Chapter 220: Rather Be

Adrian continues to stare at Cassidy before leaning down slowly to capture her lips, but she beats him to it as she suddenly closes the gap between them and kisses him. 

His heart leaps out of his chest right then - or maybe even set aflame. Either way, he feels like everything in him is just reaching out for her now. He shuts his eyes closed the moment his lips touch hers softly - like ash. It seems to him that this firecracker of a woman has caused his entire being to erupt into fire.

And this kiss is the aftermath.

Adrian smiles at the thought. He wants to etch every single detail of this moment into his memory. He wants to remember what it feels like. With that, he opens up his heart once more, deepens their kiss.

And then, he's suddenly aware of the faint taste of cotton candy on her mouth, aware of the slight tremble of her body from standing on her tiptoes for too long. His hands make their way around her waist, lifting her up slightly, supporting her in the way he always has.

When they break apart, he finds her returning his smile which he doesn't even realize he's making. 

"I love you, my dearest bossman," Cassidy whispered, making his spirits soar right then and there.

"And your bossman dearly loves you too," Adrian whispered back before kissing her forehead affectionately. 

She returns the gesture by giving him a kiss on his nose a couple of times, making him laugh. At such a hearty sound, she furrows her brows and squishes his cheeks. He blinks at her, taken aback. 

"Do that again."

"Do what?" 

"Laugh."

He frowns in confusion. Then, he lets out a mock laughter with a dry expression. 

"No...!" Cassidy exclaimed, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"I meant a real laugh!"

"Then, maybe you should try to be funny," Adrian chuckled, grinning. 

"I am funny!"

"Are you really?"

"Adrian! I'm serious!"

"But you've heard me laugh before, Cassidy. 

"I want to hear it now. Please?"

"Why?"

She pinches his cheeks again, earning a small whine from him. Gathering all the seriousness she can gather at that moment, she then says, "Because I want to see you happy."

"I'm already happy, though..." he told her and poked her nose with his.

"I'm with you, after all."

Smiling, Cassidy decides to just leave it at that. She keeps quiet while Adrian continues to stare at her as if she's his whole world. That's until she reaches for one of his hands and gives it a squeeze. 

"Okay, I'm happy too..." she said before glancing at another direction. 

"But I think we should head back now. Everyone's probably waiting for us."

"You're right..." he replied then stepped back before bending a little in a sweeping bow. 

"Then, shall we go now, my lovely princess?"

"Pffttt...! That is so weird."

"I heard it's actually romantic. You probably just don't want to admit that you're moved."

"No, I'm not! You just suck!"

"Well, I think you're in denial."

"But you're not even a prince to begin with."

Cassidy bursts in giggles. Adrian makes a pained expression, pretending to be offended. 

"What am I to you, then? A peasant?"

"A horse! And I'm not a princess! I'd rather be a knight!"

Having nothing to say to that, he just sighs. That's when he spots the penguin on the ground and picks it up. She probably dropped it when they're kissing. 

"I'd rather be a penguin," Adrian sniffed, brushing the dust off the stuffed animal.

"Why?" Cassidy asked, tilting her head quizzically. 

"Because I want you to hold me in your arms."

"Pffttt...! That was lame. You really suck at this, Adrian."

He laughs at that, making her smile in delight. She then takes the penguin from him and embraces it once again. 

"Too bad you're not a penguin," she teased, holding the stuffed toy to her chest to prove her point.

"It's not so bad..." he retorted, looking quite impish.

"Stuffed penguins can't kiss you."

"Oh? This one can!"

With that, she shoves the penguin into his face.

They both laugh at the ludicrousness of their antics. And then, they're racing along the pier, passing the stuffed toy to each other playfully, which earns a lot of eyerolls and annoyed grunts from passersby. 

Adrian tires out eventually, keeling over with his hands on his knees, caught between laughter and breathlessness. Cassidy is a few paces in front of him, though she quickly makes her way back to him. He wipes the sweat off his forehead while she gives him a peck on his cheek.

"Let's go...!" she chirped then pulled him up.

"Everyone might really be waiting for us."

"And whose fault is that?" he huffed. 

Cassidy hits Adrian with the stuffed toy again. Used to her attacks, he just chuckles and stands up straight. With that, they head back to where everyone is.

She is practically bouncing next to him, trying to absorb all the sights she can before they have to leave, while he strolls casually next to her, observing her drolly.

"Say, Adrian-"

Cassidy was about to say something. But then, she found herself being nearly toppled into the ground by someone that has come out of nowhere.

"Huh?! Asher?!" Cassidy bolted out once she saw who it was.

"Are you both all right...?!" Adrian asked as he rushed over to them, brows knitted tightly in concern.

"Asher, what are you-"

"I can't find Aira!" Asher shouted frantically, picking himself up from the ground and helping a disgruntled Cassidy as well.

"I don't know where Aira is!"

"What do you mean?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. She then feels panic rising in her, a sense of foreboding. 

"Isn't she with you?" Cassidy asked, perturbed. 

"She was...!" Asher answered while he ran his hand through his hair.

"One minute we were looking around at the stalls, and the next she's gone!"

"What do you mean 'gone'? She wouldn't have-"

That's when Cassidy recalls that sketchy-looking creep who's been following them around earlier. She turns to Adrian whose gaze has narrowed and darkened.

"Adrian, you don't think-"

"I think it has something to do with him..." he muttered, his tone heavy.

"Cassidy, try calling Aira's phone. Asher, where did you see her last? Take us there."