Chapter 264
I never knew I could laugh like that—giggling like a little girl, as if I were a kid again. Even in my twenties, I was spinning and twirling. But after all that, I got so dizzy I could barely stand, ending up leaning against Hayden’s chest. That’s when it hit me—this had to be one of his little tricks.
“When you were little, you loved being spun around like this,” Hayden whispered in my ear. I’d met Hayden when I was so young my memories were fuzzy at best. Curious, I asked, “What else did I like when I was little?”
“You liked being lifted high in the air and riding on my shoulders, pretending I was a horse,” he said. My cheeks burned red. I tried to act skeptical. “I don’t remember any of that. You could be making it all up, you know.”
He smiled and continued, “You loved playing in the water, too. You’d jump around, splashing everywhere, soaking yourself from head to toe.”
“Anything else?” I asked, becoming more interested. If people were like computers, this would be a serious glitch—not being able to remember anything from before the age of five. Those early years are supposed to be the purest, most beautiful time. Maybe if everyone could remember their childhood, it would heal a lot of the hurts they experience as adults.
“There’s more,” he continued. “You loved listening to stories, especially fairy tales. But I didn’t know how to tell them back then, so you used to call me stupid.” I laughed, and he kept going. “After that, I read tons of fairy tales, just for you. But I never got to see you again, so I never got the chance to tell you any of them.”
“Why didn’t we see each other again?” I asked, suddenly eager to know more about those lost childhood days.
“Because Yuna was born, and her health wasn’t great. So my mom took us to live with my grandma so she could help care for Yuna while my mom worked,” Hayden said, his voice softening as those memories washed over him.
I hugged him tighter, trying to lighten the mood. “So what else did I do as a kid? From what you’re saying, it sounds like I was a total troublemaker.”
“You were a little rascal,” Hayden said softly, brushing his chin against my head. “Always up to something, but too adorable to stay mad at.”
I laughed. “Hayden, be honest—did you have a crush on me even back then?”
“Yeah,” he said, without hesitation. I gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. “Seriously? I was just a little kid! Didn’t you feel…weird?”
He explained, “It wasn’t like that. It was just innocent, you know? Like pure, simple affection. Don’t read too much into it.”
After a pause, he added, “But I’ve gotta say, no one’s ever been as adorable as you—not even Yuna.” My heart did a strange flip-flop. This was such a rare kind of love, something totally unique.
“So, when you saw me and recognized me, you decided you wanted to marry me?” I teased. Hayden was quiet for a couple of seconds. “That’s part of it.”
“Part of it? What’s the other part?” I could tell he was teasing me, trying to make me follow his lead.
“Because…” he trailed off, leaving me hanging. I pulled back a little to look up at him, which, thanks to our height difference, meant I was staring right at his jawline. And wow, it was surprisingly sexy.
This was dangerous. I’d already found his Adam’s apple attractive, his face gorgeous, and now even his jawline was captivating. It’s true what they say: when you’re in love, even the most mundane things about that person seem beautiful.
Lost in my thoughts, I playfully pinched his side. “Because of what?”
He looked down, his eyes meeting mine. “Because you have to take responsibility for me.” I blinked, a little confused. “What?”
“You stole my first kiss,” Hayden said, his words making my cheeks flush pink. “No way! You’re making that up just because I don’t remember!” I shot back.
He glanced up at the sky, a teasing smile on his lips. “After you kissed me, I told you that girls shouldn’t just go around kissing boys.” I could see the amusement in his eyes, like he was reminiscing about how clueless I’d been back then. I reached up and tugged at his lips. “Hey, no laughing!”