With the best seats in the cinema as their backdrop, alone with Eva and their ongoing conversation, Christian, sensing the mood, decided to throw a comment in response to what she had said.
"Hmm, maybe not of stone, but after this conversation, I could still deduce that it might actually be some kind of diamond!"
"So, you mean it's even harder than stone?"
'Am I really that bad at jokes?'
Seeing how Eva was looking at him seriously this time, he actually felt a little troubled. Fidgeting with the hand still on her back, as he attempted to move it.
And Eva, with that serious expression, finally had the corner of her mouth twitch, as she leaned her head on his chest and started laughing.
"Hahaha, okay, I knew it was a joke from your expression."
"But I think maybe you should learn a bit more about how to joke anyway."
Christian, unsure of what to feel about the scene, thought that maybe she should question her own sense of humor first, remembering what she had said at the start of their conversation. In the end, he closed his eyes, ignoring Eva still hugging him, and focused more on the two choices.
He suddenly remembered that main characters in stories often choose a third option, one that's different from the typical choices given.
But if he wanted to go with a third option, what would it be? He felt that, in his situation, there were no shortcuts after all.
Or, rather, after hearing everything Eva said, he was prepared to go along with whatever she requested.
There was no longer any reason to avoid looking into things related to her. He would simply do what he had planned to do yesterday, look into her information on his own, if she didn't clarify things on her own, and now, with her permission, he wouldn't feel guilty during the process. More importantly, he knew that with his current abilities, things would be different this time, unlike during the school hacking incident.
Most importantly, with no brakes holding him back anymore, he planned to follow his feelings with everything starting now.
Calling to her and looking at her face closely, Christian finally gave his answer.
"I don't mind going with the first choice you gave."
"And even though I don't have many means, I'll try to look into everything related to you."
"But in exchange, later, I still want to hear things from your side, from your point of view."
"As no matter what I discover, it still wouldn't include your feelings, which should be the most important."
"You're alright with this, right?"
Christian didn't mind conceding in the end, but on this one matter, he didn't feel like budging at all. Eva, hearing his answer, had already stopped laughing and returned to her usual smile, and in a level tone, she replied.
"I'm fine with that too."
How much time would it take for him to know everything about her, or how much time did she still have before she would have to reveal everything from her mouth?
Eva didn't know, but since their first meeting, she had already been prepared for that moment. Anyway, she was even more expectant about how the situation would unfold from here on.
"Then, it's all settled."
Having said that with a cheerful smile, Christian placed one hand at the back of her head, brushing her hair gently, before pulling her closer and stealing another kiss.
He wasn't satisfied with just one kiss, after all.
Christian was walking with Eva around the park, a cup of iced coffee in his hand. Even though it was already night, after coming out of the cinema, he still wanted to spend more time with her.
He wanted to enjoy some normal time with her after their earlier conversation, rather than heading straight home to start looking up information about her.
This kind of thing wouldn't run away, after all, and after their conversation, he just felt like he wanted to stay with her a little longer. He'd already waited so long, and patience was something he'd become used to. So he felt like he should do things the right way, or at least, the way he thought was right, as someone else might see it differently.
Christian, having agreed to Eva's choice, now, felt more relaxed than ever during their outing. He had always been cautious about his behavior and words around her, almost unconsciously, but now? He felt like he could say anything he wanted.
Now that things become clear between them, he felt happy.
Even if it seemed like nothing had changed, now at least the things between them become clear, and he couldn't be any happier.
Maybe it was due to his current mood, but he suddenly remembered something and decided to say it right away.
"You know?" He paused, ensuring he had Eva's full attention before he finally continued.
"About the misunderstanding in the cinema, where you said with absolute confidence that it was something very blatant, that you weren't Olivia's older sister?"
"At least it's not from my side, as when I said that I misunderstood, it was actually the truth. It's just that later I found out you're her mother."
Christian, who was looking at Eva's side profile, noticed how her cheeks had actually turned a little red when she heard him, as she must have realized that she was really getting ahead of herself at that time. He felt a pleasant sense of satisfaction and wanted to continue.
"Earlier, I didn't want to interrupt or argue with you, but now I feel like I should kindly let you know, especially remembering how confident you were."
"To avoid going through the same situation again in the future, nothing more."
While Christian finished what he wanted to say, Eva, standing beside him, was caught in a complex mix of feelings. Hearing that he had genuinely misunderstood, unlike what she had assumed, actually made her pretty happy. However, the misunderstanding still felt embarrassing, and she couldn't help but shoot him a begrudging gaze, which only made him chuckle.
Time passed quickly, and now, walking down the main street with not many people around since it was already late, Christian glanced at Eva's car not too far away. Holding her hand, he knew it was time for her to head back.
He felt a little dreadful thinking about all the things related to her living situation, and where he was sending her, more than ever now that she had told him to look into things about her, herself.
But he didn't have a choice for now, as all he could do was have faith, hoping there wouldn't be any problems on her side in the short term.
She realized that she had been a little too excited earlier, even more than she had initially thought, and had already calmed down. Recalling everything that had happened, she couldn't help but have some thoughts.
'Now thinking back, even trying to agitate you at the start of the conversation in the cinema, had it been anyone else, I wouldn't have done it, as I would have feared the repercussions.'
'Actually, even going to a private place like the cinema, all alone with just the two of us.'
'Thinking further, if I hadn't unconsciously trusted you and felt safe, would I have really done it?'
'So, I could have really opened up to you more than you think, more than I think.'
'And all this should also be related somehow to my feelings.'
'But when I would say this to you, I don't know.'
'I just hope that you will be able to understand my feelings, then.'
'The leap of faith I took when I started things with you is clearly no longer applicable after all.'
'Because even if you pulled back now, I don't think I would be able to make this kind of decision with anyone else again.'
'And I also hope to be able to talk more freely with you, without all these puzzles.'
'But while you have feelings for me, you still don't trust me enough, do you?'
Eva felt a little sad about the situation she was in now, but knowing that she was at least better off than others who didn't even have the luxury of making the choice she was now making, she reminded herself that she had to be content.
Finally, standing next to Eva's car with the maid also not far away, as the time to part ways drew nearer, Christian couldn't help but reflect on what had just happened inside the cinema. He found himself thinking about the consequences of the choice he made and the meaning behind these two things in the first place.
Raising Eva's still-held hand, Christian looked into her eyes, which were gazing back at his, and felt a swirl of complicated emotions inside.
In the end, he had made a decision back there, and now, he would make another one.