The Village Girl And the Fox Prince
Chapter 21 - Bright Effort.
The raindrops that fell had already turned heavy, creating a puddle on the perforated ground, giving off a distinctive petricor aroma. Making a sense of laziness in conditions like this increasingly felt.
But regardless of the circumstances, Lynx and Hazel must still go to work. Already dolongi by Marrie, they can not laze.
“Anu ... Can you back off a little? Your big body makes me uncomfortable if you keep sticking like that, ” great-grandson Hazel is a little restless, because the man behind her did not give her the slightest distance.
“If I stay away, you'll get wet. Hang on, we'll be there soon,” Lynx replied, he's busy locking Hazel's body in his big robe.
Because they do not have umbrellas, so only in this way can they penetrate the rush of rain. Hazel walked only relying on a vision through the gap of the robe that opened slightly.
“Didn't you yourself have been wet since?” hazel asked slightly, a few drops of water through the tip of the man's long hair falling on his forehead and cheeks.
Lynx who focused on looking out onto the streets, then replied by adding a smile, “Nothing. It's just rainwater. I'm used to it like this. Wandering under the torrent of rain, will not make me die.”
“You think I'm weak?”
“Not like that,” rebut Lynx, little wonder why Hazel is difficult to be sensitive in this situation. He wants to act like a gentleman. Because where might he let the girl get wet without doing anything.
“Did I try wrong in this way?” ask Lynx later.
Hearing that question, Hazel immediately fell silent. He remembered the conversation a moment ago. Yes, Hazel finally understood. That here, Lynx did not want to give up, he bet for a fortune that was only as big as a grain of dust.
“No. Just do what you want.” That is all Hazel can say. It's too evil to break the man's hopes.
When their bodies are attached to each other, the back meets below the chest. Hazel could still feel Lynx's heart beating. The cold air from the piercing rainwater, Hazel did not feel because she was given protection by the big man.
Along the fairly lonely road without the back and forth of the humans who were busy with the hustle and bustle of life, there was no chatter tucked between them. Just focus on walking, looking ahead, but their minds are in the same place.
About uncertain feelings, also about expectations that violate the norms of the world, yes they are about thinking that. The uncertainty that stretches in the bulkhead between the two, does not erode even the slightest sense of force keep growing.
“You go straight inside, Hazel. I'll take my clothes off in the back. Asks Mrs Marrie, who knows she has a change of clothes,” Lynx said after arriving at the store.
Hazel nodded small. Without turning his head and saying anything, his feet immediately went inside. Choose to focus on what he has to do today. But his mind was a little distracted, because at home he still had not finished the clothes that he would sew.
Switching to Lynx, the man entered through the back door. Meet with Marrie. It just so happened that the middle-aged woman was controlling the back, she automatically noticed Lynx's whereabouts.
Seeing that Lynx was soaked all over, he looked worried. Marrie rushed over after carrying a small cloth to give her.
“Why is this wet? You didn't use an umbrella when you went here?” marrie asked while helping Lynx to dry her hair.
Lynx showed her innocent smile, her hands scratching her nape. “I don't have an umbrella, Mistress.”
“How can you not have an umbrella?” The anxious look had not disappeared from the wrinkles on his face. “Ah, forget. You better change your clothes soon. I have a few clothes for you. Might be suitable.”
“Follow me.” Marrie's turned around, driving the way. Entering a special room change clothes. The place is pretty quiet and a little dusty.
No one has ever used this room before. Immediately the woman took something out of the closet. A pair of full clothes he showed Lynx.
“How about this outfit? Do you want to wear it? It's old clothes, but I think it'll fit in your body.”
Without thinking for long, Lynx nodded in agreement. “I'll wear it. Thank you, Mrs.”
Marrie lowered her gaze, staring at the clothes in her arms. His wrinkled hands play on the clothes. Handled it with a sad look.
“I've kept this for a long time. This shirt is a legacy of my late husband. I've never given it to anyone. But to you, I don't have to think twice. Not for some reason, I just want to reminisce a little when I see this outfit worn by someone.”
Lynx was silent for a moment, coming to see the clothes. From the model alone, it looks very old. Maybe decades ago. But even so, her clothes still looked good.
Because it's not just ordinary clothes. Tidy clothes in the style of a soldier's uniform complete with his badges. You can imagine if it was on Lynx's body, it might look very gallant.
“One more time, Thank you, Madam. For lending me this dress.”
“Yes, no problem. You can change clothes now. After that come to the back. Something I want to do,” message Marrie as it passes away.
While Lynx, he looked confused. His expression seemed to describe many question marks that needed answers.
“What will he do, yes?” he muttered while tapping his forehead.
***
About half an hour has passed. But it turns out that the rain that since the morning blind fell, until now has not come down. Making a store is not as crowded as yesterday.
The customers who came were only a handful of people, could be counted using the fingers. But Marrie is not worried or disappointed, she accepts how things should be without demanding much.
Lynx, who was previously busy with Marrie, is now walking to the customer's dining room while carrying two servings of noodle soup through the tray carefully.
Hazel, who is struggling with her activities cleaning the floor from the splash of rain, is still not aware of the presence of Lynx who is getting closer to her.
While the people who were busy enjoying the dish, now began to focus on the figure of Lynx. Either it will be his good looks, or it may be because of something new from the man.
And it could be for both reasons.
The heavy voice that greeted just now, made Hazel's arm that was busy moving the cloth so stopped. Having already memorized who the voice belonged to, Hazel had no intention of staring at it.
“What are you talking about? I'm at work. If you want to eat, please eat by yourself. You're Mrs Marrie's favorite employee, she definitely can't scold you,” Hazel replied, returning to continue her work.
“Don't say that, Hazel. I brought two servings of food for us. Mrs Marrie has also given her permission. Since today's customers are not too crowded, we can relax a little,” woo Lynx, want to make the girl turn her head.
Since it was getting noon, and lunchtime was almost here, Hazel thought it might be okay if she rested for a while by filling her stomach which began to rumble.
Slowly, his body that had been squatting to clean the floor was standing firm. Her tiny body turned back, and in the same second Hazel was seen pecking with her eyes wide open.
Feeling unfamiliar with Lynx's appearance which he thinks is a bit excessive for an employee whose job is only to attract customers. Not only the clothes he wore were different, but his haircut was also.
“Whose clothes are you wearing? And why did you cut your hair?” hazel asked after a split second of silence in shackles of admiration.
Lynx lowered her gaze to check on her own appearance. Then he looked back at Hazel with a stiff smile.
“Um, this belongs to Mrs Marrie. And also, he cut my hair. He said that grown men deserve a haircut like this. What do you think, Hazel?”
Hazel cleared her throat for a moment. As he looked around, he felt uncomfortable. Because many pairs of eyes were staring at him with various gazes.
The gripping situation of the cynical eyes and the frightening aura of some of the girls who were busy watching, made Hazel unable to bear. So Hazel is hard to act like normal because she feels being watched.
Lynx, who understood what the situation was like, put a tray containing two servings of noodles on a table nearby. Then he touched Hazel's shoulder, leading her to sit down.
“Don't think about those stares. Act like we are close friends. We just need to eat, then get back to our jobs,” Lynx told Hazel half-whispering.
“Good.” Hazel just fuck off. Sitting before the man was still with his head lowered.
Marrie who turned out to be secretly watching from near the door, trying to make the atmosphere back conducive. Melting this tense atmosphere by distracting the girls who seemed unhappy with the scene.
“What are the ladies? Do you want to add a portion of food?” Marrie walked towards the table of several customers, staring one by one at their faces, until their gazes focused on her.
“If it's done, please go. As the rain today is getting heavier, it looks like our store will close faster,” added Marrie, making them all so focused on their respective food.
Lynx who understood that she had been helped by Marrie, immediately gave a thumbs up to the middle-aged woman. Although it seems that Marrie seems to be indifferent because of her gluttony and sarcastic talk, but it turns out that she is starting to pay attention to both of them.
“Well, Hazel. Now you can focus on eating. Enjoy quietly, ignoring whispers or gazes from those around us. They're just envious,” chuckles Lynx.
“Ya, thank you.”
Lynx frowned, because Hazel had not looked at her at all. Just focus on looking down as if you don't want to see each other.
He became worried, could it be that the girl did not like the change in her current appearance?
“You haven't said anything about my appearance. Don't you like it?”
Hazel's full mouth stopped chewing, once stealing a glance at the man in front of her. It did not last long, only about three seconds he could see Lynx.
“What is it important for me to answer?”
The charm that Hazel admits to Lynx is her dark orange hair with the tip slightly tipped over, looking slightly fluffy and soft. And when she saw that the man had changed his haircut, Hazel was a little surprised.
In a sense, he did not like the change. Because if you can be honest, Lynx already looks like a Kingdom prince with a fresher charm and still look handsome, exactly like what he had always wanted.
“I want your whole focus on me. I want you to start liking me. It's okay if like you just like my physique, it makes me happy. Knowing that you're interested in me, maybe I can smile all day like crazy,” Lynx said sincerely.
Hazel laughed softly. The strands of hair that blocked his sight he slid behind his ears, then slightly embarrassed himself looked back at Lynx.
“What's funny?”
“No.” Hazel's head shook slowly. “Continue eating. Because right now my focus is only on noodles with an evocative aroma in front of me.”
“It seems wrong to ask for opinions on ignorant people but shy like you,” Lynx chirped while sitting on the table.
“... But I will not give up, I will make you sit on the throne as my Queen.”
“Uhuk!” Hazel choked when she heard the man's last words, her eyes widened slightly as she looked at him. “Hey, why did you start blatantly like this?”
Lynx shook her shoulders while holding a smile. “You already know about my feelings. Why am I hiding again? You told me yourself about an attempt that could break the impossible, so I'll do it.”
It's a lie if Hazel doesn't get carried away. But because his sense of prestige was still high, he chose to remain relaxed and not show any expression.
In addition, when they are cool eating food while interspersed with chatter and laughter. A person who was standing not far in front of the tavern in his mysterious clothes, had since observed the movements of the two of them.
He was a man, hiding from behind a tree directly opposite a food stall. Actually, what he was looking for was a Hazel, but his attention was divided with Lynx because of sudden curiosity.
“Tch, he could have laughed like that. Not long ago, I made her cry. Your time is not much, but you seem to feel calm in living your trashy life,” his hiss while continuing to stare sharply at the two of them.
***
