Even when he's not all there, he still prefers Siena.
Ugh... what a jerk.
I was down for two days, but thankfully, the arrival of my childhood neighbor from back home lifted my spirits.
Before heading to the airport to pick him up, I used all the makeup skills I'd ever learned to give myself a sweet look. Staring at my youthful and vibrant reflection in the mirror, I felt incredibly confident.
As expected, my neighbor flashed me a friendly smile as soon as he saw me. It wasn't until we got into the car that he explained the message on his T-shirt, "BONER ALERT," meant "Flagpole" warning.
My face turned bright red, and I clutched my chest, wishing I could take the shirt off right then and there.
He struggled to hold back his laughter, deliberately putting on a serious face as he comforted me, "It's okay, just make sure to read carefully before buying next time."
Our first meeting since we became adults, and it was the start of my social death.
I'm mortified.
All the way to his hotel, I was a walking zombie, slouching and using my bag to cover my chest.
Zaiden Huerta ruffled my hair, pulled a T-shirt out of his suitcase, and handed it to me. "It's a bit big, but it should look good on you."
I forced myself to perk up and went to the restroom to change.
After I came out, he glanced at me a few times, smiling as he said, "You've grown up, little girl."
I waited for him to compliment me.
Unexpectedly, Zaiden said, "Your nose is a nose, and your eyes are eyes."
...Can he speak like a normal person?
I wearily picked up my bag. "You're a guest from afar, and since you rarely visit, my mom asked me to show you around. So, what do you want to eat?"
"I already ate on the plane. Rather than going out, I'd rather see where you live and what your current living environment is like."
So, we went to my place.
After entering, Zaiden looked around. To spare my pride, he subtly said, "Hmm, it's quite cozy."
I felt slightly embarrassed.
Since Tate arrived, he's been doing most of the housework. Now that he's gone, the place is a bit messy.
Thinking of him made me feel sad again.
Zaiden patted the sofa, then sat down and gently asked, "Are you satisfied with your current job?"
"It's alright."
"I heard from Talia Leach..."
Talia is my bestie.
I interrupted him, "You're not here on behalf of my mom to convince me to move back, are you?"
He smiled, "I'm not here to talk you into moving back."
He was about to continue when his eyes suddenly froze. "What's this?"
Zaiden pulled a pair of underwear out of the gap in the sofa.
He spread it out to take a look.
It was a pair of dark gray men's boxer briefs.
His face turned all sorts of shades—quite a spectacle to behold.
It's no exaggeration to say that my ears were practically smoking with embarrassment.
Why does everything have to go wrong today?
Tate usually seems like such a good kid, but he actually leaves personal items like this lying around.
I quickly reached out and snatched the underwear away.
Zaiden looked up at me, his tone icy, "Who left this here?"
……
Zaiden is too smart. With my level of intelligence, there's no way I could fool him.
I had no choice but to spill everything about Tate to him, including how I later found out the truth and how he was taken away by Siena.
After listening, Zaiden squinted slightly, staring at me for a long moment before suddenly laughing. "You really haven't changed much."
?
Why does it feel like he's calling me stupid?
He changed his tone, "Still as beautiful and kind as ever."
That's more like it.
"Are you off this weekend?"
I nodded.
He said, "Great, after I finish my meeting with the hospital tomorrow, I'll come pick you up."
"Why are you picking me up?"
"Didn't you say you wanted to show me around?"
"...Oh."
As I was seeing Zaiden off from the neighborhood, he turned back before getting in the car and said, "Dress nicely tomorrow."
I wasn't pleased, "For who?"
He chuckled, both amused and exasperated, "For me, of course."
After he left, I started walking back, and when I casually glanced up, I unexpectedly saw Tate.
He stood not far away, his posture as straight as a young poplar tree, his expression calm.
If you didn't know, you'd never guess he had any brain issues.
Worried that he might have wandered out alone, I stopped to observe him for a while.
Before long, Siena came out of the building. They exchanged a few words and then started walking away together.
Just as they turned, our eyes met.
His gaze flickered slightly.
Um.
I nonchalantly turned my face away, planning to pretend I was just passing by.
As I walked past them, Tate spoke up.
He asked, "Whose clothes are you wearing?"
I looked down. Oh, right, I forgot to return Zaiden's T-shirt.
Seeing that I didn't respond, Tate frowned.
Siena smiled and greeted me, then tugged at Tate's sleeve.
Hmph.
Showing off your relationship?
I walked back, and the two of them followed.
Even though I didn't want to, I still shared the elevator with them to avoid being too obvious. Weren't they heading out? So why are they sharing the elevator with me now?
I stood alone at the front, but I could feel Tate's gaze fixed on my back the entire time.
He seemed pretty normal. Could the blood clot in his brain have dissipated?
I returned home with a head full of questions, and just before bed, a thought suddenly struck me.
How did Tate realize the shirt I was wearing wasn't mine?
It's pretty common for girls to wear oversized T-shirts in the summer, isn't it?
