Watching Sam leave in a hurry, unable to hide his anxious steps, Isabella took a long ti to retract her gaze.
Angel, however, turned to look at her.
"Senior, what would you like to drink?"
Isabella smiled. "A Long Island Iced Tea will do."
"Long Island Iced Tea isn't just a drink; it has a high alcohol content."
Isabella smiled nonchalantly.
"I'm fine with it... but are you okay with it?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
Angel looked into her eyes.
Isabella didn't mind making things clear.
"You're just letting him go find Sophie?"
Angel scoffed.
"If I didn't allow it, would he not go? Besides, why do you seem so unconcerned?"
Angel was a bit suspicious. If sothing had really happened to Sophie, it made sense for her to sit here calmly, given their usual animosity.
But wasn't this senior supposed to get along well with everyone? Yet she sat here, chatting and laughing with Angel?
Isabella smiled.
"What could possibly happen? And I don't have Sam's physical prowess. But Angel, your behavior seems more like... giving them a chance to be alone."
Angel just smiled slightly, like a queen sitting on her throne, leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window in the dim, intimate lighting.
"As you said, I do care about these things. But... emotions are different from other things. I don't care about fairness in other matters, but in this, I want all of him, so I must give him so fairness."
Isabella thought for a mont, pretending to be puzzled.
"So, if he struggles even a little between you and Sophie, you wouldn't be able to tolerate it."
Angel turned her head, taking a sip of her drink.
"Whether I can tolerate it is my business. What I do depends on the outco I want to see... You didn't use mind-reading on , did you?"
Angel looked suspiciously at Isabella.
Isabella laughed and shook her head.
"Just talking. I won't use mind-reading on any of you today, so don't worry. Say whatever you want. I'm just a loyal audience."
---
Sam quickly descended the building, continuously trying to call, but inexplicably, his phone had no signal. Not even a simple call could go through.
Sam cald down, looking around.
He quickly retraced his steps before entering the building, thinking about the route Sophie might have taken if she ca by subway or bus, which would lead her from the station exit.
He suddenly rembered sothing. His excellent mory allowed him to recall anything he had seen, even if he hadn't paid attention at the ti. By thinking carefully, he could rember the details.
So he imdiately looked in a certain direction.
"Excuse , coming through."
The crowd in front of him was like a wave he needed to push through, and Sam had to beco a surfer navigating the surging sea of people.
He soon saw a sushi shop, not a large storefront, but located at a corner. If Sophie ca from the station, she would definitely pass by here, and this spot was very noticeable.
Sam observed the crowd, using his height advantage to scan the area.
Damn.
Why couldn't Sophie be taller, like his sister Ava?
At least then he could spot her easily.
But now, in this sea of people, even with good eyesight, it was hard to find her because there were just too many people.
Just as Sam was looking around, feeling a bit lost, his phone suddenly rang.
Sam was surprised to see it was Sophie calling.
He quickly answered, struggling to hear her over the noisy crowd.
"Hello? Where are you?!"
Her voice was still a bit unclear, sowhat intermittent.
"I'm... at the square... where's the entrance? You..."
"Which entrance? I'm down here looking for you! Can you see ? I'm at the sushi shop you passed by."
Sam turned in all directions, trying not to miss any angle.
"What? Why are you down there? I'm looking for the way..."
"Didn't you scream suddenly? I thought sothing happened to you. Where are you now? Don't move. What's around you that's noticeable? I'll co find you!"
"Why are you so angry...?"
"Where are you!"
Sam repeated the question.
He was usually a patient person, but now he felt a noticeable change in his mood. Was it impatience? Or was it the worry he couldn't hide?
Soon, a faint voice ca through. "I'm in front of a pink neon sign."
Sam looked around and quickly spotted the pink neon sign.
Next to the pink sign was a girl holding a phone, her figure identical to Sophie's.
She wore a light-colored hoodie and a pleated skirt, with knee-high black socks. She stood alone, looking isolated.
Sam sighed softly. "Sorry, I was a bit harsh earlier. I'm coming to get you. Wait for ."
Sophie was taken aback.
She hadn't expected him to say that.
But thinking about how he rushed down to find her because of her scream, Sophie felt a strange emotion.
It was like honey hidden in a cupboard, finally starting to lt.
She held her phone, her hands a bit cold, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Where are you now?"
"I'm coming towards you."
The boy's voice was steady, accompanied by the noisy sounds of people, whether from his side or hers.
"Where?"
Sophie tried to stand on tiptoe to see, but her height was average. Though not as petite as a little girl, the crowd was like an impenetrable wall, making it hard to see through.
It was too difficult.
She seed to have no choice but to stand still, as Sam had said, and wait for him.
But why, with his urgent breathing on the other end of the line, did her heart start to race?
It felt like he was crossing the sea of people to find her, getting closer.
This feeling was strange.
Her cheeks ward.
Suddenly, she heard his voice on the phone.
"Sophie."
"Yes?"
"Can you see ?"
Sophie was puzzled. She still saw the slow-moving crowd, no sign of the familiar boy.
"No, did you go to the wrong place? I'm right..."
"I didn't go to the wrong place. You're right here."
This made Sophie instinctively want to respond, but she quickly realized the voice wasn't coming from the phone but from behind her.
Sophie turned around.
There he was, holding his phone, standing behind her.
He had crossed the crowd to reach her, illuminated by the pink neon sign.
Just by standing there, he was different from everyone else.
Different from the thousands of people here.
Those people seed to fade into the background, unimportant compared to him.
Seeing him, Sophie didn't know what to say.
Until Sam put down his phone and walked up to her.
He looked at her, not smiling, his expression making Sophie feel inexplicably nervous.
"Why did you scream earlier?"
Sophie avoided his gaze and answered softly.
"Soone bumped my shoulder, and the call got cut off. I didn't know you'd be so worried."
Sam looked at her.
"Did you really not know I'd worry about you?"
"I..."
"I told you to co early. There are a lot of people here, and it's easy to get lost. Plus, you've never been here before. Why did you co so late?"
Hearing his seemingly accusatory tone, Sophie felt a deep sense of grievance.
Seeing her silent, Sam stepped forward. Sophie looked up.
She didn't expect him to squat down in front of her and tie her shoelaces, which she hadn't noticed were loose.
Watching this, she felt like she was under a spell, unable to speak or move.
But she heard him sigh softly.
"More than anything... I care that nothing happens to you. I'm just glad you're okay."
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