𝐒𝐏𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 - ★彡[ᴀʟʜᴀɪᴛʜᴀᴍ]彡★

𝟏𝟗 - 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔

The sky was dappled with streaks of mahogany and citrus when I was finally discharged from the hospital. It had only taken a few days, yet it felt like several months had gone by. As expected, no one had come to visit, so I was left in my own thoughts for hours and hours on end. The nurses gave me medicine to help me sleep and relieve my anxiety, but pills can only do so much.

    I had come to the conclusion that I would continue to be Alhaitham's fake wife, for no other reason than my selfish resolve of not wanting to be alone.

    Heading back to Alhaitham's house, I felt a sense of eerie misery in the back of my mind. I shoved it aside. I need to act how I usually do around him, or else he may change his mind.

    The grief I felt was partially also due to my father's death. The thought of someone that I had been so close to leaving the world left me in complete and utter shock, even more so due to the fact that the information on his death was confidential to the point where his own daughter wouldn't be able to know.   

    When I entered the living room, Alhaitham was sitting at the counter, typing away on his laptop with a stack of documents by his side. He glanced upwards at me and did a double-take, as if he could hardly believe that I was standing there.

    "Hi," I pressed my lips into a smile and raised one hand to wave at him.

    "I didn't know that you were discharged," Alhaitham stood up as the squeaking sound of the stool being pushed back echoed around the room.

    Setting down the bag filled with the clothes I brought back from the hospital, I walked over to him, keeping my strides as natural as I could muster. "Sorry, I was really rude the last time we spoke to each other. Would it be possible for you to just forget about it? I was really out of turn. I think that the news of my father's death just made my emotions spike, causing a rather repulsive side of me to show itself. I'm truly apologetic over the matter."

    "It's... fine." He looked down at me as he always did, yet now his eyes seemed to be filled with a minuscule amount of sympathy. "There's no need for you to apologize, it was my own fault."

    "Not at all," I shook my head, "you were just prioritizing your work. There's no need to place personal matters before that, especially if it's just for an employee."

    For a split second, Alhaitham's gaze seemed to shift away from me. Was I too blunt? That's no good, that statement wasn't in character.

    "Let's continue to get along," I reached my hand out for a handshake, noticing that I was shaking.

    Stop showing your cowardice.

    The moment that I showed him all of my flaws, his perception of me would change. Someone as analytical and straightforward as Alhaitham would most likely want to avoid someone with excessive emotional baggage. I forced my arm to remain still.

    Instead of shaking my hand, he took it rather gently, the fabric of the glove pressing against my skin. "There's no need to force yourself."

    His voice was strangely gentle, so unlike the first time I had met him that I found myself hesitating to pull away from his warmth. It's temporary—as are these idiotic feelings of mine.

    "Thanks, but I'm not forcing myself," I finally retracted my hand from his and reached down to pick up my bag of belongings once more. "I'll pack up and then come down to make dinner."

    "No. I'll make a reservation somewhere. Pushing yourself won't do you any good."

    Irritatingly enough, his words managed to alleviate some of the stress in my chest. I hurriedly headed up the stairs and into my room, but the sight that awaited me made me drop the bag onto the floor.

    What is this?

    On top of the bed, there was a giant stack of (at least fifty) otome game merch. From plushies to posters to exclusive art books, anything an otome lover would want was there. I wiped my hand over my eyes to double check that this wasn't a hallucination.

    Stumbling over to the plie, I noticed a note lying in front of it. Scrawled in intricate cursive were the words, 'I hope this will help ease your mind, even a little bit.' The print was without a doubt, Alhaitham's.

    Lying under the note was a single white rose.

    I inhaled a shaky breath, trying to keep my emotions under control. The amount of care that he had put into this gift was abundantly clear. All of the merch he had given was only from the games that I had mentioned enjoying, and there was more merch of the characters I had mentioned liking than those I hadn't.

    He even removed the price tags.

    It was the first time anyone had ever provided me with such a grandiose gift before. Every time I had received a gift in the past, it had just been an item that was generally enjoyed, not catered to me as an individual.

    Why did he do something like this?

    I wish I knew the answer.

    To think that someone put in this much effort for me managed to move me to tears. It was the first time I had ever experienced such a wonderful thing.

    "Thank you," I whispered to him, taking the rose in my hands and lowering my head to hide my tears.

    It was as white as snow, yet held a warmth beyond comparison. The gentle petals brushed against my forehead, providing solace and comfort in my bleak state.

    Thank you.

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Sorry for taking a bit to upload, things have not been going great. But Piofiore Episodio 1926 Limited Edition finally arrived! I've been waiting for its localization for a year and a half now— I'm overjoyed that I finally have it in my possession. I remember when I returned from going to a mental hospital, my friend made this giant box for me, filled with stuff that I loved. It was the first time anyone had ever done something like that for me, and I was moved beyond words. She goes to a different school from me now, but I will never forget this gesture of kindness, for I doubt that I'll ever experience something like it again loll

After doing the story quest, I plotted out Alhaitham's basic morals and consistencies, and I hope to portray them throughout the book in a proper manner. He definitely feels like the type who takes a while to really fall in love with someone kakakakka: but when the time finally comes I will try to write smut for it lol (it will be skippable for those who are uncomfortable with that sort of thing)

<3, Wasabi