#SINS_FORGIVEN_BUT_NOT_FORGOTTEN
EPISODE 45
Lea and Coby took a cab to Lea’s address.
“Who is taking care of your sto-re now?” Coby asked Lea when the cab started to move.
Lea turned her head to Coby, “My two cousins are there to take care of the sto-re.” she replied.
“Oh,” Coby blurted out.
There is silence between them.
Coby glanced at his watch, “It’s still early,” Coby was the one to break the silence.
“How about, let’s eat first before going home?” he asked.
Lea’s eyes lighten up!
She turns her head to Coby and says, “Sure!” She accepted instantly.
Coby thought that Lea would reject his invitation. He couldn’t help but reveal a smile. It was just a quick smile.
It faded instantly.
“Uh!” Lea’s eyes went wide open as soon as she saw Coby’s smile.
“Did you just smile?!” She asked in surprise.
Coby knitted his brows, “Why you look surprised?!” he asked.
“Woah, because this is my first time I will see you smile!” Lea replied.
“I even thought that you have facial paralysis!” she added.
“…”
Coby was speechless, ‘Don’t I smile often?’ He asked himself.
“Oh, you should smile more often, you look more handsome and approachable when you smile like that,” Lea commented.
Coby smiled again, “Will that make you fall for me, then?” he asked.
Lea froze when she heard Coby.
‘What did he just say?’ Kira asked herself.
She thought she misheard Coby.
“Ehem!” Coby pretended to clear his throat when he did not hear a response from Lea.
He then looked at the driver, ” Mr. Driver, could you drop us in a restaurant, please?” he said.
“Alright, sir!” The driver replied.
——-
“Just order anything you want,” Coby said.
“Uh, it’s quite expensive here,” Lea commented.
“Don’t worry, It is my treat,” Coby said.
“Oh,” Lea blurted out, but then she froze when she realized something, “A man treating a woman to dinner,” Lea look at Coby.
“Is this a dinner date?” She asked, with a teasing smile plastered on her face.
Coby looked back to Lea, ” Let’s just think it this way,” he said.
Lea blinks her eyes as she stared at him, “Hey, I was just kidding!” she said after a while.
Their conversation was interrupted when the waiter suddenly came to take their orders.
They waited for a half-hour before their orders arrived.
—–
Coby walks Lea home after dinner. The two of them walk side by side. She took a de-ep breath as the night cold breeze bl-ow to her face.
“The wind is cold,” Lea said.
Coby turned his head to Lea, “Do you feel cold?” He asked.
Lea tilted her head to Coby, “Why would you lend me your blazer if I do?” she asked with a faint smile on her face.
Coby did not say a word, but he took off his blazer and wrapped it to Lea’s bo-dy.
Lea stopped in her track. She looked up at Coby with her stunned expression.
“Does it feel better?” Coby asked.
Lea was not able to speak. She blinks her eyes a few times. Coby held Lea’s hand and clasped it against his.
“Let’s go!” He said as he took a step forward while p-ulling Lea’s hand.
Lea followed him, in a daze. She felt like dreaming.
‘Wait, is this just a dream?’
‘Whoa, why he suddenly treated me nicely?’
‘Since when did the cold Coby become R0m-ntic?’
Lea stopped walking and she shook her head. Coby turned to Lea when she suddenly stopped walking.
“Why?” he asked when he saw her shaking her head.
Lea looked at Coby, “Uh, this is just a dream, right?” she asked in a faint voice.
Coby knitted his brows, “What’s a dream?” he asked back.
“You, me,” Lea looked down at their hands, “Holding hands while walking,” she added.
Coby fli-cked Lea’s ear, ” Silly!” he said.
“Aw! that hurts!” Lea complained.
“You feel pain?” Coby asked.
“Yes!” Lea replied sternly.
“Then, you’re not dreaming!” Coby said.
“So, this is all true?” Lea blurted out.
“No way. Since when did you become R0m-ntic?” Lea asked as she let out a laugh.
Coby got annoyed when Lea laugh at him, “Hey, isn’t this what you want me to do the last time I walked you home? I just granted your request!” He said sternly.
Coby watched as Lea got inside the gate. He slowly put his palm on his ċhėst. His heart was beating so fast. He then looked at his hand which held Lea’s hand, earlier. He doesn’t know when he started to feel this way, but every time he sees Lea, his heart would thump so ha-rd. He is not the kind of person who would show his emotion. He may look cold in front of Lea, but his heart would thumps whenever they are near to each other. He doesn’t know where he gets his prowess to tell her to leave together in the Villa. All he knows is that he wants to be with her!
The dinner was just his alibi to be with her for a little longer. He is not a R0m-ntic kind of person. He grew up in a broken family. The word love is not in his vocabulary. But he got interested in Lea the very first time he saw her. Especially in her attitude. She may be a happy go lucky type of person, but she is also the kind of person who would stand for her self.
—–
*The next day,*
“Good morning, Mr. Tan,” Coby greeted as soon as Tim sits on the back seat.
Tim looked at Coby, who is sitting in the driver’s seat.
“Good morning,” He replied..
Tim took his phone and checked the news, but then, he seemed to remember something.
He looked up at Coby again, “I saw you left with Lea the other night,” He said.
“Huh?!’ Coby blurted out as he looked at Tim throu-ghthe rearview mirror.
“Is there something between you and her?” Tim asked curiously.
“Uhm,” Coby gulped.
He doesn’t know what to say.
“Uh, don’t get nervous, I was just curious. You have been working for me for a few years now. I never see you get along with a woman,” Tim commented.
“It’s alright to fall for her though, but…” Tim paused for a moment.
“Always remember that she is the Missus’ best friend. Becareful not to hurt her. My wife is scary when she’s angry.”
Coby gulped again.
“Y-Yes, Mr. Tan!” He said.
“And also, you should smile more often if you are in front of the woman that you like so that she will not think that you are a robot or a grim reaper living in a human bo-dy.”
“…”
Coby was speechless.
——
At night, Coby entered Lea’s sto-re.
“Coby?” Lea blurted out as she saw Coby.
“Are you buying some drinks?” she asked.
“No,” Coby replied.
“What are you doing here then?” Lea asked.
“I’m here to fetch you,” Coby said.
——
Lea stopped in her track as she looked at Coby, who is walking ahead of her. She seems like she is thinking of something.
Coby stopped when he noticed Lea stopped walking.
He turned to her and asked, “Why?”
Lea took a de-ep breath before she walks closer to Coby.
“Coby, I just want to clear things up.” She said.
“What?” Coby asked.
“I want you to clear things before I misun-derstand you,” Lea said.
“Why do you walk me home?” She asked.
Coby looked at Lea straight to the eyes, ” Because I want to be with you.” he said without holding back.
Lea was stunned with Coby’s reply, but she still tried to be calm. She doesn’t want to a-ssume.
“Why?” She asked.
Coby stretched his arm and grabbe-d Lea, “Let’s go,” He said.
“Uh, hey!”
“You did not answer me!” She said to Coby.
Coby stopped on his track. He let go of Lea’s hand and faced her.
“I want to talk to your mother,” Coby said.
“W-What? W-Why?” Lea asked with her knitted brows.
“I want to ask her permission,” Coby replied.
Lea’s knitted brows got even dee-per.
“P-Permission?” She repeated.
“Ennn…” Coby nodded her head.
“Permission for what?” Lea asked again.
“Permission to court you,”
Lea’s mouth went slightly opened, “C-Court me?”
‘Court me?’ Lea repeated in her mind.
‘He wants to court me?’
‘But…’
Lea straightened her bo-dy as she stared at Coby.
“Coby, you only court a woman if you like them.” Lea reminded Coby.
“That is why I want to court you,” Coby said.
“Ha!” Lea let out a short laugh.
“So, you’re saying that you like me?” Lea seemed like she heard a ridiculous thing.
“Yes!” Coby said.
Lea’s smile slowly faded.
‘He likes me?’
‘He likes me!’
Lea felt like dreaming!
‘This cold man likes me!’ Lea repeatedly said to herself.
Coby grabbe-d Lea again, “Let’s go, I still nee-d to talk to your mother.” he said.
“Wait, wait!” Lea pulled back her arm.
“What now?” Coby asked.
“My… My mom already thought that you are my boyfriend.” She said.
“So?”
“So, what’s the use of asking her permission?” Lea asked back.
Coby froze, “Are you hinting something on me?” he asked.
“Well,” Lea thought for a moment, “Why won’t you ask me if I will allow you to court me instead?”
Coby smiled, “Do I have to do that?”
“Ugh,” Lea rolled her eyes.
” Of course”
“Alright,” Coby straightened his bo-dy.
“Ehem!” He cleared his throat.
“Lea, I know that I am not the R0m-ntic kind of person. I don’t have any idea with love. All I know is that my heart thumps so ha-rd whenever I see you. And I feel like I always want to be with you. Will you allow me—” Coby stopped for a second, “No,” He said as if he changes his mind.
Lea suddenly felt anxious, ‘Did he change his mind?’ she thought.
But her anxiousness faded when Coby spoke again, ” Will you be my official girlfriend?”
It took a moment before Lea spoke.
She still tried to register to her mind every word that comes out from Coby’s mouth.
“Your speech is too long!” Lea pretended to complain.
“Oh, should I make it shorter?” Coby asked.
Lea revealed a smile, “There’s no nee-d, no matter how long your speech is, my answer is still the same.”
Coby gulped!
He suddenly felt anxious as he waited for Lea to say the magic word.
“Yes!” Lea said after a while.
“Yes?” He repeated.
“Yes!” Lea replied.
“R-Really?!” Coby blurted out in an unbelievable expression.
“Yes! I am your official girlfriend and You are my boyfriend!” Lea said.
Coby embr@ced Lea, “Oh, thank you!” he said as he ti-ghtened his embr@ce to her.
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