Chapter 4

“S-Stop it,” I said, lightly pushing his face away. “Whatever it is you think I’d be ‘tasting,’ you can keep it. I’m not interested.”

“Will you still be able to say that once we’re married?” he said after lowering my hand. “I’m just kidding, Lyl, but it looks like I like whatever’s going on in your head.”

“You’re so annoying!” I snapped.

He burst out laughing. “So what’s in your head really is annoying?”

I froze. I was caught, oh God. “No!” I protested, eyes widening. “Move away! I can’t breathe properly!”

“Fine, fine… stop pushing me,” he said, laughing as he stepped back. “I didn’t know you knew about those things. You’re not that innocent. You pass.”

I glared at him. “What do you mean, I pass? Do you really want a taste? A punch, you mean? Is that what you want?”

“I already offered earlier. You were the one who turned me down,” he said with a grin.

I shot him a sharp look. “One more word, Raze. You still owe me.”

“For not coming back last night? Like I said, I was taking care of our wedding.”

“Are you in a hurry?”

“Yes. You might slip away.”

Silence followed.

“A-Am I a fish? S-Something that can just slip away?”

We avoided each other’s eyes, and moments later, I heard him chuckle softly. “Sorry. That slipped out.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing,” he shrugged. There really was something wrong with this Captain. “Maybe you want to close your legs? You’re sitting wide open.” After saying that, he shut the car door, leaving me frozen, legs still spread.

“Raze!” I covered my face.

Only then did I realize I really was sitting like that. How embarrassing! Why did he only say it now?! I was so annoyed!

When he sat in the driver’s seat, I curled away from him.

“What are you doing? Does your stomach hurt? Or are you just avoiding me?” I could hear the playfulness in his voice. He was teasing me, so irritating!

“You seem really amused,” I said as I turned to face him properly. “When exactly is the wedding? Why do you seem so rushed?”

“You’ll know,” he replied as he started driving. “You’ll find out anyway, since you’re going to be my wife.”

“Once we get married, will my debt be paid?”

He glanced at me. “Nope. You’ll still owe one million.”

Damn it! I thought it was all settled, but apparently not. “You should’ve been clearer,” I complained.

“We’ll get there soon.”

“I’m impatient.”

“I know.”

“Raze!”

I was really getting irritated now.

“Once we’re married, one million is paid. And I won’t demolish your house and eatery,” he clarified.

“And the remaining one million?”

“I’ll think about it, don’t pressure me, Lyl.”

“I know already!”

He looked at me. “What are you thinking?”

“I’ll be your house helper,” I suggested.

I screamed when he suddenly hit the brakes. “Raze! Are you trying to get us kîlled?!”

“Sorry—what did you say again?”

“I said I’ll be your house helper so I can slowly pay you back! Get it together!”

“I thought you meant a helper for making babies,” he muttered under his breath, so I didn’t hear it.

“Did you say something?” I asked, eyebrow raised.

“Nothing. I said I’ll think about it,” he replied with that knowing smile.

“What’s with that grin? You’re planning something, aren’t you?” I poked his cheek repeatedly. “You’re scheming about something with me, aren’t you?”

“Stop it, Lyl. I’m driving,” he said, smiling like an idiot.

“You are planning something, tell me—” I stopped pestering him when he caught both my hands.

“Stop,” he said. “I don’t have a plan yet. Maybe in the next few days, I will.”

“I knew it! I don’t want to get married anymore!” I pulled my hands away, making him laugh.

“Are you sure?”

I stayed silent. Do whatever you want.

“Lyl, one.”

Go ahead, count. I don’t care.

“Two—”

“Are we getting married in a church? Can’t it just be private?”

This time, he went quiet. I suddenly felt like I’d offended him. There was nothing wrong with my question, right?

“They won’t believe it,” he replied coldly.

“Will everyone attend the wedding?”

“Everyone.”

“Do they know that—”

“Stop questioning me.”

Honestly, he was so moody. Sometimes sweet, sometimes grumpy, sometimes, hard to spell out. How much harder would it be once we were married? Then again, this was just a deal.

When we arrived at the market, I didn’t even wait for him to open the door. I got out first, carrying my woven basket for vegetables and fish.

I saw him park the car and try to follow me, but some people, probably district personnel, stopped him. He was the district captain, after all.

I went deep into the market and picked fresh vegetables, fish, and ingredients to sell later. I bought some meat too, but not much, it was expensive—

“I’ll take that.”

I looked up at the man who took the bags from me. “Add more meat, please.”

“Oh, it’s you, Captain,” the butcher said, briefly glancing at me before adding more meat onto the scale. “Is this enough, Captain?”

“Add more,” he ordered, and the butcher complied. “That’s enough. How much is everything?”

“Five hundred pesos, Captain.”

Raze handed him a thousand. “Keep the change.”

“But—”

“Let’s go, Lyl.”

I didn’t get the chance to protest when he grabbed my hand and pulled me along. Naturally, people stared and whispered again.

“What else do we need?” he asked as he walked. “Lyl?”

“Huh?” I blinked. I hadn’t realized I’d been staring at him the whole time. “N-Nothing else.” I looked down.

“Rice?”

“N-No—”

He stopped at the rice stall. “Two sacks of rice. Please have them delivered to my car.”

“C-Captain!” the old man rubbed his eyes, clearly surprised. It must’ve been a long time since he last saw Raze. “Well, I’ll be... looks like you’re back, Captain.”

Raze smiled and nodded. “Yes, just a few days ago. How much in total?”

Before the old man could answer, Raze handed him five thousand pesos. “Captain, that’s too much—”

“It’s fine. Please take it.”

I thought he was supposed to be stingy. Why was he giving money away?

“Thank you, Captain. Is this your girlfriend?” the old man asked.

I was about to answer, but Raze beat me to it. “She’ll be my wife,” he said with a smile.

“Well then, jackpot!” I secretly laughed when the old man even clapped his hands. “You’re a perfect match! Both good-looking!”

I felt Raze staring at me, so I looked up at him. “What?”

“Are you still mad at me?”

“Do I look mad?” I shook my head, making him smile. “Do I look angry, Captain?”

“I really feel like kissing you.”

I smacked him without thinking. “You’re shameless!”

There were so many people around, and he just said that so casually.

“What are you thinking now?” he grinned.

I glared at him. “I’m not thinking about anything! Let’s go home. You’re going to start teasing again.”

We said goodbye to the old man, and I pulled Raze toward the exit of the market.

“Raze?”

We both turned toward the woman who called out to him.

“S-Sheila?”

They knew each other?