"Have you always liked wishing fountain?" I asked, feeling a slight excitement to know if we shared the same yet odd interest.
"Hmm... Rather than that, I think I have only come to appreciate it after I met you," he answered.
His hand was leading me towards the tower viewers. From afar, I could see the glowing bright light in the ocean of darkness as though the lights were a reflection of the golden treasure underneath. While that in itself is a breathtaking view that deserves my full attention, I was more curious about my relationship with Edmund.
"After you met me? Did I talk you into liking it?"
How was this man able to make me open up my deepest childish secret so willingly when I had never shared this information openly with Alistair - the man I knew for at least seven years?
"Not really. I noticed you tend to linger longer whenever there's a water fountain and often wondered if it would be alright if you could throw a coin in it."
"Oh... I didn't even notice I did that."
I glanced at him from the corner of my eyes, unsure if I was in awe that he got all that information purely from observing me or creeped out by it.
Mind you, it had only been no more than two years he claimed to know me. To me, he was bordering between an obsessed crazy man and a hopeless romantic.
'Oh, I am so lost!!' It was of two extremes, making it hard to gain a better insight of him.
"Personally I prefer the view during sunset," was all I heard as he described the cityscape right in front of us. I was too busy with my own thoughts that I forgot to be present in the present!
In my weak defense to hide the fact I had not been paying attention, my mouth rambled on and on about the beauty of the cityscape. I swear it was to the point of exaggeration. Worse of all, I could confidently say that he must have noticed it too.
"I'm sorry," I apologised quickly with defeated droop of my head. "It's just..."
'What?! What excuse are you going to make, you stupid mouth! You could have stop at I'm sorry!!' He stroked my hair, brushing it with his long fingers. My body flinched at his touch.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," he said reassuringly.
'Damn right I won't! Like I would dare to share this stupid assumption about you right in your face?' I silently but angrily responded at the back of my head.
"No no. It's just... I was wondering why the place's deserted tonight?"
Ah-ha! I finally found an excuse to cover up whatever needed covering up! Thanks my brain for your quick thinking!
"I wanted it empty."
"W-why?" I stuttered in fear. It quickly receded when I caught a glimpse of him looking rather dispirited.
"Nothing important for now," he answered with a sad smile.
A tiny piece of me cracked.
'Why are you sad?' I wanted to ask but…
"Would you like to take a dip in the pool?" He suddenly asked.
'I guess I'll humour him,' I thought. There must be a reason why he changed the topic abruptly.
"In this Autumn weather?" I retorted, raising my shoulders to show the thick overnight hoodie. "After you have me dressed thick, now you want me to dress down?"
He grinned, revealing his beautifully done pearly white. "It's a heated pool."
"And?" I returned his smug yet inviting tone with fake disinterest.
"You don't necessarily need to wear a swimsuit.".
"Waaaaaaait a minute!!" I flustered. Both my hands were up and I took steps backwards. "You're not saying I should go naked, are you? Because I don't think I'm that comfortable with you yet even though we are legally husband and wife."
"NO!" He screamed. His face flushed and his hands maniacally waving side to side. "I meant you are welcome to wear a T-shirt and long pants."
'Gosh! Stupid stupid stupid! See what overthinking has done to you, Maisie! You have turned into a pervert!' I scolded myself for being so quick to judge the man being a pervert when I was the one with the dirtiest mind between the two of us.
"My bad, I should have worded it better." His words struggled to hide behind a stifle. "So what do you say?"
I nodded my head, wondering if this was the right choice to make.