"Are you okay with coffee?"
When Harmony opened the door, Shawn raised two paper bags.
"This is chocolate mousse," he then said towards the other.
"Come on in," Harmony gestured.
She prepared the table while he helped with putting the cake on the plates.
"So, where should we begin?" she asked after they were settled.
"By eating and drinking these and enjoying them," he replied, gesturing at what was in front of them.
"…"
Harmony suddenly felt lost.
"You are speaking as if we are facing each other because of a business deal," Shawn added.
Harmony thought for a bit before pursing her lips and picking up the fork to eat.
"Let's enjoy then," she replied.
Shawn smiled before he too started eating.
He came here to understand her better and be a friend to her, not to interrogate her for what she was keeping quiet about.
"This is delicious," Harmony complimented.
She rarely goes out to buy cake or drink coffee; she just returns home and makes some instant one when she wants to drink. As for cakes, she just couldn't be bothered.
At the same time, she only eats cakes whenever she needs to face other people and transact with them or flatter one another.
But somehow, today, she is enjoying this particular cake.
"Then… shall we chat?" she finally said after they enjoyed the cake and drank half of their coffee.
Shawn chuckled upon hearing the change in her words.
"Yes, let's chat."
"First, I'll reintroduce myself. My real name is Wynter Morgrave. I am studying here as part of my understanding of the outside world. Having been home-schooled since elementary school until middle school. They decided I should step out without revealing who I am and understand how the world works."
"And they did not want you to let anyone notice you in anyway?" he asked.
She nodded her head, "The reason I am always in the middle is because they did not want me to receive any attention, whether positive or negative."
Shawn then remembered the bullying.
"Then Patricia's family…"
"I talked to her and warned her to stop. Though my family still heard of it and caused them losses."
Shawn could see that she did not have the intention of such a backlash towards Patricia's family.
He tried thinking back to the time after Patricia left school and the time Wynter had returned home and came back. And if he were to include what she had just said.
"Were you perhaps hit back then?"
It was the time after Justin's competition against Wynter. Harmony looked down and pale, the makeup was even more obvious back then.
Wynter sipped from her coffee, "Anyway, what else do you want to know?"
He inwardly sighed, her answer meant she did not want to talk about that.
He could only stop asking about it.
"How about the others then? Will you be telling them who you are?"
Harmony thought for a bit, "I did think about it. I can't guarantee that everything will last, but maybe it is just right that I could be honest with this towards them as well. Especially with how genuine those two girls are."
"How do you want to do it? I can help you," he then said.
"I am thinking of going back to City S, since most of them are there. If Gabriel joins, that would be great. If not, then we can just have a video call with him together with Beatrice. That is, if you want to join me on this plan."
"I don't find anything wrong with that. I'll join you, I'll ask Gab tomorrow, then we can buy the tickets."
Harmony nodded, "And also, I think the fastest way to tell them is… I'll ask for a favor from you. Something I had been thinking about before."
Shawn furrowed his brows.
…
As they had planned, they left for City S before the sun rose on Saturday.
"Seriously, what is it that you guys are trying to do?" Gabriel asked.
Shawn invited him to visit their friends in City S out of the blue, but when he asked why the sudden urge to do so, Shawn replied that he would find out once they are all together.
"Something about me," Harmony replied, still using her usual tone.
Gabriel furrowed his brows, "Are you going to tell us who you really are?"
Shawn blinked while Harmony looked at him for a good few moments.
"I suppose I got it right. Very well, I will wait. But can I ask a question?" he said.
"What is it?"
"What's with the sudden change? You were fine interacting with us as Harmony Thomas, why did you wish to tell us now?"
Harmony looked at Shawn, who was sitting beside Gabriel.
"Because I was worthy," she said before looking back at him.
Gabriel glanced at Shawn before chuckling.
Shawn blinked, "Woah, did you just chuckle?"
Gabriel turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm just asking since I barely see you smiling, and now you are chuckling."
Gabriel rolled his eyes.
"But I see that your persistence has paid off," he then said to Shawn.
"More like, her patience is what allowed it to pay off," he gestured towards Harmony.
With everything that he did and everything that she was carrying, it is indeed her patience that allowed his persistence to pay off.
"You can take the credit. You showed me that I can bet on the friendship that you are offering."
Shawn slowly turned to Gabriel and grabbed his arm.
"I did it," he sniffed.
Harmony was agape, 'What the…'
Gabriel pinched the space between his brows.
'This guy really…'