Bose opened and closed his mouth several times but no words were spoken. Then he thought of the next best thing.
Play dumb.
"Uh...Chapa?" He faked a gasp. "Chapa! I can't believe you're here!" He nervously scratched the back of his neck. "What a coincidence! This is so-"
"Yeah, right, stalker!" Chapa interrupted. She wasn't mad. Just seemed so in shock to see him. Bose gulped. How on earth was he to explain this? "What do you think I am, stupid?"
"What? No, of course not!, I just-"
"Move." Chapa shoved pass him and kept walking and Bose hurriedly walked after her.
"I was just messing around." He said trying to get her to stop and look at him but she just kept walking. "I wasn't going to follow you into the..." He gulped, not being able to say it. "I mean, I thought I'd just follow you around but I stopped when you got to the..." He stopped, gulping again.
At this, Chapa stopped walking, smirk playing at her lips. She turned around, folding her arms in mock cluelessness. "When I got to the what?"
Bose blinked at her. He could feel the blush creeping up his neck to his cheeks. Why on earth is she trying to make him say it????
"Um...the uh..." Bose said. "The...you know, the..." He let out a huff. "You know what I'm talking about, why are you making me say it!"
Chapa kept steady eye contact while her lips automatically pursed, threatening to break into a smile.
Bose noticed. She's not going to kill him? Is he sure this is Chapa?
That was when it finally hit him. The way she's trying to hide her smile, the way her eyes are dancing mischievously, just holding herself back from bursting out in laughter.
He gasped softly. "Chapa!"
And that was when Chapa doubled over, letting herself laugh loudly.
Bose bit his lip. Wanting so bad to stay mad, but Chapa's laughter makes him smile too. Though he tried to remain stern. "You knew I was following you the whole time?"
Chapa's laughter was enough to give him his answer and he rolled his eyes.
"And..." She gasped, trying to catch her breath. "When I got to the undergarments store..." Her face was almost pink from laughing too much. "You ran faster than lightening!" She clutched her stomach.
Bose couldn't keep up his 'stern' facade and soon started laughing too. "You are evil you know that?"
Chapa shrugged. "Well, it serves you right for spying on me." She said and Bose thought she sounded quite like a nagging wife. Or maybe that's just in his head. Chapa recovered and looked at him casually. "Anyway, why are you here?" She asked. "Aren't celebrities like, forbidden to go out in public or something?"
The statement reminded him that Chapa had recognized while he was was hidden behind a mask and sunglasses. Apparently from afar, since she'd clearly noticed him earlier than he thought. It made his chest feel so warm and fuzzy. "That's why I'm wearing all of this." Bose replied.
"But still." Chapa said, turning to the cashier lady Bose had been interacting with. "I saw her face when you left, she looked like she'd recognized you." She shocked herself, actually feeling concerned. "I hear a lot of over obsessed 'fans' never respect their favorite celebrities' privacies. They do bad things sometimes to get their attention. You should be careful."
Bose grinned behind his face mask. "Are you worried about me?"
Chapa hit his chest. "Psh, in your dreams, weirdo."
"Dreams come true you know." Bose wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Chapa shook her head in amusement.
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"Thank you for shopping with us."
Bose and Chapa took their bags and walked out of the mall together. Bose was worried Chapa would feel weird walking with him when he's all disguised like this but Chapa didn't seem to mind.
Bose looked at her and noticed she was smiling to herself. Intrigued, he asked. "What are you smiling about?"
"I just can't believe you were actually shopping in a public mall." She giggled.
Bose shook his head at her, turning back to his front. That's adorable. "Celebrities are people too, ya know. We're not special species or anything like that. When we put on our shoes, we do it one foot at a time like everyone else."
Chapa nodded in understanding. "I geuss you're right."
"Besides, there are no private malls for just celebrities or anything." He said. The he got serious. "But that would be really cool though."
"Oh, Ice-cream!" Chapa suddenly squealed and Bose's attention was brought to an Ice-cream truck not far off. Chapa whined like a kid. "I haven't had some in ages."
Bose smiled. "Come on." He led them both towards the Ice-cream truck.
"Oh no, you really don't have to-" Chapa said but Bose wasn't listening, he was already asking the dude for two ice-creams. "Seriously, I really don't-"
"Come on, it's just Ice-cream." Bose said, paying the dude. "You're acting like I'm buying you and Island or something."
"What if I prefer the Island?" Chapa teased, grabbing her Ice-cream. She was really only teasing. But her brain pretty much short-circuited when Bose replied.
"I'd buy it for you."
Blinking rapidly after believing her ears just deceived her, she came back to her right minds, realizing he was probably just joking. She's not his girlfriend or anything. Why would he ever spend his money on her?
"Thank you." Chapa said to the man as they left him.
"Enjoy your date!"
They heard him call and stopped in their tracks. They turned back at him, gaping. Though it's only visible on Chapa since Bose's mouth is covered.
"You guys are so cute." The guy continued casually.
Chapa was about to explain that he'd misunderstood but Bose spoke up. "Thank you!" He called back and Chapa could just hear the cheeky grin in his voice since she can't physically see it. He's doing this to annoy her. She knows he is.
Bose was. He enjoyed the flushed look on Chapa's face as he moved all his groceries to one hand in favor of holding Chapa's hand with the other, intertwining their fingers is though they actually were on a date.
Chapa got the shock of her life when she felt butterflies in her tummy at what Bose just did.
Maybe it's because she's never held hands with a boy like this before.
Still holding her hand, Bose led them off, never letting go of her hand and Chapa had to struggle to remain calm and collected.
But for some darn reason, she felt like squealing like she was actually one of his fangirls.
Which she most definitely was not!
Right? Right!
No squealing then.
She wished she could say the same about the butterflies in her stomach but they just won't die. What do they think, there are flowers in there or something?
Chapa bit her lip. Her cheeks burn and the breeze is doing nothing to cool them down.
What she doesn't understand is why the heck all of this is suddenly happening to her. Chapa hated admitting that she likes holding Bose's hand like this. She likes how it feels.
Ugh! Should she be liking how this feels?!
She doesn't think she should.
But despite that.
Chapa soon finds herself wishing they never get to their homes and just keep walking forever so this never has to end.
