"I thought I had finally gave up on love until I saw you…" Nikolai said as he looked Eloise in the eye. His words caused a tingling sensation for Eloise. Her face started to blush and her eyes were losing focus. She did not know how to respond to that. With a smile, Nikolai patted her head gently and said "Looks like I have fallen quite deep into the hole." He never once looked away from her. Deep down, Eloise wanted to love him too but something held her back.
"Enough about me. I want to know more about you. So, tell me, Eloise Washington, what is your interest? Since when did you start living alone? How do you feel about me?" said Nikolai who tried to liven up the mood he sort of brought down. She couldn't help but giggle. "So, the question you are most curious about is the last one, right?" she asked with a smile. He too smiled and replied "Just one of it." With a deep breath, Eloise said "I don't know what exactly are my interests other than art. I like making things with my hands and art has no right and wrongs - perfect for someone like me who is clueless." Nikolai 'boop-ed' her nose and said "You are not clueless, just cute." Eloise brushed him off and said "Stop flattering me~ There's a limit to how much my heart can take." Nikolai jokingly said "Looks like my tactic is working." She lightly punched him in the arm and both of them just started to laugh.
"That photo, you look really happy. You must miss your family," said Nikolai as he pointed at the family photo. Eloise turned her head and picked up the frame. She just silently stared at it. Her mood seemed to have changed into depressed and sad. "I told you that I had a promise to keep, didn't I? Long story short, I promised to never fall in love," she responded. Her response brought upon a momentary silence. Then, she smiled and said "Sounds stupid, right? Now that I think about it, I shouldn't have made that promise if I were to break it so easily." Nikolai didn't realize he had touched a rather sensitive topic. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "No, it's not your fault. But it looks like we have something in common - we swore to not love," she said with a sad smile on her face.
All of a sudden, Nikolai had the urge to hug her so he leaned in towards her and gave her a gentle hug. Somehow, Eloise found comfort while being in his arms. "So warm… I like it," she murmured. Nikolai just patted her head without saying a word. "You know, my mum loved my dad very much. They seemed like the perfect couple - loving and caring. The love they shared became toxic and my dad hurt my mum time and time again but because of love, she never once hated him nor his actions. That so-called love then took my mother's life… Is this what love is meant to be?" said Eloise who started to open up her heart. "I'm sure your parents loved each other very much. How that love takes shape and forms a meaning depends on them. It is not something you are responsible for," said Nikolai. "That man killed her out of love. This kind of love is not love," she murmured with her voice slightly shaking as she grabbed onto his shirt.
Upon realizing Eloise was starting to get shaken up, he looked her in the eyes and said "The past is the past. There is nothing you and I can do about it now. From now on, trust me. I will protect you, care for you and love only you." His words brought comfort to her broken heart. Eloise gently touched his face while making eye contact. "Because of you, I broke my promise… take responsibility for that," she said softly. Nikolai smiled and held her hand as he said "I will take full responsibility," as he looked into her eyes.
That night, Nikolai stayed over. He watched over Eloise who slept while holding his hand. Never did they let go of each other's hand. He could not hide his smile that only appears when he is around her. "I don't think I can ever let you go… Not anymore…" he murmured as he gently touched her face. In the middle of the night, Eloise woke up and saw Nikolai sleeping by her bed while holding her hand. She couldn't help but smile. "You are really making it hard not to fall for you," she murmured. Then, she gently tapped his arm in order to wake him up. "Hey, you need to wake up. You will catch a cold if you sleep like that," she said softly. With a few more taps, Nikolai woke up and he smiled upon seeing her face. "Is this what it feels like to stay over? I get to see your face first thing when I open my eyes," he said, again, buttering up. "Stop talking nonsense and go sleep on the couch. You will catch a cold if you sleep here," she said shyly. "I want to hold your hand. The couch is too far," he said, showing a little hint of cuteness.
Eloise definitely fell for his cute act. She couldn't hide her smile - be it embarrassment or if she found him cute, she was grinning from ear to ear. "Be a good boy and go sleep on the couch. I don't want you to fall sick," she said. "You said you will protect me, so you can't be sick," she added. Nikolai gave her hand a little smooch and left before she could retaliate. "Go back to sleep," he said with his deep yet gentle voice. Eloise blushed and just looked at her hand which his lips touched.