I BELIEVE I WILL

❄11❄

Meilin was lying on the couch, scrolling through her phone when she received a message from Shelly inviting her to watch the Humming Bird Crew's race this afternoon. Since she had no special plans for the day, she agreed right away.

Meilin glanced toward Owen's room, wondering if she should invite him to come along. Even though Owen was an excellent racer, these local races might not be exciting enough for him. But before she realized it, she was already standing at his door.

"Owen, are you awake? I'm coming in!" she called out as she gently pushed the door open. In front of her was the sight of Owen lying on the bed, shirtless.

Meilin was slightly startled but tried to keep her composure. "What's this? Are you trying to seduce me? But I'm not that easy to tempt," she thought to herself. However, she couldn't deny that Owen did look quite handsome, his athletic body clearly showing his sports background.

She walked closer to the bed and lightly tapped Owen's back, trying to wake him. "Hey, want to go out? I'll give you 15 minutes to get ready, or I'm going alone."

Owen opened his eyes, looking a bit irritated from being woken up, but when he saw Meilin, his expression softened immediately. "Oh! Where are we going, sweetheart?" he teased, taking her hand and gently rubbing it as a sign of affection.

Meilin, flustered, pulled her hand back and pinched Owen's cheek. "Who's your sweetheart? Stop saying nonsense!"

She left the room to get dressed. As she was changing, the events of the previous night suddenly flashed through her mind. She remembered feeling very hungry late at night but was too hesitant to go out and get food because it was too late. Owen, who was also still awake, noticed her tossing and turning and asked, "Linnn, are you uncomfortable? Need my help?"

Meilin was surprised that Owen was still up. "Why aren't you asleep yet?" she asked. Owen didn't respond, just got up and put on his jacket, making Meilin curious. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Linnn, you're hungry, aren't you? I'm going out to get you something to eat," Owen replied calmly. Meilin was taken aback but quickly responded, "No, I'll go myself. It's too late; it's not safe for you to go out."

Owen just smiled lightly and teased, "Are you worried about me? It's fine, you've got me. Learn to use me more."

As Meilin recalled the memory, she couldn't help but smile to herself. Owen always knew how to make her feel safe and cared for. But that same sense of security also made her anxious, wondering if her heart could handle getting involved with him again.

"I'm heading out first, hurry up and get ready!" Meilin called into Owen's room as she finished getting dressed.

As Meilin stepped outside, she felt both excited and a little confused. The thought of going to watch the race with Owen made her heart race. Before, when she and Owen used to attend races together, everything was about work and responsibility. But this time was different. There was no pressure to carefully observe the racers or make decisions. This felt more like a date, and that made Meilin feel uneasy.

"A date? No way, I'm not going on a date with him!" Meilin told herself, lightly slapping her cheeks to shake off the thought. She reminded herself that this was just a regular outing to watch a race, nothing more. But no matter how much she tried to convince herself, the feeling of anticipation and nervousness kept bubbling up inside her.

Owen stepped out of his room, fully dressed, and flashed a bright smile at Meilin. "Ready?"

Meilin looked at Owen and felt her heart lighten when she saw the ease and happiness on his face. "Yeah, let's go. But remember, you're not allowed to tease me all day."

Owen grinned mischievously, "I'll try, but I can't promise anything."

The two walked out together, the soft afternoon sunlight casting a gentle glow on the road ahead of them, making everything around them feel more serene. Meilin smiled to herself, sensing that today might be more enjoyable than she expected.