Stepping out of her bedroom, Lariette saw Ruediger sitting on the couch, waiting for her. Dressed casually in a baggy T-shirt and long khaki, he was ready to walk her to school as usual.
Lariette liked how easily this new routine was integrated into her life. She felt good to have a company while going to work.
As Lariette approached the living room, she noticed a different kind of beaming look on Ruediger’s face. Unable to resist, remarks flowed out of her mouth.
"Eddy, did you dream of sothing good? You look more cheerful today."
Lariette saw the sa look when she had breakfast with Ruediger earlier. He made her so matcha pancakes with slices of strawberries.
Even after having breakfast, Lariette caught Ruediger chuckling to himself as he washed the dishes. She was in a hurry to get ready that she didn’t get to ask him.
Ruediger drifted his gaze to Lariette once her words rang in the air. Quirking his lips into a smile, he arched his brows. A playful glint flickered in his erald eyes.
"You can say so," Ruediger replied with a hint of mystery. Rising to his feet, he asked, "Ready to go?"
"Yeah."
Lariette couldn’t help but wonder what kind of good dream Ruediger had, but chose not to ask him. She quickly followed him to the entryway, her footsteps light on the floor.
Ruediger glanced at Lariette as she wore her shoes, his eyes drifted to her outfit. She wore a long-sleeved shirt, paired with a knee-length pleated skirt. A folded light cardigan peeked through her sling bag.
"Will that keep you warm? The temperature will be lower than usual this week."
Looking up from her shoes, Lariette saw Ruediger’s eyes shift between her and her sling bag. She laughed, knowing what he ant.
"I’m fine. It’s not that cold yet."
As the month would change to October in a few days, the shifts in temperature and the weather beca more apparent. The leaves also started changing colors even though the green was still more prominent.
"Let’s go," Ruediger smiled, not touching the issue anymore, "Shall we drop by the cafe to get so pastries?"
"Hehe, let’s go!"
Heading out of the apartnt building, Lariette and Ruediger walked down the familiar streets, leading to the middle school. The crisp autumn turned into a breeze, gently tousling their locks under the golden sunlight.
The hustle and bustle of the morning rush accompanied Lariette and Ruediger as they walked. The vehicles moved slowly on the roads because of the traffic jam, the passersby were quick on their feet as they headed to the bus stops and subway station.
"Sports Day will be here in three weeks, isn’t it?"
Ruediger brought up the school’s event as he and Lariette left the cafe. He simply got a loaf of freshly baked sourdough bread while she opted for bite-sized egg sandwiches.
"Yup! The preparations are going well," Lariette chirped, happy thinking of the upcoming Sports Day, "The students have started practicing now."
Each class had selected representatives for every competing ga and sport. The clubs’ representatives who were involved with the stalls also finalized what they would sell during the event.
Glancing at Lariette, Ruediger’s lips curved into a soft smile. The evident joy and anticipation in her voice made him also look forward to the middle school’s Sports Day.
"I can’t wait to provide my labor," Ruediger chuckled, referring to Lariette’s intention of having him as her assistant, "Of course, it won’t be free."
Lariette clicked her tongue. Throwing Ruediger a look, she said, "You’re the one who’s eager to be my assistant. You don’t get to na your price, okay?"
Ruediger shook his head, shrugging. When he stared at Lariette, he looked as if a certain soone had terribly wronged him. She scoffed before her palm swatted his arm.
The good tis Lariette and Ruediger spent together the previous Saturday helped to nurture their relationship more. The the park trip compelled them to be even closer to each other.
Before, her shoulder frequently grazed his arm as they walked side by side. Now, even their fingers lightly brushed each other as their proximity shrank further.
But... none dared to reach for the other’s hand.
"See you at ho later. Thanks for walking here."
Lariette waved at Ruediger once they reached the gate. The students walked past them, so ran through the gate with their friends before being told to slow down by the guards.
"I gonna get so groceries this evening," Ruediger smiled, hands deep inside the pockets of his khaki pants, "Wanna join ?"
"Hehe, okay. I’ll text you when I’m almost done."
Lariette chuckled, thinking how frequently Ruediger did grocery shopping to get the fresh ingredients. When she asked, he said that he wanted to take advantage of the short distance between the apartnt and the grocery market.
Turning around, Larietted waved at Ruediger once again before she joined the crowds of students heading further inside the school compound.
Ruediger smiled seeing Lariette walking away. Spinning on his heels, he threw one last look in her direction before retracing his steps to the apartnt.
Without any need to say it, Ruediger knew his mood improved significantly. Especially after coming back from the the park with Lariette.
He barely rembered the anger that consud his heart when his estranged father made his abrupt appearance last week.
But...
It did not an he would back away from his plan. Today was the D-Day.
Edmund delivered his promise. He anonymously leaked the evidence to The Sentinel Report.
Despite being a mid-sized news agency, it was known for being highly credible in reporting political and corporate scandals. The news outlet had defeated quite a number of opponents before.
Stopping halfway to the apartnt, Ruediger fished his phone out of his pants pocket. His lips, initially wore a gentle smile, curling into a sneer. A sinister glint flickered in his eyes.
The headlines he had been waiting for were displayed boldly on the screen. The view counts were high despite the articles had just been released.
[BREAKING! Chairman Alvord Bankrolled the People’s Century Party]
[Alvord & People’s Century Party: A Corrupt Partnership or Politics as Usual?]
[Exclusive! Leaked Docunts Tie Chairman Alvord to People’s Century Party’s Corruption]
It had begun.
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