Rebecca used to think Mio was just pretending, putting on a show. But one day, when she saw him being kind to another woman, her heart felt as though it had been struck hard. It hurt-really hurt.
“Are you trying to scare me to death?” Mio’s heart nearly stopped. If he hadn’t pulled her away in time, Rebecca would’ve been hit by that car.
When he turned to see her tears falling, his mind went blank. He clumsily tried wiping them away.
“Do you think I’m dirty? That I shouldn’t touch you? If so… then I won’t touch you anymore. Just, please, don’t cry.” He let go of her body but still tried to dry her tears, his actions awkward and almost laughable.
Rebecca had only seen this side of him once before-when he caught a hamster for her that night. Otherwise, Mio was always the picture of a flawless, elegant gentleman.
But who was that girl just now? The thought of someone else being so close to him made Rebecca’s heart ache even more.
Her frustration only made her tears fall faster. Mio, who always prided himself on understanding women, was now utterly confused by her. Was she here by chance? Or had she come looking for him? And if she came for him, why leave?
Questions swirled in his mind. His face showed his panic. “Please, stop crying, okay? It’s breaking my heart. Do you not want to see me? If so, I’ll leave. Just… stop crying.”
With that, Mio turned to leave, quickening his pace in hopes that Rebecca would stop crying sooner.
Rebecca stomped her foot in frustration. Wasn’t he supposed to understand women? How had he become so clueless all of a sudden?
“Mio!” Her voice cut through the air-it was the first time she had spoken today.
Mio froze mid-step. Before he could turn around, he felt her arms wrap around him.
“Don’t go…” Rebecca’s soft murmurs reached his ears. This was no dream. It was real. He could feel her warmth.
“Rebecca, what’s… what’s wrong?”
“You idiot. Can’t you see I came here just for you?” Her exasperation was clear.
Mio turned, his emotions overwhelming as he pulled her into a tight embrace. “Why did you come looking for me? Does this mean… you don’t hate me anymore?”
“As you once said-you may owe the world, but you don’t owe me.” Rebecca had thought long and hard about their relationship. If anyone was at fault, it was her, not Mio.
“My… my past is so messy. Can you really accept someone like me?” Mio had never imagined Rebecca would come back to him. He had already prepared himself to live the rest of his life alone.
He had planned to send her white roses every day until the day she got married. With a past as tarnished as his, how could someone as pure as Rebecca ever accept him?
Rebecca came from a true wealthy family. She was born into privilege, raised in luxury-a radiant sun compared to the mess that was his life. How could someone like him ever deserve her?
“I don’t accept…” Rebecca’s words hit him like a blow. Mio’s hopeful gaze dimmed instantly. He had known all along-no one could accept someone like him.
“Just kidding.” She added two simple words, and Mio’s eyes lit up again.
“Rebecca, you… you’re accepting me? You really are?” Overcome with joy, he lifted her up and spun her around, just like he had when she first agreed to be his girlfriend.
Rebecca looked at him as he twirled her. His hair was cut shorter now, he’d taken off his suit, and he wore a simple white shirt with an apron tied around his waist.
This Mio lacked his usual air of aristocracy and pretense. Instead, he felt warmer, more real.
“I’m getting dizzy,” she said.
Mio quickly set her down. “I’m sorry, I’m just too happy.”
“You should start by explaining yourself. Who was that girl in the flower shop?” Rebecca had never been the type to let things slide.
Ah, so that’s why she’d been upset. Mio finally understood, silently cursing his own stupidity.
“She’s a student working part-time at my shop. Her family situation seemed tough, so I let her stay on.” Mio had never been interested in other women. Rebecca was the only exception-a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. She was the only one in his heart.
“When did you become so kind-hearted?” Rebecca thought back to the way he had put a bandage on that girl. The way the girl looked at Mio-it was undeniably filled with love.
“Rebecca, don’t tell me… you were jealous?” Mio finally connected the dots. Her arrival, her sudden decision to leave-it was all because she had seen him with that girl and misunderstood.
If he hadn’t chased after her, the misunderstanding might never have been cleared up. He would’ve spent his life thinking she hated him, while she would’ve thought he was unfaithful.
“Jealous? Me? As if! You’re the one sending me roses every day and then turning around to cozy up to someone else. You’re the one who can’t be trusted!”
“Rebecca, I love it when you’re jealous.” Mio realized that a jealous Rebecca was irresistibly adorable.
“You’re mocking me?” she snapped.
“Alright, alright, it’s all my fault. I’m sorry, okay? Her hand got pricked by a thorn, and I happened to have a bandage, so I helped her out.”
“She doesn’t have hands of her own? She needed you to do it for her?” Rebecca huffed. “You just wanted to touch her hand.”
Mio felt a headache coming on. Women were all the same when they got like this. But instead of being annoyed, he found himself enjoying Rebecca’s pettiness. It proved she cared about him.
“I swear, from now on, I won’t even touch another woman. Not even during a medical checkup-I’ll only see male doctors. How about that?”
“That’s more like it.” Rebecca finally smiled through her tears.
“Rebecca, I’m so happy you came to find me. It feels like a dream.” Mio felt like he was walking on air-he’d never been this happy in his life.
“If I hadn’t come, were you planning to send white roses forever?” Rebecca asked.
“No. I was planning to send them until the day you got married. I thought you hated me, that you never wanted to see me again. I didn’t dare step into your world.” Mio’s voice carried a hint of guilt.
“You idiot. When you were chasing me, you pulled out all the stops. And now? You act like I don’t even exist.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. From now on…”
Rebecca silenced him with a kiss. “No more apologies. Unless you really plan to let me down.”
“Rebecca…” Mio murmured, holding her close.