After taking the things I bought which I left to the vendor before catching the female snatcher earlier, I am now strolling around the market looking for the other things I need to buy.

And I am with ma'am Iris.

I give her my list and let her take the lead. And despite being so silent, and seemingly distant, I still find it pleasing when she looks so serious about helping me do my tasks.

Looking at her beautiful smooth face in a profile angle- and because she's one head taller than me allowing me to see her neck from below, I can't help but be mesmerizes by the view.

"Fufufu. How endearing.."

"What is it?"

Oh. I spoke my thoughts out loud.

"Well, you look beautiful and charming while looking rather serious ma'am. I just noticed it now."

"........"

She just went silent while staring at me unblinkingly. Her ice blue eyes seems like it's prying my soul out from me.

Did I anger her?

No way in hell. It's a sincere compliment.

It's really hard to read her mind. I will really appreciate it if she just show her emotions on her face.

"..... How much for this?"

She didn't reply nor brood over my flattery. Did she even take it seriously?

Ma'am Iris just straight up ignored me but instead turns to the teen boy who's selling variety of fresh meats.

There are only two types I can see though: Chicken and pork meat.

Most of the meat are fresh but there are still some which aren't. Those meat which are no longer fresh are on top of the new ones making it easier for customers to choose it.

Well, this trick isn't that effective though but better than not. Perhaps it could work to some people such as those who are in a hurry or to those who doesn't care.

Ma'am Iris is one of those who couldn't be tricked. She didn't even glance at those meat but is poking that fresh pork meat at the very side of the table instead.

Looking at her, she seems to be knowledgeable about this stuff.

Oh. I suddenly thought of something.

"Ma'am. Are you living alone?"

"!!"

Ma'am Iris who is busily focusing on the chicken meat looks alarmed when I asked that question.

"You seem to be experienced about this kind of thing."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Actually, who wouldn't? It's just that with ma'am's temperament and appearance, it gives off the feeling that she's like a queen served by others.

I can't help it. She just looks cold. It will require courage to order her around.

"Mm..."

Ehhh. How boring. She just ignored me. She seems like she doesn't want to talk about this. Wait. She doesn't actually have no desire of conversing with me right?

"Alright then. Just a fleeting thought."

Few minutes later, while I'm busy daydreaming, ma'am Iris stares at me. She looks cold though.

The chicken we bought is already packed by the boy and is currently being handed to her.

"Do you want me to carry this for you?"

She's frowning slightly as she asked me that. The boy is looking at the two of us alternately seemingly trying to analyze the situation.

He then focuses on me with a sharp look.

"Boss, it doesn't seem to be right to let a woman do the hard labor."

Why is that? I don't think it's a law of nature that men must be the one doing the hard labor. Besides, nothing is absolute!

Ma'am Iris nods softly agreeing with the boy while looking at me unblinkingly. She still looks the same as usual but I think she's glaring at me.

I took the plastic bag from the boy while looking at ma'am who's about to turn around and leave to search for the last thing in my list.

"Besides, don't you feel ashamed doing that to your beautiful girlfriend?"

No.

Wait what?

*Pa!*

"I'm not his girlfriend!"

Ma'am Iris slapped the tile table of the stall while glaring at the boy menacingly. He is scared now.

And why are you reacting like that? It's honestly surprising to me to witness how the robotic ma'am Iris I've known for almost two months shows an expression on her face and reacts violently like this.

This is the second time. The last time was back on her office.

"Fufufufu. Calm down po ma'am. It's not his fault that we look like a couple."

"........"

I mean to tease her but hell! Now I'm hurt.

Do you need to look at me with grimacing expression? Why do you look so disgusted?!

It's too rare for you to show expression on your face yet...

Is it that terrible to be my girlfriend?

My glass heart is now shattered. Poor me. I need some love and care asap.

We left the stall of the boy in silence. I follow behind ma'am Iris but everytime I try to get close to her wanting to walk beside her, she immediately speed her step up and distances herself from me.

It's like I'm a magnet getting pushed towards her but because I have the same polarity as her, she's being pushed away instead.

We're separated by an approximate distance of 2 to 3 meters.

She's ignoring me now. But still, I'm surprised she's still helping me finish my task.

"Mr. Reverren, will you also buy few ginger?"

"Ohh..."

She finally talked to me, albeit few meters away from her.

"I didn't seem to have seen a ginger on the lists."

And I don't feel like I'm mistaken.

"Why asked me about it po ma'am?"

She glances at the plastic bags I'm carrying which holds my groceries.

"I think I know what your mother wants to cook. And I assumed she have forgotten to write ginger on the list."

Ohhhh~

"What are you looking at?"

"Well I didn't expect you to care about that."

I thought she doesn't want to interact with me anymore after I teased her earlier so I expected that she will want to leave as soon as possible.

But she's actually serious about helping me.

"So you think I'm cold after all?"

With knitted brows, she asked me that before turning to the vendor to buy the ginger.

"Wait po ma'am. I never said anything like that."

She's misunderstanding me so I tried to walk to her...

"Stay there!"

...but she said so while stomping her left foot onto the floor.

She looks angry this time.

Bloody hell. What the hell just happened?

"We're done."

After the vendor packed the ginger and the last ingredient, ma'am Iris coldly turned around and leave.

I feel like she have two meanings about that two words she just said.

"How much?"

The vendor is curiously looking at me then to ma'am before answering.

"Seventy pesos po boy."

"Alright po."

I immediately gave her one 100 peso bill before taking my things to chase after ma'am.

"Ma'am wait!"

I went downstairs jogging towards ma'am who's already riding on a tricycle.

Bloody hell.

She didn't even look at me when I called out to her. It looks like she's really mad now.

Agh!

What should I do?