Their Parallel Universe ✓

Chapter 33

BRING YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER WITH YOU AND GET A CHANCE TO AVAIL OUR LIMITED EDITION TRIPLE CHOCOLATE CAKE THIS HOLIDAY!

Dark brown eyes shoot daggers at the words written on the shop's white message board before they shift down to the few cakes in the acrylic display case.

Poll scans the different flavors one by one—caramel, strawberry, vanilla—and then stops to stare longingly at the one remaining chocolate cake. He likes the others too. A cake is a cake, after all, but if he's given the choice, he'll take the chocolate any time of the day.

Unfortunately, because of a ridiculous product promotion, he may be forced to celebrate this Christmas Eve without having his favorite dessert.

Sighing, he turns to the male counter attendant.

"What if I don't have a significant other? Don't I really get the chance to avail your triple chocolate cake?" he asks, despite already knowing the answer to the question.

The young employee appears regretful as he gives Poll a faint smile. "Sorry, Sir. It's a requirement to become eligible for the promo."

With a deep scowl, Poll rereads the announcement on the message board. What kind of nonsensical product publicity is this anyway? It's not even Valentine's Day, so why is this store doing a sales promotion that favors only those who have romantic partners? Who made the rule that only couples have the right to enjoy a triple chocolate cake on Christmas Eve? They already get the significant other, so why do they still get the cake?

This is blatant discrimination against single people.

Through the glass walls, the male Torres twin looks over the busy street and contemplates whether he should go to another bakeshop.

But this is already the third one he's visited. Since there are only a couple of hours before Christmas, people are doing their last-minute shopping, and the two cake stores he went to earlier were already sold out.

Resigned, Poll decides to settle with the other flavors. Just as he is about to pick the strawberry cake, he hears someone speak behind him.

"Do you want that chocolate cake, Apollo?"

The familiar voice, uttering his real name, makes his heart miss a beat. Wide-eyed, Poll whips around.

It's been since the other day when they went back home from the nearby town. It's been more than a day since the guy confessed his romantic feelings for him. While Poll promised that he wouldn't run away from him after that, he doesn't think he will ever get used to the way his heart beats faster and his stomach flutters every time the man is near him.

With his mouth agape, Poll regards the newcomer. He can't see where exactly his gaze is directed, can't tell the color of his contact lenses today or if he's wearing any, because of the pair of sunglasses that are hiding his eyes. But judging by the way his head is turned to the side where the shop's message board stands, Poll can only assume that the man is reading the advertisement too.

Without bothering to greet him, the male twin blurts out, "W-what are you doing here?"

Eujae faces Poll, a smile forming on his lips. He lifts his shades, placing them on his brunette hair, and reveals his amber eyes.

"Why do I feel like that question has become your default greeting to me, and it would feel strange if you stopped asking me that? I was just passing by when I caught sight of you here." Eujae takes a few steps and stands next to Poll to survey the desserts in the transparent case. "So do you want to buy their triple chocolate cake?"

Turning back to the said cake, Poll mumbles, "I want to, but it's on promo only for those who have lovers, so I'll just go for the strawberry cake."

An unreadable expression crosses Eujae's face, making the male twin puzzled.