LOVER MONSTER!
122. Found her.

"We're going home to Vegas tomorrow."

Oscar tells Jessica the information while they are eating lunch together at a cafe. Hearing the news, Jessica felt a sense of relief and strangely, a hint of disappointment. I don't know what he expected.

Maybe he was sad to leave this beautiful country. Or perhaps, the thought of him starting his life in Vegas without Demian is one of the reasons his heart beats painfully.

Jessica doesn't understand herself at all.

"So, Jesse...., what do you think after these few days of vacationing with me?"

"Not so bad" said Jessica.

Leaving aside that he had to accompany Oscar floating in the middle of the ocean, accompanying Oscar to shop for expensive clothes in the mall for hours, a vacation with Oscar is not so bad. Jessica could still tolerate the uniqueness of the sapphire-eyed man.

"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to.." Vacation? Tired? Eating like a pig? Sleeping in an expensive hotel room? A foam-foya?

Jessica thought of the right words to continue her speech, but the words that appeared in her mind contained negative connotations and would only make her speech seem sarcastic. Jessica finally summed up all that negativity into one word.

"Everything" is the right word. "Thank you for everything."

"Thank you for accompanying my vacation, actually." Oscar chuckles. "Anyway, what's your plan when you get back to Vegas?"

"Nothing special, I guess. I'll just continue my work as usual."

"What if Demian reappears there?"

"He's not going to show up, well.., I'm not sure he's going to show up because he has a big responsibility now. Even if he shows up, well, I don't know."

"I think he'll show up. He will shed tears and apologize to you while standing on his knees."

"Is he a telenovela actor?" Jessica squinted her eyes. "Forget it. I just want to go back to Vegas and restart everything. Restart."

"Hmmm, okay then."

After responding to Jessica's remarks, Oscar continued their lunch quietly. There are not many words exchanged between them, it is also one of the reasons why Jessica does not hate her holiday with Oscar. Jessica was relieved that the man did not say much. He only spoke at length in one topic that interested him and after that, he was mostly silent.

An hour later passed.

As they were going back to Vegas tomorrow, Oscar offered Jessica a walk in the market and bought some parcels to take home. Jessica agreed to the idea because to be honest, Dania scouted it and billed the same thing. Jessica would feel guilty if she returned empty-handed after all this time had troubled Dania, Elli and Ethan with her work.

"It's a pity we're not in Milan" Oscar said. "If we're in Milan, you can shop for expensive things oh, you'll know that big, big, big-name brands were born in Milan, right?"

"I know," said Jessica. "But I'm not interested in buying expensive things. We.., me and my friends I mean, love practical, powerful things to wear for a lifetime."

"It's adorable" Oscar said, "Global warming and ecosystem damage will subside if all of Earth's people share the same tastes as you both."

"What is a compliment or a insult?"

Oscar shrugged his shoulders. "Don't think too much."

Because Oscar is reluctant to give a long interpretation of his sarcastic remarks, Jessica also has no intention of demanding more explanation. Jessica skipped the topic and started pitching in the market crowd to buy some unique items that are the hallmark of the city of Bologna.

Tourists walk with her, in some shops, on highways, in every stopover, Jessica finds a variety of tourists from different continents gathering at the Bologna market.

Seeing those tourists too, Jessica recalled the time when she met Alex. A tourist he uses to incite Demian's anger.

Funny thing is, the trick goes with success. Jessica didn't think Demian's jealous side was so high that she appeared in front of Jessica when she was supposed to be busy working.

"I wonder if the trick is still useful..." Jessica nodded to herself. Eyes are lured to foreign tourists who are honest, have a beautiful appearance that amazes his eyes.

"What's useful?" Oscar emerged from behind Jessica and handed her a styrofoam containing 4 arancino, a rice ball snack fried in bread flour, meat, tomato sauce, peas, and cheese. Jessica received the snack with open arms.

Jessica quite likes arancino, actually. This was the fourth time he ate the same snacks during his stay in Bologna.

"Nothing" Jessica replied. "Just think of something."

"Have you found what you're looking for?"

Jessica nodded. "Some..."

"If you still want to take a walk here, just drop your bag on me. I'll wait for you at-" Oscar paused his speech as his eyes scanned the left and right of the building that encircled the market street. "Oh, over there."

Oscar's eyes stopped at a coffee shop built with wood, and painted in a dim brown.

"Don't walk too far" Oscar said. "If you have too much, you can call me. I'll send my men to see you."

"okay."

"Are you going to be okay alone?"

"I'm good, Oscar. Don't worry. Enjoy your coffee and I'll be back maybe... Another half hour? I want to take a look first."

"Young, then. See you in half an hour."

After waving at Oscar who breezed towards the coffee shop that was quite striking on that street. Jessica also turned her steps and continued her original activities, namely shopping. Jessica is looking for some cute wall decorations to decorate her room. He also bought some dry food that he could bring back to Vegas.

Jessica enjoyed the calmness she felt now, despite being in the crowd. Jessica felt she had found peace after she had been trapped in a mind full of hubbub and distress.

Although Jessica has a language barrier, fortunately, the location where she shops now is a tourist-friendly location. Some of the shopkeepers where he had stopped understood his language and served him with great hospitality.

'What an amazing thing, ' Jessica thought. This place is probably heaven on Earth.

Everyone is so kind.

It is a matter of shopping without making any notes. Jessica often forgets the things she previously craved and when she comes home, then she is struck by regret.

Sighs.

Jessica chose to pause her shopping activities and started eating the arancino that Oscar had given her. Jessica stood facing the crowd, her shoulders leaning against a large pillar opposite the fruit seller.

Jessica observed the crowd while chewing the slow arancino in her mouth. Mozzarella cheese that became the filler of the arancino melted in her tongue, creating a pleasure that made her cluck happy.

'Elixir should sell this later, ' Jessica started designing her business strategy there. He has tasted various menus in Italy with a variety of models and flavors. Jessica wanted to try out the new menus she met there and adapt them in Vegas. That must be amazing. Consider it a new breakthrough.

Yeah, it's mandatory dico-ba.

"..."

"..."

Buy in.

All of Jessica's head was blown away. The void took over the entire space, mingling with shock. A familiar face that made his heart beat painfully appeared across the street. Its presence there is enough to make time run in slow motion. The earth stopped rotating and the world was suddenly silent.

Jessica who witnessed the existence of the figure entering her range of view became stunned and stunned. Some of him hoped that the man who unraveled curls with a pair of dark irises was only an illusion created by his eyes. He probably missed the figure so much that he hallucinated.

However, some of Jessica's other self knew that the man was very real. Jessica tau.

The destroyer of his heart, the destroyer of his tranquility, the figure who had made his world turn upside down full of chaos. When Jessica, who had been frozen, was silent without boisterousness, immediately walked in a rapid and frightening rhythm when the man stepped on her life, on the balcony of her room.

Without Jessica knowing and anticipating, the existence of the man had already controlled her heart. He leads her into a disaster called love.

Different from when the man stepped onto the balcony of his room, when he made time spin at a very fast pace, the figure of Demian who was re-captured Jessica's eyes now made time pause. Stop just for him.

Why is he there? Jessica wondered, but she knew the answer.

Demian Bellamy, in a red flannel shirt and old black jeans, sauntered across the crowd. His steps were full of nervousness. A pair of black beads greeted Jessica's emerald eyes, trying to make eye contact without being greeted with hate or rejection.

Demian was afraid that Jessica would turn around and look at her hatefully. Even though he really deserved it all. Although it is the cause of all the chaos and estrangement between them. He should not have expected Jessica to accept it with open arms.

However, just as a man is shameless, he hopes so. She hoped Jessica would welcome her with open arms.

But not being spit is a blessing.

"H-hi." Demian greeted Jessica when she was three steps ahead of the girl. Jessica, who had previously leaned against the brick wall, finally established her standing position. Hands firmly gripped her shopping bag.

"Hi" said Jessica.

"How are you?" ask Demian again. After almost two weeks of digging and finding Jessica, Demian did not expect that the girl would be in Bologna all this time. In a city just five hours from where he lives. Demian thought Jessica was already far away on a different continent.

If it wasn't for the Erthian-si puzzle that Oscar intended, Demian would never have gotten any clues as to Jessica's whereabouts in Bologna. He would never know anything because this place, this city was not a territory that was part of his dominance.

He only has co-workers here, but no man can be an accomplice at all.

"I.., as you can see." Jessica gave an answer with a voice implying unwillingness.

Demian slipped his hand in his pants pocket, trying to find a topic that could start a conversation between the two of them. However, Jessica's skeptical gaze made Demian feel difficulty speaking. It was hard to express his heart when the girl's cold gaze hit her chest like an invisible sword.

"Uhmmm.., that...,"

"Did Oscar tell you where I am?" Jessica cut Demian's speech.

"No. Not at all."

"So, you used your power to find me. What a great position, I see it's very useful for you."

"Jesse..," Demian took a step closer. "I've left everything."

"Huh?"

Before Jessica could digest her words, Demian suddenly bowed deeply in front of Jessica. It was as if he was a soldier who met his master. The servant who met the god. He - regardless of the attention falling toward him - bowed deeply in front of Jessica, eyes tightly shut perfectly.

"I'm sorry!" demian's voice escaped with a wist.

"I'm sorry for not trusting you and making you suffer alone."

"De-Demian..," Jessica was in a panic. "What are you doing? This is not theater. Stop doing this." Jessica then forced Demian to straighten her body, trying to get the man to raise his head. "Don't do this, Demian! You made me a spectacle for people."

"I.., I won't lift my head until you forgive me."

"Don't be a moron!" Jessica patted Demian's arm. "If I forgive you in this situation, it just means I'll forgive you because you cornered me. I will never forgive you."

"Jess..." Demian spontaneously raised his face. He does not want to get a pardon based on compulsion. "Please, don't hate me..."

"If you want me not to hate you, wake up right now!" Jessica added her kick to Demian's calf right then and there.

Somehow, being a spectacle in the crowd made Jessica become savage and cruel. He uses violence to get Demian to rise from his humiliating position. "I'll hit you if you embarrass me like that."

"I don't intend to embarrass you, Jesse." Demian finally got back to his feet. However, the scar on his face did not fade away. Jessica stared at the man's silent expression with her heart beating in pain.

"What are you doing, Demian...?" Jessica murmured. "You've made too much mess."

...****************...