"So, here we are." Belle said as they boarded down a bus and stood along with Nicolas staring at the top of the hill.

"It's higher than I had thought." Nicolas said.

"Mr. Clark, are you afraid that you won't be able to make it till the top?" Belle asked tauntingly.

"Why do you think so?" He questioned back. "Who says I'm afraid? And have you brought the equipments to climb the hill? It looks quite rough."

"Mr. Clark, who said we are gonna climb?" Belle asked amused.

"Eh?"

"I wouldn't have brought you here if this hill didn't have steps." Belle sighed pointing towards the the steps just beside Nicolas.

Nicolas facepalmed at his stupidity. He hadn't got any words to explain this.

"That's…um…" Nicolas stared blushing red.

"No need. You are a human and of course, you have the right to stupidity." Belle said shaking her head.

"I just wanna know, how you are so good at picking on people?" Nicolas made a face and stared at the girl.

"When did I pick on you?" Belle asked flashing an innocent, fake smile. "And, I was just stating facts."

"Whatever."

"Do you really want to go?" She asked impatiently.

"Of course," Nicolas gave a toothy grin and grabbed Belle's wrist.

Belle looked up at him with a questioning look.

"Just in case you are left behind." Nicolas said clearly Belle's doubts and started running all the way up to the top of the hill.

"Hey! Hey! Slow down. We may slip down the steps if you keep this pace. If you want to fall then go ahead. I don't want to be a part of it." Belle complained as she was being forced to run on the steps because of an idiot who had proposed her the idea to be his tour guide.

"Ah! I am already having pity om myself. What did I do to meet this fool here? Oh god! Please don't make me repay for lying to mamma and dad this way. It way better to tell them the truth than spending time with this jerk." Belle thought clenching her fist as she made faces behind his back.

"Idiot, duffer, pig minded…shameless! Just die already." Belle cursed him in her mind.

"You are not cursing me behind my back, are you?" Nicolas said without sparing her a glance.

Belle's breath hitched as she suddenly felt a shiver ran down her spine. Her eyes were wide as saucer.

Was she that easy to read? This guy could guess what she was doing without even looking at her. Was he some kind of mind reader? Always roaming around reading people's privacy?

"Don't worry, I have got you." He said. "I am responsible for you so trust me. Even if I fall, I won't let you fall." He said.

Belle was at loss of words. Right now she was cursing him and now she was at loss of words.

"Voilà! We are here at last!" Nicolas stopped running and started panting. Same was with Belle.

"Running up here…was…the worst plan ever. I…just wanna…die in peace." She said.

"Huh! And someone was taunting me earlier." Nicolas gave a challenge smirk.

"You are such a bully!" Belle pouted.

"Ha!"

Belle stepped forward sharing the umbrella with Nicolas and looked down at the city. Her eyes gleamed and sparked at the beautiful sight.

"Beautiful." She said as she compared the small city's beauty from the height and from what she usually use to see.

"It's better than what I had thought. It's a charm that the travel guides and pictures are unable to capture. A man made civilization surrounded with natural beauty. How great can it be!" Nicolas awed at the city.

"I already envy your city." He said as he looked at Belle who was still fixed at her position eyes glued to the scenery.

"I love my city." Belle argued without sparing a look.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't be so overprotective." Nicolas sighed.

"So, is it beautiful?" Belle asked while Nicolas sneakingly stole a glance of her.

"Scene is pretty but I'm enjoying your face more. Well, I'm gonna stare till it lasts." He thought.

"Yeah, truly beautiful." He answered.

"So, your experience?" She asked.

"My time that I spend with you was great. Even greater than the view we are enjoying." He thought.

"Well, great I guess. I didn't knew the travel guides would miss such a place." He said.

"Well, it's a miracle that we are able to enjoy the scene or it is always misty here." Belle said rubbing her arms to warm them up.

Nicolas also noticed that she had been shivering for quite a time now.

"Are you cold?" He asked.

"Nothing to worry. I am just a little vulnerable to cold." She said rubbing more furiously so that the heat lasts for a longer time.

"Um…if you are cold, then you can wear my clothes." Nicolas suggested.

"Wear his clothes?" Belle thought as she looked at his chest.

"But he is only wearing a shirt. What does he mean? I will be walking around with a double layer of clothes while he will roam around half naked?"

"I think it's not a need. Why…" Belle started but was abruptly stopped.

"What are you thinking about? I mean I have an extra shirt in my bag." Nicolas said pulling out a light blue cris crossed shirt.

"Ah! What was I thinking! Control yourself, Belle." She thought.

After they left the hill and were now back in the city, Belle showed him some of the best shops in the city.

He bought some items that caught his eye but she hadn't expected him to gift her one.

"After all, you are spending your precious time with me. So, it's my pleasure to return the favor." Nicolas said as he cleared a few bangs from her eyes and clipped them on either sides of her head.

Belle looked up at the mirror in the shop and looked at herself. She couldn't believe her eyes. It felt just as if she had transformed into something gorgeous.

And then she noticed the pair of cute bunny like clippings on her hair.
It filled her with a rare affection. Her eyes became misty and her lip quivered in the slightest.

"Why are you giving this to me?" She asked.

"Because it looks good on you. And you can take it as a gift from me." Nicolas smiled sincerely.

Belle's eyes filled up with tears. How many years has it been that she had ever recieved a gift from someone? Even though he was a person she met just today, she was touched by even the very little things he did.

And then the emotional barriers broke down with muffled sobs and repeated 'thank yous'.

"Hey, hey. Don't cry…See, I'm not good at handling crying people. I don't know how to assure you…Have you never recieved a gift before?" He asked.

"For the past some years, no. Thank you, thank you Nicolas." She said wiping away her tears.

Nicolas smiled and patted her head.

"You know, you called me by my name." He said happily.

"So, you want me to call you Clark?" She asked.

"Nope. You could have called me Nicolas just from the start." He said and grabbed her hand as he paid for the items and rushed out running with her.

"Maybe we weren't like strangers from the start."