Izabe gently suggested, "Why don''t you hold it?"


    Casey, once again, felt uneasy. He had no idea what to do.


    In the end, it was Izabe who gingerly ced Nikki into his arms. His movements were stiff, as if he were holding a newborn baby. Every move he made was done with utmost caution. He was afraid he might hurt the little kitten.


    Watching his awkwardness, Izabe couldn''t help butugh. "You won''t hurt it, you know. Try petting its back. Nikki used to love being petted and having its neck scratched."


    Casey started to seriously groom the cat, scratching its neck and working so hard that he broke out in a sweat.


    Nikki, at first, was a bit tense but rxed once she realized Casey wouldn''t hurt her.


    Izabe reached out to stroke Nikki''s little head, her fingertips trembling slightly when they touched the damaged ear.


    Casey noticed her reaction. He had many questions he wanted to ask.


    For instance, where did the cate from? And what happened to cause its burns?


    He chose not to ask because he knew these were painful topics for Izabe.


    "Nikki''s pretty important to you, huh?"


    "Very important, incredibly important." She would never forget the fire that day. Nikki tried to save her, licking her cheeks. Nikki dragged her by the cor, trying her best to pull her out. It was severely burned in the fire.


    While Izabe was trapped in the ruins, Nikki''s ws were ripped out. But it didn''t seem to feel any pain as it scrabbled around in the ruins, trying to find her.


    Nikki barely survived several times in the animal hospital. It kept pulling through with Izabe''s support.


    Back at the vi, it would kiss every picture of Izabe. Eventually, Nikki secluded itself in the room where Izabe had been burned to death.


    Casey thought to himself: if he wanted to win Izabe''s heart, he first had to win over Nikki.


    He held the cat and massaged it. Finally, he leaned in and rubbed his face against its back, thinking, "Nikki, see how hard I''m trying? Please let your mom be with me. I''ll buy you all the treats you want and carry you when you can''t walk, so your mom won''t get tired."


    Izabe, unaware of Casey''s thoughts,ughed and asked him, "What are you doing?"


    Casey instinctively looked up at Izabe, but he didn''t expect their faces to be so close. He nearly kissed Izabe.


    In that moment, Casey''s heart was about to explode.


    Swallowing hard, Casey felt they were way too close.


    "I''m," He stuttered and struggled to put together aplete sentence: "I''m just ying with the cat."


    They didn''t linger in the park for


    long. After all, they were both public


    figures. If they were recognized, they would be tomorrow''s headline.


    As the filming of "Blood Ties" was about to start, Izabe didn''t want to cause any more trouble for Mr. York.


    On the way back, Casey carried Nikki.


    "I can drop you off on the way."


    Izabe thought for a moment and agreed.


    Casey opened the passenger door, watching Izabe get in before he went to the driver''s side.


    Trying to impress the one he liked, Casey remembered a website iming that one of the coolest looks for a man was driving with one hand.


    Leaning against the car door, the


    on the


    door, the other ept


    steering wheel and the elerator.


    Just as Casey was about to start the car, Izabe reminded him, "You haven''t buckled up."


    Frantically fastening his seatbelt, Casey''s attempt to look cool had disastrously failed.


    "Drive safely with both hands on the wheel."


    "Got it." Casey obediently controlled the steering wheel and smoothly drove out of the parking spot.


    Izabe held Nikki and watched Casey. She could clearly sense that he was a bit tense.


    "How long have you had your driver''s license?"


    "Two years," Casey said seriously.


    "I''m a really good driver."


    "That''s reassuring."


    Casey drove with utmost


    concentration. He originally wanted to chat with Izabe during the drive. But with Izabe watching him drive, all his attention was on driving afraid of making a mistake and embarrassing himself.


    Unbeknownst to Casey, even though he was focused on driving, his gaze often drifted toward Izabe.


    Seeing that they were about to reach Izabe''s home, Casey thought, would Izabe invite him in?


    Casey licked his dry lips, then heard Izabe say, "I''ll get off here."


    "Here? Let me drop you at your door; there should be parking spaces inside."


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