Chapter 73: The three times
Ryle chuckled and held her closer, ’’That’s a dragon dance,’’ he pointed his finger in the direction a person was leading a dragon made from bamboo, paper lanterns, and silk using a pearl-like object. From a distance, it created an illusion as if a dragon was dancing.
’’Dagun...’’ Angel tilted her head to the side, looking at Ryle with her wide sparkling eyes.
’’Dragon,’’ Daisy added.
The little girl looked at her mother, smiled, ’’Mommy, dagon... dagun...’’
Ryle stifled his laughter, ’’It seems like she is saying that you are wrong.’’
Daisy’s lips twitched, ’’And what about that is so funny to you?"
’’That there is someone who keeps Miss Chen in check, is very funny to me.’’
Daisy raised her hand and moved her hair to the front of her shoulder as she walked past Ryle. As the faint fragrance of her body lingered around him, Ryle’s smile died a little and his eyes darkened. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt before he inhaled a deep breath and continued following Daisy.
As he lead her to the events inside the fair, Daisy could not help but ask, "You seem familiar with the way around here. Have you been to Spring Festival before?"
"Yes.’’
Daisy was surprised.
She was about to question him more about it but when she looked at him, there was a faraway look on his face as he looked at the sky.
Somehow, hey had wandered off far away from the crowd and were walking along a dark street. When she turned around, all the crowd and lights were still there however it seemed distance. There was a strange comfortable silence in the air and even Angel seemed to be so in awe of every new thing that she observed it all with her big wandering eyes quietly.
’’I came here with my mother when I was young.’’
Daisy’s eyes widened. She was not expecting the man to pursue the topic. From the look on his face, she thought he did not want to speak further about it.
"How many times?" she questioned.
’’Thrice, maybe. But the first time, I was too young to remember anything. The second time, my little sister was also there with us,’’ Ryle seemed to be talking about a distant memory, ’’She was perhaps younger than Angel back at that time and I scared her with all the rides I had to try. She was scared by dragons but I found the dragon dance fun so I made her watch it and she would cry harder. Mom was helpless.’’
Daisy watched how guilt flashed on his face. She did not realize when a small smile crept on her face, "Diana and I used to bicker about a lot of things. She would be tolerant towards every other person and I would always want her to take extreme measures and cut people off the moment somebody hurt her. She has always been the bigger person but I never wanted her to be hurt. And there were times where I would be so pissed off that I would block her.’’
Ryle looked at Daisy as she spoke. Out of all the outfits he had arranged for her, she had chosen a simple black dress that had thin crochet sleeves and beautiful sweetheart neckline. Tresses of her long hair fell from the center of her neckline, hugging her curves and flowing slowly in the gentle breeze.
As she spoke, she had a small smile on her face that he never remembered seeing on her face.
He had always found her beautiful but as he saw the way that slightest smile of hers lit up her whole face, he realized how much more she was. She was breathtaking. A sight to behold.
Like an art. An art that held him captive in that moment.
He could not look away. He could take his eyes off her. He was awestruck and mesmerized.
Her gentle voice sounded like that of an airy whisper, soothing his ears and tickling his heart again at the realization that this was probably the first time she had spoken so much with him.
Daisy stopped talking when she did not get a response from the man. When she looked at him, she found him looking at her in a daze.
’’Ryle?"
Ryle looked away, clearing his throat, "When you say your sister is the bigger person and you are the person doesn’t want to see her getting hurt, are you suggesting that you are the bad apple in the picture?"
Daisy fell into contemplation for a moment, ’’I might be,’’ Diana was ever so patient, and forgiving, kind but all their fall outs had been about the fact that Diana let herself be bullied by people when Daisy wanted her to take a stand for herself.
Maybe Diana was too kind or maybe she was too cruel.
Ryle shook his head with a small laugh, ’’You are the kinder one, Daisy. The more delicate one. She forgives because she might have the strength to endure another hurt. You do not because you might have been hurt for so many times that the thought of another time scares you, throws you off and heightens your guards.’’
Daisy looked at the man, stunned. Why was it that he always told her something contradictory from what she knew about herself? Something that nobody told her before. Things like she was expressive. And still, it did not feel that far-fetched.
As the silence between them stretched longer and the only sounds that could be heard were that of Angel mumbling gibberish while observing the fair, Daisy cleared her throat and looked away, ’’What I am saying is that it’s very common between siblings. Although your sister was young, I can assure you that she doesn’t hold a grudge against you over your shenanigans.’’
"I can never know,’’ there was a distinct sadness in Ryle’s tone.
Daisy paused briefly. Did she tread on a wrong topic? Were they not on talking terms?
Flustered, she attempted to change the topic, ’’You said you have been to the Spring Festival three times. What about the third time?"
