He stood up, tossed the cigarette out the window, and walked out of the room. Officers saluted him.
"Good," he mumbled.
He got into his jeep and started it, his mind clouded with unreadable thoughts. He parked a little distance away from Elaya's flower stand.
She was leaning against the wall, head down, lost in something.
She started walking. Czar stepped out of the jeep and followed her from afar.
Some time later, she finally sat on a bench. Czar sat beside her.
He whispered,
"Seven thousand steps from your flower stand to reach here.
Five turns.
Three road crossings.
Twenty-five smiles.
Four thousand six hundred sixty-six point seven blinks.
Ten times you put your hands into your coat.
Eighteen times you brushed hair from your face.
Five times you adjusted your collar.
And on your one-thousandth step… you helped a lady cross the road."
"This man is a real headache," Elaya side-glanced and sighed, muttering inside, acting as if she didn't know he had been following her the whole time—like she had committed some crime.
Should I act surprised by this? she signed calmly with her hands.
He raised both eyebrows, glaring. "What did you just say?" he asked, looking as if he hadn't understood a word.
She sighed again, opened her phone, went to Notes, and started writing while Czar watched her calmly. She showed him the screen.
He lip-synced, "Oh," and thought for a moment.
"Not at all. I didn't say it to surprise you—I just said it because I wanted to," he replied calmly, coldly.
Elaya ignored him and stared straight ahead.
Suddenly, a ball came out of nowhere and was about to hit Elaya's head. Czar reacted instantly—his right hand shot forward and stopped the ball mid-air.
Elaya's mind and body froze. Her eyes locked onto Czar—his posture, the way he had shielded her. For a solid few seconds, she couldn't look away. Her heart beat faster; she gulped and looked down, for a second czar looked at elaya , sharp in her eyes , their eyes met differently
He stood up, his expression shifting to anger.
He looked in the direction the ball had come from and saw a guy standing there. The moment the guy noticed Czar's gaze, he started running.
Czar ran after him.
Elaya watched him disappear, her thoughts drifting—It was just a protective gesture. Nothing else.
Was she convincing herself… or someone else?
Did her heart flutter over something that was nothing more than basic humanity?
A girl suddenly appeared and sat beside Elaya. She looked about seven years old, with bright eyes like the shining sun. She wore a soft pink sweater and matching pants, her brown hair swinging gently.
Elaya smiled at her, and the girl smiled back.
Just then, Emris came running, as if he had been in a marathon. He stopped in front of Elaya, breathing heavily, looking first at the girl and then at Elaya.
Elaya lip-synced, "Karen?"
He smiled and nodded twice, waiting until his breath steadied.
The girl stood up and hugged Emris.
At that moment, Czar returned, gripping the collar of the guy who had thrown the ball. Emris and the girl looked at him. Czar's gaze shifted—first to them, then to Elaya.
"This guy did it," Czar said, releasing the man's collar.
The guy looked down in embarrassment as Czar whispered harshly, "Apologize."
The man bowed deeply. "It was a mistake, young lady. I'm really sorry," he mumbled.
Elaya smiled.
"Don't do this again—otherwise," Czar warned, glaring.
The man bowed again. "Leave," Czar ordered.
The guy ran off.
Emris and the girl both looked at Elaya.
"Elaya, are you good? Did anything happen?" Emris asked, gently resting his hand on her shoulder.
Elaya nodded.
"Thank God," Emris murmured.
Czar's eyes silently asked, You're fine?
Elaya's eyes replied yes.
He said nothing—just turned and walked away, offering a soft smile to the little girl and a cold glare to Emris.
A few minutes later, the girl quietly held Elaya's hand.
"Eomma?"
Elaya's eyes widened. She looked at Emris—his eyes widened too. He gently pulled the girl toward himself.
He cleared his throat. "Her name is Lia. And Lia, this is Elaya," Emris said with a slight smile.
Elaya bent down to Lia's level, cupped her cheek, and softly kissed it.
She signed, Nice to meet you.
Lia looked at Emris.
"She said nice to meet you," Emris explained gently. "She can't speak, my dear."
Lia's expression turned sad.
Elaya smiled reassuringly.
"She's my daughter," Emris added quietly. "My wife passed away two years ago."
Elaya looked down.
Suddenly, Emris received a call. He excused himself, taking Lia with him.
"For her, I bought all those flowers from your stand," he said while holding his phone.
Elaya's expression shifted to understanding.
"Say bye to aunty," Emris said.
Lia waved goodbye, and Elaya waved back.