"Here."
Harmony looked up and saw the hot chocolate Gabriel was offering her, along with a bottle of water.
"Thanks," she murmured, accepting it without complaint.
The bleeding from her nose had finally stopped, but the dizziness still lingered. She was grateful the City Library was surrounded by trees, allowing her to breathe in the fresh, crisp air. It helped ease her nausea, even if only slightly.
"You know, it's fine to study hard, but you need to keep an eye on your health," Gabriel said, his tone carrying an edge of reprimand.
He studied her for a moment, and a realization dawned on him. Her pale complexion wasn't a natural feature, as he'd assumed—it was a symptom. She had been pushing herself too hard, running her body into the ground.
Gabriel, who prided himself on balancing his studies with a focus on his health, found it hard to stand by and watch someone do the exact opposite, especially when it involved someone he couldn't quite ignore.
Harmony blinked, surprised by his sudden outburst.
Gabriel sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Look, since I know you, I can't just sit back and let you ruin your health like this. It's irresponsible, and frankly, it's concerning."
"I have no intention of dying," she replied, her tone steady but firm.
He arched a brow at her.
"Maybe not, but what about sickness? You're running your body ragged. I thought your pale complexion was natural, but now I see it's because you're neglecting yourself. You need to stop before it gets worse."
Harmony found herself at a loss for words.
First, she hadn't expected Gabriel to be so talkative. How long had he been holding in these thoughts? Wasn't he usually a man of few words?
Second, he was right. She didn't naturally have a pale complexion. Her grueling schedule and lack of proper self-care had drained her body to the point of exhaustion.
Gabriel exhaled deeply, his frustration evident. He hadn't anticipated getting this worked up over someone else's health. Yet, here he was, unable to ignore her condition.
A quick glance at his watch revealed it was already one in the afternoon.
"Have you eaten?" he asked, his voice softening slightly.
Harmony hesitated, then shook her head.
He frowned, "What about breakfast?"
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled wrapper of biscuit, silently holding it up for him to see.
Gabriel's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You—!"
He stopped himself, closing his eyes as he took a steadying breath.
"That's it. Pack up. Now."
"I still have work to—"
"You're going to follow me into the library, pack your things, and have lunch with me. Do you understand?"
"…"
"Do you understand?" he repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Harmony nodded reluctantly.
'He's acting like an older brother scolding a younger sister,' she thought, biting her lip to suppress a retort.
Gabriel started walking back toward the library, and Harmony followed a few paces behind him.
'What's happening to me?' she wondered, her brows furrowing after realizing her thoughts.
Gabriel turned to glance at her, thinking she was being confused by his actions, he said, "You might not like this, but since I saw what happened, I can't just let you keep going like this. It's not right."
Harmony met his gaze briefly before averting her eyes, choosing to follow silently. Her expression gave away little of what she was feeling.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Gabriel wasted no time ordering. Soon, the table was filled with an assortment of dishes.
Harmony stared at the spread in disbelief, "All of this…?"
"Yes," Gabriel said matter-of-factly.
"Go ahead and eat."
She tilted her head slightly, her confusion evident.
"Just eat. You don't have to finish everything, but I'll be watching. The last few times we ate together, you barely touched your food," he added, narrowing his eyes at her.
Harmony froze, stunned by his observation.
She hadn't realized he'd noticed.
The first time, she'd tried to eat what Luca served her, but her emotions had gotten the better of her after her confrontation with Patricia, she did not have any appetite no matter how hard she tried.
The second time, she'd been too preoccupied explaining her plan to Kenneth to focus on eating.
"Eat," Gabriel repeated, pushing a spoon toward her.
She hesitated before finally picking up the spoon and taking a bite.
Oddly enough, she found herself hungrier than she'd expected. Maybe it was because she hadn't eaten properly all day. Or perhaps it was the fact that this setting felt more relaxed than the formal meals she was used to.
Or was it because, despite his stern words, there was genuine concern in Gabriel's tone?
She didn't know. All she knew was that she suddenly felt famished.
'Strange,' she thought.
'The only times I've felt this way were when I used to eat with…'
She shook her head, pushing the thought aside.
"Is it not to your liking?" Gabriel asked, his brows furrowing slightly.
"No, everything is delicious. Thank you," she replied quickly, her voice sincere.
Satisfied with her response, Gabriel poured her a cup of tea and set it in front of her.
"Drink this. It'll help with fatigue."
Harmony stared at the tea before glancing up at him.
"Eat slowly," he advised.
"If you rush, you'll end up with a stomachache. Stop thinking about time and stop racing against it. Just focus on eating."
For what felt like the hundredth time that day, Harmony found herself surprised by his words.
"I don't know your circumstances," Gabriel continued, his tone softer now.
"And I'm not asking you to tell me. But it's clear you're always in a hurry, like you're trying to outrun something. Even so, you can't neglect your health. If you collapse, what happens then?"
Harmony pressed her lips together, unable to form a response.
"I heard from Luca that you're skilled at cooking with herbs. But unless you're using that skill to take care of yourself, it's pointless," he said pointedly.
Harmony swallowed hard and resumed eating. Somehow, the food tasted even better now than it had when she first started.
After finishing the meal, she reached for her wallet, intending to pay for her share. Gabriel stopped her with a firm shake of his head.
"It's already taken care of," he said.
She hesitated, "Are you sure? I can—"
"No," he interrupted.
"What you can do is go home, go straight to bed, and rest properly. No more studying for today."
Harmony blinked at him, startled by his insistence. Then, to her own surprise, she giggled softly. It was the first time she had laughed like that since the beginning of her high school days.
The sound caught Gabriel off guard, and he stared at her, momentarily stunned.
"I understand," she said, smiling faintly.
"I'll rest today. Thank you for everything."
She turned to leave, her steps light as she walked away.
Gabriel watched her retreating figure, his thoughts swirling.
'That wasn't an act. That was genuine.'