Chasing Her || FreenBecky [Completed]

Chapter 33

Becky and I ventured to the night market and relished the festivities. The lively scene was filled with people dancing, and food and drink stalls adorned every corner. As I glanced at Becky, her childlike joy was unmistakable, as if she had returned to a cherished place from her past. It had been a while since the night market reopened after undergoing renovations in the area. Though I wasn't sure why it had been closed before, I was glad it was bustling with activity once more.

We meandered through various stalls until Becky found one that caught her eye. After nearly ten minutes of walking, she finally settled on what she wanted to eat.

"Try this," Becky said, handing me a small paper bowl of food. "It's called Khao Moo Daeng."

I furrowed my brow. "Moo Daeng?"

"It's Thai for Red Pork. It's incredibly delicious, you should give it a try," Becky exclaimed, ordering another bowl.

What the heck? Bright used to call me Moo Daeng, and I didn't even know what that meant. Did I resemble red pork? Damn him!

I sampled the food Becky gave me, but before I could finish it, she whisked me off to another stall. Despite buying a plethora of food, she only took a taste before passing it to me. Seriously? Why did she even purchase all this?

"Bec," I called out to her. "Can we take a break for a drink? And what are you going to do with all this food?" I gestured to the array of plastic containers I was carrying.

Becky grinned and giggled. "I may have gotten a bit carried away."

"Let's take a breather over there," I suggested, pointing to a nearby bench, to which Becky readily agreed.

I set down the plastic containers and Becky reclined on the bench, resting her head in my lap. She gazed up at the sky, a sight I had never seen before. I hadn't realized she enjoyed nighttime outings so much. No wonder I spotted her at the bar last time.

"Tell me, do you go out often?" I inquired, gently stroking her hair.

"Yes. I don't like staying home. It feels suffocating," she replied, briefly closing her eyes. "I used to stay only because you were there."

"Why the need to go out so frequently?" I prodded.

"As a kid, my family would bring us here, to this night market. Richie and I would run around, trying everything. But when this place closed down years ago, my family stopped paying attention to me. We never went to markets anymore," she explained.

"Did they pay attention to Richie?" I asked.

"We're treated the same, Freen. But Richie is resilient. He doesn't seek attention. He marches to the beat of his own drum. He even dropped out of school to pursue his dream, and look where he is now. A successful tech entrepreneur," she sighed. "My family believes that by letting us be independent, we can become whoever we want to be. But I'm not like my brother. I crave affection. I yearn for people's attention. That's why I strive to excel in many things, to be admired."

"You're a people pleaser?" I chuckled.

"Not exactly," she replied, sitting up and meeting my gaze. "I just want someone to notice me. Just one person is enough. And then I met you, Freen."

"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked, averting my gaze.

"You showed me that I don't need anyone's affection except yours. You treated me like I deserved to be loved and cared for," she said softly, gently lifting my chin to meet her eyes. "That's why I keep telling you that I don't need anyone but you."

I smiled faintly, caressing her cheek. She was fragile, and I couldn't bear to break her heart. I wanted her by my side indefinitely, if possible.

"In that case, you don't need to seek anyone else's affection. You don't need to find someone to love you, Bec," I murmured, brushing her cheek tenderly. "I'll do it. I'll love you with all my heart."

I leaned in slowly, and she reciprocated. I couldn't tear my gaze away from her lips; I longed to kiss her, to taste her.

"May I?" I whispered, lightly tracing her lips with my thumb.

"What?" she asked, puzzled.

"Kiss you," I replied, meeting her eyes. "Am I your first kiss?"

"I don't know how to kiss, Freen," she confessed, her cheeks flushing. She was bashful.

"It's okay. You don't have to worry," I assured her, leaning in closer to close the gap between us.

"Wait," she interjected, halting our moment. "Your legs are shaking."

"It's just excitement. Don't mind it," I dismissed, cupping her cheeks once more.

"Are we really going to do this in public?" she inquired.

I glanced around; no one seemed to be paying us any mind. They were engrossed in their own activities, so why should we care?

"No one's even looking," I pointed out. "They're all busy with their own things."

"I've never done this before, Freen. I'm nervous. I don't know how to—" I silenced her with a kiss.

Her lips were soft and sweet, flavored by her lip balm. Yet, she was tentative, unsure of herself.

I chuckled at her innocence as I pulled away, leaving her bewildered, her brow furrowed.

"I'll take you home," I offered, standing up. But she tugged at my arm, urging me to sit back down.

"Just one more time, Freen. I'll get it right," she persisted, determined to perfect that kiss. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. The mood had shifted, and I didn't want to rob her of her innocence.

"Next time," I promised, patting her head. However, she brushed my hand away and grasped the back of my neck, nibbling gently on my lower lip.

I was taken aback. Gently, I pushed her away, averting my gaze.

"Where did you learn that?" I stammered, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.

"I just wanted to try it," she shrugged.

"Let's head home. Come on," I said, taking her hand and leading her away.