COINCIDENTALLY, AS the coffees they have been ordered were placed on their table, the sky started showing some signs of change. The wind outside were also starting to get cooler and stronger.

"It's gonna rain," Glyde said as he looked outside the window.

"It does seems so." Hershey sips some coffee as she hummed to agree. "But hey, now that I've think about it, it's almost been a year since we have met huh? How time flies so fast that I wish it could just stop"

Glyde gave a small smile, "That's right. I would never thought that I'd meet our company's princess at the event and would've been asked by her"

"Stop saying that!" Hershey puffed her cheeks and glared at Glyde. She sighed as she reminisced that dance, "But then, I guess I would probably still ask you for a dance if we were to go back in time. I never regretted asking you for a dance, you know?"

Glyde flicked Hershey's forehead, "We don't need to go back in time. I'll be the one asking you for a dance next time"

He noticed how surprised Hershey was. For a moment, he was not sure if it was because of how he flicked her forehead or was it due to him mentioning the dance. Either way, he still noticed how happy and sad at the same time her eyes were. "Make sure you do!" she said in an angrily yet jokingly manner.

"Yes, milady." He chuckled as she picked up her hand and went to kiss the back of it. "Now, will you please accept me as your partner for the anniversary party that will be held this year?"

Hershey's cheeks turned red. "Of course!" She delightfully answered with no hesitation. "Who would be my partner, if it's not you." She said in a whisper but Glyde was still able to hear it which made his heart feel so pleased.

After a while, Glyde saw through her that she was worrying about something. He didn't have to say anything to make Hershey spill what it was about.

"At that party, I really felt so suffocated. I needed to dress so niceley and endlessly entertain people I don't even have no idea about. I had to make sure that I wouldn't make a mistake. Just being there drained a whole lot of me. But I need to pass my family's expectation, actually no, I had to surpass it. In doing so, my father would finally recognize me." she confessed as her hand tightened on the cup she was holding.

Glyde was already aware of Hershey's insecurities and how she crave for her family's attention. He knew how Hershey tried her best, but she still felt that her best was not enough.

He didn't gave Hershey any response to her confession as he just silently looked over the window. He watched as the rain poured down. Hershey noticed this and did the same. Both of them watched, and listened to the sound of the rain.

A couple minutes later, Glyde finally opened his mouth. "I really hate the rain," he admitted which took Hershey by surprise. "Just by listening to it..." Glyde clenched his fist as he tightly shut his eyes to calm himself down. He sighed and opened his eyes, "it just helps me to repeatedly recall how my mother died"

Hershey covered her mouth in shock. "I'm sorry," was all she could utter as she doesn't know how to comfort him.

He gave her a reassuring smile, "It's fine. The reason why I told you this is not for you to pity me. It is to tell you that you still have me, as I have you. If you can't have your family's attention, I'll give you all of my attention. Won't that be enough?"

Glyde was so sure that this would reassure Hershey, and she would happily agree. But she didn't give a quick response. It was as if she was contemplating and was too shocked at what she have heard. He didn't put any meaning in to it that much as he thought that she was just too speechless about it.

He turned his head to look at the window again, as the scene of her mother hanging inside his parent's room flashed through his mind. It's already been so long yet her mother's death was as vivid as he could ever remember. Glyde knew that he could never turn back the time. He regretted a lot after that tragedy. How he hoped he could change the ending. How he wish he did something.

How he pray that he could've at least say the words he have uttered to Hershey to his mom that day. Maybe, if he did, something might've changed. Maybe, his mom won't feel that she was alone anymore. Maybe, she could've lived longer for his sake instead.

Glyde was too young when that happened, so he wasn't able to notice earlier or understand that's much yet. But if he was older, or if he was at least a bit smarter, he could've protected his mother's heart. He would've at least be able to know what's the right words to say to her. He could've been the son that is able to stand up for her mother and be a man she could depend on. He probably would've been able to save her...

That is why, before it's too late, he said those words to the woman he wants to protect as well. If he couldn't save his mother's soul, he wished that he could at least save Hershey's. He wants her to know that she's not alone and he is willing to stay with her no matter what. He'll give her whatever she needs, where she won't have to look for anything else.

Glyde probably wasn't able to notice how his voice cracked and how sad it sounds, but Hershey did. She doesn't know why Glyde was acting that way, but all she did was clasped his left hand using both of her hands. She put them near her face as if she was praying.

"Thank you, Glyde." she said as some tears fall from her eyes.