Bitter & Sweet
The Part 37

While holding Chloe's hand, Matteo seemed excited to show every part of his studio, which now has all the musical equipment, and equipment to record the sound it produces.

Chloe, who felt uncomfortable because her hand was held for too long by Matteo, then pretended to touch one of the musical instruments there, to be the reason for Matteo to release his grip.

"Can I touch it?" chloe asked, completing her pretence, until Matteo finally wanted to let go of her hand.

"Yes" replied Matteo.

Chloe then holds two batons from a vibrafon, a percussion instrument made of aluminum metal. "Are you able to play all the musical instruments that are here?"

Matteo does not immediately answer Chloe's question, and instead just smiles, then shifts until standing right behind Chloe.

Matteo who was like hugging Chloe from behind, then held Chloe's hand that was still holding the stick, and directed her until she hit the metal blade of the vibraphone, until it made a regular tone sound.

"If you want, I can teach you everything" Matteo said.

A heavy voice from Matteo whispered at close range in Chloe's ear, and so did the male's puff of breath hitting Chloe's neck, just makes Chloe feel like her heart isn't okay.

At this moment, it felt like the blood pump in Chloe's chest was beating too fast, as if it was about to jump out of Chloe's chest.

Chloe wanted to immediately avoid a situation that might only embarrass her, but it seemed, her nervousness would only mess up.

Moving too hastily, Chloe wanted to get away from Matteo by turning around, tripping over her own leg and almost falling over.

With a swift, Matteo catches Chloe.

However, the rescue position carried out by Matteo, making the situation there even more awkward for Chloe.

Slightly bowing, Matteo hugged Chloe who was almost on her back, their faces were very close, so Matteo's breath could sweep Chloe's face.

Staring into Matteo's eyes, it only makes Chloe's heartbeat even more irregular.

"Are you okay?" matteo asked, sounding anxious.

Chloe was wide-eyed, and hurriedly tried to stand up straight again, while still holding on to the two sides of Matteo's upper arm.

Although Chloe was already standing well, Matteo was not willing to let go of her embrace from Chloe.

Even today, both the look on the face and the shape of Matteo's eyes when he looked at Chloe, seemed to change drastically.

I don't know what Matteo was thinking, but Chloe didn't want to think too much about it, and immediately turned her face away.

"Cloe!" matteo said, until Chloe raised her head again, so she could look into Matteo's eyes.

Slowly, Matteo seemed to draw his face closer to Chloe, as if he was going to kiss Chloe there.

However, before something that could make Chloe short of breath happened, Matteo's phone then suddenly just rang.

Due to the disturbance, both Chloe and Matteo, then simultaneously move away from each other.

Chloe who walked towards the exit, had a look with the tip of her eye, where Matteo seemed to receive an incoming phone call on her phone.

"Chelle! ... Waita minute!" matteo exclaimed, half-running after, looking to hold back Chloe's steps.

"Please, wait a minute!" matteo said in a clear voice, holding Chloe's hand.

Chloe, who did not want to be rude, inevitably, stood there, letting Matteo talk on her phone.

While waiting for Matteo to talk to someone across the phone, Chloe noticed Matteo's movements.

Apparently, even though Matteo speaks in a foreign language, but from the look on his face and also from his tone, Matteo looks riled up when he is in a phone connection on his phone.

"I can't believe this...!" Matteo shook his head, while keeping the phone in his trouser pocket.

Matteo then raised his gaze, and looked at Chloe fixedly, biting his own lips, as if there was something he had been thinking about for a while, before he finally said,

"Chelle! ... Ii'm sorry. Did I scare you? I got carried away. And I think I'm me—"

It sounds like Matteo wants to go further, and Chloe doesn't want that, which might just embarrass her.

Thus, Chloe, who preferred to divert the conversation that would lead to it, hurriedly interrupted Matteo's words, saying, saying,

"There's nothing to forgive."

"Chloe...! I'm...." The disappointed Matteo seemed to be at a loss for words to speak to Chloe.

"Is there a problem? You look uncomfortable talking on your phone. I don't want to bother you any longer" Chloe said, trying to stay away.

"No, sir," replied Chloe.

"Then why do I feel like you're going to avoid me?" ask Matteo.

"I'm not avoiding you. I just...." In a hurry, Chloe answered Matteo's question, which in the end she only felt hesitant.

After a while he just fell silent, Matteo then smiled widely, as well as the glare of his eyes that looked adorable.

"I understand" said Matteo.

"Ugh? ... What are you talking about?" chloe asked, confused.

"If you don't avoid me, then I won't be in a hurry either."

Matteo's words are getting confusing for Chloe.

But Chloe did not have time to ask Matteo's intentions, because his hand was then held by Matteo, who brought him back into the studio.

As if nothing had ever happened, Matteo acted normally, explaining one by one the usefulness of the tools in his studio, to Chloe.

Because of Matteo's behavior, Chloe also ended up not thinking about the incident again, as if it was just an unintentional mistake, and again felt like normal.

"My friends are going to visit here" Matteo chirped, suddenly. "They're on their way."

According to Chloe, Matteo should be happy when getting news like that, but the look on Matteo's face, it shows the opposite.

"Isn't that good?" ask Chloe, curious.

Matteo grunted violently. "My ex-boyfriend was with them too."

"Hmmm...." Chloe muttered, nodding her head.

"I don't love her anymore" Matteo said, as if she wanted to explain what was on her mind to Chloe.

"I don't hate him either. I have forgiven his behavior. But that doesn't mean I still want to see him again. Let alone allowing him to stay here with my other friends."

For Matteo's personal statement, Chloe had no idea what to respond to it, so she was silent about it.

"It's likely that they will arrive here by noon tomorrow" Matteo continued. "Can you come here later?"

"I'm sorry ... I can't promise anything, because tomorrow is a workday" Chloe replied, smiling.

To be honest, Chloe was not interested in listening to the discussion about Matteo's personal problems, or getting mixed up in it.

So, the time lag when Matteo who was silent for a moment, then used as an opportunity that Chloe used to reason, in order to avoid and get away from it as soon as possible.

"The sir! ... I think I've left Mister Matthew too long. I don't want to upset her, if she might need something, then no one's helping her."

"Matthew is always given all the best." Matteo chirped in a whispering voice, but Chloe still heard it even though it was not very clear.

"What do you say, sir?" chloe asked, wanting to be sure.

"Nothing" replied Matteo, then walked over to Chloe, as if she was going to take Chloe on a walk with her. "Let me accompany you."

While walking with Matteo toward Matthew's house, Chloe occasionally glanced at Matteo who seemed to furrow her brows, as if something was troubling the man's mind.

Until accidentally, when Chloe who glanced at Matteo for the next time, but Chloe just exchanged a look with him.

And at that very instant, Matteo then said,

"What could make you refuse to be my personal assistant?"

"Ugh?" Chloe was not ready to respond to a question from Matteo like that, yet she still tried to think about the answer.

"Hm ... I can't be sure. But what could be possible, is that when you work for you, it's going to be a lot different than what I normally do" Chloe replied.

"Isn't it because of Matthew?" matteo asked, putting on an unhappy look.

Chloe was silent for a moment. "I've never thought of that before."

"During this time, Matthew has always been getting more attention than Grandpa. Including my parents who loved him more than me....

... Am I wrong, if I want to be treated the same as Matthew?" Matteo.