Lean On Me

CHAPTER 15 - Regrets

Blossom Restaurant

The restaurant staff looked at the incoming diners' dirty clothes and muddy shoes. It was as if they just took a break from farming in a rice field. Only that they all looked like tourists and the restaurant was way too close to the sea.

The waitress put on a big smile and focused on serving the customers. She will deal with the mess later.

She walked closer before greeting them. Then, she led the group to a free table. The guests were all dripping in sweat. When she finally looked at each of them, her smile became mischievous. Gary raised his right hand to swipe his forehead sweat up to his hairline, and Ned bit the neckline of his front shirt to keep it sticking to his chest. Hanz just pulled a chair beside Ned. He took off his black hat, untied the red handkerchief that did well to protect his nape from the scorching sun, and palm-swiped the sweat dripping around his face. His arm muscles and chest line would take more than a shirt to hide. The trio can be easily mistaken for magazine models. The ladies with them are equally gorgeous, but the waitress could not care less.

"Miss!" Jen has been trying to get the waitress' attention.

Jen was going to walk over to the waitress when Gary snapped his finger in front of the sidetracked waitress. Gary enjoys attention, and this is not new to his female friends. He would prefer, though, getting it from a fellow Hercules. He shot her an annoyed look.

The lady looked at Gary and Jen in a daze and realized her madness. She told Jen, "Your order, mam?"

"You're up now?" Jen teased her as if she knew the lady was daydreaming.

At the public market.

The market is now busy.

They grouped in two to get the things done as soon as possible and head back to the vacation house.

Hanz and Ayu bought three days' supply of bread from the bake shop, other cooking ingredients, and a first aid kit from the nearby drug store. Ned and Jen went to the wet market to buy rice and seafood. Gary was left with their morning tour guide.

Hanz glanced at the woman wearing a white hat in front of him.

Ayu felt Hanz's gaze on her. She was not the type to let go of something that bothered her. Ayu abruptly stopped walking and turned around. She was right. Their eyes met.

"What's in your mind?" Ayu could not help but ask him.

Hanz and Ayu stopped walking. They both stared at each other intently. It's as if the whole commotion doesn't bother them. Hanz opened his sexy lips, but no words came out. The refracted light coming from the moving tricycle's windshield blinded him. He squinted his eyes and stepped forward to not lose at their seeming staring match. Hanz wanted to tell Ayu a lot of things. His memory at Brussels airport of Ayu with red eyes and a sad face was messing with his sanity.

He wasn't aware that Ayu stepped back when he got closer to her.

A man passed by and darted in a hurry, but accidentally pushed Ayu back to Hanz. Startled. Hanz grabbed Ayu's shoulder. He followed the direction of the man. He lost him in the crowd.

"Are you hurt?" Hanz asked Ayu with concern.

Ayu's face turned red. She could only nod.

They both felt the heat of the rising sun and the moment. They instantly break away.

"Let's go." Hanz took Ayu's free hand. Ayu could only follow him. He led her to the service tricycle where Gary was waiting for them.

Ayu was frustrated that she did not resolve the thing that was bothering her. Not only that but also Hanz became bolder since their Sunday date. Someone could tell it as a date. She realized, what if Hanz gave her an answer? What will she do? Ayu shook her head as if scared of the thought.

On the way to their service vehicle, Hanz tried to suppress his curiosity. Why did Ayu look lost in Brussels Airport? What happened with the family that made her upset when they arrived on the island? He was never nosy, but Hanz wanted to know more. He wanted to know things about Ayu.