Fingers lightly brushed, like a gentle caress over the heart, soft and ticklish.
The skin that was touched retained the sensation, turning into a searing heat that darted straight to the heart.
With a turn of the wrist, his palm flipped upwards, and he enveloped that hand, along with the fist and the popcorn clutched within.
Nora Scott tried to pull away but couldn’t.
While originally chatting idly with Eleanor Taylor, Nora furrowed her brow and quickly glanced over.
Under her warning gaze, Pedro Langley’s lips curled slightly as he loosened his grip on her hand.
Nora released the popcorn into his palm and swiftly withdrew her hand.
The whole ti, she didn’t turn around, as if nothing had happened.
However, Pedro Langley clearly noticed the faint blush on the tips of her ears, peeking through her scattered hair.
"Nora, let tell you..."
Eleanor Taylor’s voice, unrestrained and mingled with the noisy chatter, was not clear to Pedro Langley. Yet, Nora’s occasional responses, though just a word or two, landed in his ear, crystal clear.
The popcorn, warm in his palm, held both its own warmth and hers.
Pedro picked up a piece and popped it into his mouth. It was sugary, fragrant, sweet, with a unique flavor—whether due to the old-fashioned machine or because it passed through soone’s hands.
Next to them, Marcus Shaw watched the scene unfold the entire ti: "..."
Too much.
Not even a single piece of popcorn was given to him.
The three shared amongst themselves, treating him as if invisible.
After a few seconds, feeling like mouthfuls of dog food were being force-fed to him, Marcus found it all too dull and walked away from the crowd to find a spot with a broader view.
*
"...By the way, Nora, today the chief editor of CC Comics, Kieran Shawn, reached out to !" Eleanor Taylor said, eyes twinkling with excitent.
"Oh."
Nora fed herself so popcorn, her gaze on the popcorn machine, her tone as calm as ever.
Eleanor was used to it and continued, "He said my comic is pretty good and can be published on the platform. The contract was sent to ! Once I print it out, sign it, and send it back, it’s all set. Plus, he said my future works will be under his charge. Ahhh—"
At this point, Eleanor jumped in excitent twice on the spot.
"You wouldn’t believe it! He’s Zero’s editor! Allegedly, he only handles Zero’s work! I have no idea how I got so lucky..."
She couldn’t stop talking due to excitent.
"Oh, and the previous editor who contacted , Molly Forest, she resigned!" Eleanor spilled another piece of news after her ramble.
"Hmm?"
Nora, who had been listening dully, finally showed so reaction.
Eleanor’s eyes lit up, "Do you rember her? She was the editor for Isabella Hart and UU."
"I rember."
"After Kieran Shawn contacted , I went to ask her what happened, but she blocked . Later, I asked around and found out she resigned, just yesterday," Eleanor explained.
"Is that so."
Nora’s voice was indifferent, with little interest.
"Apparently, there’s talk that she was actually dismissed for misconduct, and ’resigned’ just sounds nicer," Eleanor said. "Isabella had it rough. With Molly gone, she was assigned to an old editor rumored to have lots of criticisms about her work, calling it vulgar, with weak plots, poor art style, and lack of technique... they had a big fight last night."
The wait for the next batch was quite long.
Eleanor spoke, and Nora listened.
However, with one ear in and the other out, Nora rely took it as gossip, not giving it much thought.
The sky gradually darkened. Among the onlookers, so left, and new ones arrived, one wave after another.
Suddenly, soone squeezed behind Nora.
"Nora."
The two light words landed softly, accompanied by Pedro Langley’s low and magnetic voice.
"Hmm?"
Nora leaned back slightly in response but didn’t turn her head.
In the next mont, she felt him move closer from behind, his breath enveloping her, slowly surrounding her.
Soon after, she heard that voice close to her ear, "It’s starting."
?
What was starting?
Nora raised her eyebrow, not yet understanding what he ant when suddenly her ears were covered by two hands.
Oddly enough, the thickness of the palms managed to cut off the surrounding noise, and her ears plunged into sudden silence. Feeling the heat from the hands, her heart sank for a mont.
At the sa ti, from the center of the crowd ca a "boom" sound, and with it, cheers erupted as the latest batch of popcorn was ready.
Children rushed forward.
"Nora—"
Intending to pull Nora to get so popcorn, Eleanor Taylor, turning back, caught sight of Pedro Langley cupping Nora’s ears. She blinked, and imdiately released Nora, heading into the crowd with her head down.
Not far away, standing on a step with a suitable angle to capture video, Marcus Shaw had just finished filming the entire popcorn-making process. He was nudged aside by children and frowned, looking up. His gaze inadvertently skimd over the two figures in the crowd, imdiately startling him, and he quickly looked away.
After finishing filming, he lowered his head and sent the video he had taken to Oliver.
After a few seconds, Pedro still hadn’t let go, so Nora shot him a sharp glare, "Is it over?"
"Hmm." His palm moved away, but his fingers brushed her ear gently, rubbing slightly. Pedro chuckled, "Your ears are too cold, warming them up."
He wasn’t using much force; a light rub, the pad of his finger made her ear itch.
The warmth in both ears continued to rise.
Nora stepped aside, quickly extending her hand to push him away.
She turned back and glared at Pedro, saying angrily, "Hurry and grab the popcorn."
Being scolded by her, Pedro’s mood improved instead, his voice even more indulgent and affectionate, "Alright."
"..."
Seeing him obediently go to queue for the popcorn, Nora was a bit frustrated but couldn’t find a reason.
After a mont, she raised her hand, pushing her hair behind her ear, stepping back a few paces to stand where the wind blew, letting the cool breeze bring down the temperature.
*
Pedro’s luck wasn’t bad; he managed to get the last portion of popcorn from this batch.
They were just there for fun, trying sothing fresh; one portion wasn’t much and wouldn’t fill them up, but it was enough for them.
It was late in the evening, and the three hadn’t yet had dinner. With the popcorn in hand, they didn’t linger; after saying goodbye to Eleanor, they all left together.
Marcus tactfully kept a distance from the two of them.
The phone in his pocket vibrated once again; it was still Oliver, the little chatterbox.
[Oliver]: [Screenshot]
[Oliver]: Look what you captured in the video!
[Oliver]: Covering her ears is too sweet, isn’t it?
[Oliver]: You should go and ask when they’re getting married?
Marcus: "..."
Seriously, aren’t you supposed to be the aloof scholarly type? Why are you shipping a couple?
*
Returning ho again, the auntie had already prepared the al.
Pedro naturally stayed for dinner.
After eating and drinking to satisfaction, Nora went to fetch the shopping bag and suddenly asked Pedro, "Want to take so popcorn back? Let Jack and Loxley have a taste."
"Hmm."
Pedro slightly nodded.
Though he was going directly back to the Langley Residence, unable to give them to Jack and Butler Loxley, he didn’t mind accepting the popcorn Nora handed him.
Seeing him agree, Nora found a sealed bag and filled it completely.
Once she left, Marcus wandered over, planning to eat a few pieces of popcorn. But upon seeing the bag, his mouth twitched hard.
?
The favoritism is too much, isn’t it...
She directly packed up three-fourths of it for Pedro.
Marcus, being sensible and sowhat aggrieved, took only two pieces, truly just to taste.
"Here."
Nora directly tossed the sealed bag to Pedro.
The bag fell into his hand; Pedro held it, smiling as he looked at Nora, "I’m leaving."
"Hmm."
Nora replied calmly.
After giving her another look, Pedro took the popcorn and walked outside.
Just as he went out the door, Nora, who was picking through so shopping bags, suddenly thought of sothing, raised her eyebrows, and chased after him.
"Hey——"
The door was pulled open, and Nora, wearing slippers, stepped onto the stairs.
Cold wind nipped at her ankles, the chill coursing all the way from her feet to the top of her head.
Pedro paused at the sound, turned around, and as soon as he lifted his gaze, she tossed a shopping bag to him.
Simultaneously, she said concisely——
"New Year gift."
The shopping bag landed in his hand; Pedro opened it to find a black coat.
The curve of his lips softened suddenly, and laughter danced in Pedro’s eyes.
"Only for , and you don’t ask if I want it?"
Having given the gift and ready to head back inside, Nora replied offhandedly, "Do you?"
The courtyard light was dim, Pedro stared at her, his pupils as dark as ink that wouldn’t fade, he said, "I’m here alone, ready for you to take anyti."
"..."
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