Is this destiny?

Outside, in the garden…

Ryan spoke to Angelo and Sean to Donatella. They informed them that Emma is in labor at the White Rock Lake, and grandparents-to-be said that they are on their way.

Jarred immediately called his staff to get the plane ready. He and Donnie will be there in no more than three hours.

Angelo answered the call from Italy, and he promised to leave right away so that he can be at the White Rock Lake by morning.

After the Ronin twins ended their respective calls and informed Sarah and Aiden about the outcome, they went to join Panya and Harini on the bench in the garden.

Ryan was too restless to sit in place and he was pacing in front of the bench. He was nervous about Emma and when his nerves act up, Ryan needs to release that energy. Usually, he would go for a run, but it was evening, and he was dressed up as a cowboy. In addition, Panya was right there, in a frilly dress that exposed her cleavage which looked very eye-catching because of the bustier which pushed her breasts up.

"Do you think we can go inside and see how Emma is doing?", Ryan asked while looking at Sean. He wanted to look at Panya, but his eyes were drifting toward her cleavage involuntarily and he didn't want to appear like a creep, so he forced his gaze away.

"I don't think you should.", Panya responded. 

Harini agreed with Panya. "Anna has four helpers and Charlie is there. If you go, it will be crowded, and I don't think that your sister would appreciate you looking at her private parts."

Sean wanted to know how Emma was doing, but he agreed with Harini's logic. They would be in the way and delivery is not for everyone to see.

Ryan plopped on the bench and balled his hands into fists. His anxiety was acting up and he was unsure how to calm down. Ryan leaned his head over the backrest and stared at the dark sky blankly while taking slow deep breaths. A few seconds later, Ryan's eyebrows shoot up when he felt a warm hand covering his left fist. He turned his head in slow motion to see Panya look at him with a shy smile.

"It will be OK.", she said.

Ryan was touched that Panya noticed his anxiety and tried to comfort him. Of course, she noticed. She is looking at him for a long time.

When Sean and Ryan started coming to the Cliffside Villa, they would train and study with Allen and Julius, but Harini and Panya slowly made their way into those study sessions. Little by little, two girls entered Sean's and Ryan's lives and since Allen and Julius were often busy (as generals of the Army of Chaos), their study sessions for six turned into sessions for four, and as they got closer, they had meals and sometimes trained together. Harini and Panya would often study together in advance so that when Sean and Ryan come to the Cliffside Villa, the girls can offer them tutoring, which the Ronin twins gladly accepted. With all the Nero Armi business, the Ronin twins would sometimes miss classes and fall behind, but thanks to the tutoring lessons they received at the Cliffside Villa, they managed to catch up with schoolwork.

Back to the present...

Ryan licked his lips nervously when he realized that Panya didn't move her hand away. She didn't only touch his hand, but she placed hers on top of his, and it's still there! Ryan decided to try his luck. His hand moved a bit, and he opened his fist, allowing her palm to fall into his. Their fingers interlaced and he saw the moment when Panya's eyes widened, but she didn't take her hand away.

Ryan smiled and closed his eyes. At that moment, Panya's hand in his… it was so much better than any other thing he did with those Italian girls. Her hand holding onto his… it meant everything.

Sean saw Ryan and Panya holding hands, both having smiles on their faces, and he grumbled internally. It was obvious that Ryan was making progress with Panya, but if Sean just asked Harini to hold hands, it would look silly, or maybe she would refuse him, so he ended up sitting next to Harini stiffly and fiddling with his phone while pretending not to see those two hand-holding people on the bench next to them.

Harini was frustrated and jealous of Panya. She saw that Panya was the one to make a move first, and Ryan reciprocated wonderfully, and Harini was happy for them but… what about her? Should she hold Sean's hand? His hands were busy with that stupid phone!

Harini's temper flared. She stood up abruptly and walked away. From anger, tears pooled in her eyes and she didn't want anyone to see her, so she headed toward the darkness the grove provided.

"Where are you going?", Sean asked, startled by Harini's sudden movement.

"Away from you.", she barked at him, without looking back.

"What did I do?", Sean mumbled, obviously confused.

"You did nothing, that is the problem.", Ryan said. "Go after her."

Sean hesitated for a second and then bolted after Harini.

"Harini, wait…", Sean called, and he caught up to her when she reached the first trees. He grabbed her hand and pulled her to stop walking. "Are you OK?"

"Yes. I am great."

Sean noticed that her words were full of sarcasm.

"You are not fine. Talk to me…" He saw that Harini lowered her head and he urged her: "Come on. Aren't we friends? We can talk about anything."

Harini was dejected. "Friends? Is that what I am to you?"

Sean's lips curved into a lopsided smirk. "Would you like to be something else?"

It was dark, but the faint light from the villa fell on his handsome face and she could see his expression. Her heart tightened. Great. He is making fun of her. Why did she even bother? Why was tonight so different from many other nights they spent together? For years, it was fine to move slowly or not to move at all, but tonight she saw Panya and Ryan holding hands and… "Forget it. It does not matter. Go and join others, I want to be alone."

Sean let go of Harini's hand. "Alright."

Harini was confused. "Why are you still here?"

"You can be alone, and go wherever you want, but you can't tell me where to go."

"Fine.", Harini spat and moved around him, to go deeper into the grove. Five steps later, she stopped and turned around. "Why are you following me?"

Sean shrugged, now the light was behind him and she could only see the outline his body created and not the expression.

"Maybe I want to be alone as well.", Sean said.

"By following me?"

"We can be alone together."

Harini exhaled forcibly. "That is not how…"

In one swift step, Sean closed the distance between them, cupped her cheeks, and kissed her on the lips.

Sean inched away, unsure what to expect. He thought about kissing Harini before, and he hoped that when it happens Harini will return his kiss. He also considered the option that she might slap him or push him away, but she did nothing.

"Why did you do that?", Harini said breathily after a few endless seconds.

"Do what?"

"You know…", Harini's voice trailed away and she heard Sean chuckle.

"You are cute when you blush."

"You can't see if I'm blushing because it's dark.", Harini spoke slower than usually.

"True, but whenever you are shy your voice goes up by an octave and you drag your words, like now."

Harini's breath hitched. She didn't know that Sean picked up those little signs. Does that mean that he was watching her, how she watched him?

Unsure what to do, Harini took a step back and she stumbled on a rock that was hidden in the grass.

Sean caught her hand and pulled her on him. Without realizing how, Harini found herself in Sean's embrace with her hands stiffly next to her body.

She looked up and found him staring at her. Even in the dark, he was looking at her intently, like he could see her clearly, or maybe he could see through her.

She was flustered. It's not that she never thought about hugging and kissing Sean, but now that it was happening, it was all too fast, and she found herself frozen solid in her anxiety.

He leaned closer and kissed her again on the lips. She didn't respond.

"Harini, I like you…", his breath splashed against her lips. "If you don't like me, push me away and if you do… kiss me back."

Sean's heart thundered in his chest, knowing that this was all or nothing. If she accepts him, they will move out of the friendzone and be a couple, and if she rejects him… can they stay friends? Maybe, but it would be awkward considering that Ryan and Panya are holding hands on the bench in the garden, and they will eventually move onto kissing and touching and they would be a silent reminder for Sean and Harini of what could have been.

Sean nudged Harini's nose with his, silently requesting permission for a kiss, a second before his lips brushed against hers. Did she kiss him back? He was not sure, so he kissed her again, and again, and then he was certain that she kissed him back, and even her hands wrapped around him and it was wonderful.

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