Tell Me You Like It [R19]

Chapter 3.1: An Unexpected Proposal

Cover

 ᴛʀᴀɴꜱʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ: ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ

Anna and Luciano left the hostel together.

The streets were full of tourists and people enjoying the Friday nightlife.

When they were inside the hostel, she thought it would be dark outside, but it was surprisingly crowded and bright. Even though it was winter, it was less cold than in Korea so there were many people. Since the hostel was close to Puerta del Sol, the downtown area, many stores were open until late.

After walking for about 10 minutes, they saw a sign with the words ‘POLICIA’ on it. It was closer to the hostel than she thought.

Even though it was late, there was someone waiting ahead of her. Anna told a police officer wearing a dark blue uniform standing at the front that she came to report a theft.

“Wait for me.”

The burly policeman replied to Anna with poor English pronunciation and went inside. Anna and Luciano sat on the bench outside, killing time and waiting for the policeman to come back out.

Luciano suddenly spoke to Anna, who was silently staring blankly into the air.

“Anna?”

“Yes?”

“The only thing you lost is your suitcase?”

“Yes. That is… I think so.”

Anna tried hard to recall, but it wasn’t working well. She took the most important items like her passport and purse to the shower room. Her cell phone was also still in the bag she was carrying.

“Have you checked everything? Passport and money?”

“No.”

“You didn’t leave it at the dormitory, right?”

“No, I have it with me.”

Anna subconsciously opened the zipper of her small bag and checked inside. She could see her passport and phone in it. But it was weird, she couldn’t find her wallet that was still there when they had dinner.

It was a brown wallet with euros and cards in it, a handy one that she used well in Korean because it was small and light. Now, it was missing.

“Oh?”

“What’s wrong?”

Anna dug through her bag with cold sweat. They were sitting on a bench outside the police station, so she could see very well into her bag. The wallet contained all of Anna’s travel expenses, and she felt as if all the blood was draining out of her body, her eyes darkening.

“W-Wallet… it’s not…”

“Are you sure it was in this bag? It could be in the suitcase or locker.”

“I left it here. I paid after eating earlier… Why, where the hell…”

Tears welled up in Anna’s eyes. She was going crazy when she found that she didn’t have enough money in her suitcase. There were still two weeks left before going back to Korea, and now she had no idea what to do.

She didn’t know when she was pickpocketed, probably after she left the restaurant.

“Do you have any other bags? Maybe the wallet’s in it.”

“That’s… all. I’ve only been carrying this with me the whole time…”

Tears poured out. Back in Korea, she no longer had any relationship with her family after cutting them off, and now she was like stranded grass abroad. When she thought of it like that, sadness poured over her like a tidal wave.

Luciano handed Anna a handkerchief, wiping her wet cheeks.

“Use this, it’s clean.”

“T-Thank you… sniffle.”

Anna gladly accepted his kindness and wiped away her tears. The checkered handkerchief was warm because it was in his pocket.

“Today was the first day of my trip. What should I do without any money?”

“That’s unfortunate… Do you have a credit card?”

“It was in the wallet that’s missing.”

Anna began to cry again.

“Oh… Anna! It’s not the time to cry. Hurry up and call the credit card company to report the loss first.”

“Ah!”

Coming to a realization, Anna hurriedly called the credit card company and reported the loss. Luciano looked inside the police station, listening to Anna calling in a voice that was almost crying as she spoke in Korean.

He looked at his watch. It was almost midnight.

It was strange to be waiting this long…

The wait was unnecessarily long so Luciano got up from his seat and asked the officer in the small box in Spanish. He learned it at school a long time ago, and there were many similarities with Italian, so he could speak it.

“How long do I have to wait?”

“Wait a little longer.”

The officer was annoyed at his urging. The police were handling things slowly and weren’t very busy. In Spain, everyone’s natural pace was also slower. Besides, many people came to report theft every day, so it wasn’t a big deal to them.

Back on the bench where Anna was sitting, Luciano waited for her to finish reporting her credit card loss. He guessed that she just arrived in Madrid from Korea yesterday from the tag on her suitcase.

His eyes were on her from the moment they met. Opening the door for a lady was something he’d usually do, but opening it for Anna, who looked tired, felt strangely special.

When the elevator door opened and Anna appeared, Luciano became obsessed. Everything seemed to slow down, like a scene in a movie. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

He didn’t have a particular preference–whether it was purple eyes or ginger hair, he didn’t care. However, the moment he saw Anna standing under the lights, he realized his taste.

His type was a woman of moderate height, with jet-black hair and skin white like snow. It wasn’t that he had never seen an Asian before, but he only felt something after meeting Anna.

When he saw her struggling to open the door, his body moved on its own.

As he approached, his heart fell as their eyes met.

Her eyes were a beautiful black, like a star in the night sky without a single light and a shining black pearl. It took his gaze away like a black hole, sucking him in.

Her pupils, dark as ripe grapes, were deep as well. The depth couldn’t be measured just by looking at them. Her expression was bright, yet strangely overcast as well.

They were the most fascinating eyes he had ever seen, different from simply having big or pretty eyes. Her brilliant eyes tinted with wetness touched a person’s heartstrings.

To put into words, there was a fleeting feeling of sadness even though she looked so bright. Her smile was fascinating and joyful, and just watching her would bring him delight.

He felt sorry to see Anna’s happy and excited expression fall apart in front of the reception.

As a traveler, he was concerned about the woman who lost both her luggage and money. Seeing her misfortune, Luciano wanted to help her.

He postponed going to the club alone and offered to accompany her to the police station.

A heavy sigh came from the side, and the call in Korean seemed to have finally ended.

“Did you report everything?”

“What? Oh, yes.”

“I asked the police and they said to wait a little longer.”

“Really?”

She didn’t speak after that. Luciano wanted to comfort her, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. There was nothing he could do besides sit next to her.

“Thank you.”

At her words, Luciano turned to his side. Perhaps because she cried, her eyes were red and her fair skin seemed paler.

“Cheer up.”

It probably wouldn’t amount to much, but he said so anyways.

“Fortunately, no one swiped on the card yet. Thanks to Luciano’s advice, I came to my senses and reported the loss. Thank you for that.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know…”

Anna murmured with a long sigh. Then, the officer came out and handed over paper and pens.

“Write down the list of stolen items here.”

Anna began writing down each item in English, including the suitcase.

When she finished filling out the form, she handed it to the police and they copied the document and returned it to Anna. It was a document she could send to her insurance company when she was back in Korea. She didn’t know how much she could recover, but Anna was feeling totally down on her luck.

“There, it’s done.”

The police didn’t even go to Anna’s hostel to check the CCTV. They told her they wouldn’t be able to find the thief and it was violating other people’s privacy.

Anna also emptied her mind by filling in the list of stolen items.

“Thanks, Luciano. I’m going back to the hostel.”

“Sure.”

As she trudged down the road helplessly, Luciano asked Anna a question. Anna had no energy left after losing all her money and suitcase.

“You arrived from Korea yesterday, right?”

“Yes.”

“How long did you plan to travel?”

“Two weeks.”

“Oh, two weeks… same as me.”

“…”

Anna didn’t reply, because she had nothing to say.

“What are you going to do now?”

“…I’ll have to go back to Korea.”

“Are you going to change your flight?”

“Yes, probably.”

Responding with a heavy sigh, Anna walked looking down towards the floor. She would have to pay an additional fee to change the flight, but she could pay online with her phone.

“Anna.”

“…”

There was no answer as she was focused on staring at the floor.

“Anna.”

Luciano called her again.

“…Yes?”

She answered in a weak voice.

“Would you like to have a drink? It’s on me.”

“…I would.”

She didn’t think she could fall asleep anyways, so Anna replied yes to Luciano’s offer.

The two entered a bar on the way back to the hostel. It was a bar with lights flashing, and though it was late, it was noisy with customers.

Loud music and people chattering rang loudly in the room. She didn’t know what the lyrics were, but a Spanish song was playing. The fast beat and Spanish rap was strangely exciting.

Their waiter brought Anna and Luciano to sit in a corner of the bar. The table which was meant for two people was small, and there was only space to stand and eat without chairs. Anna, who had no energy left, wanted to sit down and chug beers.

It was warm inside. The two took off their coats and sat down. There wasn’t any place to hang their coats so they hung it on the back of their seats. Anna clasped the bag on her lap with her hands. She didn’t want to lose her passport and cell after she lost everything else.

“What do you want to drink?”

“What?”

The music was so loud that Anna couldn’t hear what Luciano was saying. When Anna asked back, Luciano tilted his head and spoke loudly in her ear. Anna’s body trembled reflexively as his warm breath tickled her ear.

“What do you want to drink?”

“I’d like a beer.”

Anna, who finally heard Luciano’s question, answered without looking at the menu. Anna also had to lean over to Luciano and speak loudly into his ear.

She really wanted a cold beer right now.

“Do you want tapas?”

“Beer’s enough.”

Since they went to the police station, Anna had a brooding look on her face. It was quite different from when she said she’d go to the club a while ago with a bright smile. Her smile was nice, and Luciano felt sorry to have things go like this for her.

Luciano ordered two beers and the waiter quickly brought over two cold drafts.

Who knew that my long-planned trip would be ruined due to my carelessness? I can’t believe my suitcase was stolen because I was excited to go to a seven-story club with an attractive man. Anna sighed involuntarily with a smirk. She felt so stupid.

Her stomach was stuffy so she chugged the beer in one gulp.

“I didn’t know this would happen…”

Anna muttered to herself.

“I can’t hear you well because it’s too noisy.”

Luciano pulled his chair close to Anna’s side to hear what she was saying. He tilted his head towards her.

“It’s ridiculous. I don’t even know when I lost my money… I didn’t think the trip would be a mess from the start. I can’t believe I have to go back as soon as I got here. This is reality, right? I feel so stupid.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. There are times when mistakes happen.”

She still had her passport, but all she had left was one pair of clothes, a sleeping bag, and shower gear. She had heard that pickpockets were everywhere in Madrid, but she didn’t know she would fail right at the start.

“What’s the route you had planned?”

“Haa, what’s the point of saying it now? I can’t even go.”

Anna pouted her lips. It looked strangely cute in Luciano’s eyes, her lips perking out as she acted sullenly. Sitting so close, he noticed that she smelled like flowers. Even in the middle of winter, the sweet smell of flowers overpowered his sense of smell.

His lower body was on edge from the scent of this persimmon flower that attracted bees and butterflies. Luciano tightened his ass and sat upright.

The scent seemed to be coming from her long hair. Her black hair that hung down her shoulder was shining greedily in the light.

“Tell me anyways. Where were you planning on going?”

“First to Seville, then to Segovia and Toledo…”

Remembering her plans, Anna was filled with endless sorrow. She wanted to see the Flamenco dance in Seville, but now she can’t. She’d probably hate Madrid from today on.

“Are you going to Barcelona?”

“How did you know?”

“I thought you’d go to Barcelona. I’m also going after two weeks in Madrid.”

Luciano sipped his beer and stared at her. His blue eyes shone strangely, not showing what he was thinking.

“Did you reserve accommodations and transport?”

“No, I didn’t make any reservations since I wanted to travel freely.”

Making reservations ahead of time could save money, but she didn’t want to. If there was a place she liked, she wanted to relax there for a few days and see how people lived their lives.

“It’s great that you didn’t make any reservations.”

Anna looked at Luciano curiously at his strange words. He was staring at her with the eyes of a beast on the verge of catching its prey.

“What’s good about that?”

“I’ve thought about it, but how about this?”

“What?”

“Travel with me for the rest of the time.”