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       Ｂｒｙｓｏｎ laid the red and black striped blanket under the oak tree where they were both seated. The shadow from it shades them from the blazing light of the sun, but their position still gave them the best view of the open field.

Daisy doesn't know how long they will gonna stay at the secret paradise.

But, if only she would be given a choice, she would rather stay there for eternity. She could build her own home and probably bury herself with all those amazing and beautiful flowers when she took her last breathe.

But of course, that was just a faraway dream because her problems still lingering in the corner.

Daisy might be stressing out about her problems yet, her brain was still at the right place and there were more important matters that needed her attention and besides she wasn't an egocentric person and let her mom suffer and endure everything all by herself.

The guy rummage inside the basket that he brought with them and pulled out lots of food. She just watched as Bryson set up everything. There was a bottle of water, soda in a can, sandwiches, fruits, and salad in a Tupperware.

She can't believe the guy prepared so much for them. Daisy thought they were only gonna sightseeing, well, clearly, Bryson had another plan in mind.

A picnic at the most wonderful place she had ever seen, who wouldn't love it anyway? With the guy in front of her, she discovered a lot of things and experienced something she had never done before.

"Don't look at me like that," Bryson muttered whilst scratching the back of his neck. He was embarrassed for something he put a lot of his effort into.

"This is my first time doing it so, I don't know if I'm doing it right."

Daisy gushed at how cute he was, looking sheepish then avoiding making eye contact with her. She appreciates the effort, it makes her overlooked at the time when Bryson always prioritized her before himself. He was truly such a sweet and caring person.

"Here. Eat now, it was almost past lunchtime."

Daisy picked the sandwich first and took a bite. She then digs her phone out inside her jeans pocket and typed something on it.

"Did you made these sandwiches?" She hands it over to Bryson who was now eating his share of food too.

"Yes. I told you, there is so much more in my cooking skills. How does it taste?"

"It's good. I like it," she answered smiling.

Bryson twisted the cap of the water bottle and then gave it to her which she thanked him for being considerate.

"I'm glad you like it."

They ate the foods he prepared while occasionally talking about their lives. From time to time, Daisy uses her phone to convey the message because there were still some words that Bryson couldn't understand in sign language.

Nonetheless, it was kind of refreshing and there were no dull moments nor awkwardness.

The daylight that peeked in the crevice of the tree gave an illusion of a thousand light bulbs which illuminates them. It deflects on Bryson's face once in a while because of the movements whenever the wind blew the branches.

His brown hair was tousled, the loose strands were hanging on his forehead, and his ocean blue eyes complement his sun-kissed skin. He looked like he was just having a photoshoot instead of someone who was enjoying their food.

Daisy couldn't seem to avoid looking at the guy. Like there was some magnet pulling her whenever she tried to keep her eyes away from his face.

She just stared and stared at the guy, his jaw tightening, and flexing every time he took a bite of the sandwich and his tongue poking out of his mouth whenever he licked the dressing that left a stain on his protruding lower lip.

She swallowed hard because of the sudden heat that came rushing and obtruding in her whole body. She just took a sipped of her water and tried to focus her attention elsewhere.

"So, what can you say about the place?"

"It's really beautiful and majestic. How did you find this place anyway?"

Bryson took a sip of his water firsts, "Well, I knew this place since my childhood. Dad always took us when he went camping or hiking and we discovered this place when I was eight. It was different back then. The flowers were just only sprouting so it was almost empty. I just remembered it a few days ago and I plan to bring you here 'cause I know you'll love it," he smiled softly at her.

"It was just the perfect timing today that I want to make you happy, but at the same time I also wanted to do what I had been planning on for a long time."

His focus on her didn't waver throughout his storytelling how he discovered the place.

Every word was being conveyed through his own ocean eyes that it was so hypnotizing, you couldn't let yourself being lost yet you still want to take the risk.

Planning to do?

That words only just sunk into her distracted mind that makes the confusion settled on her face.

"What do you mean?" Daisy thought if the guy has another plan or surprise for her. It was too much already and she couldn't possibly handle another one. It was already enough for her to just being by his side.

"I mean, asking you to be mine," from the way he said those words, felt like Bryson was challenging her to refused or reject it.

He was like demanding her to accept it as she doesn't have a choice.

Mine.

What does the word really mean? Like being his property?

That was the first time someone asked her to be theirs, so Daisy doesn't know the indication of that simple word.

Seeing the conflicted looked on her face. Bryson chuckles and runs his hand through his hair before standing up and sitting behind her. Daisy just stays still as she doesn't know what the guy was trying to do.

After a moment, she felt his thick arms encasing her waist in a tight hugged and his chin was resting on her right shoulder.

Bryson pulled her in, they were so close that it took her to breathe away. Her back was leaning against his muscular and broad chest as his intertwined fingers were placed on her stomach.

Daisy stiffened because of the unexpected action. Her face was most likely could compete with the sun because of the heat flowing in it. She might be looked like a boiled octopus right now, but she likes their position very much that she can't help but enjoy the moment and inclined her body closer to his.

"Baby. When I said I want you to be mine, it means, I want you to be my girl. Don't tell me, you didn't know what I meant?"

Daisy shook her head and Bryson just planted a swift kissed on her shoulder. Even though his lips only made contact with her sweater, it still made the butterfly in her stomach run havoc and riot like they were trying to come out from its cage.

"Yeah of course you didn't. I don't want to put a meaningless word or typical label in our relationship but surely from now on, where are not just a friend. I mean, if nodding your head when I announced my hidden agenda wasn't the answer, then I don't know what it is," he sighed like having a hard telling her those words.

"But, you're mine now shorty and I won't let you take it back whether you change your mind or not. I'm not letting you go now that you agreed on becoming my world. Of course, that goes the same treatment as me. I am already yours from the very beginning anyway so you don't have to worry about it."

Daisy felt like she was floating in a cloud nine just by hearing those words coming out from the guy that was overclouding her mind right at that moment.

Still befuddled and in a dazed state, Daisy's brows furrowed as she doesn't have any idea how does relationship works.

So, what now? Are they just going to occasionally hang out even more? But they already had done that even when they were just a friend. Or are they supposed to have such intimate activity like what they were doing right now?

Daisy typed on her phone immediately to cleared her mind from confusing thoughts.

"Am I your girlfriend now? Please elaborate, I don't know how it works and this is my first time having this kind of relationship with someone."

Bryson chuckled after reading her message over her shoulder where his chin was pressed firmly. The guy strained his hold on her stomach even more like he wanted their body to fusion or something.

"Well, Like what I've said. I don't want to put any label in our relationship 'cause it's not important as long as we have a mutual understanding and feeling."

"You're mine as I am yours, that's it. But, if you want to think and put it that way, so be it. It's just that, the girlfriend-boyfriend stuff is like a temporary thing for me and I don't want to be your temporary. I want to be your lifetime. The one and only. Did you get me shorty?" Bryson said in his husky and deep voice.

It brings a shiver that runs down her spine.
He sounds very sexy like he just woke up from a peaceful sleep.

Daisy pondered about his declaration.

The wind decided to join their moment together with the congenial smell of the flowers. Daisy took a moment to process everything he had said. Trying to store every word in her mind and make a sense of it.

How could she think straight anyway if Bryson was holding her like he was afraid she'll slip away in his grasp and disappear?

"I could almost see the wheels turning in your head baby," Bryson said when he didn't get a response from her.

"Do we like, go on a date or something?" She questioned after a minute of silence.

"Yeah. It's hard to explain how this thing works 'cause honestly, this is also my first time. But, I'll do anything to make it perfect for you shorty. Let's just both discover what the others can offer and by discover means. Going on a date, hanging out in each other's place. I mean there's so much more we can do. I'm always by your side anyway," he stops talking all of a sudden.

Daisy tried to look at him sideways, but since Bryson held her body firmly, she could only move her head. After a while or so, he spoke again, "And there are also some things included in our relationship that more intimate but I know you're not ready for that yet—," he trailed off.

Cutting himself off again for the next words just makes Daisy more curious.

More intimate? Wasn't what they were doing right now was considered intimate enough?

"Can you please tell me what it is?" she signed, tilting her face to the side to look at him.

From Bryson's current position, she can feel his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

Instead of answering, he picked up the plastic fork and stabbed the bite-sized fruit using it before feeding her the strawberry. Daisy opened her mouth to accept the food and chewed it slowly.

The juice slightly drivelled on her bottom lip, but before she could even wipe it off, Bryson beat her to it.

He raised his right hand slowly from her stomach and clean the fluid using his thumb before he brought it to his lips and sucked the juice off his finger.

Daisy's mouth slackened and she wanted to turn around and hide her face on his chest because of the inhibition. The fluttering of her heart didn't even help her situation as it feels like it was going to burst any second.

"Let me just demonstrate to you how more intimate I'd meant," before daisy could even react or questioned Bryson's words.

She felt his hand cupped the back of her neck, turned it sideways, and tilted it upward toward his face. Daisy's eyes went wide open like a saucer when a feathery, soft, but plump thing brushed her lips.

It only happened in just a few seconds, she couldn't even believe if it occurred.

What did just happened? What was that?

What?

How?

Why?

Now her mind was dishevelled and the butterflies inside her stomach finally found their way out. Galavanting outside, rejoicing and joining the flowers in front of them.

Bryson smiled sweetly at her like he didn't just kiss her.

What? Did he just kiss her? Was it even considered as a kiss?

He just f— kissed her and it was so mind-blowing even though it feels like just a passing wind touches her lips.

"Close your mouth baby before I close it with my own," Bryson chuckled upon seeing her still shell-shocked expression.
She just gaped while his smile turned into something smugness and satisfaction, loving how she reacted and how it affects her.

"Well. Now you have a preview of the things that I had planned to do with you."

Bryson placed his face again on her shoulder like nothing has happened and sighed in contentment. She gazed at the side of his face in bewilderment. The guy just closed his eyes and pressed his face in the crevice of her neck.

"I fucking really want to kiss you again shorty. But, I know it was too much for you already. So I need to control myself even more," Bryson murmured in the crook of her neck that made her heart do a backflipped.

Is this really how intimate feels like? Because she was already hyperventilating.

Daisy pressed both of her hands on her face, it was still burning not because of the heat but for something that most likely will forever be engraved in her memory.

"By the way. I lied to you about meeting up with my groupmates yesterday."

Daisy removed her hands on her face afterwards and just played with Bryson's fingers on her stomach while waiting for his explanation as to why he lied.

It's not like she was upset, just feel disappointed.

"I went to the mall to buy the necklace. When I saw it, I knew instantly that it would really look perfect to you."

Daisy stroked the pendant of the necklace and smiled to herself before looking at the right side to glanced at Bryson. She mouthed the words 'thank you. Bryson smiled down at her and kissed her temple.

"You're always welcome shorty."

They both enjoy each other's company with a comfortable silence. A few minutes later, Bryson spoke again.

"So tell me now shorty. Why were you feeling so down this morning?" Daisy's mood immediately devitalized. Bringing her back to her problems at hand.

How could she forget about it? Of course, it'll never leave her alone.

Sensing her sudden change of mood, Bryson unpressed his head upon her shoulder and looked at her sideways. He placed the loose strands of hair on her face behind her ears.

"Sorry if I upset you and ruined the mood," his eyes held so much sincerity.

Daisy instantly shook her head sensing the slight tremor in his voice. She didn't mean to makes him feel bad just by asking something like that.

"It's okay. It's just— something happened to my grandpa."

She typed shakily on her phone, biting down her lip to keep herself from breaking down again.

If someone was ruining their moment, it must be her. But, she doesn't want to tear down her newfound haven in Bryson's arms and wallowed in self-pity because of the issue in her life that follows her wherever she goes.

"If you don't want to talk about it, it's okay baby. Remember I'll go with your pace so, you don't have to force yourself yeah? I'll wait whenever you're ready."

Daisy shook her head and looked down on her lap. Fiddling the device in her hands while inhaling the pleasing smell of the flowers to expels the melancholic feeling in her chest.

"My grandpa was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer and I just feel bad that I'm not there by his side to take care or support him."

She hands over the phone to Bryson and waits for his reaction. The guy respired and slightly gasped.

"Baby I'm so sorry for asking you that. I didn't mean to distress you. I—I shouldn't stick my nose into your business and—Fuck. I'm sorry baby," Bryson turned her around so that they were now facing each other.

She was straddling his lap while his hands were gently caressing her waist. There was a guilty look on his face that her conscience couldn't take because she was the reason why he feels sorry about her.

It was not his fault for asking such a question. He didn't know her problem 'cause she had been a coward for keeping it a secret and not telling him.

"Hey baby look at me please," he put both of his hands on her face and captures her misty eyes.

"I'm really sorry for upsetting you. I know I couldn't take it back anymore, but just remember that I am always here when you need someone to lean on okay? I'm not good with words and I know cancer is not a joke. I don't want to say 'it's okay, your grandpa will get better 'cause I can't prove that to you when I didn't have a single idea about it," he wiped the lone tear that manages to escape in her eyes.

"Shh. Don't lose hope okay? Even if you're not there beside him, I'm sure your grandpa can feel how much you care and love him," his voice was so velvety, so soft almost like a whisper meant for her ears only.

It was soothing and it makes her tear up not because of the sadness and heavy heart.

Daisy wanted to cry because she can see through his eyes how much she mean to him.

Someone finally makes her feel alive again as she was like a corpse, barely breathing, barely hanging, and dying while still breathing.

A corpse with a looming unfinished history.

"Shh. Baby. Don't cry on me now. Please. I'm sorry for being insensitive. I won't do it again okay? Don't cry," the guy said in panic seeing the tears that were continuously running down her face. She bit her lower lip to contain a sob that was threatening to come out.

Daisy shook her head repeatedly and signed the word 'thank you before wrapping her arms around Bryson's neck, burying her face on his shoulder and closing her eyes to feel the warm and comforting sensation.

The guy returned the favour by holding her close to him. Their body was moulding with each other, their breath intermingling in a synchronized soft cadenced with the natural scent coming from the flowers, and a woody smell of the tree as their heart was beating a with a serenity and the same symphony.

"Remember that I will not gonna leave you and I will always be here for you. Always. You're mine and forever Daisy," it was promised not a declaration.

When Bryson was by her side, she felt like she can do anything. He gives her the strength to face everything as she was no longer alone again.

Just being with Bryson was enough for her to fight her monster and dare the world with her head held up high and chin up like what her mother had always told her.

'A guy like Bryson is hard to find nowadays.'

Whatever problems the world throws at her. The people that will judge and backstab her at the end. The problems that will block her way or her demons that never leave her life.

She will not let these shackle her steps from moving forward as from today onwards, she has a man that will support her for she declared to herself.

I will not let him go.

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