The CEO's Painted Skin 197 See You Again!

There was a sign at the door of the store, it says the store hours are open from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM. The burger store will be closing anytime from now.

John waited until he was the only customer left inside the store. The crew of the store sauntered towards the door and changed the welcome sign to close.

The crew walk to John's side and ask for his order. "Sir, we will be closing anytime soon, can I have your order please?" said the lady crew.

John looked at the menu order, pointed his fingers at the Ultimate Bacon Cheese Burger without saying a word, he meant four orders.

The crew got his order and began preparing it.

John went to the cash register and paid his order. He was now closer to Catherine...

"Thank you for patronizing our store, Sir here's your change, please come again!" she murmured and placed the change in John's palm.

John didn't hesitate to caress her fingers the moment it touches his hand. They both feel the instant jolt of electricity the moment their fingers' were touching, she withdrew her hand right away, startled by the effect of his fingers on her hand.

He didn't dare raised his face into hers...

John went back to his table and waited for his order as if nothing happens.

Catherine was now staring at the man wearing a baseball cap. It's the first time she saw this customer...there is something familiar about him...but she can't describe what is it! But she can definitely say that it's the first time she saw him in the burger shop. She always lends her time to the burger store crew during busy hours such as today.

When the orders were delivered to John's table, he immediately took his time eating his burger, to the annoyance of Catherine and the crew, they were expecting him to take his burger out, they were not expecting he will eat inside the store since it's already closing time but they are not rude to send the customer away. The crew starts cleaning the cooking area of the store...

After the crew finished her cleaning Catherine sends her away.

"It's okay, Emily, I will be the one to wait for him until he finishes eating. You can go now since you still have to travel 30 minutes before you can reach your home."

"Thank you so much for being understanding, Ma'am Cath!" said the smiling crew, she immediately removed her apron and went to the back of the store to get her bag. In just five minutes the crew was already out of the store in a hurry.

Catherine was staring at the man in a cap, she was annoyed a bit watching him chewing his foods too slowly as if deliberately taking his time to eat the burger. He was directly in front of the cash register.

Catherine took a chair and sit near the counter top, she was tapping her fingers on the counter top while propping her head on her hand looking at the man while he was eating.

"OMG! He eats too slowly!" muttered Catherine to herself.

John can feel her gaze well directed at him. He would love very much to meet her eyes but he prevented himself. He was making sure he was eating slowly...so that he can spend more precious time with her alone.

Thirty minutes passed.

John was now eating the french fries, he spends more or less thirty minutes munching on the burger alone, he will spend another thirty minutes munching on the french fries this time, his mouth twitching into a smile, amused with himself.

Sooner or later he has to go out...he can no longer prolong his eating. He already had the take out foods for his bodyguards.

Catherine was smiling when the last fries was already eaten and the last drop of cola was already consumed, it means the slow-moving turtle customer was already done eating!

Wheww! Finally!

John stood up heading for the door to finally leaved the store's premises.

Catherine was walking behind him, she will ask the guard to help her lower down the roll-up door.

John halted abruptly on his tracks...bringing Catherine forward bumping into his broad back!

"Ouch!" she yelped in surprise.

John freezes...

"Sorry, Sir, my fault...I didn't notice you stopped walking all of a sudden...," explained Catherine. The man just nods at her...barely looking at her face and continues walking outside the store's premises.

Outside a few meters away, John saw the roll up being pulled down by the security guard.

A smile of satisfaction curled up in his lips.

He found her at last!

He approached his vehicle which was parked a few meters away from the stores, he slid into the front seat beside Ramon and handed the take-out burger to his bodyguards.

"Enjoy eating boys!" he said smiling.

"Thank you Sir!" they answered in unison.

John was in deep silence lost in his own thoughts the whole time they journeyed back to the Infinity Jade Tower.

That night in his bedroom...

He tossed and turned in his bed unable to sleep right away. His mind was preoccupied with what happened earlier after he saw her again for the first time after more than six months of separation. It's a bitter sweet reunion for John. She was not able to identify him, sad, but he knew her of course!
He needs to wait for another six months again before the deep longing of his heart can finally be mended! He'd just have to wait patiently for the right time that he can talk to her freely again. It will be worth the wait for sure!

Chapter end