Elevator: Chance Encounter

Cocoa Chronicles and Ninja Nonsense

The warm embrace lingered for a few moments until an unexpected knock on the door added an element of awkwardness. Trapped together in a disabled bathroom, the potential for misunderstanding loomed large. Seeking reassurance, I turned to meet Lloyd's gaze, finding an equal mix of concern and amusement. Breaking the tension, we couldn't help but share a quiet giggle, and Lloyd, putting a finger to his lips, leaned in to suggest, "Let's wait it out for like 5 minutes and sneak out." Excitement filled me as I nodded in agreement, finding an unexpected thrill in this awkward yet thrilling escapade.

As the fading footsteps signalled our chance, our eyes met, and I softly whispered, "We open up at 3, okay?" Lloyd responded with a confident "bet." Initiating the escape, I counted down, "1... 2..." Lloyd seized my hand, swiftly unlocking the door, and we burst out in a fit of giggles as we ran for it. Blending seamlessly into the crowd, we slowed our pace as if nothing had transpired. Today brought an abundance of smiles; my cheeks ached from it. Glancing at Lloyd, I noticed his happiness, and it warmed my heart with an indescribable joy.

His emerald eyes lock onto mine, he gives my hand a reassuring squeeze and a charming smile that could make anyone weak at the knees. I playfully inquire, "Are your hands holding up okay?" He nods, lifting his hand to showcase the Hello Kitty bandages, "Of course, I've got these bad boys on my hands." His silliness earns a chuckle from me.

Lloyd then brings up, "I assume ice skating won't proceed then?" I shake my head firmly, "Most definitely not, Lloyd, not after your injury." He suggests an alternative with a twinkle in his eye, "Well then, let's go to a café and get some hot cocoa." He sweetens the deal, "My treat." My heart does a little happy dance; he still wants to hang out, and we didn't even make any formal plans. Lloyd, in this spontaneous moment, feels perfect to me.

We both realize our hands are interlocked, and a simultaneous "woops" escapes our lips. Laughter follows this unplanned connection, and in that moment, I entertain the thought that I wouldn't mind our hands being interlinked forever. Lloyd catches me lost in my thoughts and asks, "What are you thinking about?" My bubble bursts, and I turn pink, "Hehe... oh, nothing," I say, and he lifts a teasing brow, "Whatever you say." Gathering our belongings from the locker, we set out for our next destination—the café.

Our walk was short, as some genius decided to place a skating rink next to a café, which, considering my dislike for the cold, I appreciated. Lloyd, with his natural-born leader stature, led the way, holding the door for me like a gentleman. As we entered, we perused the menu, and I couldn't help but express my fascination, "Wow, I didn't know hot cocoa had so many flavours." Lloyd chuckled and shared, "Oh yeah, I have a good friend who's a geek about these different recipes, so I definitely know a thing or two." While scanning the options, Lloyd asked, "Need any recommendations?" I nodded, and he suggested, "From my experiences with you, I think you'd like a hazelnut hot chocolate." I beamed at his choice; I do enjoy hazelnut-flavoured things, and with chocolate, it's a fantastic combo. "You've got a good eye, I see," I teased, and he smiled in response. We placed our orders and found a table that faced the window, creating a cosy atmosphere.

I couldn't shake off the flashbacks with Harumi, and my expression must have given it away. Lloyd noticed and asked, "Everything okay up there?" I forced a smile and replied, "Yeah, it's nothing, heh." Our drinks arrived promptly, and they were a masterpiece. Adorned with whipped cream and marshmallows, they looked so inviting, like a milky, soft cloud. I couldn't resist taking a picture; it was too incredible not to. I then after aimed my camera at Lloyd as he took his first sip, capturing the moment and teasing, "Your face says it all; that must be hella good, huh?" He smirked and replied, "Definitely, it tastes mwah," adding a playful gesture. I giggled at his attempt, then took a sip, and as I looked up from my cup, I noticed Lloyd had snapped a picture of me. Excitedly, I demanded, "Show me, show me!" He grinned mischievously and declared, "Nope, my little secret," leaving me to exclaim, "Darn you!"

As we sipped our beverages, I couldn't help but notice a dollop of whipped cream perfectly centred on Lloyd's nose, staring at me like a creamy beacon. Tilted in confusion, Lloyd followed my gaze, and I burst into laughter. Pointing at my own nose for emphasis, I managed to convey, "You've got a bit of cream on your nose." He attempted to wipe it away, asking, "Is it gone?" I shook my head, teasing, "Nope, a little more to the left." After another attempt, he inquired, "There?" and I chuckled, "Still not it, a little to the right." Playfully, I grabbed a tissue, leaned over the table, and wiped his nose. He looked a bit shy, but then we both burst into laughter. Lloyd remarked, "I can't ever have a normal day with you, huh?" and I mischievously replied, "Nope."

To add more entertainment, a little kid was celebrating a birthday, and I couldn't help but notice a group of cosplayers who had dressed up as the ninjas. The sight was amusingly bad, and I burst into laughter at the comical attempt. "Hold up, there's more than one, and they all have different colours!" I exclaimed, finding the idea of multiple ninjas of different hues utterly hilarious. Lloyd, looking in disbelief, asked, "What the hell is that meant to be? No way that's a ninja." I giggled and teased, "Looks like we have a ninja expert, huh?" He smirked and leaned in, saying, "I guess you could say that," to which I waved my hand dismissively and replied, "You're so silly."

He then asked, "Who's your favourite?" with a taunting look. Knowing I had only encountered one ninja so far, I answered, "The green ninja, duh." Leaning in even more, I whispered jokingly, "Me and him are close like that, you know?" and crossed my fingers together to emphasize the playful connection.