can only beg my little girlfriend for it. No matter how wealthy we are, we can't have it from none other than you. Because you're the only Eli-chan in this world.”

“But I'm sure there are other people who's called like that.”

I'm being cheesy here so please...

“Bloody hell. That's not the point. Agh. Whatever. Anyway, are you going to bake or not?”

“I can. But... am I really fine?”

She looks like she find my idea plausible but is still hesitant... Or afraid rather.

“Yes you are fine.”

“I'm not a professional you know...”

“We don't need a professional. Even if it's the best chef, they will never be able to bake what you can. Because they're not Eli-chan.”

“But—”

“I said it's not about the food! It's about who made it. And that person should be you.”

“Umm...”

“We don't care about your money Eli-chan. We rather have sweets you baked using cheap ingredients.”

“But—”

“Oh hell... Eli-chan, everything in this world are objectively equal you know. We're all just the same. But we— sentient beings give value to those things ourselves. It's value becomes subjective. We're the one who gives meaning over something meaningless. So the point of presents aren't the material object itself. It's not how expensive it is. Because those material objects are all equal in the end. It's value changes depending to the intangible thing it represents.”

“......Err....”

“Do you know why women likes receiving bouquet of roses from their significant other even if they have their own garden of roses? It's the thought and the feelings of the giver that counts Eli-chan. The rose is just a symbol for something intangible— love.”

“But you never gave me flowers before....”

She murmurs softly but I heard it. We uh... Oh hell.

“Err... Sorry about that.”

“.......Mm”

“Anyway, do you understand now?”

“Mm.”

She nods softly. Finally.

“If you want to show mother your sincerity and desire to be close with her, represent it with the sweets you'll bake. Got it?”

“Yes...”

“Alright.”

I let go of Eli-chan and I just notice that she's blushing.

“!!”

Hmm?

“T-Then I need to start now..!”

But then as if she realized something, she becomes really anxious. She's looking at me intently seemingly begging and afraid I'll refuse her.

“Alright. Let's buy what you need. It's been a while since I last had a taste of your baking as well.”

“Hehe...”