She was sitting in front of her study table when she heard a knock from outside. She didn't answer but the door went open. He walked inside and placed a plate of newly-cooked chocolate crepe with strawberries and powdered sugar and a glass of cold lemon juice on it. He left after that. It's been a week since she started keeping a distance between them. It is also to prevent herself from liking him more. Though he said that he will do his best not to leave her, there is still a possibility that she will not be able to be with him once the contract ends.
Her health is slowly deteriorating. The small light of hope she got after the check-up suddenly disappeared. She can't see silhouettes anymore and she relied on her touching and hearing senses more. She heaved a sigh and started eating. After finishing a small part, she stopped already. She drank some lemon juice and stood up to go outside.
"Where will you go?" He asked when he saw her leaving the house. He immediately dropped everything he was doing and followed her. He grabbed her wrist gently but she shoved him away.
"Don't touch me." She mumbled as she continued on walking. She couldn't see where she was going. His eyes widened when a car was rushing in her direction.
He ran towards her and grabbed her waist to pull her away. She heard screeches and she was surprised when someone pulled her abruptly. She realized that it was Hikaru when he cupped her cheeks and asked her if she was alright. She nodded and he hugged her tight. She quickly hugged him back. She missed his hugs. She missed playing around with him. She missed his kisses.
"Let's go home now. Don't be stubborn, please." She can hear how worried he is. They walked back home together and he didn't let her hand go.
"Can we pretend that we are a couple? Just until the end of your contract." She said while looking down. She felt pathetic when she asked that. It doesn't make any sense. Why did her foster parents send her a caretaker if it is only temporary?
"I don't want to hurt you more, Fuyu." He answered. She tightened the grip on his hand to stop her tears from falling.
"Right. You're only here with me because you're my caretaker. Thank you for taking care of me. Thank you for making me feel that I'm loved." She sobbed as she couldn't stop it anymore.
"I'm just a pathetic woman who needs someone by my side, someone who can stay with me forever." She added while crying. She wiped her tears using her other hand.
"I'm sorry for walking in your life." He said and she let out a soft chuckle. Aside from her childhood memories with her real parents and older twin brother, the memories she had with him are considered one of the best.
"It's stupid, right? I'm stupid enough for liking you this much even though we just met two weeks ago. I don't even know if you like me back. If I'm not like this, will I be able to meet you? Everything you feel for me, it is just pity, right? You feel bad for me because I'm like this, that's why my parents hired you to be my caretaker." He let her hand go and turned his back on her. He doesn't know why it feels painful when she is crying.
She went back inside the house and locked herself in her room. She just cried the entire day and night. He stayed outside her room, sitting at the side while listening to her cries. It was more painful for him because he couldn't do anything. If he is just a normal human, he can stay by her side forever. He will know what love is. He will be able to give her everything she wants.
"Fuyu.. I'm sorry." He whispered and she heard it. She slowly stopped from crying to hear his voice more. She got up from her bed and sat behind the walls near the doorway.
"I'm really sorry. I want to stay with you. I want to make you smile. I want to hear your laughter. I want those but I don't know what love is." He continued to whisper. She hugged her knees and buried her face on it.
"I grew up without any knowledge about love. If I only have a chance to feel it, I would like to experience it with you." She stood up and opened the door. He looked up at her and smiled faintly.
"You heard it?" He asked and she nodded. He got up and didn't hesitate to kiss her lips. She placed her hand on his cheek and gently caressed it with her thumb.
A month had passed since it happened. They went back to being lovey-dovey. She was making bracelets when she heard the doorbell ringing. She can see silhouettes again. She placed the bead container on the couch and stood up to open the door. Her body started trembling when she realized that it was her foster parents.
"What are you doing here?" She asked them but her mother just pushed her away and she fell on the floor.
"We're here to sell this house." Her father said and she quickly got up to push them out but she failed to do so.
"This is not your property! This is my property! You are not welcome here!" She shouted and they heard some footsteps approaching.
"It's not nice to treat her like that." Hikaru said and he gently pulled Fuyu to hide her behind him. Her father grinned widely when he saw him.
"So, you got a boyfriend now? Why don't you two get married already and then, you give this house to us?" Her mother asked and she furrowed her brows. She thought that they are already done taking everything away from her but it looks like they will not stop until she has nothing to keep anymore.