novelraw Chapter 401: What’s your type?
Chapter 401: What’s your type?
The week that followed felt like a blur, and slowly, the memory of the strange encounter with the strange man started to fade from Coco’s mind.
Day after day, she busied herself with various activities and the cryptic words, the eerie smile of the stranger, the ominous she felt when she met him gradually receded to the back of her thoughts.
As the days went by, the incident was almost forgotten, pushed aside by the hustle and bustle of daily life.
However, every so often, a fleeting thought would surface, nagging at the edges of her consciousness as if reminding her of the impending storm.
For the past week, Coco had found herself with abundant free time which led her to indulge in moments of leisure and relaxation— most days, she could be found pottering around the house, engaging in light tasks such as dusting furniture and wiping surfaces.
One of her favorite spots, however, was at the back of the house, where she often strolled, simply enjoying the peace and quiet.
The back yard was a sanctuary for her so she would frequently make her way there, finding solace in the simple act of walking and letting her thoughts wander with all the possibilities ahead of her.
Like right now, she was strolling through the backyard, Coco’s mind wandered, her thoughts dancing between daydreams and planning.
She began to mentally map out the space, picturing the areas where she could add her own personal touch and make it more homely with the possibilities that seemed endless, her imagination ran wild with ideas, from adding colorful flower beds to setting up cozy seating nooks.
As she walked, her gaze lingered on potential areas where she could plant her favorite plants and some trees.
Despite the desires swirling in her mind, a subtle sigh escaped her as a sense of reality set in because deep down, Coco knew that the backyard was not hers to transform.
It belonged to someone else and she couldn’t make permanent changes without permission.
It was a small pang of disappointment, but she quickly shook it off, resigning herself to admiring the space in its current state and mentally jotting down ideas for future reference.
Sometimes, the best she could do was visualize the possibilities and hope someday she could make those changes a reality— maybe, just maybe, that day would be sooner than she thought.
Then, she stood still, hands rested behind her back, a soft smile graced Coco’s features as she took in the surroundings of the back yard.
Unfortunately, her moment of peace was interrupted as the sound of gravel crunching beneath footsteps reached her ears, causing her to turn her head, her gaze moving in the direction of the approaching sound.
Her vision was met by Zaque gracefully approaching, a tray carefully balanced in his hands.
The tray held a couple of pastries, their aroma wafting through the air with a dark-colored drink accompanying them by the side.
Coco’s lips curved into a soft smile as she recognized Zaque, her eyes taking in the sight of him carrying the treats.
"What’s up?" She asked, tilting her head in slight curiosity and Zaque returned Coco’s smile, a mix of warmth and concern in his gaze.
"You’ve been out here a while." He stated what he observed, his tone casual yet filled with thoughtfulness. "I thought you might be hungry.. So I took it upon myself and brought some refreshments for you."
He brought the tray forward, presenting the pastries and the dark-colored drink to Coco.
Coco smiled appreciatively, her gaze meeting Zaque’s as she nodded in response and muttered a quiet, with a hint of gratefulness lacing her voice. "Thank you."
"You’re welcome." Zaque chuckled.
"You didn’t have to, but I truly appreciate the gesture." She turned away from him and her eyes darted towards the gazebo situated in the corner of the backyard, she gestured subtly with her head. "Let’s sit over there."
Zaque hummed softly as he followed Coco to the gazebo, his eyes taking in their surroundings.
The gazebo, carefully cleaned and tidied up by him four days ago, welcomed their presence because he had noticed Coco’s tendance to frequent the back yard, and he took it upon himself to ensure the area was always spick and span, including the gazebo where they are now headed.
Coco took a seat in the vacant chair, her body moving with natural ease, then Zaque followed suit, positioning himself across from her, occupying the opposite seat.
They sat facing each other and Zaque basked in this information for a moment before he placed the tray on the table. "Here, have a bite. I got a fresh batch of strawberries in the market this morning so I decided to make some of these."
Coco reached out for the pastries, her hand closing around a slice of pie.
She opened her mouth and took a bite, and almost immediately, delightful flavors danced on her taste buds, but as she savored the taste, a realization dawned upon her.
She paused momentarily and directed her attention towards Zaque— with her mouth still half-full, she posed an unexpected question, her voice slightly muffled by the food and inquired.
"Hey." She began, a hint of curiosity lacing her voice. "This might sound like an odd question, but can you tell me what your type is?"
Coco swallowed her initial bite before continuing. "What’s your type? For a spouse?"
Zaque tensed ever so slightly at the question, his body language showing his surprise and due to how shocked he was, he let out a hiccup.
"Pardon?" He replied, his voice soft and tinged with a flicker of uncertainty.
He was trying to process why Coco had asked such a question, his mind quickly contemplating how to respond because of this kind of question.. He couldn’t help, but wonder what was wrong.
It didn’t seem like a Coco thing to do.
"I’m just curious.. What are you looking for in a person that you would like as a spouse?"