Kiss Me Not

While walking down the hallway Cedric squeezed Brione's hand and asked, "What did you whisper to father?"

"Nothing…" Brione mumbled.

"Why do I feel like you whispered something to him?" Cedric insisted, making Brione chuckle.

"Ah, since when did you become so nosy…" Brione teased but the bantering was interrupted when a tall man approached them and called for Cedric.

"Cedric!" 

"Cain!" Cedric greeted. Brione looked at the man who seemed a few years older than Cedric. He was wearing eyeglasses but he was undeniably handsome.

"This is my fiance Brione Yu," Cedric introduced her to him. The man offered his hand for a handshake and said, "I am Dr. Cain Lewis milady. I'm the head doctor of the Royal Family."

"Oh, you look young. I mean I expected the family doctor to be older…" Brione voiced out.

Cain had a smirk as he said, "Well, I'm old enough Miss Brione but I guess I really look young."

Brione got curious so she asked, "How old are you?"

"I'm thirty-nine," Cain commented with a grin.

"Are you going to join us for dinner?" Cedric interrupted.

"Yes I will,  His Majesty asked me to. I also need to talk to you later as well," Cain answered.

Cedric nodded and said, "Alright, I will take Brione to my wing and get her settled in the room first."

"See you later Miss Brione," said Cain with a smile.

"Please forgo the formality. You can just call me Brione," Brione timidly said.

"Then you should also do the same and call me Cain," Cain said with a wink.

Cedric's face crumpled and he quickly pulled her away from Cain. Cain had a small smile on his face when he saw the way Cedric acted. He quickly left after saying goodbye.

"You look smitten," Cedric complained with a pout.

Brione chuckled and said, "I am. I don't think you know, but when I was young, my dream man was someone wearing glasses with a formal and classy look just like Cain. He has a mature and very charming aura."

"I beg to disagree. He looks more like a nerd to me!" Cedric scoffed, making Brione laugh.

"You're exaggerating. You know that Cain doesn't look like a nerd. Ah, don't tell me you're jealous?"

"Yes, I am! Hell, I'm super jealous!" Cedric did not even bother to deny it. He did not like seeing his Sweetheart smiling sweetly to any other man except him. It was frustrating.

Brione hugged Cedric's arm and coaxed, "Don't be jealous, okay? You are still the most handsome man in my eyes. Moreover, you two clearly have different charms and I might have liked his type when I was younger but now that I'm an adult I prefer your charms over anybody else"

She was having fun teasing and comforting Cedric similar to her past bantering with Gavin.

'Oh my!' She wanted to smack her head because she was thinking about Gavin again. She scolded herself in her mind and warned herself to stop doing it. She has already decided on moving forward with Cedric so she must completely remove Gavin from her system as soon as possible.

"This is a huge palace," Brione commented, changing the topic.

"Yeah, I occupy the west wing, father stays in the center while the state affairs are operating in the east wing. My room is on the second floor," Cedric replied.

His phone rang suddenly so he took it out and saw that it was an unknown number. He was sure it was his cousin so he answered the call immediately. He stopped walking to answer the call and so did Brione

"Miss me?" 

"Not really. Where are you now? Did you arrive? Do you want me to arrange a pick-up for you? Father, Aunty, and Uncle are expecting to see you at dinner." Cedric informed.

"Well, I'm back. I got a new place but I think it will be best if it's unknown to you guys cause I'm not sure about mom… You know her, she always has something up her sleeve so I want to keep my place hidden to prevent her from barging in anytime she wants. I will join you for dinner but don't confirm it with mom alright? I want to surprise her with my grand entrance later. Wait, is my idol there with you?"

Cedric shook his head hearing her giggle on the other line. "Yeah, she's with me now so make sure you come later alright?"

"Yes, I will see you soon Big Bro. Bye…"

The call soon ended.

"Your cousin?" Brione asked and Cedric nodded.

They continued walking when Cedric suddenly cursed.

"What's wrong?" Brione asked.

"I forgot to tell her that Cain will join us for dinner too…" Cedric said with a worried look. He could not even call back since the number his cousin was using was always untraceable and could not be contacted back.

"Why? What's wrong if Cain joins us?" Brione asked, curious.

"I told you before, right? That my cousin is a runaway bride…" Cedric said and Brione nodded, recalling the same.

"She ran away a day before the wedding," Brione reconfirmed to which Cedric nodded.

"Cain was the groom she left behind…"

"What?!" Brione shouted in shock.

"I can't remember the incident. I only know what Aunty and Will told me. My cousin is against arranged marriages in the first place so she didn't even bother to know or meet the man my Aunty wanted her to marry. Cain's father was our Family Doctor at that time and the position was later taken over by Cain. 

Cain was studying and practicing medicine abroad so my cousin didn't meet him. He only returned back to the country a day before the wedding but my cousin ran away on the same day of his return." 

"So you mean to say your cousin doesn't know Cain at all?" Brione exclaimed.

"Yeah, she only knows Cain's father, Dr. Manuel Lewis. She just knows that aunty chose someone mature for her."

"Maybe you should give Cain a heads up?" Brione suggested and Cedric nodded.

"I suddenly feel bad for Cain. But I also understand your cousin's sentiments," Brione commented.

"By the way, what's the name of your cousin?" Brione asked.

"Kimberly Hansen. She's around your age I think," Cedric said with a smile.

"Oh, I hope we can get along well then. I am suddenly worried about the tension between your cousin and Cain once she finds out that he was the man she was supposed to marry. I wonder… Does Cain know her? I mean has he somehow seen her already?"

"I doubt that since Cain has stayed abroad all his life. He only returned when his father resigned and recommended him to be the next Head Doctor of the Royal Family."

"Don't you think that it's really weird? The two of them not even checking each other's photos or profile?"

"Hmmm, it might probably be because neither of them is interested in getting married. Well, no one really knows except for the two of them. I just hope that it won't cause any problems later."

"The King would be there so I'm sure there will be no drama except that it probably might turn out to be an awkward dinner," Brione mumbled and was startled when Cedric suddenly gave her a peck on her lips.

She looked around, totally flustered and scolded, "What are you doing?! What if someone sees us?!"

"So? Let them see and be envious…" Cedric commented with a roguish smile as he pulled her and walked towards his room.