The two of them were walking on the side road, stopping by each stall and playing. He watches her as she enjoys the night market.
"I still haven't seen Simone and Mia, are they fine or are they lost already?" Cana said as she searched for them. It is a bit crowded so it's hard to see other pairs.
"Come here, you'll be bumped by others." Samuel called and when she turned her head, she really crashed into someone. Luckily he immediately catches her, preventing to fall. Cana's heart raced at the closeness and the warmth felt relief as he supported her.
The pair of women apologized for the incident and left. "I told you... Just stay by my side and don't wander around."
"Thank you..." her cheeks flushed for her clumsiness, embarrassed he held her hand and led to a less crowded area. She wonders why they are leaving the path and goes to a nearby park and tells her to sit at the bench.
"Brother Samuel, aren't we looking for the others, why are we sitting here when we haven't gone half of the market yet?" They haven't even been walking for a half hour yet.
"It's easier to meet if we stay at a certain place. Plus..." he paused and stared down, tilting her head. She follows his gaze to see that it was on her foot.
"Your foot, it's bleeding." As he said, she realized that her backheel had been bleeding from the scratches behind, that is why she had been a bit uncomfortable earlier as they were walking. She thought that she was just tired and not accustomed to avoiding the crowd.
" Ah, it's the new shoes. That's why it's a bit uncomfortable." she said as she looked at the reddened back of feet a bit of skin has been scraped and a tingling pain can be felt.
"Let me have a look." Before she could protest Samuel already kneeled to the ground in front of her, and already grabbed her foot. The warm hand that touches her skin sends a tickling sensation.
The closer she looked at Samuel, his smooth skin and stoic face really looked attractive, his swept hair shiny at the downcasted eyes got long lashes that are unusual to men, his thick brows accentuated a manly look on his face, plus those thin and firm lips.
He looked like those male protagonists in novels she has read.
"Brother Samuel should get up, you'll get your pants dirty having you kneeled like that." She worries but he does not move.
" The other foot seems more fine, but this one really got scraped a lot." He touches the bare skin that made Cana flinch.
The passersby noticed them and were looking. Curiosity piqued the interest of the man who was kneeling before a girl. What was the situation and who is the man? Samuel has a nice build with his wide shoulders and the Cana also knew it, as she remembers the scene at the villa earlier.
"Even his back silhouette emitted a sense of sexiness." She thought to herself.
The other women were eyeing him now, his shirt emphasized the well built body of a young man, then a few started to utter their amazement and commented enough to make them hear. He noticed and took a side glance then returned to face Cana.
"Stay here, I'll look around to see if bandages can be bought around." She nodded and watched his back as he walked away. The market is big and since it was mostly a commercial area that tourists frequent, it'll be hard to find a drugstore. To her surprise Samuel is already back with a two band aid on his hand.
"That was fast, was there a drugstore nearby?" Cana inquired.
" No, a pair of ladies I bumped to said that they saw us earlier and handed me these." Stunned, she wasn't expecting that Samuel, who is often a snob to others, would engage in a conversation with a stranger. It was out of his character to do so and Cana somehow felt disappointed. Those band aids were from other women he just met. Her simple crush seems to be deeper as she feels that she is jealous.
" No need to put it by yourself, let me do it." She urges him to hand it to her, when she sees him adjusting his pants and is ready to kneel.
" I can see it better than you, it's fine." He refuted not bulging with Cana, he smiled thinking that she must be embarrassed, but Cana is actually not, she's feeling more complicated as she remembers the name that Samuel uttered over the phone.
"Marcie." she mumbles, Samuel faintly heard it looking at her, realizing that she overheard the conversation. she quickly covered her mouth for that slip of the tongue.
"You said something?" He then continued to untie her shoe laces and started to place the band aid.
"Ah... Nothing, are the women you just talked about are pretty? Earlier a few had been already looking at you, no even when we were just walking you seemed to stand out." A faint smile lifted to the corners of Samuel's lip but Cana did not notice it.
" Really? I don't know." He answered showing disinterest.
" Seriously, you know brother Samuel you are good looking. Was it in your genes? Well, Simone is also one, that's why Mia liked his face too saying he is so good looking."
" You think so, am I?."
" Ah brother, are you not even interested in those pretty girls? Or you're just shy to admit that the women you talked with are pretty?"
"Those are the old ladies that are stall owners nearby, they gave me a favor saying that it is normal for people looking for band aid especially in crowds like this place." She was surprised that what she thought was different.
" Ow, that…" Her careless mouth, still her thoughts slipped out of her lips "You're such a mystery."
"I am a mystery?" Samuel raises a brow as he continues to listen to Cana.
"You took us out to eat, you came with us on a vacation, played with us... You even take care of us." She was reminded of the time knowing he is a cousin of Simone. It was awkward since the first meeting was at the cafe, but he did not mention any of it and introduced himself like normal.
"Then?" Finally, it interested him and thought it was an opportunity to get closer with Cana.
"Ah.. It's... My own presumption but you take care of others very well... Like you're so used to it. So I assume maybe you have a girlfriend or what since you are so keen to take care of others. Like this, maybe you're used to it."
" I thought to myself, just once, can I not hold back? Since I started living with my adoptive family, I learned that for them to love me and stay with me, I have to be diligent for myself, I should not be greedy of what is in front of me. In order not to have to repeat the same mistakes in the past."
"I remembered the sullen look of my mother as I cried hard asking why it had to be just us alone? The young child of my past that I am looking back to from time to time, would it have resulted differently if I didn't ask mom? Will I have grown up with her until now? Can the answers back then resolve the void in my heart?"
"Somehow, my words smoothly drift off my lips, my mind is clouded yet my heart is determined. I wanted to know if these budding feelings can grow further and bear abundantly."
" What the person you're talking to over the phone earlier is your girlfriend?" There's no holding back anymore.
"So you overheard my phone conversation and thought that Marcie is my girlfriend?" He let go of the foot as he seemed to be done. Then still kneeling, she faced him forward and eyes met. Though behind those glasses she can see his eyes reflecting.
"I want to see deeper and know it eagerly. I fear yet, I'm determined."
"Yes?" She answered him to confirm her thoughts.
"She's not." He simply answered.
"For real?" As if doubting her ears.
" You ask them when I answer, you still doubt." Surprisingly placing over both his hands to each side of Cana, as if to support his weight while still kneeling in front of her.
" I see." She avoided the intense gaze and closeness of Samuel, she was captured in between and didn't know where she would have to go.
" Look at me in the eyes, don't avoid and hide." Samuel called in a calm tone, and yet Cana felt embarrassed.
" You are too close." She has no choice but to cover her face with her palm, trying to hide her already flushed face.
" Canary Lienne." It's the first time to be called by her full name.
" What?"
" Canary Lienne, come look at me, I want to face you properly." Hearing the words convinced her.
" You mean?"
" I want you to look at me, this may seem inappropriate right now, but since you have asked, I think I should take this opportunity to finally tell you as early as possible."