Lucca's POV
After an hour, Dominic escorted me back to my room. I only saw Seraphina inside.
"Where is Mira?" Dominic asked.
"She was with Damian in your master's room," Seraphina answered.
Dominic assisted me until I reached my bed. Then, he excused himself because he would also be going to the master's room. I told him that I wanted to see him, but Dominic said he would send my regards to our master.
"Are you hungry, Lucca? Do you want some snacks?" Seraphina asked as she stood up. It was as if she was waiting for me to tell her what I needed.
"A fruit will do," I answered.
She immediately went to the kitchen and prepared what I had asked for. In just a few minutes, she returned to my bed and handed me a bowl of fruit containing grapes and oranges.
I grabbed the bowl and started eating.
"Are you not going to talk to me?" she asked.
I looked at her. She seemed so clueless about why I was mad at her. Would she laugh at me just like Dominic did when I shared how I felt?
"Are you really that dense, you little fragile woman?" I asked mockingly.
After hearing those words, she suddenly frowned. "Are you mocking me now?" she asked.
"Tsk," I replied.
"I am asking you nicely because I don't know what I did that made you frown," she said in a raised voice. It seemed like we were about to fight, just like last time.
"Yeah. You don't know because you're too busy fulfilling your duties as my personal assistant," I said, emphasizing the words personal assistant.
"Am I not supposed to? I want you to be satisfied with my work. I don't want you to think that I'm taking the job you gave me for granted. Shouldn't you be happy about that?" she asked back.
"Even after you confessed yesterday that you like me? You suddenly shifted your attention to proving that you're a good employee? Shouldn't you tell me that you're taking care of me because you like me, not because I'm your boss?" I shouted.
That made her fall silent. She seemed surprised by what I had said. Did my words really hit her that hard?
"Now, tell me your answer, miss," I said, glaring at her.
"I didn't know it was such a big deal to you," she finally managed.
"Of course, you didn't, because you didn't care," I said, frowning.
I was no longer able to enjoy the fruit in the bowl she had given me.
"You told me before that my job was to do everything. You said I should be with you all the time," she paused.
"But I didn't know that this would make you mad at me," she continued.
Looking at her innocent face made my heart melt. Was I being too much? Was I acting like a child? Had I hurt her feelings?
"I'm sorry," Seraphina said.
Hearing those words, I finally gave in. I couldn't stay mad at her for the rest of the day. It wasn't actually a big deal, but I had made it one. It was partly my fault, too, because, in the first place, I was the one who told her that her job required her to be with me all the time.
"I really care about you, Lucca. You saved me, protected me, and helped me many times. I know that what I'm doing for you now isn't even half of what you've done for me," she said.
"I'm not talking about that."
"I know. I'm just reminding myself of it," she said, giving me a small smile. "Are you still mad at me? Can you please tell me the reason next time so I won't have to overthink things?"
As I listened to Seraphina's words, I couldn't help but feel ashamed of how I had treated her and the things I had said. I didn't know she could be this understanding.
When we first met, I thought she was close-minded, aloof, introverted, and everything I disliked in a person. But as time went by, I was beginning to see the real her.
"I'm sorry for overreacting, too," I said.
If I were to compare myself to the person I used to be, I wouldn't have even apologized to someone, even if I was wrong. I would have let them beg and kneel before me, and I would have continued being rude to them.
Hearing myself apologize now, I couldn't help but realize how much I had changed. I was no longer the person I used to be. I was once so arrogant, rude, and sarcastic. I seemed to possess every negative attitude imaginable.
If I hadn't found out that my life had a deadline, I might never have learned how to be humble and accept that I could be wrong, too.
I might never have learned how to deal with Seraphina, whom I had found so annoying when we first met. But because of her, and because I initially wanted to get close to her for the ring, I began to realize many things about life.
Seraphina made me realize that I had a good side, too.
Seraphina smiled at me and held out her pinky finger, offering me a pinky promise.
"So, you're not mad at me anymore, right? Can you do this?" she asked.
I acted rudely toward her and rolled my eyes.
"That's a kid's game. We're not kids anymore," I said.
"Come on. Just do this and promise me that you mean what you say," she insisted.
I looked into her eyes and did what she asked. She smiled widely, then picked up a grape and put it into my mouth.
I gladly accepted it and chewed. Then, I picked one up, too, and put it into her mouth. She ate it as well.
And just like that, my mood changed. At least, we managed to make up before nightfall.
Seraphina's POV
Lucca was already asleep when someone barged into the room. At first, I thought it was Damian, Dominic, or Mira. But it turned out to be Lucca's master.
"Grandpa..." I called out to him.
He had even brought his IV drip stand with him. I helped him and assisted him as he sat down on the sofa.
"What are you doing here in the middle of the night? Are you alone in your room?" I asked.
"I was just wondering if you had already gone to sleep here. Why are you still awake? It's already 12 a.m.," he said.
"I couldn't sleep," I answered.
"Same as me," he said while staring at Lucca.
"Lucca sleeps well, doesn't he?"
I looked at Lucca, who was sleeping like a baby.
"Do you know that Lucca has difficulty sleeping?"
"Does he?" I asked.
"Yeah. He has always been sleep-deprived," he said.
I didn't know about that. But based on what I had observed, he seemed to sleep a lot.
"You really changed him a lot, Seraphina," he said, making me turn toward him.
"It was you who made him show his better side," he added.
I didn't know how to respond. I was a bit overwhelmed by what he had said.
"Do you really like him?" he asked, catching me off guard.
"Yes," I stuttered.
"I can feel it," he said, but he looked so sad.
"Grandpa... do you have something to tell me?" I asked.
"You know about the dreams, don't you?"
I nodded.
"And you know about the connection between the two of you."
I nodded again.
"You know what, Seraphina? I like you for him. I have nothing against you. But things aren't meant to happen again, especially when the two of you are connected through the past."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You can't be in love the way Monica and Xavier were."
When I heard what he said, I didn't know how to react.
"The curse will continue from generation to generation, Seraphina. It won't only hurt you but also ruin your lives," he explained. "You cannot be together."
His words made my heart ache. Although we weren't together or even in a relationship yet, hearing those words made me think twice about my feelings and actions.
"Lucca doesn't want to listen to me. But I hope you will," he said.
"But how can we be together when we aren't even in a relationship yet?" I asked, trying to emphasize that Lucca hadn't even courted me yet, so his concern seemed a little premature.
"Would you get mad at me or hate me if I told you not to allow Lucca to court you?"
I was taken aback by what he said, but I tried to hide my feelings.
"I like you, Seraphina. I really do. I'm not asking you to stay away from him. I'm asking you not to enter into a relationship with him so you can both save yourselves."
I nodded and then smiled at him.
"Thank you for your concern, Grandpa. But if you cannot stop Lucca, how can I stop him, too? What you're asking me to do is a bit difficult. Although Lucca hasn't confessed his feelings yet, what if he does? I don't want to promise you something I might not be able to fulfill," I said respectfully.
He nodded. "I understand. Feelings cannot be stopped."
"I know you only want us to be safe. I appreciate your concern. But feelings are feelings, and I cannot simply control them."
"So you really like Lucca that much," he said, then smiled.
I nodded. What was there to hide? Everyone already knew how much I liked him.
"He's so lucky to have you."
"No. I think I'm the lucky one to have him."
After our conversation, I assisted him back to his room. It wasn't far from Lucca's room.
I wasn't able to sleep until morning because my mind was occupied with thoughts about Lucca and me. I was also thinking about what I could possibly do to break the curse. I didn't want either of us to suffer the same fate as Monica and Xavier. Was there a way to prevent such an event from happening? Was there a Mandy Moore in this present day?
Lucca woke up early. I was still sitting on the sofa, staring blankly into space.
"Seraphina..."
His voice brought me back to my senses. When I checked the clock, it was already 5 a.m.
"What are you doing there? Didn't you sleep?" he asked.
"I couldn't sleep," I said.
"Are you uncomfortable sleeping here?" he asked again.
"No. I just couldn't sleep," I answered.
Lucca tried to get up, but since he was still attached to his IV drip, he stopped.
"Do you need anything?" I asked.
"Come here," he said.
I followed his instructions and sat on his bed. He looked me straight in the eyes.
"How can you stay healthy if you don't get enough sleep? What's bothering you?" Lucca asked in a very calm voice.
"I just couldn't sleep," I answered.
I didn't want Lucca to know that his master and I had talked about us. What if he got mad at his master and started an argument? Knowing Lucca's temper, I didn't want him confronting his master.
"Lie down here. You have to get some sleep," he said, pointing to his pillow.
I wanted to say no, but I knew he would be persistent. So, I lay down. He lay beside me, too, looking at me.
"How am I supposed to sleep when you're staring at me?" I asked.
"Am I not allowed to look at you?" he asked.
I shook my head.
I was still so amused by the fact that I was now lying in front of the very man I used to hate. I was beginning to feel my eyelids getting heavy. It seemed like I was about to fall asleep.
Just a while ago, I couldn't sleep. But now?
Lucca's POV
After a while, Seraphina was already asleep. I gently tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear. I didn't know what was bothering her, but I could feel that something was weighing heavily on her mind. Still, I didn't want to force her to talk if she wasn't ready to tell me.
I heard the door open. It was Dominic who entered. I signaled him not to speak loudly because Seraphina was sleeping.
"Master will be leaving today," he informed me.
"Is he okay already? You know we can extend his stay here," I said.
"You know, Master. He can't stay here any longer. Being here makes him sick," Dominic answered.
I nodded. "I can't help you assist Master," I said.
"I didn't ask you to. I'm just informing you."
I nodded again.
"Looks like you're a good boyfriend, trying not to wake up your girlfriend, huh?" Dominic said with a smile.
"Shut your mouth and get out of here," I said, still keeping my voice down so I wouldn't wake her up.
"Okay. Just do your job well," he said before immediately flying away.
I sighed. If he stayed here any longer, he would never stop teasing me until he got tired of it.
I looked at Seraphina again. She was sleeping comfortably. I remained seated on my bed, simply staring at her.
I heard the door open again, and it was the nurse who had come to check on me and serve my breakfast. She didn't seem to mind that someone was sleeping on my bed.
I hadn't eaten my breakfast yet because I wasn't hungry.
Then the door opened once more, and there I saw Master standing without his IV drip stand.
"Master..." I called out to him.
Standing behind him were Dominic and Damian.
Master glanced at Seraphina, who was sleeping on the bed. Then he smiled at me but didn't say anything.
"Seraphina didn't sleep all night," I said, just in case they needed an explanation.
"Are you feeling better now, Lucca?" my master asked.
"Yeah. I'll ask the doctor if I can be discharged tomorrow," I said.
"I thought you were supposed to rest for a week," he said.
"Just like you, I don't want to stay in this place. I'm itching to drink alcohol," I said, trying to joke around, although my expression remained serious.
"I doubt Seraphina will allow that," he said.
Is Master okay with Seraphina now?
"I'm always okay with Seraphina, Lucca," he said, answering the question in my head.
"I didn't say anything," I replied.
"But I know what you're thinking," he said.
"So, you're a mind reader now?" I asked.
"Didn't you know?" He laughed. "We won't be staying here any longer. I need to rest at home. I'm sorry if I can't visit you during the remaining days of your stay here, but I don't want to come back to this place."
I nodded. "You don't have to. I'll visit you once I'm discharged."
He nodded, too. "Send my regards to Seraphina as well. Take care!"
Then Master left the room with Dominic and Damian.
Once I got discharged, I would treat my master.
Fifteen minutes after they left, the doctor and the nurses came in. The doctor noticed Seraphina sleeping on my bed and smiled.
"Did you exhaust your girlfriend by making her take care of you?" the doctor asked.
"You came early," I said instead of answering his question.
"You didn't want me to? I came to check on you again and give you another dose of vitamins," he said.
"Do I need it?" I asked.
"Well, of course. After losing so much energy and sustaining those wounds, who wouldn't need it? Don't make your girlfriend worry about you."
I had once mentioned to my doctor, when Seraphina was sick, that she was just my friend. But it seemed like he had forgotten what I had told him before. I didn't even want to correct him because the nurses were staring at us.
One of the nurses injected something into my IV line. Then the other nurses checked my vital signs.
"Can I go home tomorrow?" I asked.
"Do you want to go home now?"
"Who wouldn't? I want to go home."
The doctor nodded. "Okay. If that's what you want, I'll allow you to go home tomorrow. But, of course, don't forget to take the medicines I've prescribed," he said.
"I'll never forget that," I replied.
"Okay. We're done. I'll come back tomorrow."
Then he left.
The room became silent again. I looked at Seraphina, who was softly snoring. She seemed so tired.
I remained in that position for another hour. Then another nurse came in to clean my wounds. She did it quietly, although I noticed her glancing curiously at Seraphina. Still, she didn't utter a word.
Afterward, she left.
It was already 11 a.m., but I still hadn't eaten breakfast. I wanted to wait for Seraphina so we could eat together, but it seemed like she was having a good sleep. So, I started eating alone so I could take my medicine afterward.
Then another person entered the room.
It was Mira.
"Seraphina is still sleeping?" Mira asked as she placed the plastic bags on the table.
"She just fell asleep this morning," I answered.
"Why?"
"I don't know. Ask her later," I said.
"Okay."
Then she started taking out the food she had bought.
Should I wake Seraphina up so she could eat her breakfast?
"Your master already left a while ago, didn't he? Damian told me," she said.
"Yeah."
"When will you be discharged?" Mira asked.
"Tomorrow."
She nodded again. "After what happened to Seraphina, I guess you won't allow us to be alone anymore, right?"
I nodded.
"It's probably for the better, I guess."
Silence filled the room. The only sound I could hear was Mira slurping her cup noodles.
My attention shifted when Seraphina finally moved. She slowly opened her eyes.
"It's already noon," I said while looking at her.
She suddenly sat up on the bed and frantically looked at the clock.
"Lucca, why didn't you wake me up?" she asked.
"What for? We're in the hospital, not in my company."
"Did you eat your breakfast?"
"Done."
"How about your medicine?"
"Done."
"Did the doctor come here? Did the nurse clean your wounds?"
"Done... Done," I answered.
"Hello, lovebirds! I'm still here. Can you please include me?" Mira exclaimed.