Chapter 307 - Can I Kiss You?

"Hanxi, I've fallen in love with you. Please, please tell me you love me too," Isabella said to him. 

Hanxi could not believe his ears. He thought he heard her wrong, but she repeated her words, "I love you Hanxi. With all my heart. Please say something. Please."

"Wha - What about Ricardo? Don't you - don't you love him? I thought - "

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's not real. It's not," she said while still holding him tight. "I was so hurt that you did not answer me when asked your feelings towards me. So, at first, I just wanted to see how you would react if I found someone else to like."

She began to narrate how Ricardo had influenced her with the idea of making him jealous and as she spoke; Hanxi felt a needle was pulled out of his heart. He could not explain how relieved he was to find out the truth. She was not really in love with Ricardo. Their relationship was not real. 

When she finished her story, she buried her face against his back and asked, "I know it was childish of me, but I badly wanted to know how you saw me and I I honestly thought, making you jealous was a way for you to realize what you felt about me."

Hanxi turned and wiped the tears from her cheeks with the use of his thumbs. Still, he did not answer, but he hugged her so tight that it made her howl in tears. 

Minutes passed, and Isabella was getting impatient. His action says he loved her but there were no words that came out of his mouth.

She struggled to get loose from his hold and looked him in the eye saying, "Hanxi, I'm going crazy. I can't read your mind. Tell me. Once and for all. What does this all mean? How you treat me so nicely? Why did you kiss me? Why are you holding me like this? Why are you looking at me this way?"

She saw his mouth open, but he quickly closed them and she witnessed him gulp. 

Seeing her become flustered, Hanxi gasped heavily and finally said, "I'm not good with words -"

"But, I'm not good at guessing either!" Isabella protested while lightly hitting his chest with both her fists. 

He chuckled and held her hands, pulling her closer to him. He hugged her again before saying, "And to think you are older than me. Coming up with this idea of making me jealous. You have no idea how much you have hurt me."

"I - I hurt you?" Isabella paused for a moment before asking again, "So - So you love me too?" It took every strength in her to make this assumption and say it out loud, but she had to make it clear. 

Isabella waited for him to say more. She let go from his embrace once more and simply studied him.

She observed as he caressed her face. He slouched as he hugged her repeatedly, his face landing her neck. He said, "I'm sorry, Bella. When you asked me if I was willing to live in Italy, the truth was I was afraid."

"When I lost my parents, I had nobody. Nobody. Andy and her family are all I have now. I was not prepared to tell you this at that time. I thought it was shameful and you may think I'm making excuses, but that is really how I felt... until now."

"I love you, Bella. I love you, but will you still love me even if we are oceans apart? I don't mind occasionally traveling to Italy, but for now, I easily miss Andy, the twins, and my life here - I can't - I can't picture myself without them."

Isabella's tears kept flowing down her cheek. She could not contain her happiness finally hearing him say he loved her. Understanding his reasoning, it made her heart bleed. He felt and accepted his worries. She was also very attached to her family, but unlike her, Hanxi's trauma was due to losing his parents. 

The two just kept hugging each other for almost half an hour. They listened to their heart's cry without saying a word. When all of Isabella's tears were dry, she pulled away and said to him, "Hanxi. All I know is that I love you. Far away or near, I just want to love you and feel your love."

Hanxi was smiling pleasantly when she repeated her confession. They both let everything out from their chest, spending another half an hour, merely talking about the wrong assumptions they had made about each other. 

When their emotions have settled down and Hanxi could see her beaming as they chatted, he asked, "Bella, can I kiss you?"

Her face up to her ears turned red, she thought, 'How cute can Hanxi be, asking permission when he already kissed me earlier.'

She bit her lip and closed her eyes quickly before giving her approval, "I'd - I'd really like it if you kiss me."

He pursed his thin lips and gradually leaned forward while his eyes only focused on her. He first gave her pecks before slightly parting his mouth. It did not take long for him to start nibbling on her bottom lip. 

Isabella's hands were cold as she mimicked his actions. She gently touched his face and said, "I'm sorry. It's been a while - "

"Me too. I haven't dated for a very long time. It's okay, let's both figure it out together," He said before going back to gently covering her mouth with his. 

Isabella felt goosebumps all over. The sensation of kissing someone she truly liked was beyond her imagination. It was not her first kiss, but it had been too long since she was in a relationship. It seemed completely new to her and it was the same for Hanxi. 

Soon Isabella felt wetness around her mouth that she opened hers wider for him, but because Hanxi was worried she would get offended, he stopped leaving her lips parted as he moved back. He asked, "Should I continue?"

Isabella's eyes were still closed when he asked this. She bit her lip and took a deep breath before answering, "Yes, I want more."

When Hanxi went back to kiss her, he did not hold back anymore. He opened his mouth wider and thrust his tongue inside her mouth. He held her by the neck to deepen their kiss that the sounds of each smack echoed through the room. 

They were savoring each other's taste earnestly and have been for unknowingly how long when suddenly; they heard a knock on the door. 

"Bro, it's time for dinner. Let's go I'm hungry." It was Andrea calling out from outside his room. 

Hanxi pulled away from Isabella, slowly. He let out a heavy sigh and gave a smirk before saying, "I think my sister just got back at me."

"What?" Isabella asked with a puzzled face. 

"Pfft! Nothing," he said before kissing her again quickly. "Let's go. I am also hungry."