Missed us? Enjoy a long, long chapter, and a surprise at the end, loves!
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Straightening from the sofa I was lying on, I frowned slightly at the place I was in.

It was something like a room, more like, a mixture of a kitchen and room and a semi-apartment.

A very mini one.

A presence to my side suddenly stunned me, and I jumped, turning to see who it was.

I sighed in relief as I looked at the fluffy brown fair of Chester, the doggie. He had his tongue stuck out and tail wiggling at me to show me his friendliness.

Honestly, dogs never fail to soothe my weak heart.

I gave him a friendly look, and not really a smile, just a small arc of lips, as I patted his head.

But then I recalled I was not in a familiar place, so I moved to descend, directly, frowning and looking around.

"Just where..." I stood up, and at that, the door to the side of the apartme-room snapped open, and he stepped in.

It didn't pass me that behind him, we were actually on the street! Like, a road!
But, what the heck?!

I frowned at him, suspiciously, and he gave me a gentle smile, showing his chin dimple.

"Ah, awake, I see?!" He spoke, voice cheerful yet hoarse.

It was the nameless dude I had been bumping into this whole day.

But wait, where... Why am I here?! And why is he here?!

"What happened?!" I spat.

He kept his carefree smile, despite the tension in the air between us.

"You fainted after saving the little girl earlier." He neared me, offering me a bottle of water he was holding.

Right... the little Helen.

My heart constricted, heavily, recalling all the feelings that hit me earlier.

Goodness, I was terrified.

The incident merely showed me how much I was still not over my father's death.
It still haunted me despite all the things I'd tried to move on through the five months.

It showed me that despite having healed completely physically; psychologically, I was still severely damaged.

I shook my head in signal I didn't want the bottle, wordlessly.

He let out a breath, and opened the bottle himself, chugging down some water. Finishing, he looked back at me with those jades, and closed the bottle, "Though I must say, I almost mistook you for Wonder Woman, there!" He chuckled slightly, "Dude you almost got stepped over!"

I didn't manage any reaction, as I bit my lips, looking away. "I couldn't just stand back and watch."

His smile faded slightly, and he looked taken aback by my reply. "But you don't know her. And you could've both gotten killed." He spoke in a matter of logic.

Deciding the argument will not lead us anywhere, I changed the topic, "Where am I?"

He got my thoughts, but simply moved along with my question. "My caravan." He shrugged, and turned to place the bottle of water on the sink.

I got a chance at that to examine some more tattoos shown on his neck in the space between his scarf and shirt.

Wow, lots of inkings.

His bun was too messy, and it was small, dangling freely on the top at the back of his head.

Such a weirdo he is.

"You live in this, then?" My curiosity got the best of me, as I looked around the apartment-like room.

He shrugged, as he pulled out a bag of dog food from somewhere over the sink, throwing it over to Chester, who jumped towards it excitedly. "Yep! I like traveling around, so this caravan is home for me."

I had to give it to him, he had certainly aroused my interest.

I looked around, and saw that it was nothing close to order or neatness, the room was too messy and untidy, and yet, he seemed so carefree.

"This is such a messy place." I couldn't help but throw my comment.

A chuckle erupted from him, and I flushed softly at how good it sounded.

He stroked his stubble as he eyed me with an amused smile. "Well, I'm a traveling bachelor doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and exploring places all the time." He kept his grin at me, "So tidying this place is not really on my bucket list!"

My lips twitched slightly, and I gave him an amused look as well, as I grabbed something which caught my attention a moment ago.

It was actually on the couch sleeping next to me.

A pink-laced pantie.

I gestured with it in his direction, a chuckle I couldn't suppress escaping me softly. "Just eating, sleeping, and traveling you say?"

He blinked, a small blush crossing his ears before he burst into a deal of laughter at my gesture.

His teeth were a captivating pattern of whiteness, and he had those lines beside his eyes that gave his smile a weird charm.

I flushed, softly, turning away as I tossed the underwear carelessly.

My smile had faded at that, as I turned towards the door, "Well, thanks for taking care of me, have a nice day."

He shifted behind me at that, and his manly pout came like that of a hotheaded kindergarten kiddo, "But I didn't do site-seeing at the Thames yet, Chester!" I turned at that, only to see him actually gesturing at the dog, "Some random London girl here promised to be my guide but then she just backed off!" He signaled enthusiastically, "Can you believe that, buddy?!"

I couldn't help another chuckle that escaped me at the scene, and he turned towards me at that, pretending to be surprised by my sight, "Oh, you're still here? Excuse me while I vent out my worries about London girls here!!" He kept his oblivious act, and I chuckled again, "Oh, by the way, Miss," He now switched to a hopeful look, "Do you happen to know some good spots to do sight-seeing by the Thames??"

I couldn't help the smile that stayed on my lips, as I gave him a defeated, soft look, and shook my head in surrender, "Fine, I'm sorry, I'll take you there!" I smiled, and raised my hands slightly before my chest in surrender.

He grinned back, and neared me at that, fixing his eyes into mine, "Why, aren't you such a considerate fellow!" He gestured, and descended off of the Caravan.
I followed, and then started leading him back to the Thames side, where we could take a walk and tour around.

.

.

.

It took us something like twenty minutes to reach there, and, just as expected, it was rather a crowded place.

The majority of people present there varied between couples and photographers, and the breeze gave the general aura a peaceful feeling.

I turned back to the nameless dude to my side. He had a wide smile over his face, as his camera flashed consecutively while he turned to take different shots here and there. I could see his eyes glint with every captivating scene that came before him.

Wow, such passion.

I walked silently, and Chester kept beside me, while the guy stopped every now and then for a shot.

I hadn't really asked his name, and he lacked the courtesy to do so to me.

And well, frankly speaking, he seems like a traveler, and won't be coming here anytime soon. Ergo, it's the first and the last time we'll meet, so names would be just a waste of time.

I'll just guide him around and then forget about him.

As though he'd heard my thoughts, the guy stopped, and then turned to shoot me a wide smile, displaying his chin dimple and then turning back towards the Thames. "Ah! I haven't seen this in years! This place has gotten a lot more beautiful!" He spoke, enthusiastically, and his green eyes glowed as they roamed over the water.

I neared some steps to his side, careful to stay away from the bank because of my phobia. "Mhm," I nodded, and gazed into the water with a heavy heart.

I let out a painful breath, and my eyes landed on the London Eye on the other side of the river. My eyes stung, as my memory went back to the time I had with a certain R.E.C. days before the new year.

Back then, we had this talk about oblivion.

'Oblivion is a mercy, sometimes.' -He'd said.

And lord, was that so true.

A camera snap was heard at that, and flashlights shot at me.

I jumped, and turned to my side directly.

Only to find the weird-looking nameless dude to my side aiming his camera at me.

I frowned, flushing, "H-Hey! I look so bad!"

He lowered the camera, and his green irises buried into me, as he gave me a warm smile. "Hmm, who told you so?"

I huffed, and turned away, "Just... delete it." I sighed, shaking my head.

I came some further steps, and laid against the handrail present to protect people from falling into the river.

He came to my side, and leaned over that with his elbows as well.

A few moments of silence welcomed us, before he decided to speak, surprising me in fact.

"So are you sure you're okay?" His voice came, throaty, "I mean, you gave us a fright earlier when you fainted."

I blinked several times at the sincerity present within his manly tone, and I finally gathered my thoughts. "I'm okay, I was just in shock."

I could feel his deep orbs fix me, but turned not, as he shifted slightly. "I had been wondering since earlier, to be frank." He raised his tattooed hand to his neck, as he kept his deep gaze, "What pushed you to such action? I mean, you seriously didn't know the girl."

I gulped, and turned, making one shitty mistake.

The jade in his orbs directly held mine captive, and I was stuck with this.

I licked my lips, "I couldn't imagine what would have happened if she died, or... or her..." A choke rose to my throat, but I held it back with all my might, "Or her f-father decided to protect her."

The sound of three shots echoed through my ears, but I directly shot them away.

My eyes stung.

He frowned, "Hah? So what if he did?! You don't know him either!"

I swallowed my threatening tears back, collecting my voice, "I'm sensitive about such a matter." I choked.

He blinked, and moved his jaw. "Oh." He managed, clearly thinking of ways to ask 'why' courteously.

I saved him the effort.

"I lost my father just recently." I spoke, my voice strangled.

He let out a slight breath, isolating me from everything around me with those green eyes of his, making me feel like I'm the only existence he can see in the world.

His eyebrows had suddenly furrowed, and his expression became serious.

He looked stunned, but then I saw him turn back towards the river, as he pulled out a cigarette pack.

Taking a cigarette out, he lit it, and took a long drag as he gazed into the river, the light of the water shimmering against his orbs, before he blew the smoke off, and arced his head towards me.

His expression was dead serious at that, and he appeared passive, almost emotionless like he were used to those hacks of life. "Would you like to talk about it?"

His tone was deep, and his voice was hoarse clearly due to his smoking habit.

I suddenly had the urge to talk.

Just talk randomly to a stranger whom I'll never meet again.

Someone who'll just listen without judging.

So I just continued.

"He died protecting me." I spoke, choked, "He was shot, thrice."

His eyes widened, as though he were not expecting that. He directly brought them back to their size, as he parted his lips to speak, and I just felt bile rising to my throat.

I directly raised my hands in defense before my chest, "D-Don't...!"I spoke, choking, "I don't want pity." I spat, my voice shaking but refusing for any tear to fall.

He frowned further, but paused, without saying anything. He just stepped towards me, and I suddenly started feeling the heat radiate off of his body.

And so, I just continued.

"It's rather ironic," I murmured, "My father had abandoned me for a year almost, and yet, in a moment, I found myself willing to give up everything to know he's alive again."

He kept on eying me, wordlessly, as he took another drag of his cigar, and I saw his expression was really dark at this.

He was in serious mode, clearly.

I felt my breath seize, not really knowing whether from the smoke or from the memory, as I recalled how rude I acted before he was shot.

I was horrible.

I bit my lips, "I can still recall the way his blood soaked my clothes," I shuddered, and turned away, my voice strangled.

Tears threatened to fall, and I did my best to swallow them.

He suffocated his cigarette to death in the waste bin to our side at that.

A hand came over my shoulder, and I turned to fix him again with my look, then directly looked away to hide my tears.

He shrugged nearing his face to mine as his green emeralds glowed seductively, he parted his lips, "If you want to cry, just do. I don't judge."

I felt my tear glands about to be turned on, so I just looked away further. "I don't... want to cry."

He grabbed my chin, arcing it in his direction. "Do you not?"

Tears welled up my eyes, as I clenched my jaw in a miraculous effort. "I can't just cry before a stranger I met j-just today."

A chuckle erupted from him, and I blinked, resulting in a tear or two coming down my face from my eyes.

He closed the distance between us, as his lips came over the lonely tear on my right cheek, causing me to flinch.

"Sebastian Keith." He spoke, seductively, and I melted at his hoarse tone.

"With that," he moved his lips over my skin, making me shudder as his stubble pinned slightly over my skin, "I'm no longer a stranger."

He straightened slightly, pinning his gaze into mine, "Feel free to mourn if it makes you feel better."

A soft sniff escaped me, I had not cried in two days.

He backed slightly away, just observing me as I vented out.

"I... I was so scared with the girl's incident earlier..." I cried softly, "I just... couldn't imagine her father hurt or one of them lacking th-the other..." I shook my head, "A f-father-daughter thingy is definitely not my thing...!"

To my side, Chester woofed several times, as though sensing my tears.

Sebastian Keith just turned towards the river, gazing into it with an empty gaze, like he were used to pain and knew that grief was its ultimate analgesic.

My tears didn't continue much, for I composed myself before grief took over me completely.

I could cry all my lungs off through the night, just ̶ I turned to eye the weirdo to my side, just not now.

"So, to put it another way," I spoke, carefully, "You keep leaving places behind."

That actually resulted in another chuckle from his direction, as he raised an eyebrow at me, and kept a carefree smile while taking a final drag of another cigarette he lit in the silent minutes of my cry session. He let out a smoky breath, "That's such an ugly way to put it, but in a way, yes."

I wet my lips, fixing him with curious yet slightly empty gaze, "Isn't that a bit like running away? Never really being able to cope in one place?"

He gave another careless shrug, "I don't really see it like that," He choked the cigarette to death, and threw it into the closest waste bin to our side, "It's more like me enjoying the absence of attachment to any place or person."

I frowned, "You mean you enjoy the feeling of non-belonging?"

He pouted, gesturing, "Hey! Stop rephrasing my words to make me seem like a lonely geezer!"

My lips twitched, but then I regained my frown, "Really, though, you're so weird!"

He lit another cigarette, and a sneeze rose to my nose, reminding me I was allergic.

He took the first drag, forming the first few ashes on the head of the that. "Me?" He denied in a careless smile, "I'm just enjoying my life without any boundaries." He blew the smoke, slightly shutting his eyes in magnetic sensation.

I narrowed my eyebrows further at his point. "Belonging to something or someone you love is a boundary?"

He kept his smile, as though my words were not shaking him, "Why, sure! The main motto I live by is leaving when I feel like I'm about to feel some attachment."

I sighed, "Your ideology isn't really my thing."

He chuckled slightly, "It's hardly anyone's."

"Do you do that with your family, too?" I blurted out.

He went silent for some seconds, then: "I haven't seen them in seven years."

I gasped, "Oh."

He shot me a composed smile, "Yep."

A few seconds of silence passed, then, I couldn't help but ask. "But... I don't get... why?"

He kept on taking long drags, as he blew off, calmly, his eyes reflecting fearful, dark intensity.

"I don't want to be bounded by any standards or social ideologies." He muttered, "I don't want to be what anyone wants me to be." He undid his hair at that, and it fell over to his shoulders in wild nature. "I'd rather have no home at all than one that would seal my freedom."

I blinked, frowning further at his harsh words, "Hey, you talk about home like... like it's some curse."

He shrugged, bringing his hair back up, as he tied it to a better, lazy, messy bun that dangled at the back up of his head again. "Yes, and?"

"And that's not right!" I gestured, "I lost my father months ago, and realize now more than ever that family is a total bless!" I defended.

He kept his dark gaze, "You are defending your point based on one angle of view. Sometimes, society is such a cruel phenomenon, and it just naturally affects the 'home' you're speaking off in some cases."

I wet my lips, giving him my ears to continue.

And he did.

"In those cases, from the moment we're born, society puts us in a frame of expectations and standards." He spat in disgust, "Judging our past, trying to control our present, and forcing expectations on our future. It's like a fu**ing mafia undercover. A group of dream-killers."

I went silent in response, for I knew he wasn't awaiting an answer. He was stating personal beliefs which he didn't await some kind of argument against.

So I just bit my lips, pondering over his words intently.

"Freedom is all I want," He emphasized, "I want to live everyday not knowing what awaits me, I want to cherish every moment for its uniqueness," He took a long drag of his cigarette, "I don't want to walk down a pre-determined path which I have no say in."

What a massive hate he held for society.

It's somewhat weird.

For a second, his words reminded me of Mr. Ellington and his feud with his father.

Somehow, his words reflected that rebellion which was reflected in the president's words every time he spoke about his Astronomy major.

I fixed him with a concentrated gaze, and he seemed to notice that, as he turned to gaze back.

For a second, he shifted, uncomfortably. Wait, had my gaze been really this intensive?!

I flushed, and turned away softly.

Seeming to have felt like he created some tension with his rebellious words, Sebastian Keith spoke again with his deep, melodious voice.

"So, may I get to know the identity of the nameless stranger I have been interacting with through my whole day?!" He chuckled, and I blinked in surprise, "Dude, I'm such a freak! Not even asking your name!"

I took some seconds to register that he was right, as I fidgeted softly, then looked up to his eyes, "Charlotte