Chapter 1: Stepping into Adulthood
Mei's heart pounded in her chest as she stood before her father, her hands trembling slightly as she grasped the small suitcase. "I'm 18 now, Father. I want to live on my own." Her voice cracked with emotion, but she held her ground.
Her father's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and sorrow. "Mei, you're still just a child...you're not ready for this."
Mei's determination flared, her voice rising. "I need to learn to be independent, Father. I need to make my own mistakes."
The air was thick with tension as her father's face twisted in a mixture of pain and frustration. Finally, he nodded curtly, and Mei's heart soared.
But her triumph was short-lived. As she settled into her new apartment, a wave of loneliness washed over her. She felt lost and alone, the silence deafening.
At Haven, the cafe, Mei's nerves frayed as she struggled to keep up with the demanding pace. And then, disaster struck. As she reached for a cup, her vision blurred, and she stumbled, spilling coffee all over a customer's expensive suit.
That boy name was kaito. Kaito's eyes blazed with fury as he towered over her, his voice low and menacing. "You clumsy fool...look what you've done."
Mei's apology died on her lips as her vision faded to black, and she crumpled to the floor. Kaito's expression transformed from anger to shock as he rushed to her side, his hands cradling her head.
"Someone call an ambulance!" he barked, his voice echoing through the cafe.
when mei open her eyes she found herself laying in the hospital bed, Kaito's intense gaze lingered, his eyes burning with an inner fire. Mei felt a shiver run down her spine, unsure what to make of this enigmatic stranger.
As Mei lay in the hospital bed, she found Kaito sitting beside her, his furious gaze fixed on her. "Excuse me, sir, why are you staring at me?" Mei asked, her voice weak but laced with irritation.
"Your name is Mei, right?" Kaito replied, his deep voice firm.
"Yes, how do you know that, sir?" Mei's eyes narrowed, her mind racing with questions.
"You're the youngest and only daughter of President Yuki," Kaito stated, his eyes never leaving hers. "So, why do you work in that...shabby place?"
Mei's face flushed with anger as she rashly sat up in bed. "How do you know all that? Are you some kind of stalker or something?" she accused, her head spinning.
Kaito sighed, lay down ... his expression unyielding. "Stalker? Seriously? I simply checked your background."
Mei's eyes widened in outrage. "With whose permission? You creep!"
Kaito's eyes flashed with annoyance. "Who are you calling a creep?"
Mei's voice rose, her pride and defiance evident. "Who else but you? And as for me, I work in that 'shabby' cafe for myself. It was my decision to live alone in the apartment. My father was against it, but he agreed. I did it because I'm an adult now!"
Mei's chest heaved with emotion, her proud expression daring Kaito to challenge her further.
"You really are something, adult," Mei said, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Seriously, who do you think you are, Mister? Why are you so interested in me?"
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Who said I'm interested in you? I checked your background because you dropped coffee on me. I thought you did it on purpose, but I guess you're just a clumsy person."
Mei's face reddened with anger as she stood up from the bed. "Who are you calling clumsy, huh? You crazy bastard!"
As her fever spiked, Mei felt dizzy and fainted again, but Kaito caught her, embracing her in his arms. "Hey, dummy, are you that clumsy? You have a fever, fine. I'm sorry, so shut up and sleep. I'll call your father."
Mei felt embarrassed, nodding weakly. "I'm sorry too...for calling you a creep."
Kaito's expression softened. "It's fine. Now, lay down."
He gently guided Mei's head onto the pillow, his hands cradling her head. As he tucked her into bed, his hand brushed against her eyes, his cold touch soothing her feverish skin. "Sleep, little girl."
Mei's eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep, lulled by Kaito's gentle touch.
In her dream, Mei was 7 years old again. She saw her mom in a car, covered in blood, saying, "I'm sorry, baby. Please run. Mama can't come with you. Please run."
Mei's childlike voice pleaded, "Mom, no! I'm not going anywhere without you, Mom... Mom..."
Kaito saw Mei crying in her sleep, calling out for her mom. He gently shook her awake. "Hey, wake up, Mei."
Mei's father rushed into the room, concern etched on his face. "Mei, my dear!"
When he saw Kaito waking Mei and her crying out for her mom, he hurried to Mei's side, patting her head. "Mei, sweety, it's alright. It's alright."
Mei opened her eyes, saw her father, and hugged him tightly, sobbing. "Papa... Papa..."
Kaito felt a pang of annoyance, reminded of his own unloving childhood as an unwanted child. "Excuse me, sir. Now that you're here, I'll be going," Kaito said with a bright smile, trying to mask his emotions.
Mei's father thanked him profusely. "Thank you so much, young man. Thanks for saving my darling and taking her to the hospital."
Kaito replied, "No problem, sir. It was my pleasure."