19

Freedom.

That's what I feel now.

I almost made a widespread twirl like a swan when I saw an empty kitchen. No one is around.

That means I can cook whatever I want today!

"Don't burn the kitchen," from afar, I hear an empty warning from Khittan. Like I care if I am!

"I might just burn the hall as well!"

No more response from Khittan. He must be chickened out! The power of my words against him!

I open the fridge and skim some ingredients. I always dreamed of cooking using these ingredients since I came here. Feels like a Masterchef!

Though it is just a breakfast, I wanna make it fancy for today!

I take out a ready-made flatbread, cauliflowers, meat, and spices from the pantry and fridge. Today, I wanna make breakfast from my birth country, Fransco. Flatbread with spicy ground meat and poached cauliflower. For refreshment, I chose mint tea and grapefruit juice.

Ah... It's been a long time since the last time I cooked! Now I miss my cafe so much!

After I finish cooking, I decide to check my phone. No texts so far. Which means, we're good. After the ruckus yesterday, I thought we were going to get a blown-up media circus like last time. Looks like everything is fine.

I walk out from the kitchen and see Khittan lying on the single sofa. He's asleep with an iPad on his tummy. Jeez, I thought I was gonna be alone today!

"Are you gonna stay? Just go back home, will ya?" I huff and scoff at him. But Khittan remains stoic on the sofa. He must pretend to sleep so he can stay!

Not a chance!

"Yarh, stop pretending!"

Khittan must be sleeping for real. I should wake him up so he can go home. After last night, it's not easy to face him all day. He needs to leave now.

"Khit... Go home and sleep!" I poke his shoulder. Still unmoved. I shake his body a bit so he can wake up.

"Yarh, you should leave now. I don't wanna share the house with you!" I pull him up from the sofa. But, it seems weird because he feels heavy and...

"Khit!" I catch his body from slamming on the floor. He is still unconscious.

"Khit! Khittan!" I slap his cheek a bit. What happened to him?

I put my palm on his cheek. His body is burning!

"Oh God, Khittan!"

:::

Khittan is resting on a bed in another room just across mine. I put a damp towel on his forehead to ease the temperature of his body.

Now, I feel worried.

Just now, I had a phone call with his cousin. I don't know who should I call. There are no maids, technically no one is here. It's me and me only. I can call a doctor, but I don't know the exact location of this mansion.

"I don't know who should i call. Your number is in his emergency contact list," I say.

"It's fine. But, I'm sorry to inform you that you need to take care of Khittan at least for a day. His doctor will come tomorrow. He has an allergy to some types of medicine, that's why he has his medical officer," I watch Khittan from the spot where I stand.

"So, I can't give him a normal medicine?"

"No. Dont. He'll get worse,"

I sigh. Working my brain to think of any sort of home remedy that I can use to give him an early treatment.

"Is he allergic to anything else besides that?"

"So far, no. He's a picky eater but he has no food allergy," good news. I immediately stormed into the kitchen.

"I'll call you back if something happens," I cut the call.

It's time for a homemade remedy workshop!

:::

"Khit, can you wake up?" I softly wake him up. He slowly opens his eyes but grunts a bit.

"I feel dizzy..."

"It's because you have an empty stomach. Come have breakfast first," I help him sit up properly. Leans his body on me.

"I don't have appetite..."

"Just two spoons. Two spoons only..."

He sighs, trying to reach the spoon with his shaking hands. When I see him fail, I reach for the spoon and feed him slowly.

"Hmph.. No more..."

"One more. You can do it..." I try to force him to eat one more time. After he's done eating, I feed him with a cup of warm peppermint tea.

"Ugh... I hate it..."

"Don't be a baby... It's good for you. Since you cannot take any medicine, you need to drink this," I shove the straw closer to his lips.

"No more..." Khittan refuses. I put the cup away and let him rest again.

After a while, I came and checked him one more time. He sweats a lot. Which is a good sign. But, now he looks uncomfortable.

So, I decided to take a damped towel and a basin of warm water. I dab Khittan's hand and neck so he can feel better. After I'm done, I leave him to rest.

There's nothing much to do than to just wait.

:::

That night, I decided to stay in that room. Monitoring Khittan closer. He doesn't even recover at all, the fever spikes on and off. After dinner, he's getting colder. But, at midnight his body burned up.

I change the damp clothes one more time. I tried my best to cool down his body. At least for tonight. I have less than 12 hours to wait for his doctor. In the meantime, I did what I had to do.

Just don't die in my hands, Khit!

I take a sit next to his bed, just in case he needs anything. There's a big flask with lukewarm water next to the bed. Some candies and snacks if he gets hungry. He ate too little. He must be hungry.

I read a book while waiting for him, so I could stay awake. I don't know when I drifted off, but I was startled when I heard a small grunt.

It's Khittan.

"Khit... Khittan..." I lean closer to him. He probably feels burnt, so I change the towel again. He grunts so bad, that his body is shaking.

"Khit... Calm down..."

"No! Don't do that! Stop..."

"Khit..." he shakes a lot. I try to calm him, but he is moving too much. He looked like he was about to cry. Panting so hard like he's on a marathon.

"Khit..."

"Please Khit, don't! Stop! What are you doing, stop!"

"Khit.. Hey... Hey..." I try to wake him up. I try to grasp his murmurs.

"Don't kill her! Stop! Stop! Don't! Dont!"

"Khittan! What happened to you?" I try to hug him tight. He seems like fighting in his dream. He is crying, yelling, and resisting something.

"No! No!!!"

"Khittan!!" he opens his eyes. Watches me as I hold his hand tight. His lips shaking. Eyes wavering while staring at me.

"Ka...rin..."

"Khittan, are you okay?" he jumps up, hugging me while bawling his eyes out.

"I'm sorry, Karin! I'm so sorry!"

"Hey, why are you saying that... Calm down..."

"I didn't mean to kill you... I didn't mean to rape you..."

I frown. My hands stop brushing his hair. Khittan cries like he's doing a crime in real life. I'm too stunned to react. He is indeed having the same nightmare as I had before.

I never expected this reaction from him.

I push his body away from me. Looking deep down into his eyes. He looks like a child who is trying to escape from a monster. He is in tears. Repeatly whispering, begging me to forgive him. I never knew those dreams could affect his life at large like this. I thought he was just dreaming, like me. He's afraid. That's obvious.

"Hey... Stop crying... It's fine... It's just a dream..." I try my best to calm Khittan down. He slowly touches my face, tears rolling from his eyes.

"I did you wrong. I treat you bad..."

"Khit, that's the past. Stop thinking about it,"

"Karin... Don't leave me, please. I'll be a good man for you so I'm begging you... Please don't leave me," I wipe those tears from his eyes. Those overwhelming feelings that I have right now are unspeakable.

I don't know that Khittan is so broken like this.

This is too sad.