"I apologies for my daughter's mistake."
"It's fine," Camellia smiled at the man. This was the second time she has met him but this was the first time she ever speaks to him. He put down his sleeping daughter on her small bed and tucked her in gently.
"She missed her mom terribly."
'Obviously' Camellia watched the man stares at her sleeping profile lovingly, stroke her wild curly hair away from her forehead and bend forward gave her a peck affectionately. 'Such a loving father' Camellia never experienced such a gentle gesture while at the orphanage before. Now she saw one, her heart tighten up. "I can see that," her voice more like whispering. The little girl appeared haggard & worn out in her sleep. "I understand. Don't worry."
The room shrouded with a deep silence. The silent deafening & awkward makes her way to exit the room quietly.
"I missed her too." Kunihiko's low, rugged voice. A sudden voice from the man surprised her. She froze like a statue in the middle of the room as the sympathy rained onto her. This man is in pain. He loves his wife so dearly. Is this the true love that she always wished for? Camellia glances around to see his body slump in defeat. Under the table lamp, shone through his beautiful profile with his well kept long hair, strong and huge shoulders looking down his sleeping child. She can feel his struggle. She unconsciously took a step towards the man trying to comfort him only to stop a few feet from him shocked with his next words. "Now. I have to send all my children away."
"What? You can't.." At the same moment, Kunihiko stands up, starts to turn around to leave and now collided with Camellia. "Ahh!" It was a self-reflex and it happened so fast that both of them topple down to the bed with him on top of Camellia. Both of them frozen. Looking at each other's eyes.
"Kuni? Are you there?" Another male voice outside the room broke their freezing act. But, not fast enough to get away from each other. The man did not expected anything only enter the room hurriedly saw what conspired between the two only scowling awkwardly. "I see you're busy. Maybe I should come back in ten minutes." He sounded goodwill but his tones more sarcasm for one to just ignore. He disappeared from the room. Camellia rushed out of the room leaving the men looking at the door behind her. Kakeru was not completely far from the room; just leaning his body on the wall outside the room. He can't comprehend what was that he saw a moment ago. Camellia rushed out of the room, passed him on her way out outside the room in flustered. Kakeru glanced at her slim back until she disappeared behind the stairways. He wondered why Shuusei's wife happened to be in the room with Kunihiko. Kakeru heard the man coughing inside, decided to enter the room. "I hope you have a good explanation for what I just witnessed a moment ago."
"That was just an accident. I have nothing to explain." Kunihiko still sitting on the bed glared at him. He rakes his beautiful long hair back in frustration.
"I hope that was what really happening," Kakeru wasn't planning to back down from his cousin's explanation for the sake of his wife, Belinda relations to Kunihiko's wife but for now he will drop it. There are more urgent matters to discuss with his cousin.
"Why do you come here?" Kunihiko ignored him and walk out towards the small balcony. "You always just call in." Kakeru followed suit.
"And miss that best scene?" Kakeru scoffed off. Kunihiko glared at him but didn't comment further. "Have you decided?" Now serious talk starts.
"If you come here to stop me from going, don't. Don't bother!" His voice was firm & raised only means that he is serious about going out there looking for Ally. Kakeru didn't dare to argue with his cousin any longer. He knew when Emily suddenly called his wife a week ago, something going to happen. Belinda refused to reveal anything to him. She only asks for a long vacation to Seoul to pay a visit to her sister. She packs everything for the stay and took their two children and left. "I can't just wait here any longer or I'll go insane!" Kunihiko looks out over the dark garden down below.
Well, you'll like this news," Kakeru stands beside his cousin stares at him trying to gauge his reactions to this good news. "Luke is still alive."
"Are you sure?" Kunihiko closed his eyes in relieves. His hands trembled as he gripped the railing of the balcony. Luke, their best friend has gone missing two years ago. They almost lost faith in finding him in the vast ocean. They speculated on a terrible incident that happened that night of the raid. Some say it was a set up for revenge. They even concluded he might not survive the accident or maybe had turned to shark food.
If Luke is found & alive, maybe there is hope to find Ally too. Kunihiko trembled with anticipated to find Ally as soon as possible. 'Please, Ally. Please be alive! I'm coming to get you.'
"Yes. It was confirmed a while ago. At this very moment, Yamato and the rest are preparing a rescue team. They will be departing at dawn. Luke is coming home."
"How the hell happened? How did he survive that long?"
"Well, do you know a woman named Carol?" Kunihiko squinted trying to remember. But, Luke was an asshole playboy. His taste in women rather harsh and more like a relationship with benefits. His way of dealing with his clients were all with women. He recalls a woman, the longest relationship with was with that woman. Names? He can't really care to remember though. Luke always gave a sluty nickname to all his women. Kunihiko grunted in defeat & looking away. "Some woman by that name called in Yamato's cell this morning. At first, he regards it as some women looking for Luke as always but she seemed rather annoyed with his nonchalant attitude. After she told Yamato where Luke was found, she hangs up." Kakeru appeared unexcited with the news though. He looked more trouble.
"What's the bad news?"
"Well, you wouldn't like it. You see, Yamato called back that woman. He found out another truth."
"What are you talking about?"
"Luke lost his memory."
'Damn!' BANG! The railing bent loudly echoes throughout the garden that night.
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"Good morning, Noona."
One of the older children, Saeki saw her coming into the dining room, greeted her. All heads turn towards her except Takashi, which looks like in trouble milk feeding bottle his child awkwardly. Maybe not but with his huge body built with a tiny baby in his arms, Camellia gave him a sympathetic look. While Emily with her apron tied neatly behind her, been busy preparing their breakfast at the same time controlling the children.
It was a noisy morning. Camellia smiled at the familiar chaotic scene. How she missed those times. Saeki put on his apron swiftly and get onto a stool starts cracking several eggs onto the hot pan.
"Good morning, everyone." Camellia unable to sleep last night after that incident with Emily's stepfather in the bedroom. She scanned through the breakfast nook trying to avoid the man. The children were everywhere with noises and sounds of the utensils as they sat eating their breakfast.
"Well, don't just stand there. Let's just grab a seat and join us for breakfast, duu?" Emily waved at her to take the empty seat at the end of the table. She beelines to the seat while trying to avoid several toys laying around the floor. Not soon enough, the boy Saeki already appeared beside her with his cooked eggs and bacon.
"Thank you, Saeki. This looks delicious." Saeki smiled at her compliment and move to the kitchen with another eggs and bacon to cook.
Another woman that she never saw before appeared with her beautiful toddlers on both sides of her hands. "Morning you alls!" She greeted everyone cheerfully & the children loudly say their greetings and get back to their food. Camellia can't take her eyes off from her. She has beautiful red hair and it really suits her well. She smiled at Camellia shyly. "You must be Shuusei's wife. Nice to meet you finally. I'm Belinda Yamaguchi."