Chapter 213 - Side Story 6 & 7 (2/2)
”Uhm . . .” Max stuttered, crossing his hand as he leaned on the piles of boxes to look cool. ”Do you want to get coffee sometime? Maybe this––”
CRASH!
As he found himself on the ground, Max scratched his head, looking at the scattered boxes.
”What the?”
Sisley laughed as she put down the box and extended her hand at Max.
”Yes, I would like to have coffee sometime.”
----
Side story 7
When Evangeline was still studying in Paris, she returned to Burberry to spend the weekend with Eric.
”Eric, I have a gift for you,” Evangeline said, excited as he handed a box to Eric.
”What is it? Eric asked, opening the box.
”It's a surprise!”
When Eric opened the box, there was a piece of cloth inside. He pulled it out and laid it before his eye.
”Do you like it? I stitch it myself,” Evangeline boldly proclaimed.
”Wow. I never knew that you were so good with your hands. I like this sweater very much,” Eric said, smiling.
He then examined it, thinking how to put it on. It was too small, and there were holes and buŧŧons that he thought were for his hands and head.
Opening the buŧŧons, Eric asked, ”So how do I put this?”
Eric looked at Evangeline, but the woman's face was darker than the bottom of his pots.
”It's a hat, Eric.”
On another weekend
”Eric, I have a gift for you.”
Eric grimaced. Here we go again. ”Y-Yeah? What is it?” he asked, forcing a smile.
”It's a surprise!”
Eric took in some air and exhaled it through his mouth as quietly as possible. He then opened the box and sighed in relief that this time, the gift was easy to guess.
He laid it before his eyes and examined it. It was too big to be anything else. It didn't have buŧŧons. It was plain, and it didn't have holes. It was definitely . . .
”A hank––”
”A sweater.”
”Sweater!” Eric corrected himself. ”It's a sweater! It looks like a sweater. The fabric is just right for a sweater. It's definitely a sweater!”
Eric then peeked at Evangeline with guilt in his eyes.
Evangeline's face was foreboding. Then her chin crunched, and she turned away.
”Oh! Who am I kidding! I couldn't sew even when my life depended on it!”
Eric sighed and comforted her. ”Eve, you're already a good stylist. You don't have to stitch yourself. You can have others do it for you.”
Evangeline snapped at him. ”All my classmates knew how to sew. Even you know how to do it!”
Eric raised both hands. ”I just know how to do it. But I'm not an expert. And besides . . . you're already ahead of your peers in designing.” If you even know how to stitch, what would that leave other people? Please leave us something that we could do better than you.
”What was that?”
”I said that you'd learn it eventually. It just takes some practice.”
Evangeline sniffled. ”Really?”
”Yes, really.”
She then blossomed into a smile. ”Thank you, Eric. For always by my side.”
Eric's smile faltered a little. ”Anytime.”