Kira decided to wear a simple purple floral summer dress. She tied her hair in a loose bun and wore light make-up. She wore her classic nude ballet flats to complete her ouitfit.
True to Aki's prediction, as she reached the last flight of steps, a young girl was running toward her.
"Sweet Tita Kira!" Loi squealed.
"Loi!" She bent down to welcome the over-excited little girl for a hug.
"I missed you, tita. Mom was being mean. She didn't allow me to see you earlier…" The girl pouted, lowering her head. Clearly, she felt aggrieved for not being able to be with her tita sooner.
"Come now, love. You know that's not true. Your mom is the kindest! I wasn't feeling well and could not accept visitors that is why your mom was not able to bring you to see me sooner. Okay, love?" She cooed the young girl as she gently patted her head.
"Mmmmm'kay. Are you feeling better now? Can I visit you often?" The girl looked up to Kira expectantly.
"Of course! As long as you have no school and your parents allow it, you can always visit me!" She hugged Loi and lifted her. She then looked at Ellie and gave her a warm smile.
Ellie, seeing how her daughter, Loi, tattled to her 'Sweet Tita Kira' just rolled her eyes and chuckled. She looked at her younger brother, who was looking amused. Smitten and amused. This stupid brother of mine! It is so obvious how he desires and loves this woman and yet… goodness. She then smiled warmly at Kira when Loi finished her tirade. She approached Kira and gave her a tight hug.
"Are you really feeling better?" She gently pushed Kira to inspect her from top to bottom, side to side. "Come here, Loi. Tita Kira should not be exerting much effort. She is still recuperating." Ellie tried to pry the little girl from Kira who just tightened her arms around Kira's neck and burrowing her head deeper.
"No! I want to be with tita Kira, momma!" the little girl screamed.
"Here. I'll carry you and let's go to the sofa so that you and your Sweet Tita Kira can comfortably sit there. We just don't want to strain tita Kira's back for now. You are a healthy growing child and you wouldn't want your tita to get sick again, right?" Aki cajoled the little girl as he took her from Kira's embrace.
"Yes, Loi. If you want to visit tita Kira more often, we should make sure that she is no longer sick, right baby? And you don't want your tito Aki to get jealous. He might think that he is no longer your favorite person." Ellie chimed, trying to make the little one understand.
"Hmmmm. Can I have more than one favorite person, momma?" The girl thoughtfully looked at her mom.
"Of course, baby. You can have more than one." She patted her on the head to assure her.
She then looked to Aki and said in a serious tone, "Did you hear that tito Aki? You don't have to be jealous. You will always be my favorite person together with my Sweet Tita Kira, okay?" She then planted a kiss on Aki's forehead and patted his head to appease him.
Aki couldn't help but smile and accept the pat. He then responded to Loi with a nod and hugged her tighter. Both Kira and Ellie just smiled and looked at the interaction of the two with amusement.
They walked to the living room, with Loi being carried by Aki, and Kira and Ellie, arm in arm, followed behind.
Loi did not waste any time and started chatting and playing with Kira as they sat comfortably on the couch.
"So, what's your status now?" Ellie asked her younger brother, teasingly.
"Shut up, Ellie." Aki responded curtly.
"Haha. Who would have thought that the Great Damascus Lee is such a wuzz?! What happened to you being so good with women, ei?"
"She's not just any woman, Ellie. You know that. She's Kira. And besides, I never really seriously dated anyone and never planned to...until I met her." he sighed.
"Oh come on, Aki. How long are you going to wait before you confess to her? You even found a way to convince her to stay here with you. What are you still waiting for? If you wait any longer, you will always be in the friend zone. And.."
"And what?"
"She might start opening her heart to other men. She loves you too, you know that, right?"
"Does she? I mean, I know she loves me as her dear friend. She would always remind me that I am just a dear friend to her."
"Are you stupid or are you stupid?! Do you really think she just said yes to living with you and being under your care for that? She's a smart and independent woman. I am pretty sure she has an idea that there is more to you caring for her and protecting her and keeping your promise to her dad. I mean, look, caring and protecting can be done without you having to live under the same roof. I heard she agreed to the bodyguard. Did she say yes right away when you asked her to move in with you and to have a bodyguard?"
"Well…she actually told me that I was overreacting when I told her about the bodyguard and living under the same roof."
"And?"
"Well, it took quite some convincing for her to agree to the bodyguard. More so on the 'living together' part."
"Convincing?"
"Fine. You know me. I had to assert some sort of authority and a matter-of-fact attitude. I told her that it was not a request."
"So, you ordered her?"
"She is not a subordinate to be ordered, Ellie."
"But you never really gave her much choice, did you?"
"What are you saying?"
"Look, all I am saying is that she is an independent woman and she will never take orders or whatever. She definitely agreed because she loves you. Goodness, you two! What are you? Teenagers?! Seriously. Why can't you just both be adults and confess to one another already. Anybody who sees the two of you together can tell you are both head over heels in love with one another!" With this, Ellie stood up and joined Kira and her daughter.
Head over heels in love, huh? Do you really love me more than a friend, Kira? If I told you I love you more than a friend, if I told you that I am not doing all these simply because I promised your dad, if I told you that I have loved you since our first meeting, would you believe me? Will you become my woman? Will you love me back? Aki was brought back to the present when he heard his Nana.
"Kira, my dear!"
"Nana!" Kira stood up to greet Syvi Lee, Aki's grandma.
"Oh come here, let me look at you! Are you really feeling much better, dear? We would've come sooner but this grandson of mine was being so selfish and overprotective of you." Syvi lamented.
"Oh, nana. I'm feeling much better thanks to Aki. Would you believe? He acted as if he owned my place when he was there and kept on nagging me the moment I regained consciousness!" Kira tattled on Aki.
"Oh of course, I believe you. Knowing Damascus, he'd never let anyone near you and would hover around you! He just loves you so much, dear."
"Oh, I know, Nana. I'm really grateful to have him as one of my dear friends! And these days, I am getting special treatment from him! Imagine the 'Great Damascus Lee' bending over to my whims." She smirked at Aki, trying to annoy him.
Syvi can't help but smile. Friends, she says. Oh these two. When will they ever admit that what they have is beyond friendship. Syvi silently mused as she gave a look at her grandson saying, 'you better hurry up and tell this woman how you truly feel before it's too late.' Aki just lowered his head.
He also looked at Ellie with accusing eyes telling her, 'See. She only sees me as one of her dear friends?! And you say she is in-love with me?!'
"Oh come now, sweetheart, do not hog Kira all to yourself. Come here, child! How have you been? Are you comfortable here? Is Aki taking good care of you and all your needs? Tell this grandpa of yours."
"Gramps! I'm doing good. Really. Aki's been really caring. But gramps, you better scold him. He is too protective. He even stopped going to the company because he said he wants to make sure that I am safe. Tell him I am not a child, gramps!" Kira giggled and then pouted as she tried to convince Aki's grandpa to admonish him for his overprotective ways.
"Haha. He's just doing what is the best for you, Kira." Viktor chuckled as he hugged Kira.
Hearing this, Kira sighed and pouted, feeling a little dejected.