❦ . ❦ . ❦

Despite the other alumni's insistence for them to grab a bite of the prepared food or have a glass of wine first, Isaac and Laurence left the campus in the middle of the program.

Laurence could sense the dark stares against the back of his neck as they walked out of the quadrangle. It was obvious those people needed more time to butter up with the young CEO, and they must have thought it was his fault that their chance had slipped away from them too soon.

The cold reactions to him almost impelled Laurence to retrace his steps to the tables and ask the organizers if he could at least have some of the lasagna and fresh vegetable spring rolls for takeout. All that, just for the hell of irritating them more.

But he didn't have the time to act on the idea, since Isaac didn't seem too thrilled to stay there for another minute.

Laurence didn't argue when the young boss suggested they had dinner somewhere else before having the conversation. At first, he was worried Isaac would bring him to a first-class restaurant, where they served a small plate of expensive snails as their main course.

He didn't mind the snails. He didn't mind trying new stuff either. But he needed real food right now instead of anything fancy, so it delighted him when the young CEO pulled up in front of an outdoor all-you-can-eat place, which offered unlimited meats, seafood, and vegetable sides. Not to mention, rice and noodles.

They stayed in the food house for more than an hour, ignoring the curious stares of the other customers. At least, their harmless interests were a lot better than the malicious scowls of the attendees at the alumni homecoming. And Laurence could not exactly blame these people's current behavior, for he, too, still had a hard time grasping the reason a man like Isaac Ruiz would prefer to have dinner in these cheaper public eateries.

The next place they went to was nothing Laurence had expected. A scent similar to bubblegum wafted in the air while they strolled along the park, lush with shrubs and trees. Vintage street lamps illuminated their way through the Victorian layout of the garden.

"It's peaceful here," Laurence said, unable to find any other person wandering in the area.

"This is a private park."

"Oh?" Laurence glanced at Isaac. "And who owns it?" The moment the question left his mouth and the young boss arched a brow, Laurence knew he shouldn't have asked in the first place.

He produced an unamused sound from his throat. Of course, the punk would also have an exclusive park to his name. He wondered if Isaac owned a damned memorial garden, too.

They proceeded to the wooden pergola swing at the end of the red brick pathway. Taking a seat on the hanging bench, Laurence looked around for the source of the strong, sweet smell.

"It's dama de noche," Isaac said as if reading his thoughts, "a nocturnal flower often connected to romance and mystery." The long seat swayed as he settled beside Laurence. He planted one foot against the ground to stop the movement.

"I don't remember you being an expert in plants." Laurence frowned, his mind wandering back to the night they'd gone to karaoke and Isaac had mentioned something about a seven-leaf money tree too. "Since when have you been this interested in them?"

With a chuckle, the young CEO lifted his gaze heavenward. "Have you ever been so captivated with someone, senior? To the point you want to learn everything about that person, including their passion, just so you can have an excuse to get closer to them?"

Mystification redoubled the wrinkles in between Laurence's brows. He could not understand how exactly those words answered his question, but it was Isaac's present demeanor that brought him to utter amazement.

He'd witnessed a few sides of the other man, but never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he would hear Isaac say something so poetic, if not too mushy. Not from the shy high school lad he'd been. Not from the serious boss that everyone knew now. Not even from the smartass punk Laurence had been dealing with these recent days.

As he comprehended Isaac's questions, Laurence remembered the young customer of the Renascence Café who'd consumed the entire series of Game of Thrones only because his crush was a fan. He pondered Jino's words about the crazy things people did for the ones they liked.

For the person he was into, perhaps Isaac was no different from those who acted in a way they normally wouldn't.

And what about you? Have you ever known that feeling? Laurence answered the voice in his head with a humorless snicker. He supposed he'd been too busy surviving life these couple of years that he'd not gotten the privilege to explore the field outside the physical connection he'd had with some strangers.

Isaac's wistful expression while he kept his attention above helped Laurence relate to Florence's written remark regarding the young boss's hopeless romantic side. At the reminder that there was a person Isaac had only ever loved, various ideas clashed inside Laurence.

Questions rose. Answers arrived. But he couldn't decide which among the annoying voices in his mind were worth listening to.

Who's that person he's only ever loved?

Didn't Isaac say you've mattered to him the most?

He was bullshitting, and even if he wasn't, he might not have meant it in a romantic context. You could've been the most important person to him right now, but that ain't equal to him being in love with you. If his mother was alive, pretty sure he'd have told her the same thing he said to you.

Why? Do you want him to have romantic feelings for you?

Another bullshit. Why'd we want that from this smartass punk?

But do you honestly think there's a chance it could be you? Florence had implied in his journal that the person's out of Isaac's league, and you ain't that. It must have been someone extraordinary. Someone who's in the same class as he is. Maybe like Florence.

Or maybe like Violet.

Laurence thought the last one made much more sense.

It was said that Isaac had proposed the partnership for Renascence Café because the place reminded him of a special someone. Could some details have been missing or altered from the rumor? Could it be that Isaac saved the coffee shop from bankruptcy because of Violet herself? The woman seemed to be fond of flowers and plants too, based on the atmosphere of the Renascence Café.

But have those two known each other for a long time?

"I'm pretty certain that's not what you want to know the most, Laurence." Isaac's voice punctured through the long pause, shooing away the little nuisances at the back of the other man's head.

Laurence sighed and willed himself to focus on the most pressing issue. He wrung his fingers, unsure where to start. A minute of mental deliberation later, he opted for the oldest question that had been bugging him for more than a decade.

"Why did you leave the city without saying goodbye? Why did you not see me even once in the hospital?"

Isaac looked Laurence in the eye for a moment before he lowered his face. He pushed off the ground with his feet.

Synchronous with the gentle rock of their seat, the young boss began telling the story of how his father had discovered he'd been neglecting his training as the next leader of the Falhgren Company since he'd been spending most of his days on his newly found hobby, that was, learning about music and floriography—stuff that Leonard Fahlgren had deemed useless for the development of their business.

To ensure young Isaac would not waste any more time on unnecessary things, the old man had drafted a daily routine, which his son had to comply with. His meals, his sleep, his studies, everything had been scheduled for him. His father had assigned people to drop him off and pick him up from school, so he didn't have the chance to go anywhere else either.

The few brief moments he'd spent with Laurence on the campus might have been his only reprieve then. Yet, even that had vanished, and Isaac had received the terrible news that his senior might not return to school soon after the loss of his home and family from the fire.

"I attempted to escape one time, so I could see you in the hospital, but those men caught me and immediately reported me to that so-called father of mine. Leonard was utterly dismayed when he learned the reason for what he regarded as my wayward behavior, and on that same night, he arranged for me to be thrown to Germany, away from foolish distractions and bad influences," Isaac continued, his low voice growing taut the more he spoke. "That had been the last straw, the catalyst for my real rebellion. While I was on the plane flying to Europe, I was thinking 'Fine. If this is how it will be, I'll do what he wants me to do for now. I'll learn everything I need to learn about leading a large corporation, and one day...'"

In the middle of the quiet garden, Isaac's swallow was distinct. His clasped hands shook, but Laurence could tell it had nothing to do with the increasing chilliness of the air. The young boss never seemed to be troubled by the cooler days of Perlientas, anyway.

"I swore to myself that someday I would use all the knowledge I'd obtained and turn them against him. I'd crush his empire with the weapons that he himself had forced into my hands."

"And you did. That must have been the biggest slap on his face," Laurence said, breaking in on Isaac's monologue after a while. Mixed emotions took over him.

Laurence sympathized with Isaac for what the latter had gone through under the monopoly of his father. It became clearer to him now why the young boss had kept mentioning he could somehow see himself in Florence. Those two were indeed similar in that aspect, and Laurence mused on the possibility that Isaac might have been more compassionate to Florence because of it.

While there was also guilt for being unaware of what teenager Isaac had been experiencing and unable to support him, the former upperclassman in him became even prouder once he knew more of the younger man's story. That meek puppy he'd stumbled upon one sunny day on the rooftop of their school had indeed developed into this fierce beast, and Laurence thought that old Leonard Fahlgren might have been a huge fool for failing to be more on guard around his silent son. Dogs that seldom barked had the most tendencies to deliver the gravest bite, after all.

On top of those other feelings, Laurence was relieved to know there was at least one person from high school who didn't abandon him out of his own will, and the fact it was Isaac made him feel better.

"I'm sorry, senior. If only I had more courage to go against my father then, so you wouldn't have to be lonely."

Isaac's apologetic gaze met Laurence when he turned to his side.

"You don't need to be sorry. I get it now. You were just a kid then, and you had to take care of yourself first." Laurence tried to concentrate on the twin moles near Isaac's eyelid because the solar lanterns surrounding the pergola spotlighted the young boss's face, and it was damn distracting.

When he figured the attempt was not much of a help either, he focused on the shrubs in front of them.

"And, please, I wasn't lonely," Laurence added in a murmur. But, deep inside, he questioned if he really hadn't been.

AN: Busy last months of the year. Chapters 27 and 28 will be posted respectively on the 20th and 30th of this month, and then I'll try to update at least 2 more chapters (3 if I get enough time) in December before I go on my annual short holiday break. I'll be back in January 2025 after that. I won't be promising a fixed date, but it'd be most likely not any later than January 10. ;)