"Sera? Lucca?"
When I heard the voice coming from the kitchen, I immediately pushed Lucca away from me. But as I did, I lost my balance and fell on the ground.
"Sera!" Mira was shocked when she saw me fall.
"Are you okay?" she asked, looking worried.
"Not really," I said, feeling the sting in my foot. My right arm also hurt because it was the first part of my body that hit the ground.
"Did I scare you?" Mira was still worried. She assisted me and helped me sit down.
"Thank you," I said to Mira.
"Don't go anywhere. I'll be calling my friends for dinner," Lucca said, but he didn't wait for a response and left the kitchen.
"Ouch," I murmured when Mira touched my right arm where I think I was badly hurt.
"What really happened to you? Why are you here with Lucca?" Mira started to interrogate me.
"I was trying to help him prepare our dinner. I volunteered since Dominic was tired from driving us for hours."
"You should have called me. I would've helped too."
"I did, but you weren't answering."
"I didn't hear you."
"So my guess is right."
"But wait, what I just witnessed is—"
I didn't let her continue. "It's my fault that I got wounded. He did nothing but help. The scene you saw earlier? He helped me again because I fell," I said, pointing at my injured foot.
"But is it possible to just stare at each other for a minute?"
I bit my lower lip. How could I explain this to her? She probably wouldn't believe me and would just keep teasing me even after this trip.
"I think you'll have a more blooming love life than me and Damian," she said, grinning.
"It's not what you think," I said.
"Yeah. Keep denying it. Your eyes say otherwise."
"Believe me."
Our conversation stopped when the guys came in.
"You're here already," Dominic said, smiling. I forced a smile and tried to hide my wound. But since we were about to eat in the dining area, I had no choice but to walk. That was when Dominic and Damian noticed the bandage.
"Seraphina, what happened?" Dominic asked, sounding worried.
Could I say that I got startled by Lucca's voice, which is why I got hurt? Could I admit that it was my fault for staring at Lucca?
"I…" I couldn't continue speaking.
"The knife fell on her foot. That's how she got the wound," Lucca answered. I looked at him, and he was staring at Dominic. I bit my lower lip. He helped me again and again. I didn't even know how to repay him. He saved me from interrogation.
"I told you I should've been the one helping Lucca prepare dinner," Dominic said.
"No. It was just an accident. I'm not this clumsy," I said, hoping Dominic wouldn't blame himself or think I was bad in the kitchen.
"I know how to cook," I added, and that was the truth.
Dominic went closer and looked at my injured foot.
"Did you treat it yourself?" Dominic asked. That question made me freeze. I started to sweat. What should I say?
"I helped her," Lucca answered calmly. He spoke for me again. He saved me twice tonight.
Dominic looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"You didn't hurt her?" Dominic asked, sounding suspicious.
"No. Lucca didn't hurt me. I hurt myself," I said quickly. At least I managed to answer for him.
He just stared at me blankly, then looked back at Dominic.
"Can we eat dinner now? If you have questions, you can ask them later," I said.
I admired how calm Lucca was, even though Dominic was interrogating him. Meanwhile, I was the only one stuttering and feeling guilty. But I should feel guilty, everything really was my fault.
We started eating dinner. I could tell Lucca was a really good cook. The dish he prepared was so tasty and flavorful. I don't know what spices he used, but I'm sure they were expensive.
"Mira, I already told your department head that you won't be working until Tuesday," Dominic said, breaking the silence.
"Tuesday?" I asked.
"It's too far, isn't it? We spent half the day traveling today. If we go back tomorrow right away, we won't be able to enjoy our time here," Dominic explained.
He had a point. If we left tomorrow, we wouldn't be able to enjoy the scenery. But wouldn't it be too much since he is our boss?
"I told your department head I need you on-site, so consider this part of your working days," he said with a smile.
"Wouldn't that be too much? I know you're our boss, but we don't want to take advantage of you," I said hesitantly.
"Who said you're taking advantage of me?" Dominic asked.
"Me?" I asked.
Dominic chuckled. "I was the one who asked you to join this trip. Consider this a paid trip."
"I'm just worried people might misunderstand it."
"You're overthinking, Seraphina. Mira doesn't care about it at all," he laughed.
Mira laughed too.
"Because she doesn't need money," I said.
"Can't you just accept Dominic's offer and thank him? Be grateful," Lucca said with irritation.
Even though his words weren't nice, I still accepted them since I made the situation worse. Normally, I wouldn't care about what Lucca says. But he had already done so much for me that I couldn't even fight back.
"Thank you, Dominic," I said to end the conversation. Mira, Damian, and Dominic were all shocked when I followed Lucca.
Dominic's POV
After we ate, Mira volunteered to wash the dishes while I called Lucca to talk about something.
"Lucca, can you please spare some time for me?"
"I'm already sparing my time for you," he said sarcastically.
We went outside to breathe fresh air. Damian excused himself because he had a call to answer. (Damian was quiet now, but the author will surely give him a highlight.)
"What do you want to say?" Lucca asked impatiently, getting straight to the point.
"What have you done to Seraphina?" That question made him annoyed.
"Do you always need to ask me every time she acts strange? I didn't do anything to her. In fact, I even helped treat her wound. Why don't you ask her if she has a problem instead of coming to me?" he said.
"Whoa, Lucca. Relax. I'm just asking. No need to get guilty," I teased.
"Guilty? Fuck off!" he cursed.
"Oh no, my ears!" I said, pretending my ears were hurt just to tease him more.
He was still frowning, and his aura turned darker. "If you called me just to piss me off, then you've won," he said.
I laughed so hard seeing how pissed he was.
"I was just curious why she followed you just to say thank you to Dominic. She's not the type of girl who follows people's commands," I said.
"Then maybe she woke up and realized I was right all along."
I rolled my eyes. "She doesn't like you."
He smirked. "You sure?" he challenged me.
Now it was my turn to frown and get confused. Lucca was really good at turning the tables and making his opponent lose.
"What do you mean?" I asked curiously. I knew Lucca was implying something I didn't understand.
"Why don't you ask your friend about it?"
"Lucca," I called in a serious tone.
"You've tasted your own medicine," he said, then walked away.
His words made me think deeply. His "You sure?" kept repeating in my head. Does that mean Seraphina actually likes Lucca? And why was Lucca acting so confident?
It was just a phrase, but it kept me thinking the whole night.
Seraphina's POV
Mira and I went upstairs after she washed the dishes. She helped me walk as if I were paralyzed.
"I'm sorry for being clumsy," I said.
"It's an accident, right?" Mira asked as she helped me sit on the bed.
"Yes," I answered, though part of it wasn't true.
"So what makes you worried?"
"I'm worried because you keep taking care of me. I feel guilty because I always mess things up."
"But does that mean you should feel guilty? We don't know what will happen. I'm sure if I were in your situation, you would help me too."
"Let's enjoy the scenery tomorrow. I'll let it rest for the night, and I'm sure I can walk tomorrow without the stinging pain."
"Okay," Mira yawned. "Let me clean your wound tomorrow," she said sleepily.
"Okay, Mira. Goodnight."
And our night ended like that. I was still thinking about Lucca, what he did, and what he said.
The next morning…
When Mira and I woke up, it was already sunny. Mira checked her phone and saw that it was already 9 AM.
"We woke up late," Mira exclaimed.
I stood up and helped her fix the bed. The stinging pain was still there, but not as bad as before.
"Can you still walk?"
"Of course," I laughed. "Let's go downstairs," I said.
Mira and I were both wearing sleepwear when we went downstairs. We saw Lucca, Dominic, and Damian in the living room having coffee.
"Mira! Seraphina!" Dominic called, making the two men look at us. I first noticed Lucca sitting comfortably while sipping his coffee. He still looked handsome even without his usual outfit. He was wearing sleepwear too, though still in black, his favorite color.
Our eyes met again, but I quickly looked away because I didn't want my friend and his friends to think otherwise.
"Do you want coffee? I can make you one," Dominic offered.
"No need, I can make my own. Thanks, Dominic," Mira said. I sighed in relief, and Mira held my hand, leading me to the kitchen.
"Damian is so handsome. Have you seen him, right?" Mira giggled while getting a cup.
"Yeah," I answered, even though I was actually looking at Lucca.
"Do you want hot milk?" Mira asked.
"Yeah."
I silently waited while she prepared her coffee and my milk. After a while, she was done.
"Let's join the guys in the living room," she said.
Even though I was hesitant and wanted to stay in the kitchen, it would be rude not to join them.
I sat beside Mira, and Mira sat beside Dominic. On the other side were Lucca and Damian. I quietly sipped my milk while Mira and Dominic were deep in conversation, laughing at each other's jokes. Meanwhile, I tried to avoid Lucca's gaze. I pretended to look at Damian instead, who was amusingly watching Mira.
Did Damian start falling in love with my friend? Who wouldn't fall for Mira? She's a total package.
"Let's stroll outside," Dominic suggested, and looked at me. "Can you—"
I didn't let him finish. "Yes," I immediately answered.
After finishing my milk, we all went outside to stroll around the farm.
"Who takes care of this place?" Mira asked while walking, still holding my hand to make sure my foot was okay.
"She's not here today since I let her take a break," Dominic answered.
"Your place is beautiful. It's a real definition of countryside living," Mira commented.
"So, do you want to live here?" Dominic asked.
"Of course. Who wouldn't want to live here?"
Dominic then looked at me and asked me the same question.
"This is my dream," I said. Then I remembered, Dominic didn't know I was consulting a psychiatrist. He didn't know that I didn't actually like working in his company.
"Where are Lucca and Damian?" Mira noticed we were just walking.
"They prefer to stay inside."
"I thought they would follow us."
Dominic just shook his head.
"Wait, I'll try to convince them again to come with us. They should join the conversation too."
Mira went back inside to call the two men. As much as I wanted to tell her to just let them stay inside, I couldn't say it without sounding suspicious.
Mira's POV
I went inside to call the two men who were still sitting in the living room. They were both using their phones and didn't even bother to have a conversation.
"Hi, Damian," I said in a sweet, cute voice. I got his attention, and he looked at me.
"Let's go outside. You know, let's enjoy the scenery," I reasoned out.
He didn't respond and just kept looking at me. That look made me feel weak and shaky. The first time I saw him, I told myself I wanted him to be my husband. Aside from the fact that he is filthy rich, his handsomeness was oozing like an overflowing cup of coffee.
"Let Lucca join you," he answered. I couldn't help but make a face. As much as I wanted to hide it, it still showed.
"How about you, Damian? Don't you like taking pictures or watching the scenery outside?"
"I've been here many times. It doesn't excite me anymore," he answered.
Lucca suddenly stood up and left without even saying goodbye. Did he go to follow Dominic and Seraphina?
"Just go," Damian kept pushing me away. Actually, it was the perfect timing to have a real conversation with him. I wasn't able to do that during the beach trip since he was aloof and didn't want to mingle with us. We could be together, but we were never given the chance to be alone, just the two of us.
"Can I have your number?" I asked, as if I were courting him.
"For what? Is that how much you like me?" he said sarcastically, but I still smiled and ignored it.
"Yes," I replied. He already knew how much I liked him, and I had always been very vocal about it.
"Women always court me first. They show how much they like me and all that. And you're no different from them."
That statement made me frown. I wasn't even courting him.
"What did you say?" I asked, trying to process what he said.
"Are you deaf now?" he shot back.
"I am not courting you yet. I only said that I like you. Is that how you define courtship?" I asked him.
"Do you want to date me?" he asked, making me shocked and nervous.
"I didn't—"
"Let's date then," he said.
A part of me was happy because I would finally be dating the man I had liked for weeks. But another part of me said no.
"I thought you didn't like women who—"
He leaned closer to me, so close that his lips were just inches away from mine. I gulped several times. Was he going to kiss me?
He smirked while his face was still near mine. "I don't take no as an answer, young lady," he said, then pulled away.
His action made me blush and left me speechless.
Seraphina's POV
"Mira is taking her time with Damian," Dominic joked while we were walking.
"Do you think Damian will like her?" I asked him.
"I guess? I don't know," he answered.
"Lucca!" Dominic shouted and waved his hand.
I looked in the direction he was looking. Lucca was walking toward us, and he was looking at me.
"Where are Damian and Mira?" Dominic asked when he noticed the two were not around.
"Didn't they follow me?" he asked, shaking his head.
"Maybe they're having a nice time," Dominic chuckled as he looked at us.
"I'll go call them," Dominic said.
What? That means he's going to leave me alone with Lucca? Oh no. I don't want to have a conversation with him.
"I'll be right back," Dominic added.
Lucca and I were left there. If we were on good terms, I could say that fate always brought us together. Lucca was standing there in his sleepwear, his hands in his pockets.
"Thank you, Lucca," I started the conversation.
He looked at me and raised an eyebrow.
"For last night," I added, hoping he would remember.
"And do you think I have amnesia?" he asked sarcastically.
I frowned. When will he stop being so sarcastic?
"I'll let it slide, your sarcasm. I owe you for last night. I messed up, yet you helped me and said nothing. You even saved me from your friends and Mira," I said.
"You're a clumsy, fragile little woman," he said.
"I know," I admitted, because it was true. I let a stranger see my weak side. Then I remembered that Lucca and I might actually be on the same boat. Maybe this was the time I should tell him what I know.
"Lucca…" I called his name to begin what I wanted to say.
He just looked at me.
"Do you know Dr. Keith?" I asked, and that question made him slightly shocked, but only for a second. He was really good at hiding his emotions.
"Why are you asking?"
"Are we on the same page?" I asked.
"I am not clumsy, fragile, or little," he said sarcastically.
"I know. But the truth reveals itself. You're not okay," I said.
He frowned. "What do you know about me?"
"Why are you always mad at me?" I asked.
"Because you're annoying," he said.
"Annoying, yet you keep helping me."
He didn't respond, so I continued.
"You shouldn't have paid for my consultation with Dr. Keith. I don't need your help."
He didn't expect me to say that. I saw him look shocked again, though he quickly hid it.
"But you needed my help last night."
When he mentioned last night, my cheeks turned warm. I remembered how close our faces were and how intense our stares had been.
"If you're annoyed at me, then just don't help me," I said, avoiding his gaze.
"Now I'm completely annoyed at you. Tsk," he said.
"Are you that sick?" I asked, trying to ignore his irritation.
"What?" Now, he sounded even more annoyed.
"You know what I mean. We're both seeing Dr. Keith, and you know what kind of doctor he is. Did your friends know about this?"
"Did you investigate me?" he asked, gritting his teeth.
"No. Dr. Keith mentioned you. If you hadn't paid for my consultation, I wouldn't have known anything about your situation."
"Shouldn't you just thank me for paying for it?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Then what? What do you get from helping me?"
He didn't answer. He just looked at me, then looked down at something I couldn't understand.
"Lucca," I called again. That made him look at me.
"Thank you. But please stop helping me, especially financially. I know how rich you are, but I can't accept someone spending money on me," I explained. "I don't even know why you're doing it," I added.
Our conversation stopped when I saw Dominic, Damian, and Mira walking toward us.
Lucca and I didn't talk after that. We joined them and continued strolling around the farm. I enjoyed the scenery. If I lived here, I'm sure my depression would slowly fade away.
Lucca's POV
I was taken aback a while ago when Seraphina mentioned Dr. Keith. I was expecting her to tell me that I paid for her sessions, but I didn't think Dr. Keith would tell her right away. Now I regret paying for her sessions with the doctor because it became a way for her to find out that I have the same condition as her.
I don't know what was going on in my mind when I volunteered to pay for her session. She never said she didn't have money or anything, yet I still did it anyway. I hate helping her, and I am always annoyed just looking at her, yet I still help her and can't help but stare into her eyes.
Last night was something I didn't expect to happen. Partly, it was my fault because I asked her why she kept staring at me. I was just trying to joke and break the silence, but that was also the reason why she got wounded. I helped her and didn't say a word. As much as I wanted to reprimand her, seeing her situation made me calm, and I decided not to talk. I silently treated her wounded foot. There was a deafening silence between us, one that somehow made us feel connected. I don't know why, but I wanted to help her even though I am still a stranger in her eyes.
"Lucca…" Dominic called me. We were still walking, but I had been absent-minded.
I looked at Dominic and raised my left eyebrow.
"Seraphina became quiet after I left her with you," he said.
"Why is it always that woman, huh? And why are you always asking me that?" I snapped.
"Because every time I leave her with you, she's always quiet afterward."
"Tsk. I told you to ask her," I said with annoyance.