Chapter 2

"Stay here," Alvaro said as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" Laura asked, gripping the fabric of Alvaro's pants, her eyes filled with worry.

"Your wound is getting worse. I'm going to look for supplies from the plane wreckage, maybe there's some medicine we can use," Alvaro replied.

"By the way... I'm also hungry and thirsty," she whispered, her lips pale and dry.

"Wait here."

Laura nodded hesitantly and slowly released her grip on Alvaro's pants. "Don't take too long," she said softly.

Alvaro looked at her for a moment, his expression calm though a flicker of concern flashed in his eyes. "I'll be back before you get any hungrier," he replied flatly, masking his worry. He turned and walked away, leaving Laura watching his figure disappear into the forest.

The jungle surrounding them felt eerie, as if it were hiding something behind the towering, dense trees. Alvaro moved carefully, his eyes scanning every corner in search of wreckage that could help.

He swam back into the ocean area to retrieve items still floating on the water's surface.

After several minutes, he found a large piece of metal part of the plane's fuselage. Scattered nearby were suitcases, small bags, and various other items thrown out during the crash. Quickly, Alvaro rummaged through the bags.

"Medical supplies," he murmured when he found a small, intact first aid kit. He opened the box and found bandages, cotton, antiseptic, and some painkillers. "This should be enough for now," he muttered.

Not far away, he spotted a transparent bag filled with food, along with a half-full bottle of water lying on the sand. "Lucky," he thought, gathering everything he could carry.

Just as he was about to return to Laura, he heard a rustling sound in the bushes. He froze, his body tensing.

"Damn it, don't tell me there's another wild animal," he muttered, bracing himself for the worst. But from behind the bushes, a small deer emerged, looking frightened.

Alvaro let out a sigh of relief and quickly resumed his walk back to Laura.

When he arrived, he found her sitting with her head bowed, her eyes nearly closed from exhaustion.

"Laura," Alvaro called, his voice a little softer than usual. Laura slowly lifted her head, a faint smile on her pale face.

"You came back," she said.

"Of course," Alvaro replied, setting down the items he brought. "I told you I wouldn't be long, didn't I?"

He sat down in front of her and handed her the bottle of water. "Drink this," he said. Laura took it and immediately drank it down.

She hadn't realized how much she drank until she looked at Alvaro, who was also watching her.

"Um… sorry," she said, handing him the bottle. Alvaro drank the remaining water until it was empty.

"I'm going to treat your wound. I happened to find a bag with some medicine," Alvaro said.

"Um… are you sure you know how to do that?" Laura asked.

"Yes. Do I look like someone who doesn't?" he replied.

"I don't know. Judging by your clothes, your watch, and that suit… none of it looks cheap. I figured someone like you, who probably orders servants around, wouldn't be doing something like this... ahh!" Laura cried out as Alvaro poured alcohol on her wound.

"You're too noisy," Alvaro remarked, making Laura scowl as she endured the pain.

"The wound is deep. I think it needs stitches," he said, causing Laura's eyes to widen.

"Bite this," he said, handing her his coat.

"You're seriously going to stitch it?" Laura stared at Alvaro in horror, as if he were a psychopath.

"If you have a better idea, feel free to share it now," Alvaro replied coolly, pulling out a needle and thread from the first aid kit.

Laura looked at the needle in his hand, her face turning pale. "I… I think this is a bad idea," she said, voice trembling.

Alvaro sighed and looked at her with a flat expression. "You want your wound to rot? Or die from blood loss? It's your choice."

Laura winced, realizing she had no other option. Reluctantly, she bit down on the edge of his coat, eyes tightly shut. "Just do it... but if you make me look hideous, I swear I'll haunt you!" she threatened, her voice muffled by the fabric.

"Then stop moving. I don't want any ghosts messing with my work," Alvaro said as he began stitching the wound on Laura's leg.

Laura let out a muffled scream as the needle pierced her skin. The pain was sharp, almost unbearable, but she bit down hard on the coat to keep herself from screaming louder. Alvaro remained calm, focused on the task. His hands moved steadily, like someone who had done this before.

"I told you, you're too loud," Alvaro muttered without looking up.

Laura opened her eyes slightly to glance at his face. Despite his cold and seemingly uncaring demeanor, Alvaro's expression was serious. There was a hidden concern in his sharp eyes, and the way he handled her wound was surprisingly precise.

"How are you so good at stitching wounds?" Laura asked, trying to distract herself from the pain.

"It's a skill I had to learn in the past," Alvaro replied curtly.

"The past?" Laura pressed, her curiosity overpowering the pain.

"You don't need to know," he said, tightening the last stitch. He snipped the thread carefully, applied some antiseptic ointment, and wrapped the wound with a bandage.

"All done," he said, looking at Laura, who appeared slightly drained.

Laura released the coat from her mouth and sighed in relief, though her face was still pale. "I don't know whether to thank you or be scared of you," she said half-jokingly.

"Don't think too hard about it," Alvaro replied. He checked the bandage to make sure it was secure. "You need rest now. We won't be able to move far if you don't recover."

Laura looked at Alvaro with a newfound respect. "Your hand is injured too. Let me treat it," she offered.

"No need. It's not serious," he replied calmly.

Alvaro gave a faint snort. "And you're not as loud as usual. So we're even."

Laura gave a small smile, even though her body still felt weak. "I can be quiet when I need to, you know," she said defensively, trying to lighten the mood.

Alvaro raised one eyebrow, clearly doubtful. "I'll need more time to believe that."

Laura sighed, this time playfully. She glanced at his injured hand, noticing the dried blood. "At least let me clean your wound. Consider it a small payback for stitching mine."

Alvaro exhaled but finally extended his hand without a word. Laura took a cotton pad from the first aid kit, poured antiseptic on it, and began to clean his wound gently.

"No one's cared about my wounds in a long time," Alvaro murmured suddenly, his voice quiet, as if speaking to himself.

Laura paused, looking at his blank expression. "What do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter," he replied quickly, pulling his hand slightly away. "I can take care of it myself."

Laura held his hand firmly, looking him in the eyes. "You don't always have to act like this, you know? Sometimes, accepting help isn't a sign of weakness."

Alvaro went quiet, his gaze sharp as if evaluating her. After a few seconds, he sighed again and let her continue treating his wound.

***