"I… back then…" Noah Miller's words became hesitant and stumbling. His mind grew more tense, and for a moment he couldn't come up with a good excuse.
Lila Vale seemed to notice the strange look in his expression and wanted to dig even deeper. Her gaze fixed tightly on him, as if forcing him to tell the truth. "There isn't something you can't let me know, is there? Why do you look so panicked?"
"Is it that obvious? Maybe… it's just too hot."
The girl leaned her body closer, her delicate, pretty face coming right up to his. She raised her hand and pressed the back of her cool white hand against Noah Miller's forehead. "It's not hot at all. It's winter right now."
"Lila, you're too close."
"But…" Lila Vale's eyelids lowered slightly. She wanted to say more, but a cold female voice cut her off sharply. "Didn't you hear? You're too close."
Evelyn Miller grabbed Noah Miller by the back of his collar and pulled him back, putting distance between him and Lila Vale. She casually placed the bubble tea into the boy's arms.
"At least on the surface, I'm still his girlfriend. Is this distance really that close?"
"Then do you know that Nate already…" Evelyn Miller felt Noah Miller tugging at her clothes. She looked down at him. The boy's eyes signaled not to say it, so she swallowed the rest of her sentence.
Lila Vale watched the exchange of looks between them, feeling her own position awkward and unnecessary. She frowned slightly and opened her mouth to speak again, but Evelyn Miller glanced at her and simply took Noah Miller's hand, leading him away.
"We still have some things to do, so we'll be going first. Sorry about that," Noah Miller said helplessly to her.
"Oh… Bye."
After leaving the park, Noah Miller glanced back at Lila Vale sitting alone on the bench. The girl's figure suddenly looked especially lonely and forlorn, as if she had been abandoned by the world in some forgotten corner.
"Missing her that much already? Want to go back and keep her company?" Evelyn Miller's mocking voice reached Noah Miller's ear.
"It was nice just chatting together. Eve, why did you do that?"
"Nate, do you want to get spanked again? Since Sister can have you all to herself, why would I share you with her?"
"But… Lila seemed pretty pitiful all alone."
"Isn't Carrot keeping her company?" Evelyn Miller said.
Noah Miller turned his head and only then noticed that Carrot hadn't followed them. The dog was wagging his tail at Lila Vale's feet, occasionally rubbing against her leg. Lila Vale reached out and petted him too.
"Alright, stop thinking about her. Sister hasn't settled accounts with you yet." Evelyn Miller turned and pinched Noah Miller's cheek. "As soon as Sister stepped away for a moment, you started getting cozy with another girl. Nate's quite capable, huh?"
"Lila isn't some stranger." Noah Miller's speech was muffled because his cheek was being pinched.
"Still someone else. You were leaning so close. Were you trying to piss Sister off on purpose?"
"I wasn't. Eve, don't be mad."
"How could Sister not be mad? You two were practically about to kiss." Evelyn Miller let go, her soft pink lips pressed together, still looking angry as if waiting for Noah Miller to give an explanation.
He didn't know how to explain. He thought he should comfort his sister right now, but he struggled with the words. Usually Evelyn Miller took care of him. When she got angry, he would just lower his head and apologize. He had no idea how to coax a girl.
"I'll stay with you the whole time from now on. Sister, don't be angry anymore." He inserted the straw into the bubble tea Evelyn Miller had given him and held it up to her lips. "Have some bubble tea and calm down."
Evelyn Miller ignored it and glanced sideways at him. "Is this how you used to coax her?"
"In the past… I probably went along with Lila too much, indulging all her whims, so she rarely got angry."
"Just like how Sister spoils you?"
"Yeah…" Noah Miller nodded blankly.
Evelyn Miller took the warm bubble tea from his hand. "Then Sister won't spoil you anymore, since you never listen."
Noah Miller smiled helplessly and could only obediently follow beside her.
Without realizing it, they had walked out of the apartment complex. The street outside was at its liveliest time of day. Every shop had its doors open to welcome customers. The aroma from food stalls and snack shops drifted onto the street. Upbeat music from the barbershop floated to passersby. Bright lights and crowds of people moved along the street.
Evelyn Miller stopped in front of a savory flatbread shop. The old sign had faded lettering.
She handed the half-drunk bubble tea back to Noah Miller and called out to the busy middle-aged woman inside, "Aunt Patty, two savory flatbreads please."
"Oh my, Eve is here!" The plump woman turned around, wiping her hands on her apron with a kind expression. She washed her hands while asking, "What flavors?"
"One all-meat, one with pickled greens."
"Coming right up. Might take a bit—the oven's not fully hot yet."
"That's fine, no rush."
The plump woman began kneading the dough on the table and chatted with them. "Haven't seen Nate these days. Finally brought him out today, huh?"
"He stays cooped up at home all day, never goes out. Like he's allergic to sunlight." Evelyn Miller smiled gently, walked into the shop, stood by the counter, rolled up her sleeves. "Let me help you."
"No way, you're a customer now. How could I let you help?"
"It's just making flatbread. It's fine. I want to see if I still have the touch."
She washed her hands, revealing half of her fair, slender arms. Her delicate palms pressed and kneaded the dough with practiced movements.
Back when she was in school, Evelyn Miller had often worked part-time at this flatbread shop. Business was always booming, and she'd frequently end up with numb hands from the work. Luckily, Aunt Patty was kind and took decent care of her, paying her well.
Unfortunately, her beautiful fair hands suffered from daily kneading and working around the hot oven, often ending up chapped and calloused. Even the shop owner would sigh and feel it was a shame.
Now, looking at Evelyn Miller's hands, Aunt Patty kept saying, "I always told you these hands of yours were made for writing and studying. Look how nice they've become now."
"But I still want to come back and help you make flatbreads. Selling savory flatbread is fun. Didn't you always praise how well I kneaded the dough?"
"What nonsense. You're a proper university professor now—why would you come help me make flatbreads?" Her tone carried a hint of reproach. After a pause, she continued, "But your skills really are good. You do everything so properly. I wonder which lucky man will get to enjoy them in the future."
"Probably some not-too-bright little fool." Evelyn Miller said, glancing at Noah Miller who was poking his head in from outside, waiting.
The woman didn't notice her gaze but caught the implication. "So Eve likes younger guys? Do you have someone in mind?"
"Great, Aunt Patty will be waiting. These two flatbreads are on the house today. My treat."