“So,” I started.

We were currently sitting in an open cafe just outside the school. This same café was extremely popular among students since it has a good environment, delicious coffee, and food as well as amicable staffs.

- Though it’s certainly a bit expensive than others… but just a bit and still affordable.

“… Let’s just say I’m the one who you’re talking about, and?”

“I just want to thank you,” Anna answered softly all while drinking his milk tea. “I, I recognize your uniform at that time and I, I thought of looking for you in school but who would know this happened. And I saw you, I immediately knew it was you…”

“Did you tell the police about what happened?” I asked Anna as I sipped the hot strong cocoa.

They deserve their reputation. This cocoa had enough bitterness and sweetness combined.

In short, it’s delicious.

“I didn’t.” Anna unexpectedly shook her head giving me a bit of shock.

“Color me surprised,” I said. “You didn’t? Really?”

Anna nodded her head. “I thought you don’t want to be known after hearing what you said and seeing you leaving immediately.”

She’s sensible… I give her that. My impression of Anna rose a bit.

“I told the police that someone I don’t know and couldn’t recognize, saved me while wearing a mask. Although they held some suspicions since I kept my silence they couldn’t do anything. They then also concluded that it must be him who called them and accept it anyway.”

I shrug.

“What about those two criminals? What do they want?”

Anna shook her head. “I don’t know, though it seems like they're after my father and something he owned… probably.”

“Then I guess this isn’t over then,”

Anna frowned upon hearing my guess. “Probably,”

“I think you shouldn’t come to school for the time being,”

“I know. The police also warned me about it but I wanted to find you and thank you for saving me.”

“And you did, though quickly contrary to what I expected,” I said those words in a tone that wasn't serious.

There was no solemnity in my smile as though I was making a joke that had overstepped its boundaries.

“Well, similar minds. I also never expected to find you as easily as this.” Anna smiled wryly, “However, I think even if I closed my eyes in looking for you, I think I can still find you if you stand in front of everyone and did something as amazing and entrancing as that…”

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“… …”

“Certainly, who would know you were actually a very amazing pianist…”

“Low key~” I smiled.

“What about your father? Did he permitted you to come to school today after what had happened?”

“Not really, my father forbids me but I told him that I will come today, whether he likes it or not. Of course, only for today.” Answered Anna, holding a silver plate of cupcakes, the sort she favored, flavored with cream and too many icings.

“Besides, my father ordered someone to protect me.”

“And that someone is that man over there glaring at me as if I was a molester inside a train?” I shot a glance at the guy who was sitting not far away from us. I had already noticed him since before leaving the auditorium.

“Hehe, yeah. He’s my father’s trusted bodyguard… he’s strong and I heard he was a former special op.”

“Oh, that’s something…”

“Daniel, Can I call you Daniel…” Anna asked while fidgeting like a little rabbit.

“You know my name?”

“That Sarah-girl, she called your name…”

“Did she?”

Anna looked deeply into my eyes and suddenly, she asked, “Why did you save me at that time?”

“Hm?”

“Did you know me… before?”

Looking at her eyes, I can see some hope but unfortunately, I didn’t know her.

I shook my head. “I didn’t.”

A hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes. “Then why did you save me? Anyone would think twice about doing it… after all, it’s dangerous…”

“… …”

“Normally, one would just call the police and leave everything to them… why did you do that?”

She asked.

I recognized something else in her face—in the hard set of her mouth and the deliberate way she raised her chin like she was ready to accept anything.  Anna was forcing a look of courage while holding back a mixture of worry and hope that she couldn’t show in front of me.

But I can see all of it and understand. Did she perhaps fell for me?

That kind of thought struck me.

But,

“On a whim?” I answered. Her feelings for me might be genuine but at the same might be not.

Her feelings might be affected by the gratefulness she was currently feeling for me. The infamous prince-saving-princess syndrome, or PSP Syndrome!

She liked me because I had saved her in her darkest moments…

Still, I’m not sure about it since human feelings are not as simple as one could imagine.

They might look like simple but it’s actually harder than solving mathematical algorithms.

It’s complicated.

After hearing my answer, disappointment and sadness dyed her eyes.

It might be low of me but I wanted to create a distance between us.

“I guess you could also say, I saved you out of obligation or maybe just because my conscience directing me,” I answered with a faint smile. I need to be honest…

I don’t want her to expect something just because of this small accidental event in her life.

I was still wounded and my heart still bleeding while carrying that devotion for Tiffania.

Before I can confirm that she did or she didn’t exist in this world, I think I can’t love… someone else.

Tiffania was my light and I don’t want to be someone’s darkness because of a false dream I unintentionally created.

Anna will be hurt if she continues to expect something from me…

Of course, this might also be me overthinking stuff and she was just feeling grateful and nothing else, but still I want to say it at this moment.

I want to be honest in front of this innocent little girl.

“… But it’s certain, it’s nothing else.”

“… …”

“I just can’t leave you alone while doing nothing when I knew what is happening.”

Silence…

She looked directly at me and I did the same.

After a moment of a staring contest,

“In this kind of moment, saying it’s because you wanted to save me, even if it’s a lie is the best action,” Anna muttered with a bitter smile. “You might earn some points from me…”

“Hahaha, lying is human’s nature, but doing it depends on a man’s principle." I smiled. "As a gentleman, one must know when to tell lies and tell the truth or one will be consumed and got used to it without even knowing it.”

Sipping my cocoa, I continued with a mischievous grin, “…a day might come when the lie became the truth and the truth becomes a lie. Just like the boy who cried wolf…”

“Now, I think I started to dislike that about you…”

“Hahaha, many people had already said that. But you know, they also added that it was also one of my best charms~” I grin, showing my pure white teeth, shining under the sunlight.

… …