Buongiorno Milano!
Rinoa laid on her side staring at an Italian dawn as the birds outside chirped their songs of awakening. Her senses awoke to the smell of the dew of morning as a fresh breeze from the beautiful estate forest seeped through the slightly open windows to lend the scent of pine, mahogany, spruce, and maple to the rooms neighboring the vast greenery. It was a refreshing sight and a most wonderful relaxing experience for anyone who had been exposed to too much city and smog. Rinoa watched the faint glow of the rising sun beyond the horizon, and never before had she felt so contented just to see it rear its light into the world again. Only days ago, Death had once again visited one of her recitals, claiming so many of the patrons who had supported her career. She had felt miserable ever since, feeling guilty that her beautiful, yet enigmatic instrument had somehow caused their untimely demise.
'Should I have played that night? What if I stop playing...then maybe, the killings will stop.' She sighed on her pillow and let her eyes follow the flying robin that perched on the tree beside her bedroom. It did a funny bird walk to the nest beside the trunk and threw up a couple of worms to little hatchlings that waited for their mother's hard-won breakfast. 'Life sure is simple when you are an animal. No nerve-wracking performances to bother you or pesky curses to kill patrons during your concerts.'
She stayed in her position for a couple more minutes when she felt someone sit down on the other side of the bed. When she turned to her other side, Rinoa found Squall looking at her through shabby, wet bangs. "Good morning," he greeted her.
Rinoa rubbed her eyes and returned, "Good morning...mmm...is it time to leave?" 'You shouldn't have come in. I look so horrible in the morning!'
Squall used his right hand to brush some of the damp hair off his forehead. "Well, I'm leaving in about thirty minutes so I hope that's enough time for you to take a shower and get dressed. Don't worry, I'll treat you to breakfast," he softly told her. 'Wow! Not many girls look this good in the morning. I remember that rich Italian girl...never mind. Gives me the creeps.'
Rinoa got up from bed and sat upright with her back against the headboard. "What time is it?"
Squall shook off the cuff of his sleeve to reveal a very nice-looking watch. "It's 5:30 AM. I'm really sorry if I woke you up this early in the morning. I just wanted to catch the 6:30 train. Is that okay with you?"
Rinoa stretched out her arms and nodded. "Yeah, that's okay. Um, I'm gonna take a shower now so can you...?" she said as she rolled her eyes towards the door.
Squall furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and then suddenly realized what she was trying to tell him. He blushed and said, "Oh! Okay! Sorry!" before exiting her room.
Rinoa giggled and walked to the beautiful peach-colored Italian bathroom. Stripping off her nightgown, she stepped into the shower and turned the knobs, sending a spray of warm liquid towards her body. 'Gosh it feels so good to have a nice shower.'
About a quarter of an hour later, Rinoa emerged from the bathroom in a robe. She opened the wardrobe in the side of the room where she had placed all her clothes last night and put on a white turtleneck with a pair of black jeans. After running a hairdryer through her beautiful raven hair, she gave it a final touch of the brush and gave herself a final look at the mirror. 'Well, I'm not that much of an expert at grooming but here goes anyway. Wish me luck!' she told her reflection. She put on some black boots and left her room, finding Squall sitting in the front foyer sofa waiting for her.
Squall looked up and couldn't help but gawk at the figure descending from the staircase. "H-hi! You look...um...beautiful." He found himself tongue tied and extremely stiff just watching her walk towards him.
Rinoa blushed and shyly looked at the floor. "Thanks." She then realized that they were saying nothing to each other, so she decided to break the ice. "Uh, you look really...handsome yourself." 'He said I looked beautiful!'
"Thanks. So, shall we go now?" he asked her. She nodded and began following him when he went out of the manor. 'Did she just say that I looked handsome? Score!' He led her to the black Ferrari parked in front of the house and entered the sleek, oh so heavenly vehicle.
"Wow!" Rinoa exclaimed as she rested her bottom against the expensive leather of the seats. "I've always dreamed of riding one of these."
Squall smirked at her and said, "Really? Then today's your lucky day." He started the ignition and began driving the gorgeous car out of the manor, snaking his way like a sparrow through the streets of Cremona until they reached the train station. Parking his car in an area hidden from plain sight, he exited his door and opened the other side for Rinoa.
"That was...exhilarating!" Rinoa exclaimed as she held onto Squall's hand while getting out of the Ferrari.
Squall smiled broadly and blushed when he realized that she was holding his hand. "I'm glad you liked it." He felt like his stomach was beginning to work against him when he suddenly remembered something important. "Uh, here's your ticket by the way!" He pulled out a ticket from his pocket and gave it to her. "We're taking one of the private cars."
Rinoa took the slip of cardboard into her hands and said thank you. Both she and Squall went to the platform where the train to Milan was arriving and sat on a bench beside the rails. "Can I get you something to eat? I promised you breakfast remember?" Squall reminded her when they settled down.
Rinoa silently said, "Well, maybe just a bit to drink, but I can wait." 'He's really sweet. I wonder if he has a girlfriend?'
Squall stood up and unzipped his black leather jacket that exposed his dark, navy blue turtleneck sweater. "So, can I get you some coffee or anything at all? The train ride's going to take about forty-five minutes and I don't want you to get hungry on the way. They don't serve breakfast or snacks in the train until eight in the morning," he explained to her.
"Um, I don't really know much about Italian coffee. I heard that there are lots of varieties of espresso but I'm not such an expert at that kind of stuff," she curtly answered. 'And such a gentleman. I hope he's not yet taken.'
Squall then offered her, "I know, why don't you come with me to the coffee shop and I'll get you something nice. What about that?" 'I wonder if she has a boyfriend.'
Rinoa replied "Okay" and they both walked to the coffee shop about ten meters away from the benches. Entering into the warmth of the cozy shop gave them both a bit of relief from the cold autumn air outside. Stepping up to the counter, Squall pointed to a blackboard with coffee names written all over it and asked Rinoa, "There's all the coffee you want. Just tell me what you feel like having and I'll buy you one, okay?"
She looked up and down the blackboard and finally chose one of the beverages. "I'd like to try the macchiato." Squall nodded and told the man on the counter, "Eh, signore, un macchiato ed un breve per favore. (One macchiato and a breve (espresso with light cream on top) please)"
The middle aged man on the counter prepared their beverages and set two Styrofoam cups with lids on the counter. "Quello sara 1.5 Euro." Squall reached out for a few coins in his pocket and paid the man, exiting the shop with Rinoa and returning to the bench when he noticed that the train hadn't arrived yet.
"So you're the famous violinist Rinoa Heartilly I presume," Squall began as he sipped his hot coffee.
Rinoa wrapped her hands around the warm cup in an attempt to keep the cold out and answered, "Yeah, I am."
Squall took another sip and asked, "So what brings you here to Italy?"
Rinoa looked at him and said, "Well, some people believe that my violin is playing some tricks of its own and I decided to let your father work with it. I heard that he is the best when it comes to things like these." The cold morning air was making her knuckles white, and she tried to rub them on the hot Styrofoam as she conversed with Squall.
Squall noticed that she was feeling cold and decided to help her out. "I normally don't do this around other people but, since you're feeling cold," he said as he peeled off the leather wrapped around his palms. "Ellone says my hands are really warm so um...just hold them okay?" He offered her his hand and placed them around hers.
She blushed like a tomato and stammered, "Um...well...I don't know...okay!" 'My heart is beating really fast right now. I can feel it pounding against my chest. I think I'm going to have a heart attack in a train station...I wonder if he's feeling the same. Oh these hands are so warm, I think I'm melting.'
"Your hands are so cold," was all that Squall could say as he wrapped his large palms around hers. 'I don't know if I'm insane or what but I'll never do this again! What was I thinking?! But I gotta admit, it feels nice. Shut up brain.'
Squall looked away from her and used his free hand to bring the warm cup of breve to his lips when Rinoa whispered, "Squall, thank you." Squall turned his head around to face her and said, "Don't mention it."
After a while, the train arrived, and the station manager led them to their private compartment. After sitting on the sofa, Squall and Rinoa took seats on either side of the little room. When the train departed, they remained silent while looking outside to gaze at the wonderful scenery.
"You know, you can enjoy the view from this side more," murmured Squall as he looked at a field of cows grazing. "Do you want to sit beside me?" 'Boy, that came out a bit too direct didn't it? What did I eat again last night?'
Rinoa crossed over and sat beside Squall and leaned over to look at the plains. "You're right about one thing," she said as she witnessed two calves suckling their mother, and then turning her gaze to Squall. "The view is much better." She smiled at him and sat back on the soft couch. As the train began to speed up, the fields soon became a blur and Rinoa felt light-headed. Her eyes started drooping and in a little while, she fell asleep.
Squall felt guilty for having to drag her all the way here this early in the morning. After seeing her sleep like that without a pillow, he imagined her waking up in Milan with a slightly stiff neck. Slowly, he brought his hand around her head and gently tipped it to the right so that she would be resting on his shoulder. Unconsciously, she moved closer to him and held on to his arm like a little child would. Squall sighed and smiled, and decided for the remaining half hour to let the green of the plains drift by as Rinoa slept soundly beside him.
Outside the car, the train sped through the thick blanket of fog, the morning light shining through cracks in the grayish mist of an Italian morning.
----------------------
A half hour after the departure from beautiful Cremona, the train had finally arrived in the busy city of Milan. Upon arrival, the passengers inside the train began flowing out like water, a regular sight in a regular Milanese rush hour. Inside one of the compartments of the train however, two passengers remained, one asleep and the other watching his companion.
"Rinoa," Squall whispered to the young woman whose head was resting on his shoulder. "We're here."
Rinoa shook her head and fluttered her eyes open. "Huh?" She then realized how close she was to Squall and blushed like a teenager. "Oh! Squall I'm so sorry! I just fell asleep! I hope you weren't bothered at all during the trip!" she energetically said when she saw her arm around his. She immediately let go and moved a few inches away from her companion. 'Did I just sleep on his shoulder??? I can't believe it! He didn't even snap at me! Oh gosh I must have looked so stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid Rinoa! You shouldn't have fallen asleep on him!"
Squall chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I don't sleep at all during these trips." He smiled at her and got up. "Come on, about that breakfast I was telling you about. I'll bring you to this really nice place where they serve really great pastries." He extended his hand to her and helped her up.
"Squall, if I really bothered you at all, I'm sorry," she apologized to him.
Squall shook his head and said, "There's nothing to be sorry about Rinoa. You were asleep. Besides, I was the one who woke you up early in the morning. Now come on, we have to go get some breakfast before the cafes run out of seats."
Rinoa followed Squall as he made his way out of the train to a taxi station. When a cab arrived, he told the driver in rapid Italian to take him to some café and soon, they arrived at the place. Squall and Rinoa entered the small, yet warm little restaurant and the woman in the front desk led them to their table.
"This is a cozy place," commented Rinoa as she let her eyes wander around the room.
"I knew you'd like it,' Squall told her as he read the menu given to him earlier by the woman. "So what are you having?" he asked her.
Rinoa looked at her own menu and said, "I'm not really sure...I think a lot of the stuff here sound good. What do you think would be better, a pastry or some crepes?"
Squall let his eyes fall on the options presented in the menu and said, "The pastries here are the best. If you like their apple turnover or an apricot puff pastry, you can get those here. Or, you can opt for the strawberry jalousie tart. I like that one too."
"I think I'll have their apple turnover," she said as she put it down.
"Ah, that one's really good. The recipe comes from an old town called Siena, but I think they still make the best ones there," he raised his hand to call the waiter and stated his and Rinoa's orders. "The ones here can compete with theirs though," he informed her as he gave her a heartwarming smile.
"You know Squall, I think you should smile more often," Rinoa said after the waiter left for the kitchen.
"Why?" he asked as he removed his jacket and hung it behind him.
"Because I think you look better and nicer when you smile. You don't smile much at home do you?" she questioned him.
"How do you know?"
Rinoa smiled and said, "I could tell from the way you were acting at the dinner table last night. You rarely smile when you're around others, except for Ellone that is."
"Really? I never noticed that."
"Since you don't, isn't it better if you started smiling more today, now that I've reminded you? I just think people will feel better if they see a toothy grin rather than a pout from you," she told him.
"Oh," he murmured when she said that. "Well, if you want, I'll smile for you," he told her as he unleashed yet another smile at her.
Rinoa laughed and said, "No, not like that! Just smile naturally. This seems so fake Squall." 'Smile again! Oh he's so cute!'
"Fake? This smile isn't fake at all!" he joked. He grinned wide, exposing his perfect set of white teeth to her.
"See! You do have a sense of humor," she chuckled. "Now if you are like that around other people, I'm sure you can brighten their day just as easy as that."
"Okay Rinoa. Look, our food's here," he indicated to her as a waiter passed by with a peach pastry and Rinoa's puffy apple turnover.
They ate their breakfast in silence and when both were done, Squall paid the bill and left the restaurant with Rinoa to catch another cab. When they were inside, Squall told Rinoa, "So we're going to La Scala now. I work there."
"La Scala? Wow! I've always dreamed of having a performance there! I mean I was able to perform in one of it's smaller theaters once when I was still a small recording artist but I've always wanted to perform in the main auditorium!" she told him with zeal.
"I can arrange a performance schedule for you, if you want," offered Squall.
"Really? You'll do that for me? Thank you Squall," she said as she rubbed her hands together in joy. 'Squall, you're such a sweet guy. Please don't tell me you have a girlfriend. I've never met anyone like you before and I just hope you're still single.'
"And you're welcome too, Miss Heartilly," Squall politely returned. 'Rinoa, I think you're a really attractive lady. With those looks of yours, I'm sure you're already taken but I hope not.'
After a few minutes, the taxi arrived at the entrance of the famed opera house of Milan. Squall and Rinoa stepped out of the car and Squall led her first into the auditorium.
"Ellone was supposed to come with me tonight to see Turandot but she's not available. Would it be alright if you came with me instead?" he asked the violinist when they paused in front of the well designed set patterned after the streets of ancient China.
"Um, you won't have to buy another ticket right? Because if you have to spend money, I'd rather not burden you Squall," she sheepishly told him.
"I'm the manager here so I get to have free seats. Don't worry about the costs. If you're with me, you get to go in free. So, are you coming?"
"Sure Squall, I'll come with you. But won't I need to wear something formal?" she queried Squall.
"No, not at all. I think you look much more beautiful than the super rich billionaire women who come here in gowns if you ask me," he blatantly told her.
Rinoa's face flushed heavily and she said, "Really? I mean, okay, I'll just...you know, come in these things. But what am I going to do in the meantime? You have work right?"
"We'll see. I'll take you to the library in La Scala if you want to research about music and I'll come back for you at about twelve noon. Would that be okay with you?"
"That's very okay with me. I love books!" she exclaimed. "So I'll meet you at lunch?"
"Yup. I'll just take you to the library and I'll ready the seats for our...ahem date tonight," he grinned at her. 'Honestly, I hope you consider this thing tonight as a date.'
"Okay Squall," she replied. 'Squall, I'm hoping that you were a bit more serious about that date thing. Are you?'
=======================
Ah! Chapter 6 is done! Read and review please! Next chapter: A Night at the Operas
Rinoa laid on her side staring at an Italian dawn as the birds outside chirped their songs of awakening. Her senses awoke to the smell of the dew of morning as a fresh breeze from the beautiful estate forest seeped through the slightly open windows to lend the scent of pine, mahogany, spruce, and maple to the rooms neighboring the vast greenery. It was a refreshing sight and a most wonderful relaxing experience for anyone who had been exposed to too much city and smog. Rinoa watched the faint glow of the rising sun beyond the horizon, and never before had she felt so contented just to see it rear its light into the world again. Only days ago, Death had once again visited one of her recitals, claiming so many of the patrons who had supported her career. She had felt miserable ever since, feeling guilty that her beautiful, yet enigmatic instrument had somehow caused their untimely demise.
'Should I have played that night? What if I stop playing...then maybe, the killings will stop.' She sighed on her pillow and let her eyes follow the flying robin that perched on the tree beside her bedroom. It did a funny bird walk to the nest beside the trunk and threw up a couple of worms to little hatchlings that waited for their mother's hard-won breakfast. 'Life sure is simple when you are an animal. No nerve-wracking performances to bother you or pesky curses to kill patrons during your concerts.'
She stayed in her position for a couple more minutes when she felt someone sit down on the other side of the bed. When she turned to her other side, Rinoa found Squall looking at her through shabby, wet bangs. "Good morning," he greeted her.
Rinoa rubbed her eyes and returned, "Good morning...mmm...is it time to leave?" 'You shouldn't have come in. I look so horrible in the morning!'
Squall used his right hand to brush some of the damp hair off his forehead. "Well, I'm leaving in about thirty minutes so I hope that's enough time for you to take a shower and get dressed. Don't worry, I'll treat you to breakfast," he softly told her. 'Wow! Not many girls look this good in the morning. I remember that rich Italian girl...never mind. Gives me the creeps.'
Rinoa got up from bed and sat upright with her back against the headboard. "What time is it?"
Squall shook off the cuff of his sleeve to reveal a very nice-looking watch. "It's 5:30 AM. I'm really sorry if I woke you up this early in the morning. I just wanted to catch the 6:30 train. Is that okay with you?"
Rinoa stretched out her arms and nodded. "Yeah, that's okay. Um, I'm gonna take a shower now so can you...?" she said as she rolled her eyes towards the door.
Squall furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and then suddenly realized what she was trying to tell him. He blushed and said, "Oh! Okay! Sorry!" before exiting her room.
Rinoa giggled and walked to the beautiful peach-colored Italian bathroom. Stripping off her nightgown, she stepped into the shower and turned the knobs, sending a spray of warm liquid towards her body. 'Gosh it feels so good to have a nice shower.'
About a quarter of an hour later, Rinoa emerged from the bathroom in a robe. She opened the wardrobe in the side of the room where she had placed all her clothes last night and put on a white turtleneck with a pair of black jeans. After running a hairdryer through her beautiful raven hair, she gave it a final touch of the brush and gave herself a final look at the mirror. 'Well, I'm not that much of an expert at grooming but here goes anyway. Wish me luck!' she told her reflection. She put on some black boots and left her room, finding Squall sitting in the front foyer sofa waiting for her.
Squall looked up and couldn't help but gawk at the figure descending from the staircase. "H-hi! You look...um...beautiful." He found himself tongue tied and extremely stiff just watching her walk towards him.
Rinoa blushed and shyly looked at the floor. "Thanks." She then realized that they were saying nothing to each other, so she decided to break the ice. "Uh, you look really...handsome yourself." 'He said I looked beautiful!'
"Thanks. So, shall we go now?" he asked her. She nodded and began following him when he went out of the manor. 'Did she just say that I looked handsome? Score!' He led her to the black Ferrari parked in front of the house and entered the sleek, oh so heavenly vehicle.
"Wow!" Rinoa exclaimed as she rested her bottom against the expensive leather of the seats. "I've always dreamed of riding one of these."
Squall smirked at her and said, "Really? Then today's your lucky day." He started the ignition and began driving the gorgeous car out of the manor, snaking his way like a sparrow through the streets of Cremona until they reached the train station. Parking his car in an area hidden from plain sight, he exited his door and opened the other side for Rinoa.
"That was...exhilarating!" Rinoa exclaimed as she held onto Squall's hand while getting out of the Ferrari.
Squall smiled broadly and blushed when he realized that she was holding his hand. "I'm glad you liked it." He felt like his stomach was beginning to work against him when he suddenly remembered something important. "Uh, here's your ticket by the way!" He pulled out a ticket from his pocket and gave it to her. "We're taking one of the private cars."
Rinoa took the slip of cardboard into her hands and said thank you. Both she and Squall went to the platform where the train to Milan was arriving and sat on a bench beside the rails. "Can I get you something to eat? I promised you breakfast remember?" Squall reminded her when they settled down.
Rinoa silently said, "Well, maybe just a bit to drink, but I can wait." 'He's really sweet. I wonder if he has a girlfriend?'
Squall stood up and unzipped his black leather jacket that exposed his dark, navy blue turtleneck sweater. "So, can I get you some coffee or anything at all? The train ride's going to take about forty-five minutes and I don't want you to get hungry on the way. They don't serve breakfast or snacks in the train until eight in the morning," he explained to her.
"Um, I don't really know much about Italian coffee. I heard that there are lots of varieties of espresso but I'm not such an expert at that kind of stuff," she curtly answered. 'And such a gentleman. I hope he's not yet taken.'
Squall then offered her, "I know, why don't you come with me to the coffee shop and I'll get you something nice. What about that?" 'I wonder if she has a boyfriend.'
Rinoa replied "Okay" and they both walked to the coffee shop about ten meters away from the benches. Entering into the warmth of the cozy shop gave them both a bit of relief from the cold autumn air outside. Stepping up to the counter, Squall pointed to a blackboard with coffee names written all over it and asked Rinoa, "There's all the coffee you want. Just tell me what you feel like having and I'll buy you one, okay?"
She looked up and down the blackboard and finally chose one of the beverages. "I'd like to try the macchiato." Squall nodded and told the man on the counter, "Eh, signore, un macchiato ed un breve per favore. (One macchiato and a breve (espresso with light cream on top) please)"
The middle aged man on the counter prepared their beverages and set two Styrofoam cups with lids on the counter. "Quello sara 1.5 Euro." Squall reached out for a few coins in his pocket and paid the man, exiting the shop with Rinoa and returning to the bench when he noticed that the train hadn't arrived yet.
"So you're the famous violinist Rinoa Heartilly I presume," Squall began as he sipped his hot coffee.
Rinoa wrapped her hands around the warm cup in an attempt to keep the cold out and answered, "Yeah, I am."
Squall took another sip and asked, "So what brings you here to Italy?"
Rinoa looked at him and said, "Well, some people believe that my violin is playing some tricks of its own and I decided to let your father work with it. I heard that he is the best when it comes to things like these." The cold morning air was making her knuckles white, and she tried to rub them on the hot Styrofoam as she conversed with Squall.
Squall noticed that she was feeling cold and decided to help her out. "I normally don't do this around other people but, since you're feeling cold," he said as he peeled off the leather wrapped around his palms. "Ellone says my hands are really warm so um...just hold them okay?" He offered her his hand and placed them around hers.
She blushed like a tomato and stammered, "Um...well...I don't know...okay!" 'My heart is beating really fast right now. I can feel it pounding against my chest. I think I'm going to have a heart attack in a train station...I wonder if he's feeling the same. Oh these hands are so warm, I think I'm melting.'
"Your hands are so cold," was all that Squall could say as he wrapped his large palms around hers. 'I don't know if I'm insane or what but I'll never do this again! What was I thinking?! But I gotta admit, it feels nice. Shut up brain.'
Squall looked away from her and used his free hand to bring the warm cup of breve to his lips when Rinoa whispered, "Squall, thank you." Squall turned his head around to face her and said, "Don't mention it."
After a while, the train arrived, and the station manager led them to their private compartment. After sitting on the sofa, Squall and Rinoa took seats on either side of the little room. When the train departed, they remained silent while looking outside to gaze at the wonderful scenery.
"You know, you can enjoy the view from this side more," murmured Squall as he looked at a field of cows grazing. "Do you want to sit beside me?" 'Boy, that came out a bit too direct didn't it? What did I eat again last night?'
Rinoa crossed over and sat beside Squall and leaned over to look at the plains. "You're right about one thing," she said as she witnessed two calves suckling their mother, and then turning her gaze to Squall. "The view is much better." She smiled at him and sat back on the soft couch. As the train began to speed up, the fields soon became a blur and Rinoa felt light-headed. Her eyes started drooping and in a little while, she fell asleep.
Squall felt guilty for having to drag her all the way here this early in the morning. After seeing her sleep like that without a pillow, he imagined her waking up in Milan with a slightly stiff neck. Slowly, he brought his hand around her head and gently tipped it to the right so that she would be resting on his shoulder. Unconsciously, she moved closer to him and held on to his arm like a little child would. Squall sighed and smiled, and decided for the remaining half hour to let the green of the plains drift by as Rinoa slept soundly beside him.
Outside the car, the train sped through the thick blanket of fog, the morning light shining through cracks in the grayish mist of an Italian morning.
----------------------
A half hour after the departure from beautiful Cremona, the train had finally arrived in the busy city of Milan. Upon arrival, the passengers inside the train began flowing out like water, a regular sight in a regular Milanese rush hour. Inside one of the compartments of the train however, two passengers remained, one asleep and the other watching his companion.
"Rinoa," Squall whispered to the young woman whose head was resting on his shoulder. "We're here."
Rinoa shook her head and fluttered her eyes open. "Huh?" She then realized how close she was to Squall and blushed like a teenager. "Oh! Squall I'm so sorry! I just fell asleep! I hope you weren't bothered at all during the trip!" she energetically said when she saw her arm around his. She immediately let go and moved a few inches away from her companion. 'Did I just sleep on his shoulder??? I can't believe it! He didn't even snap at me! Oh gosh I must have looked so stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid Rinoa! You shouldn't have fallen asleep on him!"
Squall chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I don't sleep at all during these trips." He smiled at her and got up. "Come on, about that breakfast I was telling you about. I'll bring you to this really nice place where they serve really great pastries." He extended his hand to her and helped her up.
"Squall, if I really bothered you at all, I'm sorry," she apologized to him.
Squall shook his head and said, "There's nothing to be sorry about Rinoa. You were asleep. Besides, I was the one who woke you up early in the morning. Now come on, we have to go get some breakfast before the cafes run out of seats."
Rinoa followed Squall as he made his way out of the train to a taxi station. When a cab arrived, he told the driver in rapid Italian to take him to some café and soon, they arrived at the place. Squall and Rinoa entered the small, yet warm little restaurant and the woman in the front desk led them to their table.
"This is a cozy place," commented Rinoa as she let her eyes wander around the room.
"I knew you'd like it,' Squall told her as he read the menu given to him earlier by the woman. "So what are you having?" he asked her.
Rinoa looked at her own menu and said, "I'm not really sure...I think a lot of the stuff here sound good. What do you think would be better, a pastry or some crepes?"
Squall let his eyes fall on the options presented in the menu and said, "The pastries here are the best. If you like their apple turnover or an apricot puff pastry, you can get those here. Or, you can opt for the strawberry jalousie tart. I like that one too."
"I think I'll have their apple turnover," she said as she put it down.
"Ah, that one's really good. The recipe comes from an old town called Siena, but I think they still make the best ones there," he raised his hand to call the waiter and stated his and Rinoa's orders. "The ones here can compete with theirs though," he informed her as he gave her a heartwarming smile.
"You know Squall, I think you should smile more often," Rinoa said after the waiter left for the kitchen.
"Why?" he asked as he removed his jacket and hung it behind him.
"Because I think you look better and nicer when you smile. You don't smile much at home do you?" she questioned him.
"How do you know?"
Rinoa smiled and said, "I could tell from the way you were acting at the dinner table last night. You rarely smile when you're around others, except for Ellone that is."
"Really? I never noticed that."
"Since you don't, isn't it better if you started smiling more today, now that I've reminded you? I just think people will feel better if they see a toothy grin rather than a pout from you," she told him.
"Oh," he murmured when she said that. "Well, if you want, I'll smile for you," he told her as he unleashed yet another smile at her.
Rinoa laughed and said, "No, not like that! Just smile naturally. This seems so fake Squall." 'Smile again! Oh he's so cute!'
"Fake? This smile isn't fake at all!" he joked. He grinned wide, exposing his perfect set of white teeth to her.
"See! You do have a sense of humor," she chuckled. "Now if you are like that around other people, I'm sure you can brighten their day just as easy as that."
"Okay Rinoa. Look, our food's here," he indicated to her as a waiter passed by with a peach pastry and Rinoa's puffy apple turnover.
They ate their breakfast in silence and when both were done, Squall paid the bill and left the restaurant with Rinoa to catch another cab. When they were inside, Squall told Rinoa, "So we're going to La Scala now. I work there."
"La Scala? Wow! I've always dreamed of having a performance there! I mean I was able to perform in one of it's smaller theaters once when I was still a small recording artist but I've always wanted to perform in the main auditorium!" she told him with zeal.
"I can arrange a performance schedule for you, if you want," offered Squall.
"Really? You'll do that for me? Thank you Squall," she said as she rubbed her hands together in joy. 'Squall, you're such a sweet guy. Please don't tell me you have a girlfriend. I've never met anyone like you before and I just hope you're still single.'
"And you're welcome too, Miss Heartilly," Squall politely returned. 'Rinoa, I think you're a really attractive lady. With those looks of yours, I'm sure you're already taken but I hope not.'
After a few minutes, the taxi arrived at the entrance of the famed opera house of Milan. Squall and Rinoa stepped out of the car and Squall led her first into the auditorium.
"Ellone was supposed to come with me tonight to see Turandot but she's not available. Would it be alright if you came with me instead?" he asked the violinist when they paused in front of the well designed set patterned after the streets of ancient China.
"Um, you won't have to buy another ticket right? Because if you have to spend money, I'd rather not burden you Squall," she sheepishly told him.
"I'm the manager here so I get to have free seats. Don't worry about the costs. If you're with me, you get to go in free. So, are you coming?"
"Sure Squall, I'll come with you. But won't I need to wear something formal?" she queried Squall.
"No, not at all. I think you look much more beautiful than the super rich billionaire women who come here in gowns if you ask me," he blatantly told her.
Rinoa's face flushed heavily and she said, "Really? I mean, okay, I'll just...you know, come in these things. But what am I going to do in the meantime? You have work right?"
"We'll see. I'll take you to the library in La Scala if you want to research about music and I'll come back for you at about twelve noon. Would that be okay with you?"
"That's very okay with me. I love books!" she exclaimed. "So I'll meet you at lunch?"
"Yup. I'll just take you to the library and I'll ready the seats for our...ahem date tonight," he grinned at her. 'Honestly, I hope you consider this thing tonight as a date.'
"Okay Squall," she replied. 'Squall, I'm hoping that you were a bit more serious about that date thing. Are you?'
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Ah! Chapter 6 is done! Read and review please! Next chapter: A Night at the Operas