With the twins, Atlas, and Slater’s company, Lola’s previous fear disappeared without a trace. She had almost forgotten about it as they continued their day at the amusent park.
"Sis, stand close!" Slater shouted, waving mildly while giving Lola instructions.
Lola raised her brows and took a step closer to Second. "Like this?"
"No, not like that! Closer!"
She frowned and turned to Atlas, who was standing at the end after Chacha. She moved closer, only to pause when Chacha suddenly raised her arms to her father.
"Daddy~" Chacha opened and closed her hands with her arms stretched toward him. "Hehe."
Atlas gazed at his daughter and picked her up, carrying her in his arms. Seeing this, Second turned to Lola and grinned.
"You want to be carried too?" She asked, only to hear Atlas say,
"He’s heavy."
Second frowned and looked up at Atlas. "But I want Mommy to carry ."
"You’re going to burden her with your weight."
"Burden?" Lola smirked at Atlas, then grinned at Second. "Second, co up here. I’ll carry you."
"Yey~!" Second cheered while Atlas frowned. However, Atlas couldn’t do anything as Lola carried Second in her arms.
"Mommy~!" He hugged her neck excitedly while Chacha blushed and giggled happily.
anwhile, Slater stared at the four of them and smiled. Without a word, he lifted his cara and clicked so candid photos. His smile broadened as he captured a really nice shot of them.
When Atlas and Lola turned in his direction, Slater quickly put down his cara and laughed.
"Closer!!!" he shouted, watching Lola and Atlas take a side step toward each other. "Closer! Can’t you see there’s a heaven-and-hell gap between you two?"
"That guy—" Lola clenched her teeth, tempted to jog toward him and give him a good roundhouse kick. But then Atlas took another sidestep until his shoulder brushed hers.
"Hmm?"
Looking back at him, she found Atlas looking back at her.
Click!
Click!
Slater quickly snapped more photos, taking as many as he could. In one of them, both Lola and Atlas’s lips were slightly curled up as they looked at each other, while the twins grinned. After that, they looked at the cara.
"Say cheese!" Slater instructed.
"Cheese!" Lola and the twins echoed while Atlas stared flatly at the cara.
"Whiskey~!" Slater called again, and like before, the trio answered, "Whiskey~!"
"Nice shot! Perfect!" Slater exclaid, switching positions nonstop, his finger hamring the capture button. "Great! Nice one! Another one!"
He took so many photos that their smiles eventually stiffened and twitched. When the family of four couldn’t take it anymore, they shook their heads and left.
"Wait, I’m not done yet!" Slater shouted as they walked off. He hissed, slung the strap of his cara across his body, and jogged after them. "Hey—wait for !"
****
Amusent parks were said to be magical places, and today, Lola could say... there was so truth to it. They had arrived very early and barely taken breaks or snacks in between, but it hadn’t tired her at all. If anything, she hadn’t even noticed the ti passing.
Before she knew it, it was already nightti.
Night at the amusent park was just as magical, with lights twinkling on every ride, stall, and booth. The glow wasn’t too bright but warm enough to give the place a different sense of wonder.
"Chacha, Second, smile~!" Slater shouted, standing on the carousel beside an empty horse.
The twins, each riding a horse that slowly went up and down, bead at him. Slater quickly snapped their pictures, while Lola and Atlas sat on a nearby bench, watching.
"Goodness. Just how much energy does he have?" Lola laughed quietly, eyes on the trio. "It feels like he has an unlimited supply, like a kid."
Another wave of chuckles escaped her until she sensed a pair of eyes on her. Slowly, Lola turned her head to the man beside her. Atlas was casually staring, and even when she held his gaze, he didn’t look away.
"Did you have fun?" he asked. She tried to conceal her smile but failed.
"Mhm," she humd, lips pressed into a tight line. "It’s so much fun. I don’t think I’ve had this much fun in a long ti."
Or maybe ever.
"I’ve always wanted to visit the amusent park," she murmured, eyes drifting back to the carousel. "But back then, I couldn’t. My mother was sick, and even if she was willing to co with , it would’ve risked her health. So, I told her I didn’t like amusent parks at all. That it was corny."
"Then... when she passed, I got a little too busy and completely forgot about it," she added, smacking her lips.
"You forgot until now?" he asked, implying this was her first ti.
"No." She shook her head, eting his eyes. "I didn’t forget. I just... I just didn’t have a reason anymore."
Or maybe she couldn’t find a reason—or the logic—for going at her age. Not like she had anyone to go to the amusent park with. Lola wiggled her brows at him before casually looking away at the trio.
After a mont, his voice caressed her ears once more. "Is that why you had that look earlier?"
"Huh?" Her brows knitted, puzzled. "What do you an?"
Atlas’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as he watched her. "That look earlier when you ca back from the restroom, and we weren’t on the bench. I was talking about that."
"Ahh..." The smile on her face faded as she bit her tongue. "You saw that?"
"We all did."
She froze, eyes widening. She thought she’d done a good job concealing the fear that almost overwheld her. A defeated sigh slipped out of her as she hugged the stuffed toy and watched Slater help the twins down from the carousel.
"I thought you guys left," she muttered. "Or rather... I thought I was hallucinating or just completely snapped."
Lola bit her lip and forced a laugh. "I got a bit scared, you know? After all, all the good things that happen to sohow disappear without warning. So... it kinda worried ."
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