Chapter 22

When I woke up, my skin burnt with fever and I could barely move while my nose was running.

Arashi didn't let me leave the room as he strictly said to take rest. I asked him to at least let me do the cooking or cleaning but he wouldn't.

He went to make breakfast for all of us since Hina and her grandfather would be leaving.

There were footsteps and from behind the sliding door, Hina asked, "Can I come?"

"Yes but stay far away or you will catch it." I answered in a nasal voice.

She slid inside and sat on her knees at the door. She looked at me for a moment and said in a very disapproving voice, "You are very weak. How will you take care of him?"

"I told him to let me help but he didn't want me to."

"That's not what I mean, you idiot!" She scolded, "I meant, take care of yourself so you wouldn't get ill. If you get ill, he will have to do everything."

I nodded. She was right. If I got ill he would be the one who had to do everything. I should not act carelessly and ignore my health.

I coughed as she said, "Well, now that I am going. Be sure to take care of both of yourselves. And don't do anything so careless again or I will snatch him away!"

She scolded like she was Arashi's mother and I couldn't help but giggle.

"I am really glad that I could meet you, Hina." I said because I never had anyone to talk to. No friends, or anyone. My half sisters wouldn't talk to me as they thought of me as a maid.

Hina's cheeks turned red but she gave a smug look as she said, "Well, of course, you should be glad. I am very charming."

I chuckled but then coughed.

"Alright. We will be going now. See you again." She said and stood up as I nodded.

"And, I am glad too." She said with a big grin on her face. She left not long after that.

Arashi came with my breakfast as I tried to sit and he immediately put the bowls and the plates on the bed table and came near me to help.

"I have brought your medicines as well." He said as he placed his hand on my forehead to check my temperature. He hummed. "You should have taken the medicine yesterday."

"I—I am sorry." I said because I was very childish yesterday. If I had taken the medicines, maybe I could get up today.

"It is alright." He said as he placed the table before me and said, "Eat up while I go make lunch."

"Should I —"

"No." And he left in a hurry.

I looked out as a small smile lingered in my mouth. The sky had cleared today and the sun shone bright. Birds chirped as the tender wind blew through the leaves. This was the best morning and I wanted to savor it.

I ate as Arashi came with a little cup in his hand and placed it on the table. "Drink up."

I took the cup and gulped down the hard, bitter liquid and my face twisted. "It is..."

"Bitter?"

I nodded as I gagged and he chuckled. "What did you expect? To have honey while you get sick?"

I gave him a look as he chuckled again and he was beautiful when he did that.

I looked out for water but he said, "No water for the next thirty minutes."

"What! But my mouth tastes so bad." I whined.

"Yes, take it as a punishment for being so careless." He said and left with the bowls and plates.

I released a frustrated sigh. I wouldn't be careless next time if I had to drink this medicine again!

****

The whole day, I rested and my fever was down a little but I still felt tired and I felt I sweated a lot after taking the medicine. I wanted to go take a bath but my head still felt light.

Although when I used to be sick in my father's house, I could barely move and go take a quick bath and no one would come to help so I never left the room.

It was lunch time when Arashi came with a small barrel and a cloth.

I looked at him questioningly and he said, "You have to wipe away your sweat otherwise, it would make you more sick."

"Then I should go to the bathroom." I said as I was about to stand but I felt dizzy and my feet stumbled. I knew I was about to fall but Arashi came behind me at lightning speed as he caught me.

"You could barely stand, how will you go to the bathroom?" He asked with a raised brow but I could not answer as my sight darkened.

My body felt so weak that I leaned on him and black dots appeared before my eyes. There was an insistent sharp sound blaring in my ears as my breathing hastened.

"Bianka?" Arashi called and it sounded like he was calling from a very distant place.

"Bianka?" He called again.

My eyes could not see anything as darkness engulfed them.

I blinked open my eyes and I saw I was still laying on my bed. My eyes moved around and I noticed the sun was almost setting down. Had I slept this long?

I turned around and saw Arashi was sitting with some papers on his small table taking up a corner of the room. Sensing my movement, he looked at me.

His concerned eyes watched me for a while before asking, "How are you feeling?"

"Drained."

He nodded. "You haven't had your lunch. Do you want to eat?"

I nodded as I felt a little hungry but more than that I felt thirsty. My throat felt like sandpaper. "I am thirsty."

He nodded and stood up to leave as I asked, "What happened to me?"

"You fainted."

"Oh!"

He left and after a while he came back with my lunch and a jug filled with water.

I didn't even try to sit because my body felt like a rock was placed on me. He helped me to sit as I started to eat, still leaning on him as if my back bone had lost its purpose.

While eating I saw, the yukata I had previously was replaced with another one. My brows were knitted on my forehead. When did I change?

My mind was occupied with recalling the recent incidents but I couldn't remember after my mind blacked out.

"Has something happened? Do you not like the food?" Arashi asked as I had paused to think. I shook my head as I resumed.

"When did I change?" I asked.

"Well, you didn't." I tilted my head toward him from over my shoulders. "I did."

There was a moment of silence as it took quite a while to register his words. And when I got what he just said, my blood went to my cheeks.

He—he changed my clothes!

Suddenly I felt like hiding somewhere as I looked back at my bowls, my face heating, stomach flattering and my heart beating fast.

"I wiped away your sweat because it would only make you more sick and you need to eat a lot." He said and I knew my face was red by now.

He continued, "I am feeling like you are not eating well."

"I—I am!" I said trying not to display my flustered self.

"Then why did you faint?" He asked and I could sense him raising a brow behind me.

"Because I got a fever?" I answered although I was unsure of myself.

"No. Because you haven't been eating well. Fever won't make you faint always, not filling your stomach will." He said as I nodded.

I was so shy that I could barely glance at him but he still continued to scold me as I ate in silence and my heart leaping in rounds in my chest.

My mind kept asking only one question. How would I look into his eyes after he—he saw me...?