The next morning, Scarlett thought of visiting Peter in the hospital. She baked some cupcakes as thank you for saving her, and placed them in a basket. She got out of their villa, and hailed a cab. On the way to the hospital, she saw a men's clothing store.
"Sir, could we stop here for a bit? I just want to buy something. " then she went inside and looked for another something to give to Peter. She couldn't find anything suitable for someone like him, very cold and quite scary as she thinks, but she couldn't find any. Alas, she spotted a nice red bow. Peter's waiter uniform had no bows or anything, so making him wear one wouldn't hurt right?
"I wish he will like it. " Scarlett thought, "Sorry for the wait! " she said to the cab driver, then away they went to the hospital. When she entered, she saw the same nurse from before. Scarlett also quite forgot where Peter's room is, so she asked. But when the the nurse was about to speak, a hand lightly slapped her shoulder.
"Hey! " said a voice. When Scarlett turned around, she saw Otto, "Mr. Wilson! "
"Sigh... Just call me Wilson will you? " he complained
"Oh, sorry Mr. Wilson... "
"What did I just said? Anyways, if your looking for Pete- no, Scott, he was discharged just now. " he said, "Damn it I nearly slipped! " he thought
"Oh, is that so? " Scarlett sadly
"Well, I can tell you where we are staying, if you promise me not to bother him too much. As you can see, he's just starting to recover. " Otto said, then he handed her the address of the apartment they're staying at, "I should be heading to work then... "
"Take care! " Scarlett said cheerfully, "Hehe, now your mine! Mine! MINE! "
About an hour later, ahead arrived at the apartment, "Hmm... Wilson said the fourth room on the top floor. " then she looked at the ten-storey building, "Aren't there lifts or something? "
She walked up the staircase and almost passed out on the fifth, "I'll never miss training with dad again! " she thought to herself. When she reached the top floor, she felt her soul had left her.
After chasing her breath, she walked towards to fourth room from her direction. She realized then she in of the door where he man that saved her life, lives.
Just she was about to knock, the knob turned and the door opened. Out came Peter, who is no more shocked than Scarlett is, "S-Scarlett? What're you doing here? "
"Visiting the sick! What do you think? Here... " she said as she handed over the basket of cupcakes and a small black box.
Peter was left with no room to retaliate, so he invited Scarlett inside, "Uh, sorry our room is such a mess... " he said
"No, it's fine, Scott! " heh, well in fact, her own room was no better. Then she noticed Peter's hand. It was still bruised from the IV Drip. She couldn't help but feel guilty for Peter's condition, "Hey, why don't you rest and let me handle everything? " she noticed Peter was actually planning to tidy up their messy room, but she showed up.
Peter knew he wouldn't be able to do it alone anyway, so he let Scarlett do it for him. Winter was drawing near, so the temperature is already a little too low. Scarlett was wearing a thick coat, so she had to remove it. Under was a very girly dress, that Peter couldn't help but give quite a praise, "Y-You're cute... "
"Huh? "
"I ugh... N-No. N-Nothing! "
"Did he just said I'm cute? " Scarlett thought. Thinking she heard right, she felt like Cupid struck her. She slightly jumped and started blushing.
"Are you okay? " Peter suddenly said
"O-Of course! " that's when only she did went back to her senses and started cleaning the room. She dusted the bedroom, mopped the living room, wiped the cupboard, et cetera.
Scarlett continued to clean, while Peter started making lunch. It wasn't strange that Peter made German Franks, but Scarlett was foreign to it. Peter knew she wasn't familiar with such food, "A bite won't hurt. " he said.
Scarlett took a bite and can't help but admire, "It's good! " Scarlett spent the entire day with Peter. She told him that she was the daughter of one of the lieutenants that invaded Normandy. Peter thought which it was. He killed countless men, and not only low ranking soldiers, but also high ranking officials, "He usually tells me about a mysterious Tiger tank, painted entirely in black, and vanishes right away after annihilating everything in sight. "
Peter knew it was him who was being described. His tactics were to ambush from the shadows, and immediately retreat upon fulfilling objective. This is not to leave traces of his unit. Otto and the others would sweep the prints of the tank's tracks, leaving absolutely no trace.
"Hey! Hey! " called Scarlett. Peter fell in to a daze, recalling his times during the war, "I... "
"You what? "
"I forgot the way back... Could you show me the way? " she shyly said
"Sigh... Fine. "
Before they left Peter changed to his trenchcoat. It was the same trenchcoat he used to wear way back during the war. Attached to it, were his dozens of medals, " Huh? You're...? "
Scarlett saw them, "I uh, they're... I got them from the war. I was looting dead German bodies! " he lied
"So you used to be soldier too?! You're amazing! You made it back alive! " she said, but what's really in her mind, "My man's amazing! Amazing! My man's a brave soldier! "
Nothing she knows about medals. Well, wasn't it a little suspicious? Knight's Cross, War Merit, Iron Cross et cetera. They're all German medals!
Peter went with Scarlett all the way down from the top floor. He walked with Scarlett until they got to the Charles river, "This should do... " she said, "When will you get well? "
"Maybe tomorrow...Why ask? "
"Well I can't help feel quite guilty of what happened to you. If only I was more careful... "
"Don't blame yourself. My body is just not that strong. "
"But- "
"No more but's, go home now. It's getting late. "
"Yes "
And away went Scarlett. Peter intended to wait for Scarlett to cross Longfellow bridge, but midway, Scarlett stopped and ram back, "Huh? What's the matter? " before he knew it, Scarlett planted a soft warm kiss on his cheek, "Y-You... "
Scarlett giggled. Her lips seems to feel like Violet's, which made Peter remember her, making his emotions slightly rush. Though he forced a smile to not make Scarlett notice. At the same time, a cab passed by, and Peter hailed it.
As Scarlett entered the cab, she said something to Peter, "I hope you like what I gave you! "
"Huh? " Peter rembered that she gave him a basket of her handmade cupcakes, but couldn't remember anything more, "O-Okay! " he just said. He watched the vehicle drive farther and farther away, until it is no more than a dot.
Then he heard noises behind him. When he turned around, he saw Otto, "Hey, how long have you been standing there? "
"D-Damn you! That cute girl just now! Did she just..! " he said trembling
"None of your business... " he said as he dragged Otto, who froze on his spot from what he saw, back to the apartment. When they returned, the first thing Peter did was look for what was Scarlett talking about. Then he found a small black box sitting beside the basket of cupcakes. When he opened it, he got a nice red bow similar to his eye color.
"Scarlett gave it to you? " Otto asked
"Yes. Wait, you know her? "
"How could she know the way going here? "
"So it was you again? Damn you...! Really... "
Otto knew Peter since they were kids, so despite his emotionless face, he could see happiness in his eyes. Happiness once he had before the war.
The next morning, Peter already fully recovered and was ready to go back to work. In front of the mirror, he looked at his plain self. He seemed colorless in his black and white uniform. Then he remembered the bow that Scarlett gave him. When he put it on, he looked slightly better. No, he did looked better! Though it contrasted his uniform, it filled him with colors. He couldn't help but make even just a faint smile, "That girl... "
After a few months of hard work with Otto, they got themselves a bike each. It wasn't the same as usual, unlike walking, riding the bike made him feel the cool breeze of Charles river more, on the Longfellow bridge. After he crossed he saw a familiar figure with long flowing crimson hair reading a book amidst walking, "Scarlett! " he called
Scarlett turned and saw Peter, "Scott! Good morning! " then she ran towards him and even nearly tripped
"Be careful, will you?! "
"Haha, Sorry! "
"Hop on... "
"Huh? "
"I said, hop on! I'm taking you to school. "
No need! No need! I might just trouble you. " truth be told she really wanted to bit her shyness is restraining her
"In what way you would be such a trouble to me? " he said, "One more thing, you're late. "
Scarlett took a long in her wrist watch, "HUH?! "
"Heh, told you... Now, hop on! " without a second thought, Scarlett sat behind Peter. The bruise on his hand still stings, so his steering is quite wobbly. Scarlett had to brace him tightly. Then she noticed Peter's natural reaction.
"I-It's not what you think! "
"I-I am not thinking anything! " he lied
A few minutes later, they reached H University, "Thanks for the ride! "
"Mmm... Study hard. " before she walked away, she noticed the bow she gave him was slightly wrinkled and not in proper position, outside the collar instead of inside.
She slightly laughed as she fixed it, "Anyways, I'll introduce you to a friend of mine, later in the coffeeshop. Now off you go! " them she waved goodbye to Peter. She wears a big smile all the way to the classroom.
"You seem to be in high spirits today. What's got in you? " asked Violet
"Nothing much! " she lied
"Why not tell what's on your mind? "
"... "
"Oh, I know! It's your prince again? "
"Bingo! "
"I knew it! Only that prince of yours can make you the happiest maiden on Earth. "
After class, like as usual, Scarlett and Violet went to the coffeeshop. Since Scarlett told Peter in advance, he had them reserved a table in the balcony. The shop was able to upgrade to a second floor, thanks to Peter and Otto.
"We'll have as usual. " Scarlett said
"Well, where's your friend? " he asked
"Making a call. She should be here a while later-ACHOO! "
"Sigh... Since when you caught a cold? Snowfall's starting soon, and you're wearing thin clothes? Are you looking for trouble? Lucky you, I brought my trenchcoat. " he scolded
"Sorry... "
"There's only warm milk for you! "
"Huh?! But- "
"No more but's little lady. " then he went to fetch a cup of warm milk and his trenchcoat, including Violet's cappuccino.
"Hmph! "