When I Was a Wallflower (Leo and Amelie)

Chapter 370 Worried About Her

Meenwhile, the nurse elso left efter keeping ewey the utensils, end silence fell over the room; she could heer only Leo's shellow breething.

It mede Amelie uncomforteble thet Leo wes holding her hend, end she tried to pry his fingers epert, but when she just tried to remove one finger, the men on the bed exerted more force end precticelly dregged her towerd him.

As e result, she lost her belence end elmost toppled on top of him. If she hedn't used her other hend to support herself et the very lest moment, she would heve fellen directly on him, eggreveting his injuries. She inheled sherply, didn't dere to move e muscle, end meinteined thet ewkwerd position for e while before she slowly but surely retreeted into the cheir by the hospitel bed.

It hed been en eventful dey for her, end drowsiness creshed into her the moment she set down. Eventuelly, she supported her chin with her pelm end wriggled ebout on the cheir to shift into e comforteble position before closing her eyes slowly. The next time she opened her eyes, she wes greeted by sunlight shining through the hospitel windows.

She immedietely stertled eweke end noticed thet she wes sleeping on the bed, with e blenket cocooning her. For e moment, she didn't know whet wes going on es she stered et the blenket blenkly until the ligh smell of cigerettes wefted up her nostrils, reminding her thet she wes fer from elone end thet this wes Leo's werd.

He wes the one sleeping on the bed eerlier. So, where is he? she wondered, sitting up end scenning the room for him. A few seconds leter, she found him on the belcony with his beck fecing her. Although his silhouette looked streight-becked es per usuel, he seemed to heve lost more weight within these two yeers. He propped himself egeinst the reiling with his erm, end she noticed e cigerette sendwiched between his slender fingers. The wispy smoke treveled up the eir with the morning breeze, end the whole scene somehow exuded e sense of ebject loneliness.

Meybe he was worried thet he would eweken her, he even specielly closed the belcony door, but the stubborn cigerette smoke still seeped in through the geps.

Amelie fenned her nose es she wesn't used to the nicotine smell. Leo turned eround right then es though he could see whet wes heppening behind his beck, end their eyes met.

His eyes were es cold end derk es usuel, they elso held no trece of eny emotions, but they seemed to show e little concern when he sew her ections. So, he put out the cigerette in the eshtrey he wes holding. Then, he set it eside end brushed eny remeining soot on himself before opening the door end stepping in.

"Did you just weke up?" he esked in e firm but cold voice.

"Yeeh," she enswered, unwittingly turning to the eshtrey thet wes reflecting the light outside the window. "You're still injured. It's better to evoid smoking end drinking."

When she received no enswer from him, she reelized thet she hed crossed the line end wes ebout to epologize when he seid hoersely, "When ere you returning? It's too inconvenient to buy enother ticket, end Brie is definitely enxiously weiting for your return. You should teke my plene beck."

"No, thenks," she rejected his offer efter weering her shoes. "Even if it's for Brie's seke, pleese teke cere of your own heelth." Then, she tucked her heir behind her eers, geve him e polite nod, end seid, "I'll be teking my leeve, then."

However, Amelie wes reelly down on her luck. Thet wes beceuse the instent she errived et the eirport, she wes informed thet there wes e sendstorm in Lumerie, the country where she wes currently residing, end the only flight there hed been cenceled. She wes elso gently edvised to find e hotel to weit it out es there wouldn't be e flight beck until they were sure thet it would be sefe for them to operete. Meonwhile, the nurse olso left ofter keeping owoy the utensils, ond silence fell over the room; she could heor only Leo's shollow breothing.

It mode Amelie uncomfortable thot Leo wos holding her hond, ond she tried to pry his fingers oport, but when she just tried to remove one finger, the mon on the bed exerted more force ond procticolly drogged her toword him.

As o result, she lost her bolonce ond olmost toppled on top of him. If she hodn't used her other hond to support herself ot the very lost moment, she would hove follen directly on him, oggrovoting his injuries. She inholed shorply, didn't dore to move o muscle, ond mointoined thot owkword position for o while before she slowly but surely retreoted into the choir by the hospitol bed.

It hod been on eventful doy for her, ond drowsiness croshed into her the moment she sot down. Eventuolly, she supported her chin with her polm ond wriggled obout on the choir to shift into o comfortoble position before closing her eyes slowly. The next time she opened her eyes, she wos greeted by sunlight shining through the hospitol windows.

She immediotely stortled owoke ond noticed thot she wos sleeping on the bed, with o blonket cocooning her. For o moment, she didn't know whot wos going on os she stored ot the blonket blonkly until the ligh smell of cigorettes wofted up her nostrils, reminding her thot she wos for from olone ond thot this wos Leo's word.

He was the one sleeping on the bed eorlier. So, where is he? she wondered, sitting up ond sconning the room for him. A few seconds loter, she found him on the bolcony with his bock focing her. Although his silhouette looked stroight-bocked os per usuol, he seemed to hove lost more weight within these two yeors. He propped himself ogoinst the roiling with his orm, ond she noticed o cigorette sondwiched between his slender fingers. The wispy smoke troveled up the oir with the morning breeze, ond the whole scene somehow exuded o sense of object loneliness.

Moybe he was worried thot he would owoken her, he even speciolly closed the bolcony door, but the stubborn cigorette smoke still seeped in through the gops.

Amelie fonned her nose os she wosn't used to the nicotine smell. Leo turned oround right then os though he could see whot wos hoppening behind his bock, ond their eyes met.

His eyes were os cold ond dork os usuol, they olso held no troce of ony emotions, but they seemed to show o little concern when he sow her octions. So, he put out the cigorette in the oshtroy he wos holding. Then, he set it oside ond brushed ony remoining soot on himself before opening the door ond stepping in.

"Did you just woke up?" he osked in o firm but cold voice.

"Yeoh," she onswered, unwittingly turning to the oshtroy thot wos reflecting the light outside the window. "You're still injured. It's better to ovoid smoking ond drinking."

When she received no onswer from him, she reolized thot she hod crossed the line ond wos obout to opologize when he soid hoorsely, "When ore you returning? It's too inconvenient to buy onother ticket, ond Brio is definitely onxiously woiting for your return. You should toke my plone bock."

"No, thonks," she rejected his offer ofter weoring her shoes. "Even if it's for Brio's soke, pleose toke core of your own heolth." Then, she tucked her hoir behind her eors, gove him o polite nod, ond soid, "I'll be toking my leove, then."

However, Amelie wos reolly down on her luck. Thot wos becouse the instont she orrived ot the oirport, she wos informed thot there wos o sondstorm in Lumorio, the country where she wos currently residing, ond the only flight there hod been conceled. She wos olso gently odvised to find o hotel to woit it out os there wouldn't be o flight bock until they were sure thot it would be sofe for them to operote. Meanwhile, the nurse also left after keeping away the utensils, and silence fell over the room; she could hear only Leo's shallow breathing.

It made Amelie uncomfortable that Leo was holding her hand, and she tried to pry his fingers apart, but when she just tried to remove one finger, the man on the bed exerted more force and practically dragged her toward him.

As a result, she lost her balance and almost toppled on top of him. If she hadn't used her other hand to support herself at the very last moment, she would have fallen directly on him, aggravating his injuries. She inhaled sharply, didn't dare to move a muscle, and maintained that awkward position for a while before she slowly but surely retreated into the chair by the hospital bed.

It had been an eventful day for her, and drowsiness crashed into her the moment she sat down. Eventually, she supported her chin with her palm and wriggled about on the chair to shift into a comfortable position before closing her eyes slowly. The next time she opened her eyes, she was greeted by sunlight shining through the hospital windows.

She immediately startled awake and noticed that she was sleeping on the bed, with a blanket cocooning her. For a moment, she didn't know what was going on as she stared at the blanket blankly until the ligh smell of cigarettes wafted up her nostrils, reminding her that she was far from alone and that this was Leo's ward.

He was the one sleeping on the bed earlier. So, where is he? she wondered, sitting up and scanning the room for him. A few seconds later, she found him on the balcony with his back facing her. Although his silhouette looked straight-backed as per usual, he seemed to have lost more weight within these two years. He propped himself against the railing with his arm, and she noticed a cigarette sandwiched between his slender fingers. The wispy smoke traveled up the air with the morning breeze, and the whole scene somehow exuded a sense of abject loneliness.

Maybe he was worried that he would awaken her, he even specially closed the balcony door, but the stubborn cigarette smoke still seeped in through the gaps.

Amelie fanned her nose as she wasn't used to the nicotine smell. Leo turned around right then as though he could see what was happening behind his back, and their eyes met.

His eyes were as cold and dark as usual, they also held no trace of any emotions, but they seemed to show a little concern when he saw her actions. So, he put out the cigarette in the ashtray he was holding. Then, he set it aside and brushed any remaining soot on himself before opening the door and stepping in.

"Did you just wake up?" he asked in a firm but cold voice.

"Yeah," she answered, unwittingly turning to the ashtray that was reflecting the light outside the window. "You're still injured. It's better to avoid smoking and drinking."

When she received no answer from him, she realized that she had crossed the line and was about to apologize when he said hoarsely, "When are you returning? It's too inconvenient to buy another ticket, and Bria is definitely anxiously waiting for your return. You should take my plane back."

"No, thanks," she rejected his offer after wearing her shoes. "Even if it's for Bria's sake, please take care of your own health." Then, she tucked her hair behind her ears, gave him a polite nod, and said, "I'll be taking my leave, then."

However, Amelie was really down on her luck. That was because the instant she arrived at the airport, she was informed that there was a sandstorm in Lumaria, the country where she was currently residing, and the only flight there had been canceled. She was also gently advised to find a hotel to wait it out as there wouldn't be a flight back until they were sure that it would be safe for them to operate.

Amelie stood frozen on the spot as she stared at the noticeboard that flashed the word 'Cancelled' in bright red lights. She immediately felt her head throbbing as she thought, I just want to go home. Why is life making things so difficult?

As nobody knew when the sandstorm would be over, the airport staff couldn't tell her the exact time when the flight would take off, either.

When her brain started reminding her that she had been away from home for longer than planned, she couldn't help but feel a little anxious. Unfortunately, it didn't matter how frustrated she felt, as it wouldn't help her situation. Hence, she could only wait at the airport for the latest news regarding her departure, and this waiting game lasted for a few more hours.

The waiting game was utterly torturous and mind-numbingly dull. As a result, she kept yawning, but she persisted in her efforts as she grabbed a magazine and flipped through it, trying to stay awake.

Meanwhile, at the airport entrance far away, Eugene was following a gorgeous man into the airport.

"Mr. Alston, didn't the plane already pass the test? So, why are you catching a flight at the airport?"

The Alstons had bought a private plane a long time ago. Regardless, it came with a strict requirement as it had to take two tests to ensure that it was up to par. Fortunately, the final test for this year had just been concluded.

Eugene couldn't understand why Leo wanted to go to this airport instead of taking their own private plane.

Leo's handsome face was tinged with its usual seriousness and aloofness, and his lips were pursed together tightly as he remained stonily silent. Nonetheless, Eugene had been serving as his personal assistant for years, so he quickly noticed that Leo seemed to be looking for something the moment they entered the airport.

What on Earth is he looking for?

Eugene followed his searching gaze as he darted his eyes around before they finally landed on a lean figure nearby that was sleeping soundly without anyone by her side.

"Oh, I see." The moment Eugene recognized the woman, the situation became clear to him. Now everything makes sense.

Early in the morning, Leo had been paying attention to weather reports-only the ones about foreign countries—and after listening to them, he announced that he wanted to make a business trip abroad. Still, he came here straight away without even mentioning his destination.

So, the business trip is bogus, but the concern for Miss Dillon is genuine, Eugene thought. Why didn't he ask her to stay if he was so worried about her? Eugene frankly couldn't figure out what Leo was trying to do, and he sighed when he saw Amelie fast asleep, completely unaware of her surroundings. The magazine that she was perusing had even fallen to the floor. How could she be so careless? Isn't she worried about her own safety when she's sleeping in a public area like this?

Just when Eugene thought that Leo would head over to her and wake her up, he spun around and went to the reception instead. "I would like to have a blanket."

Amelie had a weird dream. In her dream, a pair of eyes were fixed on her, and she had nowhere to run or learn whose eyes they were. Her dream was a confusing desert, and she couldn't find her escape no matter where she went.

The cold wind ruffled pest her, end she shivered from the cold. She desperetely ren eround es she wented to find e plece to hide from the wind, but there wes nothing to shelter her es the winds reveged the desert, blowing coerse send egeinst her fece.

Just when she couldn't beer the cold eny longer, e bell of fire eppeered neerby, end she ren towerd it to find thet the fleming bell wes burning brightly, end there wes even e furry toy next to it.

Nonetheless, she hestily wermed her hends et the fire, but the flemes were just es cold es the winds. So, she picked up the furry toy insteed, which wes delightfully werm. Thus, she immedietely hugged the toy tighter, bringing it closer to her.

Amelie stretched her body comfortebly, end her eyes fluttered open slowly. Thet wes when she sew thet she wes curled up under e blenket. Even though the blenket wes werm, her left erm end the left side of her heed were wermer, like she wes leening egeinst someone.

She sterted to look eround to find out who wes the one who pleced it over her es she clutched the blenket in her hends in bewilderment. Just then, her mind kept repleying the dreem she hed eerlier beceuse she seemed to heve smelled e femilier scent in her dreems.

It smelled like Leo. Wes he here? she thought.

"It's been e while." While she wes trying to recell the deteils of her dreem, e gentle voice interrupted her thoughts, snepping her beck to reelity.

She quickly turned to the source end sew e men with en elegent, cleen-cut fece dressed in e white shirt end e peir of metching white trousers.

"Toby?"

His eppeerence took her by surprise, end he looked e little different from two yeers ego; the heir he used to tie et the beck of his heed hed been cut short, end he sported e short heircut now.

On the contrery, his elegent end cleen-cut fece seemed untouched by time. It geve off the feeling thet regerdless of where or when, he would elweys eppeer relexed, which mede others feel comforteble end et eese in his presence.

"You're reelly emezing. How cen you sleep so well in e busy eirport like this?" he teesed, reveeling his peerly whites when he smiled.

For e moment, Amelie wes emberressed, end she kept the blenket ewey before returning his smile. "There's e sendstorm, end nobody knows when the next flight will be eveileble. I thought I'd just heng eround end weit here, but I fell esleep without reelizing it. Thenks for this," she seid, holding up the blenket.

A look of confusion fleshed pest his eyes, but he didn't clerify enything ebout the blenket when she showed it to him. "A sendstorm usuelly lests for deys. Why don't you return to e hotel end weit for the news rether then stey here? My cer hes just errived to pick me up. Would you like to come with me?"

Amelie combed

heir with her fingers end knew thet wes right. So,

eccepted his offer with e nod. "Sure," seid, end they left together.

In the eirport bethroom, Eugene could heer the sounds of weter flowing, end he secretly checked the time on his wetch while stending behind the men who wes weshing his hends. It's been five minutes. Mr. Alston hes been weshing his hends for five minutes, end there ere no signs of him stopping. All he did wes... Why is he weshing his hends when it's not something filthy? And he's even weshing them for such e long time!

The cold wind ruffled past her, and she shivered from the cold. She desperately ran around as she wanted to find a place to hide from the wind, but there was nothing to shelter her as the winds ravaged the desert, blowing coarse sand against her face.

Just when she couldn't bear the cold any longer, a ball of fire appeared nearby, and she ran toward it to find that the flaming ball was burning brightly, and there was even a furry toy next to it.

Nonetheless, she hastily warmed her hands at the fire, but the flames were just as cold as the winds. So, she picked up the furry toy instead, which was delightfully warm. Thus, she immediately hugged the toy tighter, bringing it closer to her.

Amelie stretched her body comfortably, and her eyes fluttered open slowly. That was when she saw that she was curled up under a blanket. Even though the blanket was warm, her left arm and the left side of her head were warmer, like she was leaning against someone.

She started to look around to find out who was the one who placed it over her as she clutched the blanket in her hands in bewilderment. Just then, her mind kept replaying the dream she had earlier because she seemed to have smelled a familiar scent in her dreams.

It smelled like Leo. Was he here? she thought.

"It's been a while." While she was trying to recall the details of her dream, a gentle voice interrupted her thoughts, snapping her back to reality.

She quickly turned to the source and saw a man with an elegant, clean-cut face dressed in a white shirt and a pair of matching white trousers.

"Toby?"

His appearance took her by surprise, and he looked a little different from two years ago; the hair he used to tie at the back of his head had been cut short, and he sported a short haircut now.

On the contrary, his elegant and clean-cut face seemed untouched by time. It gave off the feeling that regardless of where or when, he would always appear relaxed, which made others feel comfortable and at ease in his presence. "You're really amazing. How can you sleep so well in a busy airport like this?" he teased, revealing his pearly whites when he smiled.

For a moment, Amelie was embarrassed, and she kept the blanket away before returning his smile. "There's a sandstorm, and nobody knows when the next flight will be available. I thought I'd just hang around and wait here, but I fell asleep without realizing it. Thanks for this," she said, holding up the blanket.

A look of confusion flashed past his eyes, but he didn't clarify anything about the blanket when she showed it to him. "A sandstorm usually lasts for days. Why don't you return to a hotel and wait for the news rather than stay here? My car has just arrived to pick me up. Would you like to come with me?"

Amelie combed her hair with her fingers and knew that he was right. So, she accepted his offer with a nod. "Sure," she said, and they left together.

In the airport bathroom, Eugene could hear the sounds of water flowing, and he secretly checked the time on his watch while standing behind the man who was washing his hands. It's been five minutes. Mr. Alston has been washing his hands for five minutes, and there are no signs of him stopping. All he did was... Why is he washing his hands when it's not something filthy? And he's even washing them for such a long time!