I Need You || An anime love story [Discontinued]

Chapter 6

After doing some grocery shopping, I quickly made my way back to the apartment to start dinner before Ayato could come home. Along the way, I bumped into someone and knock my grocery bags. "Oof!"
    
"I'm sorry," the man apologized and instantly helped me pick my things up. "Here you go."

"Thank you," I thanked him while taking my other grocery bag from him.

"That's quite a heavy thing you got there. Sure a pretty lady like you can handle that?" he asked me when finding out I was carrying a heavy bag.

"I-I'll be fine," I flustered at the sudden compliment from the stranger.

"Are you sure—"

"She said she's fine," a hand suddenly wrapped around my shoulder and I'm pulled against a broad chest. I could already tell it was Ayato with his voice.

"Just making sure," the man said. "Take care of your girlfriend there," he looked at Ayato before leaving.

I turn to Ayato who took the grocery bags from me without a word and made his way towards our apartment. "A-Ayato, I thought you'd come home later. I just got back so dinner isn't ready yet. But don't worry, I'll quickly—"

"Cheating on me?" he raised a brow.

My brows furrowed and I stare at him madly. "Jerk," I hit him on the arm before walking past him to unlock the door to our home. "I only just met him a minute ago."

"Still, you could—"

"I'll just eat dinner by myself then!"

"Hey! You were fawning over him!" I heard him shouting from behind.

~~

"Welcome, sir. Have you–"

"Hey, aren't you that lady that dropped her groceries yesterday?" The man suddenly stopped me when I came to take his orders. I paused in confusion then the familiarity in his face from the other day hit me.

"You're that man who helped me. Thank you," I smiled and bowed at him for a proper thank since I didn't got to thank him the other day.

"You're a waitress?" he asked.

"My main work is a pastry chef but when there's time to help out with waitressing, I also do that," I explained to him.
    
"'Akira Shay' huh?" He said reading the tag on my shirt. "Isn't that your boyfriend the other day? Did u break up?" He pointed at Ayato who sat discussing something with that Yukari woman. "Was it because of me?" He joked.

"I laughed softly in response. "No. He's doing some business stuff. You know, CEO and all?"

"CEO'? It looks to me like the girl is just meeting up with your guy because of interest."

"That may be right but I trust my boyfriend."

"Well that's too bad, 'cause I'd sure like to steal you away," his mouth curls up into a smirk.

"I'm working here, don't flirt with me. And besides, you know I have a boyfriend," I frowned.

"Really? How long?"

"9 years." When I said that, I expected him to have an reaction but his face was normal.

"That long? And you're still only dating? Shouldn't a marriage already be happening some years ago?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Well, I'm just saying. In relationships, time doesn't matter. You can know someone for so long but still have no feelings for them. But you can meet someone for the first time and fall in love." When I gave him the silent confusion, he continued on. "What I'm saying is, if he really loved you, don't you think you deserve a proposal by now?"

I couldn't think of anything to say in return. "Is it family problems?" He asked. I shook my head no. "Then why's he stalling?"

"Why do you care?"

"'Cause you're cute and you deserve someone better. I'm Suzuki Genya by the way," he winked.

"I'm not here to ask for your name, I'm here to ask for your orders," I frowned, only to earn a laugh from him.

"You really are cute."

Although at that time I thought he was annoying, a part of me thought about what he had just said. But I loved Ayato, why was I starting to feel complicated now? Why had I started doubting him? Was it Yukari? Was it Genya telling me these things? Were they signs? And as much as I wanted them to be all false, somewhere deep down, complications stirred up.