Continuation!

~~~~~

For the love of God.

Lesley was in her favorite spot in her favorite coffee shop once again. It had been a week but these crazy fans were still trying to dig her information.

Most of her readers and InkToYourPen's readers were posting on her message board so she had no choice but to close her message board. But when she did that, they started sending her private messages on the writing app and her social media accounts.

Her notifications were nonstop that she had to off the app notifications on her phone.

She sighed as she lazily scrolled down her phone. InklessPen x InkToYourPen had been trending for days now.

She wanted privacy, that was why she didn't want to expose her personal information. She just wanted to write. Was that too much to ask for?

Clicking on the tweet button, she typed:

Lesley smiled a little when the replies were apologizing to her but some were really rude or were just really curious about her.

She felt her energy was already drained even though it was just Monday so she put her head on the table while looking outside the window.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she sat up straight and sipped on her iced caramel macchiato but even her favorite drink couldn't lift up her mood.

"What's wrong?"

Lesley jumped on her seat when someone spoke and the coffee went on the wrong pipe that made her cough.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He said while caressing her back to help her relax but had an opposite effect on her since her heart was beating fast.

"I-I'm okay. Thank you. I'm really jumpy, sorry." Lesley said while taking deep breaths to calm down.

Was she too dazed earlier that she didn't notice he was also there?

Gusion looked like he didn't believe her that she was already okay but she gave him a small smile. That made him went back to his table beside her.

"You don't look okay. A penny for your thoughts?" Gusion said while still looking at her.

She shook her head lightly, "Nothing. It's just been a... restless week."

An emotion flashed through his eyes but it vanished before she could read it.

"Examination week is coming and something is bothering me. I feel so burned out." Lesley sighed and played the silicon straw to her drink.

Gusion didn't speak but he stood and placed a vacant chair beside her and sat. It made her back away a little because of the proximity.

He tapped his shoulder, "Lean on. You can rest for a while."

"We can't even pass as friends." She said while raising one of her eyebrows.

He chuckled, "Then, let's be friends now. Come on, rest for a while." He gently reached for her head to put on his shoulder.

Lesley held her breath while leaning on his shoulder. She could smell his perfume. His smell made her relax, she didn't notice that she was already comfortable leaning to him.

On the other hand, Gusion could smell her— a mixture of lavender and aroma of coffee from the place— she smelled so sweet that it was addicting.

He sniffed her hair, drowning himself to her sweet smell. He pressed his lips on her hair while twirling some strands on his fingers.

Both of them were quiet but they feel contented. They were savoring the silent yet relaxing atmosphere around them.

"You're a writer, right?" Lesley asked after a moment of silence. "You're famous in school, don't be surprise that I know."

"Accidental writer." Gusion chuckled while extending his other arm over the chair where Lesley was sitting.

"Accidental?"

"I just published the stories to convey the messages that I want to tell that I can't do in personal."

So he is really in an unrequited love situation?

"I'm also curious about your... username." Lesley said hesitatedly, "It's similar to InklessPen. Do you..." Her voice went down, "like her?"

Gusion didn't answer for minutes so Lesley decided to sit straight up and looked at him— only to find that he was staring at her as if his gaze was piercing through her.

Her heart drummed in her chest, nervous on what would be his answer.

One side of his lips quirked up, "What do you think? Tell me your point of view."

She swallowed a lump on her throat, "I think you admire her as a writer?"

He chuckled, "That's a question, not an answer."

"I don't know how to answer since I don't know what you really feel. It's hard to assume and conclude based on minimal information." She whispered and reached for her coffee.

"Touché." Gusion said while smiling, "But to answer your question..." He trailed, "I'm in love with her."

Lesley gasped and coughed once again with the coffee she was drinking. She didn't expect that answer!

"Are you serious?" She asked.

"Dead serious."

"How can you be in love with someone you haven't see and know personally?"

He was staring at her intently once again before he answered.

"You said earlier that it is hard to assume and conclude based on minimal information." Gusion said while a mysterious smile appeared in his lips.

Cat got Lesley's tongue once again.

He didn't know that I'm InklessPen, right?

=====

Lesley was lying on her bed while lazily scrolling though her feed. She saw that 99+ notifications but she didn't bother to open it.

But she stopped when she saw a particular thread.

She was overwhelmed with what he said. He didn't really have to do this. She could just avoid those nosy readers until the hype was gone.

She decided to reply, and while typing, she could feel her heart was beating fast.

Lesley was about to put her phone on her bedside table when she decided to check her notifications in the writing app.

There were still many private messages but her eyes widened when she saw a familiar username in her inbox.

InkToYourPen: Good evening Miss. I can't reach you on Tweeter and I don't know if you will read this. I really just want to apologize for my readers' behavior. I'll reprimand them as much as I can. Thank you and good night.

Lesley gasped upon reading his message. She didn't want to send a reply but her fingers were already typing a message.

InklessPen: Good evening, Mister. It's okay, really. It isn't the first time that readers want to know my personal information but it was the first time that digging my personal information to be a big deal. I'm ignoring the rude readers and those who were still prying. Maybe I got a little nervous that my personal information would be exposed. Thank you for respecting my privacy. I haven't read your works but please keep on sharing your stories.

InkToYourPen: I'm really sorry.

InklessPen: It's okay, really.

InkToYourPen: I'm still guilty. Is there anything that I can do for you?

Lesley sighed.

InklessPen: None, you don't have to.

InkToYourPen: But I want to.

InklessPen: Just continue writing and educating your readers. That would be enough.

InkToYourPen: But I want to show you that I'm really sorry.

InklessPen: Aigoo, so stubborn.

InkToYourPen: Haha, sorry. Guess I'll have to do it in my own way.

Lesley's heart beat fast upon reading his reply.

With shaking hands, she replied.

InklessPen: Do you know who am I?

She waited for his reply. She didn't know if he was already asleep or chose not to reply. She didn't know.

But Lesley felt the drumming of her heart when she saw his reply after few minutes.

InkToYourPen: Good night, Miss.

What does it mean? Lesley thought while staring at his reply.

=====

"I am now definitely convince that Gusion likes InklessPen."

That was the first thing Lesley heard when she entered the room. She sighed and went straight to her seat.

She brought out her book to do advance reading, as well as her transparent sticky notes, highlighters and pens with different colors.

Lesley noticed that Miya was silently watching her.

"Yes? Is there something you want to say?" She asked her.

"You love advance reading, different colors of highlighters and pens, sticky notes, and a BA History student..." Miya said and showed her phone, she was reading on that app, "Just like the female lead in InkToYourPen's story."

She gasped and quickly waved her hands, "Oh no, it must be coincidence only, Miya. Don't give other meaning to it." She motioned her hands, "Our blockmates have the same things as I am so it is impossible."

"You're the only one here who loves advance reading." Miya contradicted.

"Our school is not the only one who offers BA History and there are too many BA History students in the country. The possibilities are endless, Miya."

Miya pouted, "You should have taken pre-law or science programs, you always have a reason."

Lesley chuckled and went back to reading.

And as usual, she went to her favorite coffee shop to study and write but she was having a writer's block again.

She sighed. Maybe she was too burned out that she couldn't think any ideas for her story.

Lesley was startled when someone placed a plate of slice of strawberry cheesecake on her table. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was.

"Gusion?"

He smiled at her, "This time, will you let me share the table with you?"

She looked around and saw that there were only five people in the second floor, including them.

Even though she was confused, she nodded, "Yeah, sure."

He mumbled thanks before sitting and pointed the cheesecake in front of her, "That's yours, by the way."

"Oh, you don't really have to—"

"I told you that I want to make it up to you." Gusion said while bringing out his things.

Lesley's eyes widened and felt that her heart beat stopped for a second. She looked at him, she wanted to ask him but she couldn't find her voice.

Gusion looked back at her after he placed his things on the table. And she wasn't expecting his reaction.

He was chuckling!

"What is it?"

Lesley gasped, she even sipped on her coffee half way through and took a deep breath, "D-do you... I mean, what do you mean?"

"I mean what?" He frowned and opened his book, "I told you last night that I will make it up to you."

Lesley couldn't react— it was as if she was frozen in her place.

"W-when..." She cleared her throat, she was panicking inside, "Since when did you know?"

"Since I created my account InkToYourPen, last year." Gusion answered in a chill manner and smiled at her. While Lesley on the other hand was about to die from panicking.

Gusion noticed that she was utterly shock so he went to her side and caressed her back, "Don't panic, baby. Take a deep breath. Inhale, exhale." He said while guiding her to breath to relax herself.

Lesley followed his instructions and she could feel that she was relaxing a bit. He lifted his hydroflask with water to her mouth for her to drink.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Anything for you, baby. I'm sorry for making you panicked. Are you okay now?" He gently asked her while touching her cheek.

Her breathing hitched again with the endearment that he used.

Oh gosh, did my characters felt like this when their partners are calling them with endearments?

"Please be slow, Gusion. I think I'm going to have a heart attack." She told him while fanning her face with her hands.

The coffee shop was cold but she felt her face was so warm.

Gusion chuckled, "Sorry, I'm going to take it slow now, Lesley."

Lesley closed her eyes so hard and cursed herself for giving other meaning to what Gusion said.

I think I'm reading too many spicy romance these days. I should stop. She reprimanded herself.

She heard him chuckle before she felt he leaned towards her ear. His lips brushed against her earlobe; his hot breath fanning to it.

"I know what you are thinking, baby. Don't be too cute or I might put you in pocket so I can take you home." Gusion said then dropped a kiss on her hair before leaning away a bit.

Lesley didn't know that her face could get warmer, "How did you know it was me? I'm very sure no one gets to know..."

"Well, I already know that you love reading even before I knew you are Inkless Pen." Gusion said while reaching for her hand and played with it, "I don't think you would remember this last year but you were also here and you ran out of coffee. Hayabusa was sitting on the next table to yours so you asked him if he could look after your things. He agreed though, so you went down to buy coffee but Haya needed to go since he was just waiting for his girlfriend, Kagura. And I arrived at that time here, so he asked me to watch your things instead."

Lesley stared at him while frowning, trying to remember that scenario.

"And I saw that your laptop screen was on, so I did the sneakiest thing ever." Gusion added while chuckling. He was blushing actually, maybe he was embarrassed by his confession.

"You took a peek on what I was writing?" Lesley guessed since she wrote her story first in a document before uploading it in the app.

He avoided her gaze but he nodded, "Yeah. And then I panicked when I saw you on the stairs so I sat on the chair where Haya sat. You were confused to see me and not Haya though. But you still said thank you. And I panicked."

"You panicked?" Lesley said like that was really impossible.

"Yeah, that was the first time you talked to me. I just nodded at you and left this shop. I even forgot my coffee on the table that day. I was supposed to study here and watched you but I ended up leaving. I'm sorry if what I did was rude."

It took a while for Lesley to remember that scene. It wasn't complete, but she did remember meeting Gusion that day.

"That was the first time I saw you up close. I was panicking too since you're popular and kinda shy that you have to look after my things. I mean— almost everyone talks about you." She said and bit her lip, "I have the tendency to get lost track of time when I am reading, writing, or studying."

"From observing you since first year, I know." Gusion chuckled.

Lesley was shocked, "First year?"

"Yes, you were late in your Algebra class so your professor made you sit in our class."

What the fudge? Lesley thought while her jaw dropped. Yes, she was late once in her algebra back in first year college, and she remembered that her professor made her sit in a class in the Business Administration he handled.

"You sat on a corner and I noticed you. You weren't listening to the class." Gusion said while chuckling, twirling her hair in his finger.

"I hate Math. Math is already hard with numbers and the geniuses weren't contented that they decided to add the alphabet." She said while pouting, "I will not even use that in my degree program."

Gusion let out a hearty laugh and gently pulled her to give her a light kiss on the hair, "Really cute. My baby is so adorable."

She raised one of her eyebrows, "I'm not easy to get, Mister. Don't get your hopes too high."

"I know. If you will read my works, please prepare your heart. From what happened earlier, you might really get a heart attack." Gusion joked while laughing.

"My classmates have theories that you like Inkless Pen."

"Their information is not complete. I'm in love with you." He said while smiling, "Deeply amd madly in love that it took me years to finally say it."

"Courting me means my personal information will be exposed. They will know that I am Inkless Pen." Lesley whispered.

"I know, love. I will be subtle to it if that will make you comfortable but just so you know, I'll be proud to show you off. But I'm not pressuring you. Your pace is my pace." Gusion said reassuringly.

"Would that be unfair?"

"Of course not. I am the one who is courting, and I respect your decision." He said while smiling, "But can I post something about you? I mean, this, if we will have study dates, or if we go on a date— but subtle only, like low key."

She smiled at him, "Of course. I'm sorry that you have to wait."

"And I thank you for giving me a chance to prove my love to you and that my intentions are pure and clean— well, really. But you have to minimize your reading of spicy books, love." Gusion teased her.

Lesley blushed so hard that she pinched him, "I hate you!" She said but she was suppressing her smile.

He avoided the pinches and both of them were laughing.

Gusion posted on his social media account— and their little interaction there broke the internet, as their fans celebrated.

And when they checked the trending topics, they couldn't help it but laughed out loud.

"Ink babies!" Lesley blurted and laughed, "Our readers are so cute!"

Gusion laughed, "Let's raise our ink babies well, then." He said and held her hand before kissing her knuckles.

~~~~~

Aigoo, I have to cut the story here. HAHAHAHAHA. I know it feels off— like something was missing but let me just end it here and give it an open ending. HAHAHAHAHA.