Free Web NovelChapter 116: Yuki Is My Neighbor
I tried to act normal as I gathered what Yuki was buying. Even with her face cap, I could still recognize her. My hands shook slightly as I bagged the items. I couldn’t believe I was in the presence of my idol once again. The air in the shop felt thin.
After she paid for what she ordered, I pushed the bag across the counter. I swallowed hard and summoned the courage to talk. I needed to apologize for what happened that night, since I did not get any response after sending all those emails.
"Yuki... about the other night. My lying and my... Princess. I meant to say Princess. Whatever happened that night, my sincere apologies," I said. My voice cracked just a little.
"Isn’t this like the 16th time you’re apologizing? You apologized that night and sent like 14 emails to Suzy. I already accepted your apology the first time. You should stop now, those emails felt like a crazy Stan," Yuki said. She smiled, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.
Okay... that felt embarrassing. My face heated up instantly. I couldn’t believe Yuki saw all those emails. No wonder she didn’t reply. She probably thought I was a total creep, a crazy one.
"Thank you once again, Yuki," I said.
I turned to lock the shop door. The keys jingled loudly in the quiet street. I thought she would have left already, but when I turned around, she was still there. She stood on the sidewalk holding her bag. The streetlights caught the edge of her face cap.
"I see you have a pet," she said. she pointed at Kali in the transparent backpack. freewebnσvel.cøm
"Yes and no. My boss isn’t around, so my friends and I are taking care of her until he gets back from wherever he went," I said. I adjusted the straps on my shoulders. I looked at her, trying to read her expression. "I know it’s not my place to ask, but are you here for something? Because I know this is not where you live." Well I also remember her saying she doesn’t like this town and I don’t want to sound nosy in her business.
"You can ask anything you want. You are my special fan."
"Special?"
Did she just call me her special fan? My heart hammered against my ribs. This was amazing.
"Yes, my special fan. Faye Grande, you are a special kind of fan. And also my only fan here in Oakland," she said. She gave me a quick wink and started walking.
Luckily, she was headed in the same direction as me. I fell into step beside her. My heart was still racing.
"I took a break from fighting, so I am here for some important work. Once I’m done, I’ll leave Oakland," Yuki said. Her boots clicked against the pavement.
Damn. Did she just say she’s staying here for a while? Does that mean I’ll be seeing my idol more often? I tried to keep my walk steady, but I felt like I was floating.
"Wow, that is amazing. I can’t believe you’re going to be here in Oakland, Yuki."
"Yeah, it is what it is. I never thought I’d be in Oakland at this time of the year. This place is the last place to be in. But one has to make sacrifices to get what they want," Yuki said. She shifted her gaze toward me. Her eyes were sharp even in the dim light.
I didn’t know what to say to that. I just kept walking, staring at the sidewalk.
"So how is that Alpha? Is she still bothering you?" Yuki asked.
She must be talking about Princess. I felt a weird mix of guilt and something else.
"Of course she is. We are expecting, so she’s going to bother me for life," I said. I let out a small smile.
I wasn’t lying. Princess and I are going to bother each other forever. We were stuck together whether we liked it or not. The pups were a permanent bond. Plus, she marked me. I could still feel the weight of that connection.
Yuki stopped suddenly. She stepped right in front of me, forcing me to halt.
"Well, I am here now, so things are going to change. I will protect you from now on, my number one fan."
Protect me? From what? I blinked at her. I don’t need protection. I can protect myself. I’ve handled plenty on my own. But it’s still nice. Having someone like Yuki say that felt like a dream.
We kept walking. The silence between us wasn’t awkward, but I was starting to get confused. We turned the corner, then another.
Okay... is this a coincidence, or is Yuki following me?
We’ve been walking the exact same route. I know where I’m going. I’m going to my house. But where exactly is she going? Was she escorting me? Was she worried about the Alphas in the area?
We were almost home when I stopped.
"Yuki, thank you for escorting me home, but I think I can walk from here. That is my house. You can head back to your hotel," I said. I pointed toward the cottage.
"Who said I was escorting you? I was going home," she said. She didn’t look like she was joking.
"Huh?"
"I just moved here. I’d rather sleep in an attic than a hotel run by Alphas," she said. She stepped past me and headed toward the entrance.
My mind froze. The gears turned slowly. Eriko said someone was moving in today. He mentioned the attic space was finally rented out.
Oh my goodness.
Yuki is not just staying in Oakland. She’s living right above me. My face lit up with a wide smile. I felt like shouting. This was definitely another best day of my life. I’m going to be living with my idol. I could barely contain the excitement bubbling up in my chest.
"Looks like we are neighbors, Faye Grande."
