Conrad showing up was a surprise, yet somehow expected., Given that today was the day for the final lighting checks at the amusement park, it was only natural for him, the park's magnate, to drop by for a pre-look., As we caught each other's gaze, Conrad already made his way over., My hand warmed as Ernest took it in his., I have to admit, Ernest was nailing the role of my boyfriend, especially when Conrad was around. His possessive demeanor kicked in immediately, as if marking his territory. Conrad's eyes briefly lingered on Ernest and me holding hands tightly, but his expression remained unfazed, his tone even and calm,

"What time does it start?

", The message was clear to both Ernest and me; he was here for the lighting test.,

"In ten minutes,

" Ernest responded.,

"Where's the best view?

" Conrad inquired next., Ernest's grip on my hand tightened slightly. I looked at him, and he back at me, his eyes seemingly asking my opinion., He's been here countless times; he knew the answer. But by deferring to me, he was respecting my input.,

"Different areas have their own viewing spots, but the main one is the Ferris wheel,

" I replied, sticking to the official script. Conrad's gaze shifted to me and then back to Ernest,

"Where will you two be observing from?

", Was he planning to join us? Wasn't this awkward for him?, Then again, he had moved on, probably having let go of whatever we had. What was there to be awkward about?,

"Licia and I are going to do a quick run-through first, and...

" Ernest paused,

"Tonight's not the big final test; I just wanted to give Licia a personal tour.

" Something flickered in Conrad's eyes before he softly replied,

"Hmm.

", What did that 'hmm' mean?, I didn't know, and Ernest didn't seem to care, only telling him,

"Mr. Wagner, feel free to join if you wish. We'll head off first.

", Passing by Conrad, I could still feel a cold vibe emanating from him.,

"Point out anything you notice,

" Ernest told me., But what could I possibly notice that he hadn't already accounted for?, Strolling leisurely through the dazzling array of lights with Ernest was romantic, yet I couldn't fully immerse myself in the moment., Having an ex trailing behind us, I couldn't just pretend he was a stranger or non-existent., Ernest, however, seemed at ease, occasionally explaining the technical details of our lighting setup-what issues were light-related, which were due to electrical problems. Gradually, I started to relax, even beginning to think Conrad might have left us. But as Ernest and I approached the Ferris wheel, I realized I was mistaken., Conrad had been following us all along., Even though Ernest and I hadn't engaged in any overt displays of affection beyond holding hands, it must have been enough to irritate Conrad. Yet he still followed., Was he a masochist?, Oh, right. I almost forgot; he didn't love me, so he couldn't be masochistic about it., I shouldn't obsess over this; it just makes me uneasy., The feeling that my passion was going to waste was really disheartening.,

"Mr. Wagner, care to join us for a better view?

" Ernest asked Conrad politely.,

"Sure,

" Conrad's responses were unusually brief tonight, his demeanor exceptionally calm compared to his usual restlessness whenever he saw me with Ernest.

"After you, then!

" Ernest was unusually polite to him tonight., Conrad, with his authoritative air, naturally headed towards the open gondola., Ernest then turned to me, asking,

"Shall we?

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