“Red."

Some students greeted Red while they were walking the corridor of the engineering building. Some of them were also looking at her and their intertwined hands.

Irani tried to pull back her hand from Red but he didn't let go of it. Instead, his hold on her hand even went tighter.
He only let go of her hand when they reached the parking lot.

Irani cleared her throat. “Thank you,” she muttered in a sincere voice as she looked at Red.

“Really, shortcake? Just thank you from you? Nothing is already free in this world, you know." He said, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Irani pursed her lips as she rolled her eyes at him. Well, she already knew Red. Just like before, he wouldn't help him if he wouldn't gain something from this. But still, she was grateful to him. “Fine. What do you want?” she asked him.
"You know what, shortcake…” he answered while looking straight into her eyes.

Just hours ago, her heart just got broken because of Drei. But right now, she could feel the loud beating of her heart na because of Red's stares at her.

Red crouched down a bit and slowly moved his head closer to her.

Irani took a step back from him. Her heart was beating faster and louder.

"I-I didn't know what you want," she said, stammering.

"Sweets,” Red whispered near her ear, which almost made her jump.

“S-sweets?” she muttered.

“Yes. Sweets,” Red repeated, smiling down at her.

Why, Irani? What are you expecting that Red would ask you?

Red then brought her to an ice cream parlor.

Irani occupied the seat across from Red. She looked at him and noticed that he was wearing a different outfit that day. He was wearing a white long-sleeved polo that rolled up to his elbows.

She also noticed that his hair was nearly brushed up to the side. He looked even more handsome today than usual.
She then cleared her throat and looked away.

“Why do you like sweets so much when you're not even a sweet person?" she couldn't help but ask him.

“I can be sweet when I want to," Red answered, winking at her. "You won't be able to handle my sweetness if I show it to you, shortcake."

Their order came. He ordered chocolate ice cream for both of them. Red placed the bowl of chocolate ice cream with different toppings, then he handed her a spoon. “Come on, eat. Chocolates can make you feel better.” He stopped for a while. “Whenever I’m sad, I always eat chocolate.” He smiled.

She stared at him. She suddenly remembered the first and last time she saw him sad. It was when she found her sleeping in the library. His eyes… they looked very lonely at that time.

She then remembered that Cashmere told her about Red's father. Her best friend said that Red was still I'm high school when his father died due to lung cancer.

Red was an only child, just like her. But Irani didn't know anything about his mother.

Cashmere never mentioned anything about Red's mother and she didn't bother to ask. But now, she was curious about it.
“You're an only child, right?" she asked. "So, you're only living with your mother now?"

Irani noticed how Red stiffened at her question.

"No. “I'm living alone.”

Irani's lips parted in shock. She stopped from spooning her ice cream and looked at him with furrowed brows. Where is his mother then?

“My mother’s in the States with her other family,” Red answered as if he was able to read the question in her head.
“I’m sorry, Red,” Irani said in a small voice.

“Nah. It’s okay. I’m used to living alone anyway.” Red answered nonchalantly and smiled. He even shrugged his shoulders as if she was just asking about the weather. He was smiling but his eyes were telling her he was not okay. He couldn't hide the pain in his eyes.

Irani felt like something clenched her heart while looking at Red's eyes. She suddenly wanted to cry… and she knew it wasn't because of Drei.

“I don't want to go home yet," Irani told Red after they left the ice cream parlor.

She didn’t want to go home yet. She didn’t want to join her parents on the dining table.

She knew they would notice her eyes and she didn't want to explain to them. Besides, she kind of still wanted to spend time with Red. Especially after finding out that he was all alone in his house.

Irani pointed at the KTV bar just across the ice cream parlor. “Come on. Let's sing there.”

“Are you sure, shortcake?” Red asked her.

“Of course. Singing in a KTV bar is a good coping mechanism for broken-hearted people."

“So, you're claiming that you're really heartbroken?” Red asked, raising his brow at her.

She pursed her lips and snorted at him. “How about you? Did you get your heart broken already?” she asked, raising her brows. "Oh, well, I think I already know what you're going to answer. That you never experience getting your heart broken because you're so gorgeous and you're God's gift girls so no one would dare reject you."

Red chuckled at what she just said. "Oh, shortcake… if only you knew."

“If only I knew what?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said as he held her wrist and led her to the other side of the road, where the KTV bar is.

“I want pizza!” Irani declared after the staff asked them about their order.

“Fine. Pizza it is,” Red said, pursing his lips before smiling.

Irani slightly raised her brows at him. “Why are you smiling so wide?”

“Hmm, nothing,” Red answered before turning to the staff.

"Sir, Ma’am, how about your drinks?" the staff asked.

“Iced tea.”

"Beer!” Irani exclaimed.

Red immediately turned to her. His brows were furrowed. “No alcoholic drinks for you, shortcake,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.