65th chapter : Do you remember me .

Without any words to give as comments, most of the people who were present during the banquet whoever were they, all were as much as any other councilor shocked to see Layla, the public figure of the council, approach the table of the red mermaid members and mostly one person whom nobody besides the red mermaid members and their acquaintances know who he is.

“I’m surprised that you could pull something like a dance though, you suck!! Pfft!!” Layla said as she was forcing Marco on that dance.

“I’m not suited to this kind of stuff so shut up!” he responded comfortably as he saw that she was having fun.

It didn’t take them so long to trip and fall as Layla fell on top of Marco. she laughed to her fullest then looked at him.

“You got some really beautiful green eyes huh, I missed you so much!” Layla said with a smile as she was still on top of him.

Marco was calmly looking into her eyes then pinched her cheek.

“If you missed me so much then why attack me like that in the morning” Marco said with a poker face.

“S-s-sorry and this hurts!!” Layla answered, standing up from on top of him, “I worked hard to gather the strength and come here. even for me, I don’t like to dress like this, you know!! And it was the only way to test you!” Layla was acting all confident as she grinned at him buffing her chest out proudly.

“I’m not sure about it but I wouldn’t lose even if you go full so I was the one who was testing you” Marco said as he approached the balcony.

“Hein!? my mind is still good to let me know that I’m the one who’s like a senpai to you in this society of ours!!”.

Layla was acting mad as she wasn’t expecting that Marco would hold her and jump to the roof out of the blue, that act startled her.

“Wh-why?!” she asked.

“Because the glares started to tick me off and mostly even if you’re like my senpai, you’re still the childish Lu who couldn’t do proper work at the bar. And the one whom I accepted to be my girlfriend” answered Marco.

Marco responded as he flicked her forehead after finishing his words, Layla looked at him and smiled holding her forehead just to hide her reddish cheeks because she felt flustered over how natural he announced such a thing.

“So you do still remember,” Layla calmly whispered with a happy expression like a child.

“Of course I do”.

Marco responded as he took a seat first. At that moment, Layla was surprised that he responded to her whispers but didn’t really mind it.

Four years ago, at the palm city’s school’s roof.

Back then, Marco was still going to school as he used to work hard during the summer and do some night shifts around other places during the rest of the days of the year.

It was usual for him to go to the school’s roof to eat on his own the leftover half of the lunchbox that Arthur left for him since the brothers were still going to the same school.

The roof was always a calm place. One day while eating his food at the usual spot, Marco saw the door getting opened roughly as a girl came out running like she was being chased. That girl was Layla with messy hair and a nerdy look running away from a group of people chasing after her.

She stopped and hid behind the boxes as she met eyes with Marco.

“Strange for anybody to come here and a girl on top of that too, you need help?” he said as he looked at her catching her breaths.

She waved a no, hiding her face as the two heard some other girls’ voices coming from the direction of the door that got closed on its own.

Marco sighed, realizing that Layla was being bullied thereafter he stood calmly then put the lunchbox next to her and went to the door.

“I bet she’s here!!”.

A girl said as she opened the door to see Marco standing in front of her. Short time after that the other four girls arrived too.

“Eek?! That pale gloomy guy is on the roof!! Gross!!” one of the girls said as she was mocking Marco.

“ignore him!! Here she is!!” The first girl said as she was about to go after Layla therefore that didn’t happen because of Marco’s interference.

The second that Marco caught the girl’s arm, he pulled her to the back towards the other girls and stood between them.

“Hee!! the nerd got a bodyguard now?! We don’t mind kicking some boy’s ass!!” the girl mocked, smirking at Marco.

“And I don’t mind having some dead bodies to bury in my yard. Get lost”.

Marrco answered coldly as his eyes showed a bloodlust towards the girls who shivered for a second before going back from where they came from.

Marco looked back as he saw that Layla was also frightened by his words as she was crawling to the back. Because of that reaction he sighed as he took the lunchbox and returned to where he was sitting.

“I was bluffing about the dead bodies thing and I helped you because that’s what I should’ve done, I’m not asking to repay me you can go just like how the others did.” Marco said as he was eating what’s left inside the box.

Layla stood then went away as she reached the door she looked back to see Marco sitting alone eating his food, and so day by day she was always going to the roof so she could talk to him, however she couldn’t muster the strength to do so, and kept only catching a glimpse then running away. One day she went to the roof but couldn’t find him as she went and searched about him inside his class but couldn’t find him either. Layla felt down as she was talking to herself.

“I guess I couldn’t do it today too,”.

Whispering on her own, Layla didn’t notice that another girl came from behind, getting the chance to rub her tummy and tease her.

“Woah!! What are you doing Lynee!! That tickles!!” Layla said as she was trying to hold the laugh.

“I’m punishing this meat monster which is your tummy!! You did eat a little bit though!” Lynee responded as she got off Layla afterwards.

“I’m trying to stay healthy plus!! Do you wanna go home together today!!” Layla said as she was trying to tickle Lynee back.

“Ah sorry!! I have some work in the library!! See you tomorrow!!”.

Lynee went on her way as she waved to Layla who felt down again but kept smiling.

The time and date was around the end of the year so the weather was pretty cold by now.

“Man, it’s really chilly!!”. Layla said as she was heating her hands inside her jacket.

It was around 6pm, Layla forgot something at school so she returned to bring it and as she was walking a poster fell next to her foot. Layla took the poster holding her face up, surprised to see Marco working in the middle of that cold temper.

Marco was working in one of the new stalls that opened recently in the city, giving the people some posters and flayers, therefore no one would take one from him as they passed by him, ignoring his presence completely.

Layla was amazed as she wasn’t expecting him to be working since the school’s regulations forbid students from working during the trimesters’ periods.

“Thank you, hope you enjoy our food”.

Marco said as he saw that Layla took one of the flayers from him. She hardly smiled as he bowed to her although she thought it was weird. At the second that she was about to enter, she turned back and took half of the flayers from the box where Marco was using to hold the flayers in it.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Here!! Please enjoy the food!! Here!! Try our food!! It’s wonderful!!” Layla was trying to help him as she was smiling forcibly.

Marco calmly looked at her as he continued to work after seeing that the stall owner agreed to have Layla’s help for the rest of the shift.

In the end, the smile of a girl that looks nerdy wasn’t something that most people would want to see so they couldn’t deliver a lot of flayers at the given time and ended up feeling down because of what happened to them.

“Sigh, I really wasn’t expecting that most of our city’s people are heartless” Layla said as she took a rest from working during the past hour.

Marco looked at her then calmly bowed to her.

“Thanks for trying to help me,” Marco said out of the blue.

Layla flustered as she heard him, Marco on the other side took the box next to her and was about to go inside. At that moment, Layla gathered her strength and answered back his words from that day.

“Th-thank you too!! Back then on the roof!! I really appreciate it!!”.

She tried to smile but her looks were messy, making her more flustered. Marco looked at her quite reddish let alone fidgeting around in her stand.

“I didn’t really do a thing that you need to thank me for” He responded and went inside.

Layla wasn’t expecting that cold reply but for some reason it was heartwarming for her.

As she was going on her way, Layla saw that the owner of the stall pushed Marco outside, let alone she heard the owner yelling at him to walk her back because it’s what the gentleman need to do and so they ended up walking back home together.

It was awkward for Layla who didn’t know what to say after what she spouted earlier, awkward enough that she just kept walking without noticing that she was leading the way silently.

“You live on the other side of the city?” Marco asked so suddenly, trying to start a conversation.

“Huh!! Ah yeah!! I live in the eastern part of the new blocks. Don’t tell me that you don’t live around there ?!!” she responded, looking worried that she might ruin his time.

“It’s ok, I live almost in the northern part close to the forest so it’s fine if I take a few more minutes to return home and because the owner said he would fire me I don’t walk you home either,” Marco responded, giving her some cakes that the stall was selling as a reward.

“Th-thanks and sorry for the trouble, I guess your parents would be worried about you!! It’s fine now, my house is nearby!!”.

Layla said as she tried to smile at him again, therefore her expression soon turned into a worried one, trying to apologize for what she said as soon as Marco answered her words.

“I don’t have any parents so it’s fine don’t mind it, it’s only me and my little brother” said Marco, calmly.

She felt like she landed on a landmine, however Marco told her it’s ok as he knows that she didn’t mean it. In the end, she couldn’t help it and apologized again before going on her way.

Marco took his leave too. As he was going towards his house, he heard Layla calling for him from behind, she reached him barely catching her breaths.

“Can we meet tomorrow!?!” she said after taking a deep breath.

Marco looked at her, not getting what she wanted.

“I wanna give you something in return!! You said that I don’t have to repay you but I want to do it!!” Layla bowed at him as Marco looked aside.

“I don’t really get the idea of you giving me something, since we are not friends. Also, the only time you can find me is when I eat lunch on the roof”. Marco responded as he saw her happy with that answer.

Layla bowed again and went on her way.

At that given moment, Marco thought she was acting strange, therefore he didn’t give it a lot of thought and returned home. The next day he found her waiting for him on the roof with a big lunchbox. Layla smiled a big smile as she was patting the seat next to her.

“Are you going to eat all that lunchbox on your own?”.

Marco sat down in front of her, Layla blushed as she heard him then responded.

“N-not all of it!! I noticed that you always share half of your food with someone before coming here so I thought I would prepare this for you to eat to your fullest!! Since I saw you working I bet you only buy prepared meals from the stores!! And since I’m a good cook!! I want you to taste homemade food!!” said Layla.

Layla pouted at him as she realized that he’s mostly expressionless like a dead robot, so eventually she dropped the pouting.

“I can cook and mostly I give the big half to my brother since he eats a lot” Marco responded after showing her the lunch box.

Layla flustered but couldn’t help it, putting on a smug face to show off about her box.

“Ufufufu!! Mine is better!! After all, no man can beat the woman in her domain! The kitchen!! Here!! Have a taste!!”.

She gave him one of the two boxes as she was waiting for a surprised expression, however her hopes got crushed instantly as Marco responded to her.

“The eggs are a little bit overcooked and you used too much salt on the rice, but it’s edible nonetheless.” Marco said, taking some more bites.

“Y-You!! Damn you!! I took my time preparing this one!! you could at least say it’s delicious!!” Layla was hitting him on the head as he was eating “I bet yours also are overcooked!!”.

She took a bite just to surrender to her defeat then she kept eating while crying silently.

“Did that taste bitter?” Marco asked as he saw her crying.

“Damn it!! If you can cook like this you can attract a lot of girls around!! Damn it! I even lost in a battle of food!!” Layla complained as she ate and cried over her food.

Marco found it weird but didn’t ask her about the reason for her cry.

Eventually Layla loved to stay around Marco and so she wanted to know more about him. She wanted to become his friend. Because she got interested, Layla started eating lunch with him on the roof every day.

“So!! Like I said, I wanted only to say my opinion but she didn’t want to hear it so she slapped me with a book. Alex sensei can be really hurtful!!” Layla spoke as she was eating, “What do you think? Should I apologize?” Layla asked him as she noticed that he was only listening.

“I’m not sure but I guess even Alex sensei has some hard times when she doesn’t want to deal with students” Marco responded as he finished his food quickly.

“Hee? If that’s true, then are you avoiding people?” she asked.

Layla responded while watching him stand on his own.

Marco looked at her then took some time to respond to that question.

“I don’t really think that, I guess it’s people who avoid me and your hairstyle looks good on you, Sorry for not saying it earlier though you were trying hard to make me notice it”.

Marco said as Layla started to expect somehow the way he replies to others, she giggled at him as she responded.

“I wasn’t expecting you to say that!! I guess you’re not some kind of dead person who only knows the way that robots talk and you’re good at studying , cooking and housework!! Not to mention that you work every day at a stall or some other place,” she stood looking at him, stepping closer to his face. “This kinda crashes my standings next to yours and it irritates me!! I’m getting angry for no reason now!!”.

Layla said as she flicked his forehead, expecting a return however it was a verbal one. Marco looked at her then responded saying that if she’s angry then she only needs to work harder.

“Huh?! he’s not around?” Layla said as she was on the roof.

Layla also checked his class but saw that his desk was empty, eventually getting to ask a teacher about his whereabouts.

“Ah, Marco kun. Neither he nor his little brother are around the school, it’s kinda a special day for the two of them so the school gave him permission, looking at how he works and keeps things checked in school too.” Alex responded to Layla’s question with a smile.

“Don’t tell me it’s the day of his parents’ death!!” Layla responded, being worried about Marco.

“That’s not it!” Alex slapped her on the head as she said after that Iit’s his birthday! Marco kun is a special case in our school, so his little brother Arthur asked for it so he can prepare something for him, although I suppose Marco knew about it.”

Alex responded as she told Layla about the situation more. Layla was surprised as she smiled afterwards, she wasn’t expecting this kind of event to happen, nonetheless hearing about the fact that his little brother was the one to ask for a special permission for it.

Many thoughts rushed down Layla’s mind as she learned another thing about Marco, her mind processed a single thought ahead of everything else, it was that she wanted to be there with them. The second that she was about to talk, Alex spoke.

“I’m not giving you his address so just wait until tomorrow”.

She crushed her hopes because of that and so Layla returned to her class. The day ended for her as Layla had been feeling dejected the entire time. Even her situation wasn’t that of bright in response for Marco’s, however Layla was in terms of position like Arthur, she was the little sister of the house, not just that but was blessed to have some memories with her mother before she would pass away, alongside the blessing of having an elder sister and a father roaming around her life with no problems.

Thus feeling that dejection, she also felt enthusiastic for tomorrow’s lunchtime. Her affection for that time grew larger each day and so it was what motivated her to spend most of her evening in the kitchen preparing for tomorrow.

The next morning, she met with him at the usual time but she went ahead and got to the roof before he went there, to prepare things thoroughly.

“What’s this?”.

Marco asked as he saw her putting a small cake on one of the boxes like a table.

“You should’ve told me that your birthday was yesterday!! It’s a shame that I couldn’t celebrate it with you!!”.

Layla said, completely absorbed in the moment as Marco looked at her with a clueless look on him.

“You should smile more, you know!! At least so the others can see something within you!! Happy fourteenth birthday!! Maru!!” Layla said as she smiled at him.

At that moment, Marco thought it was useless for him to smile, therefore he also thought it was bad to hurt the feelings of someone who considered him as a friend by now. Layla was also expecting him to act the usual so she blushed the second she saw him smiling softly.

“Thank you!! I really appreciate it!!”.

Marco answered her deepest thoughts with those words, making Layla go red for an instance before he would take a seat facing her then he took the first bite of the cake.

“Y-you’re w-welcome!! I mean it’s only a cake so you should not really mind it!! I couldn’t get a present though!!”.

Layla talked while watching him eat however it didn’t take Marco too long to return to his expressionless face and give comments about what Layla served him.

“Oowah, The outside is crunchy, you still suck at getting the right timing to get things out of the oven as always,” Marco said.

“I take back what I said!! Give me back my words!! You dummy Maru!!” yelled Layla.

Layla was hitting on his back as the comments stabbed her like daggers, although she had a fine smile because of the thought that she gained a friend that would let her do her best to meet with.

In the end Marco smiled at her again and patted her head out of the blue. Layla was taken by that warmth.

…………………………………………………………………………………..