I waited for Anya for a few minutes after calling Dad. During that time, I searched for some paper. Luckily, my backpack was with me, so I didn’t have to ask the maids for a simple pen and paper.
Not long after, I heard the door open. A girl entered with a tray of food in her hands. I smiled when I saw Anya, struggling a bit to carry the tray.
“You’re late. It’s been almost ten minutes,” I remarked as she placed the tray on the wide bedside table.
Anya looked at me and slightly bowed. “Simmy kept me arguing with Don Alibata, Miss.”
My eyes narrowed at her words. Simmy was truly shameless!
Shaking my head, I gestured for Anya to come closer. She obeyed, widening my smile. That’s my girl.
“Here,” I said, handing her the piece of paper. “I’ve written down what you need to prepare for my breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Oh, and include my morning and afternoon snacks. So you’ll be coming into this room five times a day.”
Anya took the paper and glanced at the list. She smiled wryly. “Yes, Miss.”
Arms crossed, I studied Anya. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except for those dark circles under her eyes. “Are you sleeping well these days?”
“Ah…” Anya shook her head. “I haven’t been able to sleep properly, Miss.”
“Why’s that?”
Her cheeks reddened, and I arched an eyebrow. Why was Anya blushing so much in front of me? Was there something I’d missed?
“N-No reason, Miss,” she stammered, avoiding eye contact.
“I can tell when you’re lying.”
She bit her lip and glanced back at me. “It’s just that, ever since we returned from Badian, I haven’t been able to sleep well.”
“Really?” I sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I could have gotten you sleeping pills.”
Anya’s eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head. “That won’t be necessary, Miss. I’ll just drink warm milk.”
I continued to stare at Anya, a small smile forming on my lips. “Is it because of someone?” I asked.
“Huh?” Anya looked confused. “What do you mean, Miss?”
“Is the guy from the beach resort the reason you can’t sleep?”
Sweat began to bead on Anya’s forehead as she shook her head. “N-No, Miss,” she murmured, looking down.
I sighed. I knew it. When I spent the whole weekend at the hospital with Japen, something had happened between Anya and that mysterious man at the resort. That’s why when I tried to pull Anya away from the resort, he had stood in front of her cottage.
Nodding, I motioned for her to leave. “Go on. Just remember the meals I wrote down.”
She smiled faintly. “There’s a lot, Miss. Are you sure you’ll be able to eat all of it?”
I just gave her my trademark smile, and she hurriedly left the room. I sighed again. Maybe I could ask Japen if he had Sofia’s number. I needed to talk to that mysterious man.
I picked up the tray and set it on the table out on the balcony. Since the balcony faced the rear of Dad’s mansion, I wasn’t worried about being seen. Guards rarely patrolled the rear during the daytime, so it was safe for Japen to stay on the balcony if I let him.
Placing the dishes on the table, I smiled to myself. It almost felt like setting the table for a husband. I bit my lip. Maybe… Japen and I would end up together?
Returning inside, I placed the tray with the others. As I headed towards the walk-in closet, I swung the door open and was met with Japen’s smiling face.
I froze for a moment, holding my breath. My lips parted to say something, but Japen lifted me up in a bridal carry and walked towards the balcony.
When I regained my composure, I playfully punched his shoulder. “You startled me,” I complained.
“I’ve been seeing you busy.”
I furrowed my brows. He set me down on a chair and took the seat opposite me. I gazed at Japen. His eyes roamed over the food laid out on the small table.
“It’s been months since I last ate home-cooked food,” he remarked, gesturing for me to start eating.
I shrugged and dug in with a wide smile on my face. Occasionally, I glanced at Japen, especially when he commented on how delicious the food was.
“You know, Azora…” He looked at me, a bit of sauce on the corner of his lips, but I didn’t mind as I stared back into his eyes. “I used to dream of having a wife who cooks well.”
I blinked at his statement, reaching for the glass of pineapple juice. Motioning for him to continue talking, I took a small sip while keeping my gaze fixed on him.
Japen smiled. “So, teach me. I want to taste your cooking.”
I pulled the glass away from my lips and coughed lightly. His words made my cheeks burn hot. I cleared my throat. “Why should I cook when I can hire someone to cook for you?”
“It’s different when it’s you cooking for me,” he teased, then grinned widely.
I grimaced at the thought of cooking for him. “Believe me, you wouldn’t want to taste it.”
When I was in high school, I had a TVL subject where my advisor asked me to cook. Since I had no choice but to accept their request, I prepared the dishes for the TVL culmination. It turned out that I nearly poisoned the principal because I mistook some random plants for condiments. It was partly my classmate’s fault for placing those plants near my workstation, but I also didn’t properly identify the ingredients. On top of that, I confused sugar with salt, completely ruining the flavor of the well-known Sinigang dish. Ever since that incident, I haven’t touched an apron, whether at school or at home.
Lost in thought, I didn’t realize until Japen waved a hand in front of my face. I sat up straight and looked at him. “What?” I asked.
“You were lost in thought,” he said.
I shook my head. “It’s nothing.” I glanced up at him and noticed Japen staring at me. I sighed. “Okay. I’ll try to cook for you, but…” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Don’t blame me if you get poisoned.”
He chuckled. “Should I just teach you how to cook then?”
I set the spoon down on my plate. “Oh, right. You already know how to cook. Why don’t you cook for yourself?”
But Japen just gave me a mischievous smile. I pursed my lips, staring at his thin, pinkish lips, but I couldn’t resist leaning closer to him.
I kissed his lips, then licked the sauce from the corner of his mouth. He was still the same old Japen. I chuckled to myself. He was still careless when eating food with sauce, and he hadn’t even realized there was sauce on his lips.
Pulling back slightly, I gasped as Japen placed his hands on my neck and drew me closer to him. Our lips met again, and I felt him smile before our kiss deepened into something more passionate.