Moonlight Flower

Chapter 16 - House-warming

One afternoon, almost nearing sunset, Claire took a rest at one of the benches at the Fountain Park. She had with her a big backpack almost thrice the size of her regular one. She wiped her forehead with a light blue colored hanky and took a sip for her tumbler.

Across the park, almost the other end to where she was, she saw a familiar figure, his back only showing. Claire was sure it was Lance, who was with a beautiful lady - she has soft brown hair, curled perfectly up to a few inches below her shoulder. She was wearing a knee-length green dress, and white stiletto. The two of them were buying in an ice cream store. Upon taking their individual orders of coned ice cream, she crossed her arm over his, and took a selfie of them together with big smiles on their lips.

"I see." Claire smiled as she looked at how happy the two of them. "He also knew about me already." She then saw them waved goodbye to each other when a group of girls came for the lady Lance was with.

Claire already decided to leave when she felt her back had already taken enough rest to go to her next destination. She stood up and walked outside the park. Then she heard someone calling her. She turned back and saw Lance running towards her. He normalized his breathing before speaking. "How are you? It's been a week since I last saw you. Is your wound already healed?"

She saw how worried his expression was but she was more concerned about a white something on the right side of lips. "There's something on your face." She pointed a finger to it. "Ice cream?"

He turned red in embarrassment before he could get his hanky from his pocket. Just then, Claire handed him out a small, pocket size tissue. Lance took one sheet out and wiped the corners of his lips.

"Are you a kid?" Claire chuckled.

He felt more embarrassed that he just looked away. He also remembered a text message from Clarence almost just three days after he went back to the country:

"She's just very considerate. She thinks about you all as her brothers! You, as her younger brother."

He shoved that thought away. "Well, great timing," he said, smiling. "I'm going to your new place. Let's go together."

"Ah. Okay."

"That looks heavy," he said, referring to her backpack. "Let me carry your bag."

"No need," she refused, waving a "no" hand sigh.

"I insist," he said as he already took it from her back. "Even if you think you're strong, you must still rely on others," he said as he put her bag on his back. "Let's go!" he excitedly said as he walked off. Claire just followed.

"What should I bring?" Lance asked looking around the street of food shops. "What do you like?"

"You actually don't need to bring anything since you're our guest."

"What would Clarence like? Hmmm. Ah! Milk."

"I think he already bought that."

"I just remembered there's a newly opened store of Japanese cheesecake around here. I'll buy that."

"Doesn't it have a long queue?"

"Let's see."

When they got to that store, there was only one line and the serving was faster than they expected. They only took at least 15 minutes to get their order of soft, warm, freshly baked Japanese cheesecake.

After that, they rode a bus and got off at the 16th street where there were mostly tall house buildings or condominium. Tonight, they will celebrate Claire and Clarence's housewarming - their new condo unit given by one the Securities Agents' clients.