Caden waited excitedly outside the adventure park with two tickets in his hands. He had spent the whole night searching on AI to prepare for this date. The moment he saw Lilly walking toward him, he couldn't help staring at her. Then he looked at his own outfit—he had chosen casual clothes.
"Hi, sorry I'm late," Lilly said.
Caden smiled. "It's okay." He handed her a ticket.
Inside the adventure park, he wanted to compliment her but couldn't gather the courage to do so. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable since this was only their second date.
"What do you want to ride first?" he asked while looking at her.
"You can ride. I don't really like rides," Lilly said.
She felt guilty that he was putting in so much effort while she still couldn't make herself like him.
"Oh, I should have asked you before planning this," he said, the excitement on his face fading a little. "Then let's go somewhere else."
"No, you can go ride something. I'm fine," she immediately replied.
"Let's take a walk first, then we'll decide," he said.
They walked around silently for a while before Caden suddenly asked, "So, what do you like to do?"
"Anything is fine," she replied.
"I think the adventure park is boring. Let's go somewhere else," he said.
"Okay."
Meanwhile, Mark went to his family home to talk to his mother about the proposal. He walked over to her while she was watching a TV drama.
"Mom, I want to marry the girl you chose last time," Mark said.
"That can't be possible," his mother replied.
"Why?"
"I already said no because you told me you didn't want to marry her. And now you want me to ask them again? Do you want your mother to be humiliated?"
"What?"
"And why do you suddenly want to marry her?"
"It's okay. I can talk to them myself."
"I don't understand you at all. First you rejected her, and now you want to marry her." After a pause, when he didn't answer, she continued, "What is going on, son?"
"Nothing. I just want to marry her. Can't you do this for me?"
"Fine, I'll do it. But only this time. And if you create any drama in the future, don't involve me."
Mark left the house thinking, Now you'll be happy.
He drove without focus and accidentally hit a trash can.
Then he heard someone calling him.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Mark looked out of the car window. It was Jonathan, knocking on the glass.
Mark came back to his senses and stepped out of the car. Then he noticed a woman picking up the fallen trash can. He bent down to help her.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Are you okay, Mark?" Jonathan asked.
"Yes, I'm okay," Mark replied as he continued fixing the trash can.
Jonathan looked at the two of them, thinking, What kind of situation is this? Lilly is marrying someone else, and here he is helping Sara.
"Okay, guys, it's done," Jonathan said.
"Are you drunk? What if there had been a person or an animal there? Would you have taken responsibility?" Sara said while glaring at Mark.
Mark knew he was at fault, so he didn't defend himself.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
His response calmed Sara down. She thought, If he weren't a good person, I would have taken him to the police station. But this is also the reason I started liking him.
"Thankfully everyone is okay, so relax," Jonathan said.
"Thank you," Mark said to Jonathan.
Jonathan nodded. "But how did you even hit the trash can?"
"Nothing. I was thinking about something else."
"Okay."
Sara didn't want to involve herself with him since he had rejected her, but deep in her heart, she still wanted to know him better. Gathering all her courage, she asked,
"We're going to a restaurant to eat. Do you want to come?"
Mark, who didn't even know her name, looked surprised by the invitation.
Jonathan, who was stunned, didn't know how to react. He looked at Mark, who seemed ready to reject her again. So, as a good cousin, he decided to save Sara from embarrassment.
"Yes, Mark, come with us," Jonathan quickly said. "You just got into an accident. Sit with us for a while."
Both he and Sara looked at Mark expectantly.
After a moment, Mark nodded. "Okay."
They were seated at the restaurant when Sara suddenly saw Lilly with Caden.
"Lilly!" she called.
Both Lilly and Caden looked toward her.
"It's your sister," Caden said.
"Yes," Lilly replied.
Lilly walked toward them with Caden following behind her.
This made Mark and Jonathan turn around. Lilly saw Mark staring at her. She didn't want to go there, but she had no choice.
When they reached the table, Jonathan awkwardly hid part of his face with his hand.
"Hi, Lilly. What a surprise," he said.
Lilly waved lightly in response.
Lilly sat beside Sara, while Caden sat next to Lilly. Jonathan sat on Sara's other side, beside Mark.
"Hi, Caden! Do you remember me?" Sara asked excitedly.
"How could I not?" Caden replied playfully. "You're her beloved sister."
Sara laughed. "I know."
Then she pointed toward her cousin. "This is Jonathan, our cousin."
Then she pointed at Mark. "And he is Dr. Mark."
Caden smiled. "I already know them. We've met many times at events."
Mark silently observed Lilly. She kept looking down the entire time while Jonathan and Sara chatted with Caden.
Then the waiter arrived to take their orders.
As everyone ordered, Mark suddenly said, "Sorry, but I'm not feeling well, so I'm going back."
Without waiting for a response, he stood up and left.
Sara watched him leave, thinking, Maybe he really isn't meant for me.
Finally, Lilly raised her head to look at him.
Caden looked confused, so Jonathan explained, "He got into a small accident earlier, so he probably isn't feeling well."
Then Jonathan noticed the worried look on Lilly's face and added, "He's fine now."
But Lilly stood up suddenly.
"I need to use the bathroom."
She hurried out after Mark into the parking lot.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Mark didn't turn around. "I'm marrying your sister, so you don't need to care about me anymore."
"I'm worried about you," she said softly.
He finally turned to face her.
"Lilly, you're so selfish," Mark said.
Then he got into his car and drove away.
Lilly saw several missed calls from Sara and quickly returned to the restaurant.
"Where were you?" Sara asked.
"In the bathroom."
"Okay."
After dinner, Caden offered to drive everyone home, but Jonathan refused.
"I'll take them. No need to worry," Jonathan said.
"Okay. Take care, guys," Caden replied before leaving.
On the way home, Sara suddenly said, "I think he likes you."
"What are you talking about?" Lilly asked nervously.
"Don't you think so, Jonathan?"
"Yeah, you could say he's interested," Jonathan replied.
Both Jonathan and Lilly were thinking about Mark and wanted to talk about him, but neither of them said anything.
Sara also wanted to talk about Mark, but since she believed he wasn't interested in her, she decided to let it go.
When they reached home, Sara's mother asked Jonathan to stay since it was already late.
"I also have news to tell you," she said.
"What news?" Sara asked.
"Mark's mother sent the proposal again. She said Mark wants to marry Sara."
Lilly felt as if her heart were sinking.
Jonathan immediately looked at Lilly.
"But didn't he reject me before?" Sara asked. "Why now?"
She thought, Maybe after meeting me, he changed his mind.
"I don't know," her mother replied. "But she said her son wants the marriage."
"Aunt, what did you say?" Jonathan asked.
"I said yes."
Jonathan nodded.
Sara, however, was overjoyed. She hugged her mother first, then Lilly and Jonathan.
"Congratulations," Jonathan said.
"Congratulations," Lilly repeated quietly before going to her room.
Jonathan also headed to the guest room.
Sara watched Lilly leave, thinking, Something must have happened. She even lied about going to the bathroom at the restaurant. I checked, and she wasn't there. But I'll wait until she tells me herself.