Portia's P.O.V.:
Before I could even choose whose message to open first, I already got a call from Levi.
"Hey, lady," he greeted me on the phone.
I felt a rush of blood as soon as I heard his voice. I was cold and nervous, but my cheeks were burning. "H-hey. What's up?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"I'm good. Let's meet tomorrow evening. I'm gonna get my keys," he said, like he didn't even remember what happened last night.
I was shocked by his attitude but kept my composure. "Okay, just tell me where. I have to hang up now—I've got an errand." I lied just to end the call.
"Eh? Sure," he said and hung up.
As soon as the call ended, my world started to spin. My thoughts ran wild. I felt a sudden ache in my chest—like I was sinking into sadness. Am I overdoing this? Being dramatic? A tear escaped from my eye. I ran to the washroom to wash my face.
I told myself not to cry. This isn't a big deal. But something about the way he spoke—it made me feel like a stranger again."Hey, Portia. Get a grip. It was just a one-night stand. That's normal nowadays." I tried to calm myself, but it only hurt more."This is just hormonal imbalance," I warned myself again. Then a message came in.
It was from Levi."7 pm at the Bistro again."
Before I could overthink that, I got a call from Erin.
"Hello?" I greeted with the best cheerful voice I could muster, and turned on the video call request.
"Already sleeping?" he asked.
"No, not really," I replied with a small smile, hiding the fact I had just cried.
"Hmm? Can't sleep?" he asked again, concerned.
"No, just drying my hair and having some wine," I said. "You?"
"I'm reading some notes. Can't sleep at all," he chuckled lightly. Erin's voice was so soothing.
"Wow, that's cool of you," I said.
"Hey! Portia, you forgot the photo booth pictures," he added.
"Oh really? Do you have them?"
"Yeah, it's in my book," he said, waving the photos in front of the camera. "Can I keep this one?" he asked, showing me a particular shot.
"But why?" I asked, confused.
"I just find this the most beautiful," he said, his gaze meeting mine even through the screen.
My face flushed. "Ahm… s-sure," I said shyly.
He smiled—and wow, that smile. "I'll keep this with my favorite book," he added.
"You're making me shy," I admitted.
We both laughed, and ended up chatting until we got sleepy.
The Next Morning…
I woke up at 6 a.m. and decided to extend my hotel stay. I needed to stay in the city to meet Levi later at 7 p.m.
I went through my morning routine, took a good shower, and got dressed in a pastel blue dress and white cardigan for a little morning walk.
Then Erin messaged and invited me to breakfast.
As I stepped out of the hotel, there he was—leaning on his Ferrari F60 America like a model from a magazine. He really had good taste.
"Good morning, my lady," Erin said, opening the car door for me.
"Good morning. You look good in that grey polo," I said, smiling at him.
He smiled back, and I could see the respect in his eyes. "You look gorgeous too," he said. "Ready for the ride?"
I nodded. The ride was smooth and peaceful. Erin was the quiet, shy type, but there was something very manly about him—an authority that made him feel like a leader.
"We're here," he said, and unbuckled my seatbelt. Then he opened the door for me."Let's have breakfast, then walk around near the hill," he suggested, and I agreed.
Breakfast was fun and lighthearted. We talked and laughed easily. Afterward, we walked along the hillside, taking lots of photos. Erin had a great eye for photography—there was no doubt I'd have a lot to post later.
"Let's take a picture together, Erin," I said.
"Okay, lean in so we can capture the mountains too," he said, opening the front cam.
I leaned in. His perfume was so clean and warm—I could smell it from where I stood. The picture came out beautifully.
"You look beautiful," he said softly, and I looked down, shy again.
"But you look outstanding," I said, and we both laughed.
We got ice cream and strolled around a charming vintage market. It felt like we'd stepped into another time. We took more pictures there too—everything looked so aesthetic and rustic.
After the market, he offered to take me to the safari zoo.
It was amazing. We came face to face with raccoons, tigers, and all sorts of wild animals. Then we reached the reptile section, where snakes were kept in large aquariums.
As one snake slithered near the glass, I panicked and jumped back. He caught me just in time.
"Scared of snakes?" he asked gently.
"I-I'm sorry," I mumbled, embarrassed. "I'm really scared. When I was five, one almost bit me."
"What happened?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"My mom saved me," I said, the memory rushing back. "She fought the snake and got bitten three times. But she survived. She knew I had faith in her."
"And then?" he prompted softly.
"The venom almost killed her. But she survived—for me," I said, feeling tears threaten again. "She's always been my hero."
"Hey, Portia... it's alright," he said in the gentlest voice, comforting and sincere.
Our eyes met and locked. For a moment, we inched closer, too close.
Then I pulled back.
No… this is wrong. Levi's face suddenly flashed in my mind.
"I-I'm sorry," I said, my chest tight with guilt.
He looked to the side and scratched the back of his neck. "Y-yeah… we got carried away."
"Shall we continue our tour?" he asked, extending his hand.
I hesitated, embarrassed, but took his hand anyway.