“Lola, let’s go.”
Then she took Lola’s hand, who looked flustered, and opened the door, darting out like a squirrel.
Dylan stared at the door for a long time, dumbfounded, as if he were a dog chasing a chicken, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
******
After leaving the rib restaurant, Dylan, who said he had a quick stop to make, did not head straight back to the prosecutor’s office but instead walked over to St Mark University Hospital across the street.
He thought the chances of running into Lola at the hospital cafeteria were fifty-fifty.
After all, Lola and Gia always had lunch there.
However, once again, his expectations were completely off. He didn’t want to be misunderstood unnecessarily. But the situation with Nia sitting so close to him earlier could inadvertently lead to misunderstandings, so Dylan decided he needed to clarify things with Lola.
[I hope we can see each other for a moment. I’ll wait on the bench.]
After sending a brief text to Lola, Dylan approached a bench, sat down, and waited.
A moment later, Lola, wearing a white coat and with her short hair half-tied, walked over with her hands stuffed in her coat pockets, looking puzzled.
“Oh, big brother, is something wrong?”
As Lola approached, she asked with a curious expression. Dylan pointed to the seat next to him with his finger.
“Sit for a moment. I want to talk.”
What could this be about?
What was he going to say?
Sitting down quietly, Lola felt both curious and inexplicably anxious.
“About earlier at the rib restaurant. I hope you weren’t upset that another woman was sitting next to me. I told you, right? I’m very clear about my relationships, and I don’t create unnecessary ties with women.”
For a brief moment, Lola’s emotions were like a rollercoaster, swinging wildly.
Earlier, I was really feeling unpleasant. But when he, busy as he was, came all the way here to say this, Lola quickly felt at peace.
However, trying not to reveal such a change in emotion, Lola responded calmly.
“I told you I’m not that narrow-minded. I’m fine.”
“Really? Then that’s a relief!”
“But did you come all this way because you were worried I might be upset?”
“I have other things to say as well.”
“What do you mean?”
To the curious Lola, Dylan suddenly became serious and asked earnestly.
“Lola, why don’t you smile in front of me?”
“Lola, why don’t you smile in front of me?”
No matter how much she liked him, it was overwhelming to face his cold eyes sometimes, so how could she comfortably smile?
As she often did when she lost her words or struggled to respond, Lola looked down at her toes.
“I wish you wouldn’t keep avoiding my gaze.”
Dylan lifted her chin with his hand, forcing her to look at him.
His eyes seemed devoid of warmth. They were dry and cold, making her feel chilled. But since he was holding her chin, she couldn’t turn her head away.
“Oh, you don’t smile much either, do you?”
Gathering all the courage she could muster, Lola managed to retort. Dylan’s expression changed oddly at her unexpected words.
“Well, I’m just naturally like that, but you’re not. You smiled just fine in front of Gia.”
It seemed he had seen her and Gia taking selfies and having a blast earlier.
Lola felt embarrassed just thinking about how she had shown all sorts of expressions in front of Gia, completely unaware that Dylan was watching.
“I don’t think you realize how pretty you look when you smile.”
As he released her chin, he murmured as if to himself.
Was that a compliment?
Lola’s face turned bright red.
“Then please smile in front of me too.”
Though she finally mustered the courage to say it, she couldn’t look him in the eye.
He might think her request was ridiculous.
But,
“I’ll try.”
Unexpectedly, he responded differently than she had thought.
And then he smirked, a small smile appearing on his face.
It was definitely a smile, and he looked incredibly handsome like that.
“I’ll… try too.”
Lola smiled faintly as well. Though it was a faint smile, she looked very attractive while smiling.
*****
In the car returning to the prosecutor’s office, Nia, lost in thought, turned to the driving Alan and casually asked,
“Senior, do you know anything about that woman from earlier?”
“That woman from earlier? Who?”
Alan tilted his head in confusion. Nia added an explanation.
“The woman who came with Gia earlier. Wasn’t she Gia’s friend? Does she work in psychiatry, too?”
“Oh, Lola Dax.”
Alan nodded as if he understood who the woman mentioned by Nia was. Then his expression shifted to one of curiosity.
“But why are you interested in Lola Dax?”
So her name was Lola Dax.
