Unknown number: You're dead! Soon!
"Lorence, here's your clothes."
"Oh, Erika? Thank you!"
"This is lovely!" she said, looking at my white dress.
"You can have that!" I said seriously. I have a lot and I can't wear them all the time.
"Really? Wow!"
"Yeah! Anyway, let's have our sleepover later!" I said, picking out a dress.
"That looks good on you!" she said cheerfully.
"He chose this one," I sadly uttered while looking at my reflection.
"I'll change now. Let's have fun later!" I said, heading to the comfort room.
He's not here yet. It's my first day at work, and I'm excited, but the excitement fades away, replaced by nervousness and fear.
Why does love cause so much trouble?
I fixed my hair, and after that, I ate with them, but everything was done without Raze. He's not home yet. I didn't receive any notification from him.
I called, but he's not answering. I left him a message, yet I got no response.
"You're going?" It's Mother Sharn.
"Yeah! This is my first day, and I don't want to be late," I explained with a forced smile.
"Keep safe!" she added.
"Bye, Mother Sharn. See you later!" I waved goodbye before entering the shotgun seat.
The trip went smoothly and fast.
"Thanks, Sebastian!" I said before closing the door.
I sighed before continuing to walk. The guard greeted me; it's still Philip. I greeted him before heading inside.
"Good morning, Cath!"
"Hi, Catherine! Good morning!" they greeted me.
"Good morning, guys!" I smiled widely, feeling genuinely welcome, which made me feel at ease.
I continued smiling, thanks to them.
I checked my phone, but there was still no notification from Raze.
I hope he's fine.
"Oh! Here's the queen!" Liza ran towards me and gave me a hug as I reached our room, or rather, the team's room.
"Hi, good morning. Good morning, everyone!" I greeted them.
I put my bag on my table and sat with everyone at the discussion table. I was with Team Alpha, and we had a project to create a new game for iOS and Android. We were currently brainstorming ideas for character design, and we already had a plan in place. I went to my cubicle and started working on my digital art. I began with a sketch to make it easier to visualize.
Around 9 am, they called me for a break, so we went to Litdinner, a cafeteria-like place.
"Cath, this is one of the reasons why I love Texno. Imagine, the boss is handsome too, to be honest. Please don't get mad," Cassy said, smiling.
"It's fine," I responded, forcing a laugh. I was still worried about Raze.
"Thanks, and in addition, there's free snacks and lunch. At noon, there's free snacks too, like we're in kindergarten class. Plus, there's free dinner if we have to work overtime," she added with a smile, and others agreed, then started to share their experiences here at Texno.
I looked around, searching for any sign of Raze's shadow, but my eyes couldn't find him. I checked my phone again, but there was nothing new except for Ivor's message. He had just said good morning and sent a picture of himself. That's it. Raze! What's wrong with you? He really made me worry.
"Hey! Cath!"
"Oh! Yeah?" Did I space out?
"I asked what you wanted." Cassy said, chuckling.
"Ah! I'll take an iced coffee and some chips," I replied, quickly hiding my phone.
We occupied a table for six since we were six members in the team.
"Hey! Are you okay?"
"Oh! Y-yeah!" I replied to Ranz, the only man in the team, as he sat at the seat in front of me.
"You're gawking at the table while playing with your fingernails. Are you sure you're okay?" he added.
"A-ah, that's just a habit, and I'm just sleepy!" I reasoned out, forcing a smile.
I was really distracted right now. I needed to know if he was fine.
While waiting for our order, Ranz started to talk to me, sharing his favorite game that Texno had ever created.
"The Impostor," a game available on both PC and mobile but with slightly different versions. In this game, there are a hundred tasks and upgrades. It's a team game where players have to complete tasks quickly while being wary of impostors who may take their team's lives. The twist is that other team members can defend the member doing the task, from level 1 to eternity level.
If they're able to protect the member or members doing the tasks, then the team may end up stealing lives from rivals and gaining gems to upgrade defense and the IQ section, which instantly provides hints and maps for the next adventure or task.
"Wow! I love this game," I uttered while playing. Yeah! I downloaded the game and played it with Team Alpha. Luckily, the minimum number of players required was 6. We're playing 6 vs 24 now because there are a lot of teams participating.
"Shit! Ranz, defend!" Cassy yelled while still looking at her phone. I was just doing a task now.
I was doing a puzzle with maybe 500 pieces, I guess. It's kind of hard, but it's exciting. The game was a mind game and also fit for all who love action games like using swords and guns... There are cars and helicopters too, for traveling to the next task.
The good thing about this game is that we're traveling around while enjoying things.
"Kyaah! Wooah! We played for almost an hour!" Liza stretched her body while I massaged my fingers, which felt numb. I wished my heart could go numb too, so it couldn't feel more pain. :(
"Let's go back, guys!" Ranz said, informing us that the break was over.
"Let's go!" they replied lively, while I just grabbed my chips and started eating.
The girls were talking about someone I didn't know, so I ended up walking beside Ranz.
"Want some?" I asked him, showing my chips.
"No, enjoy that," he said with a smile.
While walking, I heard a familiar sound. Ah? It's Ranz's ringtone.
It's the music from "Darling in the Franxx," titled 'Kiss of Death,' produced by Hyde and performed by Mika Nakashima.
He answered the call while walking, and after the call, I couldn't stop myself from starting a conversation about his ringtone.
"Yeah! I love that series too. I'm glad that you're an otaku too. I have a friend now to talk about some topics, you know, common-minded conversation," he said. I loved it when he talked because of his gestures.
"I love Zero Two, especially when she says 'Darling!'" I said while laughing.
I could still remember Zero Two's voice when she said 'Darling.' It was so fresh in my mind.
"Lorence Catherine Celo! Come here!" Is he mad? He just arrived?
"Cath, you're called. He looks scary again," Liza whispered, intimidated. She said again? So, he often looks scary?
"Okay! Go ahead, guys," I said, slowly walking towards Raze. His hands were in his pockets, and his eyes were dark. So, he is literally mad.
What did I do wrong? I can't remember this time.
As I stepped forward, my feet felt heavy, like walking towards him was against my will.
My heart beat fast, scared and nervous this time.
Scared because I didn't know what was wrong. He looked mad and scary, and I was nervous to know what happened last night. I was just really cowardly, or maybe I was nervous because I was scared of who he would choose in the end.
Would it be Sabrina? Would their parents choose for them, or would he still choose me? But I knew his parents might be against us. His father would hate him more if he chose me, so maybe he would choose Sabrina without a doubt, for peace and for good.
I had to accept that fact. I had to.
After all, I'm just a beautiful option for the moment, I guess. I pity myself.
"You're spacing out, DARLING!"
"Spacing out? Darling? What?" I rolled my eyes as I asked.
"Yeah! You're spacing out!" he snorted.
"Darling?" I asked again. I didn't know what he meant, or if he was just saying that because his tongue slipped! Haysss! I'm jumping to conclusions again. Darn it, Lorence!
"Yeah! You called him DARLING!" Ah! He's mad because of that?
"I did not!"
"Denial!" he replied.
"It's an anime we watched! It's Darling in Franxx!" I reasoned out while trying to calm myself. Damn him!
I didn't complain about them and Sabrina, but he's mad just hearing the word 'darling,' assuming that I called Ranz that. He's crazy!
"Okay," he replied, and after that, the two of us shut up.
Minutes later, he grabbed my wrist to pull me without a word. He really loves pulling me? I just noticed.
Where are we going? I sighed and walked naturally beside him. I slowly looked at my wrist, noticing that his hand that held it had bruises.
What happened last night? He's really making me worry. We got inside the elevator, and I realized we were heading to his office.
He let go of my wrist inside the elevator and then crossed his arms, leaning against the elevator's mirrored wall. I wasn't used to him being silent; he was scary.
I stole a glance at him and sighed. I just realized that I missed his cheerful side.
"Cath?" he called, not using the term endearment 'love.' Well, I had to accept things early.
"Hmm?"
"Nevermind," he said, looking away.
As the elevator opens, he holds my hand and pulls me closer to him.
Everyone was looking at us as we walked down the hallway. Why was this day so dramatic? Because I chose it to be?
"Why are we here? What do you need this time?" I asked him seriously as I sat down on the couch. He looked so tense.
"Cath!"
"What?" I snorted. He's driving me crazy! Why can't he continue speaking?
"What, Raze? Please tell me!" I said in the coldest tone I could manage.
"Ah-" he uttered and loosened his necktie. Oh?
"What did you do last night?" I asked, feeling myself getting pissed off.
"Nothing!"
"Are you sure? Nothing, huh?" I was really holding back my temper.
"Yeah! I did nothing, love!"
"You're lying, Raze!" I chided.
"I can't understand you, love!"
"I CAN'T UNDERSTAND YOU, Raze! I can't understand you!" I yelled.
"Love--"
"Why do you have a HICKEY? Huh? You did nothing! It doesn't make sense, Raze! That's bullshit!" I yelled, suddenly feeling tears silently flowing, and I couldn't stop them. He was cheating. He was cheating!
"That's not what you think, love, let me exp--"
"Explain, Raze? Explain? The hickey is enough evidence that you had a--"
"Enough! Love, please listen to me! Please!"
"Don't touch me!" I said between my sobs. My chest ached as if it were stopping me from breathing, and it felt like my lungs were going to collapse. It was very painful.
I held my chest, gripping my shirt tight as if it could comfort me.
"Love, please! Listen to me..." he begged. I forced myself to wipe my tears and laughed mockingly.
"Ha! Sorry, Raze! Sorry because it's just our second day, but we are arguing. Girls are complicated, right?" I said and laughed like crazy again.
"Love sorry!"
"Sorry? It can't remove your hickey! Shame on you, Raze!" I chided and stood. He held my hand, saying sorry again.
"I don't want to see you for now! I have to go!" I said coldly.
"Let me explain, please!"
"I'm not ready yet, Raze. I'm not yet ready to hear an answer if I'll ask you who I am in your life. I'm scared of your possible answer. For now, give me space, and I'll give you peace too. I want you to decide who you're going to choose, and who's really worth fighting for!" I said and gave him a small smile before hurrying out of his office.
Leaving him inside, he didn't even dare to follow me. Tsk! My heart... I can feel it dying inside. I've never felt love this suddenly, and I've never experienced heartbreak this fast either. Honestly, he's my first boyfriend and my first heartache.
I can't believe he could do this.
I want to hear his explanations, but I'm not really ready yet. I'm scared to hear the truth from him. I'm really scared.
Gush! My tears want to flow out of my eyes again.
Love's really unfair, or fate itself is the real cruel one.
Maybe fate didn't receive my letter after all.
I went back to my cubicle and continued doing my job. My teammates noticed something was off, so they kept asking if I was fine. And yeah, I love to lie now. I said I'm fine and I'm just so sleepy, using lame excuses.
At lunchtime, Raze came to our room and asked me to eat with him, but I said that I didn't have the appetite. I simply asked him to leave without making others suspect our actions, without letting anyone know that we're not in a good condition. I hate him!
After that, he didn't insist, but he flooded me with messages and voice messages on Instagram. He also sent his video, trying to make me laugh.
Honestly, I can't resist him, but his mistake was expecting me to accept his apologies easily.
"Ma'am Catherine, delivery for you," a man said, looking around before his gaze settled on me.
"I didn't order anything!" I replied. I hadn't gone out for lunch either, claiming I didn't have the appetite. I didn't want Raze to see me at the Litdinner, I didn't want him to catch me lying.
"What's that?" I added.
"Milk tea, spicy fried chicken, chicken nuggets, and omurice. Here," he said, placing two paper bags on my table. I was preoccupied, wondering why I had a food delivery.
"Who ordered?"
"It's written in the note, ma'am! Please sign this anyway," he said, all smiles, and showed me a small logbook.
"Do I really have to sign that? That's weird!" I complained, but still, I signed it.
I felt suspicious of this man, his request for a photo only heightened it.
"Thanks. Lastly, can I have your picture with the food?" he asked again. I just nodded so he could leave already. I didn't ask why; they probably needed proof that I received the delivery.
I pulled out everything from the paper bag and suddenly felt starved. They were all my favorites.
I read the note: "Enjoy eating. I'm watching you! After eating, please go to the floor below, open room 19, but use the stairs only. You can proceed even if you don't eat. ~Ice"
Was this from Raze? Maybe, but I didn't care.
It was all mine, so I dug in. I pulled a chair and put my feet up on it, feeling a bit rebellious. It was way too chilly to sit in the ordinary position. Well, that was just me, and I didn't care if I was being unconventional, even though I was wearing a dress. No one was around to judge anyway.
As I ate, I realized how hungry I was. After finishing, I decided to follow the instructions on the note.
Walking downstairs, I was surprised to find rose petals scattered on the steps and LED lights lining the edges. Lovely music drifted up from the 19th floor.
Confused, I arrived to find a crowd of people. I looked around, questioning what was happening. Then, my phone beeped with a message from an unknown number.
"It starts with the letter after 'R' and that letter will complete a word. Click the link below to watch the video."
Someone handed me a chair, so I sat down and clicked the link.
The video started with an anime opening, the familiar theme from Darling in the Franxx. My eyes were fixed on the screen as the video unfolded.
"My love! I'm sorry! I love you!" appeared on the screen after the opening.
It was a short animated clip. A busy man, wearing a tuxedo with the letter "R" stitched on his left coat, appeared. It was Raze. He seemed preoccupied in the video. The sun set and the moon rose, then the sun appeared again, as if time had sped up. It was the next day.
Suddenly, the screeching sound of brakes filled the air.
The video continued with a girl wearing a maroon dress walking down the center lane.
As the scene unfolded, it felt like our story, our journey together. It was strangely comforting to see it depicted this way.
But then, chaos erupted. I was taken aback.
Suddenly, the music changed to "Kiss of Death" and Raze appeared amidst the crowd, dressed as Hiro from Darling in the Franxx. He even had a blue horn.
I was amazed. I hadn't expected him to go to such lengths just to apologize. He looked so cool.
"Love!" He handed me a beautiful bouquet of flowers, and who was I to reject such a heartfelt gesture? I accepted it without a word, though my heart was dancing with joy.
"I'm really sorry, love. Please forgive me," he declared loudly, and even his employees joined in, cheering for him.
They were all shouting, "Forgive the boss, Lorence!" "Real boss, forgive the boss, yieee!" Their support was overwhelming.
"Darling, please forgive me!" he pleaded, taking my hand in his.
I glanced around at everyone, feeling the weight of their expectations. Could I really refuse him now, after all this?
"Fine," I relented, though his victorious grin made me suspect he'd won this round too.
"You sound like you're being forced," he teased, pulling a mock-sad face.
"What do you want me to say then?" I snorted, not quite sure how to react.
"It's up to you, just make it more believable!" he replied, laughing.
"Okay! Apology accepted!" I forced a smile, though inside, my emotions were still a jumble. All I knew was that I wasn't mad anymore.
Everyone applauded after hearing my response, making me wonder if it was really such a big deal.
Raze wanted to explain everything to me, but I wasn't ready to listen just yet.
Excusing myself, I returned to our room, where my teammates teased me about the video I had watched. It was playing on all the PCs, apparently. Despite their teasing, I couldn't help but start my digital art with a smile on my face.
I finished work at 4 PM and decided to go out and buy some snacks for later. While I was walking on the overpass, I received a call from Raze.
"Where are you? I checked your cubicle, but you weren't there. Your teammates said you already left. You didn't inform me," he said, sounding like he was scolding me.
"I'm not a kid, okay?" I replied.
"I know, but you should have informed me. That's the least you could do. Where are you?" he asked again.
"I'm at VM, just buying some stuff!"
"Okay, see me at the office later!" Why is he so bossy? Well, he is the boss.
"I'm tired!" I tried to reason.
"Then I'll come to VM. Bye!" Fudge! Why is he acting this way? Aish! It seems like I can't stop him.
I walked quickly and headed straight to the grocery area as soon as I arrived at VM, a big mall in front of Texno. I grabbed some Pringles, Nova, Piattos, popcorn, and crackers. For drinks, I picked up Yakult, Chuckie, and some bottled soda.
I hurriedly paid for everything because I was planning to hide. After paying, I rushed towards the exit when—
"Ouch! Can you please look at—oh?"
"Look at what?" he uttered seriously.
My heart thudded, probably because I was surprised.
"Nothing!" I said, picking up the plastic bag that had fallen from my hand.
"Give me that!" he said, grabbing the bags.
"You don't have to do this. I already forgave you," I whispered.
"What?"
"Nothing!" I said, looking away.
He had brought his car, so I hopped in.
"We're going home," he said.
"K," I replied, bored.
"What are these for?" he asked, referring to the bags.
"What are foods for?" I rolled my eyes and looked out the window.
He kept asking what was up, but I couldn't answer. I couldn't admit to myself that I was still affected by what I saw earlier.
"I thought we were fine now," he said.
"I don't want you to be embarrassed in front of everyone," I answered sadly, still looking out the window.
"Did you wait yesterday?"
"No, why should I?" I responded.
"I can't blame you, but you won't listen."
"I'm not ready to hear your explanation, Raze. I'm not ready to hurt myself!" Aish! Why am I getting teary-eyed now?
"L-love, I'm not going to hurt you," his words made me look at him.
"You already did!" I said, looking straight at him for a second before he turned back to the road.
"Love~!" he started but didn't continue. I just leaned back against the headrest and closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep.
"Love, we're already here," he said.
I grabbed my stuff and carried it myself.
"Thanks for the ride," I said, walking away first.
I stopped to talk with the girls, and they were happy about my quick announcement.
After changing, I went outside to see the huskies.
"I miss you, babies!" I said, walking beside Brix.
We were in the backyard, as always. I held a stick and moved it side to side while Vyan played, trying to bite it. They made me happy.
"Booo~"
"FUCK!" I was terrified, my heart leaped out of surprise.
"Raze! What are you doing?" I chided nervously.
"I'm sorry!" he said, suddenly hugging me. Aish!
Why does my heart behave this way around him?
"Don't touch me! You're terrible." I was thinking of the hickey.
"Fuck! We didn't have sex, okay? You have a dirty mind!"
"Because you showed me the evidence!" I fired back.
He wouldn't loosen the hug unless I let him explain, so he did. He explained while hugging me, and honestly, I always liked him that close to me.
He's like the best blanket on a rainy day; I'm comfortable with him.
"Okay! I don't care what she did to you! I'm not mad anymore, but we're still not really in good vibes," I said, testing his patience on the other side.
I know, and I understand now. Sabrina was just very aggressive, maybe. In fact, it's just a little hickey, but still, it's a hickey, and my blood boils every time I remember it. Arghhh! That woman.
"What do you want for dinner?" he asked.
"Hmm, tuna nuggets, chicken nuggets, sweet and sour tuna, or anything available in a rush. Oh, and Gordon Bleu. I don't know!" I was just being honest. I was craving those, plus I'd punish his budget. Is he even budgeting? He's a billionaire, and maybe it costs just a little for him.
"For appetizers?"
"Are you a waiter?" I asked, laughing.
"I can be anything, but I want to be your everything!"
"Dramatic! Well, I want some Cannelline bruschetta with baguette slices. And I don't like it with crackers," I smiled, imagining chefs Kyle and Markus bustling in the kitchen later.
"Is that it?"
"I guess!"
"Okay, how about salads?"
"Hmm, are we having a party?" I teased.
"No! What now?"
"I'm craving a fruit salad and a tuna salad with cinnamon. Yumm~ That's a simple but delightful recipe. I miss Mom!"
"Dramatic!" he really made an effort to sound like me, so I playfully tapped his shoulders.
"Okay! Enjoy your time here with our babies!"
"Eh? Go, Mr. Ungentleman!"
"I love you!" he responded, turning his back.
I can't blame Sabrina for falling in love with him.
He's like every girl's dream.
He has everything. Will I be able to have him until my last breath?
After playing with the huskies, I helped with some chores, and I didn't even notice how quickly time flew by.
I slipped into my room and lay down for a bit. Everything felt like it was falling into place, working the way it should. Feeling the urge to take a nap, I closed my eyes.
🎵 I see your monster,
I see your pain.
Tell me your problems,
I'll chase them away.
I'll be your lighthouse,
I'll make it okay.🎵
"Love! Love, wake up! Your requests are all ready!" As I opened my eyes, I saw him, staring at me.
"What?"
"Let's eat."
"Go first, I'll follow in a minute!" I said, stretching my body.
"Okay!" he patted my head.
"I'm not a dog!" I complained, yawning.
"But you're cute!" he still replied as he walked out.
I just combed my hair and put on my PJs because I felt cold.
I arrived at the dining area, but I didn't see Raze.
"Where's Raze?" I asked them, spotting chef Markus and Kyle at their seats.
"Love! Present!" I heard behind me, and there was Raze, his smile radiant as if he had just seen a rainbow on a sunny day.
He was holding a tray and wearing a gray apron, looking cool.
"Take your seat!" he said, smiling as he quickly set down the tray and hurried to pull out a chair for me.
"Thanks!" I whispered.
Everyone was looking at us with smiles on their faces.
I glanced at the table; the foods I had mentioned earlier were perfectly placed and served.
"Here's your Cannelline bruschetta, madam, with baguette slices," he served it in front of me.
I looked at Erika, and she mouthed, 'You're so lucky,' so I just smiled.
"Thanks, Raze."
"Sure, if you want something, just tell me."
"Just eat, Raze," I said, and he removed his apron and began to eat too. Did he really cook all of this? I wondered as I took a bite of the Cannelline, finding it delicious.
"Chef Markus, I love this!" I exclaimed.
"The boss was really good after all!" he said with a wink.
I see, so he really did cook all of this! He's really great.
Craving satisfied, thanks, Love <3
I ate a lot of Cordon Bleu and nuggets, feeling really 100% satisfied.
After dinner, I took a walk outside. The fountain was awesome, so I took a picture of it.
"Love!" It was Raze. I knew it, even though I didn't look back.
I pretended I didn't hear him.
"Love, I want to walk with you. It's not fun being alone," he said, holding my hand. Damn, electricity seemed to flow from his body. Gush! He was really driving me crazy.
"Raze, you said walk, not hold my hand." Why was I being so hard on him? Well, as I said, I just wanted to test his patience. But actually... argh! I was still sad and curious about a lot of things.
Around 8 pm, the girls gathered inside my room. We laid out blankets on the floor and sat together, with the food placed between us.
Only a few of us came; there were only 8 of us because the others were already tired and needed to rest early to gain energy for tomorrow.
We played some games. The first one was Two Truths and One Lie, followed by Spin the Bottle, and then ColorTelling. ColorTelling is a game where you have to tell a story based on the color paper you draw from the box. For example, if you pick red and in the game red is labeled as love life, then you have to tell a story about your love life, simple as that.
Between rounds of ColorTelling, we heard a knock, and Rowie opened the door.
"Kyaaah! Señorito," she greeted, so it was Raze.
"Good evening! What's up, everyone?" he said, flashing his signature smile.
Does he know that he captures every girl's heart more with his smile? We all love his smile; he looks innocent. Innocent my ass.
"Señorito, come and join us!" Erika invited him.
Raze joined in. Why did I suddenly feel awkward with his presence, and why is my heartbeat racing like it's the first time I've seen him and fallen in love with him?
He's chatting with the girls now while I'm here, just staring at them.
"Handsome? We all know!"
"Ah?" Lavender caught me looking at him, enjoying his conversation with the others.
"Is there something wrong between the two of you?"
"Just a small pain in the ass," I said, taking a sip of my Chuckie.
"Okay, we've already had our fun, girls. May I borrow my future wife now?" I turned my gaze to him, surprised because I didn't expect it and the girls teased us upon hearing it.
I didn't know what to say when we're going to talk.
"Sure, señorito, we're just fine here!" Erika responded.
"Thanks, ladies. Let's go, Love?" he said, then walked towards me and extended his arms.
"Hold my hand, baby, don't be scared♪♪," he sang, laughing afterwards.
"Yieee! The spirit of love!" Erika commented, breaking the awkwardness.
"Guys, I'll be back in a moment!" I said, standing up and holding his hand.
He brought me to the nest swing. It was round, huge, and very comfortable, so we fit perfectly.
He lay down and suddenly held my hand, placing it right on his chest.
"Love, I don't know if I have the right to say this, but I want you to fight with me until the end!" He did have the right, he was my boyfriend, but the real issue might be that he sensed my emotional distance.
I remained silent, unsure of what to say.
"Can you feel my heartbeat? Thanks for making it work beautifully again," he said. The light from the lamppost illuminated his face, and I could see the sincerity in his smile, which made my heart race even faster in celebration.
I wanted to tell him that I felt the same way too, but I didn't think this was the right time for that.
I lay beside him, just a few inches away.
"The stars look great tonight," he said, intertwining our hands. It warmed my heart and made me happy, but I still couldn't bring myself to tell him.
"Love, do you know why Dad hates me? Why is he making me live someone else's life?"
"I'm listening," I whispered.
"One time, in the past, when I was in grade school, I think I was in sixth grade. I forced my brother, Rance Trivian, to let me drive the car and escape from the house for a bit. I was just sad that time because Dad always chose him. He was always the best, even though I was good too. I was always at the top of the class, good at sports, good at instruments, and won in the competitions I joined, but I still wasn't enough," he said, his voice catching. I heard him sniffle, but I didn't bother to look at him.
"That day, we had trouble on the road. It was unforgettable, and even now, the memory haunts me. I lost one of my favorite people, someone who was always there for me when no one else was." I couldn't help it. Why did his words stab at my heart?
Mother Sharn always talked about something important, and to this day, I felt like we were connected in a way that made me feel his pain.
"I was just 12 back then, and he was 16, minors. I drove, and at first, everything was fine. But then we noticed someone's car following us, and I panicked. I lost control, and we bumped into another car. Suddenly, we heard a gunshot, and my brother covered me. That was the last time he hugged me, and after that, I was unconscious. When I woke up, I was in the hospital bed. I had a shot in my left shoulder and some minor injuries, but h-he died. I can't accept it until now," he said, tears streaming down his face. He sat down and wiped his tears.
I didn't know how to comfort him.
"That day, my dad hated me even more, and even my mom ignored me, leaving me in the care of Masha. Luckily, I still had her. Dad blamed me, and yeah, if I hadn't forced him to go with me, maybe he'd still be alive today, living his dreams. Maybe he'd be running his business, the ambush wouldn't have happened, and we could have had long conversations. Maybe I'd have heard more from him than just his last words. 'Bro, I will always protect you. Protect mom for me from this day onwards,' he said. He didn't even finish saying 'I love you!' His voice cracked, and his shoulders trembled as he cried hard while sharing this. I cried too. Who wouldn't? It was incredibly painful.
Sniff sniff
"Hey! That's loud!"he complained. I don't know why, but I was really hurt.
"WAAAHHH~ I didn't know you had such a terrible life behind everything. No wonder you're so cold and grumpy sometimes. I get it now. " I sobbed, tears streaming down my face.
He gently stroked my hair, trying to soothe me. "I'm fine now. I finally let it out," he said, guiding my head to lean on his shoulder.
"Your dad loves you. I can feel that!" I insisted, sniffling.
"He did, but I'm not sure in what way. Maybe he loved me because I lived in Rance's dream." He was calm now, even laughing a bit.
"Why are you laughing?" I snorted, a mix of confusion and lingering sadness in my voice.
"Because I didn't expect you to cry that loud!" he responded, ruffling my hair playfully. "You always get so emotional."
He always did that, messing up my hair like I was a pet or something.
I now understand why he's cold and scary sometimes. Something is stopping him from being truly happy.
We ended the night dramatically, but at least I understand him now. I have to be strong for him too.
"I love you, and with you, I eventually changed myself," he said, making me fall asleep with a smile on my face and warmth in my heart.
I woke up with a warm hug, Erika's arms wrapped around me as she slept. Gently, I moved her hand aside and stood up.
Thirsty, I headed to the kitchen.
Oh? Raze was already up and cooking. I quietly grabbed a glass and poured some water, trying not to disturb him.
I heard the click of a camera, so I turned towards him. He was smiling, holding his phone up.
"Hey! Stop that! Stop taking pictures!" I complained, then took a sip of water.
"I said stop that, Raze!" I repeated, moving closer to him.
"Stop it, Raze!"
"I'm not taking pictures!" he said, his smile both irritating and endearing.
I tried to reach for his phone, but he was too tall. Even on my tiptoes, I couldn't get it.
Suddenly, he pulled me close and kissed my forehead.
"Good morning, chump! I love this new day, a new chance to express my love for you!" he said with a wink.
"G-good morning!" I replied, quickly looking away to hide my blushing face.
"I'm going back now," I said, trying to excuse myself.
"Hey, love!" he called out.
"What?" I shouted back without turning around.
"Is that really you?"
"Are you questioning my existence?" I glared at him.
"I'm just wondering, love!" he responded with a teasing grin.
"Wondering?"
"Yeah! And who are you if Lorence Catherine Celo resides in my heart? You're an impostor?" I retorted playfully.
"Nice joke, Raze! Nice try, but that's corny!" I chuckled as I hurriedly rushed inside my room.
His humor always managed to bring a smile to my face. I tidied up the room, went through my morning routines, and got ready for the day.
Exiting the comfort of my room, I noticed the girls had already left. My morning was proceeding as usual, but Raze's playful banter had made it extraordinary.
As I made my way, lost in thought, Raze's teasing remarks echoed in my mind. He always found a way to make me laugh. Today, he was off to his investment company, so he offered to drop me off at Texno.
"See you later, love, at lunchtime!" he said with a grin.
"Take care, love," I whispered, feeling a bit awkward using the endearment.
"What?" he heard, his playful tone evident.
"I said you're LATE for your work if you don't hurry!" I quickly covered up, unbuckling my seatbelt.
"Why?" he asked, playing along.
"Just do it!" I insisted, gesturing for him to unbuckle.
"Okay," he complied, raising an eyebrow at me.
"I have something to tell you, come on!" I urged, leaning closer to him.
I planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
"Bye!" I rushed out, but not before catching a glimpse of his smile. I hoped it brightened his day.
My phone vibrated.
He had sent a video.
"Good morning, everyone! A special person is coming. Good morning, love!" he greeted his phone with a wide smile.
I had been walking towards the refrigerator when he took the video.
"Hey! Stop that! Stop taking pictures!" I heard my voice, and then saw myself walking back, with him saying, "Just kidding!"
"I saw you blushing, love. Anyway, I still love you even though your hair was messed up!" The outro featured an animated version of us with hearts floating above our heads.
I couldn't help but love it.
"Enjoy your day, love," he messaged me again.
He really didn't fail to make me happy, but the surprises didn't end there.
I spotted a bouquet of flowers on my table, and my smile widened as I read the small note.
From: Your future husband.
~Raze❤️
I have so much energy for work now, he gave me so much.
At lunchtime, he called through a video call, explaining that he couldn't come here due to an urgent meeting. It was fine with me though.
I ate with Ranz and Cassy because the other girls had their lunch early, claiming they hadn't eaten breakfast.
I had fun working, and I finished my character design.
Exactly at 4 p.m., Raze called to say he was already waiting in the parking space.
I was excited to see him, so I quickly arranged my things and went down.
"You're okay?" I asked him as I got inside his car.
"I'm fine, love," he responded, starting the car's engine.
On the way, we just talked about some things that happened at the investment company.
He dropped me home and left again, mentioning he still had a meeting to attend.
I helped with some chores again and had conversations with the girls.
Around 7 p.m., Raze arrived. After changing his clothes, we all ate together.
After dinner, I helped wash the dishes and then took a walk with Raze beside the pool.
I noticed how many times he took deep breaths and remained silent.
"Raze, let's sit here! I want to soak my feet in the water!" I said, holding his hand to stop him.
"I settled into a lounge chair by the pool, dipping my feet into the refreshing water, and soon he joined me.
"Are you alright?" I inquired, a tinge of concern coloring my voice.
"I'm just dealing with a minor hiccup at work," he replied, his smile strained yet determined.
"It's only a bump in the road. I have faith in your ability to navigate through it," I reassured him, squeezing his forearm gently in support.
"Love, no matter what happens, even if you hurt me, I can't bring myself to stop loving you. My mind tells me to push you away, but my heart can't bear to see you leave. I'm sorry for making things difficult, my love. Now, all I want is to stand by your side and fight for us. I love you," I confessed earnestly.
"I love you too. With you, I feel invincible. I promise to fight for you, for our love," he whispered, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead.
I, Lorence Catherine Celo,
solemnly vow to stand by him, to fight alongside him, and to cherish every moment with him, no matter what challenges come our way.
Dear fate,
You may try to pull us apart, but our hearts will always beat as one.
His phone rang, breaking the tender moment between us.
"It's my dad, love. I wonder what he needs this time," he sighed, a hint of anxiety creeping into his voice, making me feel uneasy too.