The Alchemists

Rose shook her head. "Uhm .. no. I just wonder because you don't seem as simple as I thought."     

"What do You mean?" asked Rune, not understanding. He thought he was already as simple as he could get.     

"I mean ... I think you're hiding something," said Rose. "I thought you were a nice simple guy because we get along quickly and you are also very relaxed. But it turns out ... you keep a lot of secrets."     

Rune stopped his steps and looked at Rose who walked behind him carrying a large bag of sketchbooks and drawing tools.     

"Uhmm ... do you think that if I keep a secret, it's bad?" asked Rune. "You also keep who you really are a secret."     

Rose shook her head. "No. That's fair enough, really. But I got to suspect that you are actually a-"     

"Who do you think I really am?" asked Rune curiously. He      

Rose seemed to think for a moment, whether to tell Rune what she was thinking or not.     

"I'm not a bad person, Rose... if that's what you're afraid of ..." said Rune. He immediately became worried that Rose would misunderstand and thought he was a con artist or a bad boy who wanted to take advantage of her. Therefore, he hurriedly continued. "I can tell you who I really am."     

Rose hurriedly raised her hand and shook her head. "I don't want to endanger you if you have to tell me your true identity. I don't want to get involved either. Anyway ... whatever it is, you can keep it to yourself."     

"Eh ..? Why is that?" Rune became astonished at Rose's words. Why does this girl look so mysterious ???     

"Forget what I said," said Rose and immediately walked, leaving Rune, who was standing dumbfounded in the hallway of the apartment.     

The girl got into the elevator which door was open. She immediately waved at Rune and told him to enter. "Come on, why do you want to keep standing there?"     

Rune scratched his head and nodded. He then got into the elevator and pressed the button down. All the way down to the lobby on the ground floor, he noticed Rose standing beside him with an indifferent face.     

"Who do you actually think I am? I want to know what is in your mind that you think I or you will be in danger if I let you know who I really am?" Rune asked Rose again. He was very curious.     

Rose stared at Rune for a long time and finally answered, "If you are actually a spy, please don't ever tell me anything. I don't want to be involved... Anyway, I won't ask any more questions."     

Rune was stunned at the beautiful girl's words.     

Hold on ...     

Rose thought Rune was actually a spy? Like spies in those movies?     

Jeez .. no wonder she said she preferred not to know anything and not get involved. She thought Rune was hiding his identity because he was a spy! This is very interesting... Rune thought in amusement.     

In this modern era, although there were no open conflicts and wars between countries, there were still many big countries that had spy units to investigate other countries or their own citizens.     

These spies would disguise themselves as ordinary people and led a life amongst ordinary people. They would use another identity and pretend to be a teacher, or a merchant, or even an ice cream vendor to do their work.     

However, these people will be equipped with the most modern equipment most people don't have.     

Well ... Rose saw that Rune as someone who was shrouded in mystery. He claimed to be an ordinary guy but he managed to go to the Amazon which was so expensive. He also possessed sophisticated equipment that hadn't even been sold on the market.     

He was also very easygoing and immediately decided to move in with Rose like he didn't have anything better to do. These led the girl to conclude that the Rune was actually a government agent or a spy.     

Besides all the weirdness earlier, she also saw that Rune was often busy with his laptop to input data. The man also didn't seem to have a real job.     

All of this made Rose even more convinced that her guess was right.      

Rune was about to laugh at Rose's exaggerated imagination ... but he couldn't bear it. Besides, he didn't mind if Rose thought he was a spy. That was better than a conman or love scammer.     

Finally, the young man just nodded and said no more. He walked cheerfully following Rose who walked out of the elevator to the apartment lobby. When they reached the door, with alacrity, Rune opened the door for the girl.     

They walked to the nearest train station then took the train to Central Park. The air was very cool because it was already autumn, but not too cold. So that Rune and Rose don't have to wear their thick coats.     

The atmosphere in Central Park that afternoon was very pleasant. Many people walked their dogs. Others pushed strollers and take their children to see the outside world.     

The trees in the park had started to turn yellow and partly orange. The scenery gave a peaceful atmosphere.     

Rose found a quiet spot and spread her picnic blanket on the grass. She then took out her sketchbook and pencil and began to look around her, trying to find interesting objects to sketch.     

After finding lovers sitting on the bench by the lake with their backs to them, Rose worked swiftly. Her hands were nimble dancing on the sketchbook and drawing the couple.     

When she finished, Rose then started looking for new objects. She found a mother and child sitting enjoying the sight of the swans swimming in the lake. She started drawing again.     

Rune stared at Rose's work in awe. He could see that the girl was very talented.     

Gosh .. can this girl be any more perfect? She is beautiful, smart, from a wealthy family ... she is also very talented!     

Hopefully, our children will all look like her, Rune hoped silently.     

Jeez ... what was I just thinking? Rune scolded himself.     

He did not know how his thoughts could wander so far into the future. He was even imagining having children with Rose ... Gosh!     

The man cleared his throat and opened his laptop, trying to keep busy until his niece and nephews arrived. Aleksis and Marie said that the three kids would go to Central Park with a driver and arrived after lunch.     

Ah, well... it meant that later he would have to buy something for him and Rose to eat, so they didn't starve while working outside. He had seen a burger shop near the entrance. He decided to buy a burger for lunch.     

"Hey, Rose ... here's a burger, eat first," said Rune to Rose, handing a paper bag filled with burgers to the girl. Rose's face lit up when she saw food.     

"Thank you," she said, smiling broadly. "Let's move to the lake over there."     

She cleared up her picnic blanket, and drawing gears, then she pulled Rune's hand toward the lake and sat on a chair overlooking the water.     

The two of them then enjoyed a burger for lunch while watching the geese swimming in the lake.      

Ahh ... this feels so romantic, Rune thought to himself.     

Only today did he understand how people who are in love feel.     

Mundane daily things now look more beautiful and special. He glanced to the side and saw Rose enjoying her burger gracefully.     

Even though it was just a burger wrapped in paper, when she ate it, she made it look like something special. She really had this air of gracefulness on her. Ahh .. was she a noble girl? Rune could only ask inwardly.     

"You stare at me a lot," blurted Rose suddenly, without turning to Rune. Rune laughed when he heard her words.     

The man chuckled and hurriedly crumpled up the wrapping paper of his burger that he had eaten and threw it into the trash.     

"I love seeing the way you eat. Very elegant," said the young man admitted. "I noticed your manners are always perfect."     

Rose shrugged. "We were taught manners and etiquette at home and at school."     

"Ahh ..." Rune felt his guess was right. Rose must have come from a wealthy society. Only high-class girls got lessons in manners and etiquette.