Seraphina's POV
"You're bored, aren't you?" Mira asked as we strolled in the park, eating our ice cream. We had just finished dinner at the Korean BBQ restaurant.
"Not really. It's just awkward," I answered while taking another bite of my ice cream.
"Let's hope for the best that he gets discharged soon," Mira said.
"I heard the doctor earlier. He'll probably be allowed to go home tomorrow," I replied.
"That's good news. But why don't you seem happy about it?" Mira asked.
"It's not that I'm not happy. I'm just bothered by his warning."
"What warning?" she asked seriously.
"That I shouldn't talk to strangers."
"The question is… are you talking to strangers?" Mira asked in confusion.
I wanted to answer yes, but I hesitated. Even I was confused about how I met him. He had suddenly appeared in front of me without me even knowing his name or background.
"Silence means yes, Sera. That means you are talking to a stranger."
"Lucca is a stranger, too," I reasoned, trying to divert the topic.
"But in reality, he's not," she answered. "Do you want to tell me something, Sera?"
"Nothing," I lied, focusing on eating my ice cream.
Good thing she didn't ask any more questions. We decided to sit on the bench near the lake. The fresh air enveloped our bodies. I missed strolling around like this, walking peacefully without thinking about what would happen next.
"How's your relationship with Damian?" I suddenly asked, making her choke.
"What? We're not in a relationship yet. We're still dating," she answered shyly.
"Is that still considered dating?" I teased.
"He hasn't even courted me yet."
"You two already act like a couple."
She blushed. "It's not like that…" she trailed off.
I took the last bite of my ice cream before asking another question. "Do you think he's serious?"
That made her stop and think deeply.
I didn't know why, but I had this feeling that Damian was only taking advantage of her because he knew she liked him. Still, I had no proof.
"I think he is," Mira answered softly. "If he wasn't, he wouldn't waste his time spending it with me."
"Did something happen when he took you home?"
She blushed again. That alone answered my question.
"Did he kiss you?"
"Stop it, Sera."
"That answers my question."
She bit her lower lip while staring at me. Even in the darkness, I could still see how red her face had become.
I smirked before looking at the lake.
I wished Mira a happy relationship. I just hoped Damian wouldn't hurt her in the future. I didn't know why, but I couldn't trust him at all. It felt like he was hiding his real motives toward Mira.
Still, I hoped my intuition was wrong.
We stayed there for another half hour before deciding to head back. Before returning to the hospital, we stopped by a dessert shop and bought macarons for the boys. Mira and I didn't even know if they liked sweets. We just bought them anyway.
When we entered the hospital room again, the three of them were talking seriously. Their conversation immediately stopped when we arrived.
"Were you talking about us? Why did you stop?" Mira joked as she raised the plastic bag to show the boys what we bought.
Dominic's expression instantly brightened as he quickly grabbed the plastic bag.
"Oh! Desserts!" he exclaimed.
Among the three of them, only Dominic's mood visibly changed. Lucca and Damian still carried the same unreadable expressions.
"Damian, do you eat macarons?" Mira asked.
Damian smiled at her, making Mira blush again. But when I looked closely at him, his smile seemed forced. I still wasn't convinced that his intentions toward Mira were genuine.
Dominic and Damian immediately started eating the macarons we bought. Lucca, on the other hand, refused.
Didn't he like sweets?
"Where did you buy these?" Dominic asked.
"Just from a shop near the hospital," Mira answered.
Dominic nodded while stuffing more macarons into his mouth. His cheeks were already full, yet he still kept eating.
Did they really taste that good?
Now I was curious.
"Seraphina, join us," Dominic said as he offered me the box of macarons.
I took one and ate it. The moment it melted in my mouth, I instantly understood why it was expensive. The taste was rich and delicious.
"It's good, right?" Dominic asked while still chewing.
I smiled and nodded.
Then I glanced at Lucca, who was quietly watching us eat.
I walked toward him and offered the box I was holding.
"One piece won't affect your health," I said.
He stared at me blankly. I expected him to decline again, just like he did with Dominic, but instead, he picked one up and placed it into his mouth.
He quietly chewed without showing any expression.
What else should I expect from him?
"We won't stay long tonight because I have an early meeting tomorrow," Dominic said before drinking from a bottle of mineral water.
"I'll take Mira home," Damian volunteered.
What if Damian tries doing something more than kissing her?
Mira blushed once again. She really couldn't hide her feelings. I wanted to lecture her, but obviously not in front of the boys. I'd just talk to her once we were alone.
I left the room together with Damian, Mira, and Dominic. Damian and Mira walked ahead while Dominic stayed behind.
I stood there behind him, waiting for him to leave, too, but instead, he suddenly stopped and looked back at me.
"Seraphina…" he called.
"Hm?" I responded.
He looked unusually serious.
"Are you seeing someone?" he asked.
My eyebrows furrowed. "Seeing someone? What do you mean?"
"Like… are you talking to someone outside your circle of friends?"
I didn't answer.
Did Lucca tell Dominic about that guy?
But it was just a coincidence, wasn't it? After all, I didn't even know his name.
But he has your number, my mind reminded me.
"Am I not enough to be your friend?" Dominic asked dramatically.
"Don't start," I warned him.
He laughed. "I thought that would work on you."
"I only have you and Mira as my friends. I'm not seeing anyone," I lied on the second part.
"I'm just worried someone might hurt you."
"No one's going to hurt me. If anything, Lucca looks more likely to hurt me," I joked.
Dominic burst into laughter. "You really hate him that much, huh?"
"I just can't stand him."
He kept laughing. "Yeah, right."
"Aren't you leaving yet? Mira and Damian already left."
"I'm leaving now. Just tell me if you need anything. Take care of yourself," he said meaningfully.
I didn't know what was wrong with them. Lucca and Dominic sounded weird, almost like they knew I was seeing someone.
I waved my hand goodbye before going back inside the room after Dominic finally left.
I looked at Lucca, who was silently reading his book.
"You made Dominic worried about me," I started.
He stopped reading and looked at me, raising one eyebrow questioningly.
"He warned me too, just like you did, about not talking to strangers. Is it really that bad to talk to strangers?" I asked.
"Your question already confirms that you really are talking to strangers," Lucca stated calmly.
"I'm not denying it. But is it really that bad?"
"If that stranger is dangerous, then yes."
"Can you at least tell me why? I know you're hiding something. Dominic was acting suspicious earlier when he told me to take care of myself."
"Shouldn't you be the one telling me what you're hiding?" he countered. "You still haven't denied talking to a stranger."
"Because I'm not," I denied immediately.
Was my encounter with that stranger really a big deal? Were they truly friends just like he claimed?
Their relationship was confusing.
"Keep denying it until he harms you," Lucca muttered.
Him?
How did he know the stranger was a man?
"Him?" I repeated.
He only looked at me before returning to his book.
That confirmed it.
He really was hiding something from me. But judging by the way he acted, he clearly had no intention of telling me anything.
"I don't trust Damian," I suddenly said, changing the topic.
He didn't reply, but I knew he was listening.
"He's suspicious. I don't know if he genuinely likes Mira or if he's just playing with her feelings, but I have this feeling that he is."
Still no reaction.
Of course. They were close friends. Why would he agree with me?
Who was I to him anyway?
"Mira is innocent," I continued. "She may look experienced because of how fashionable and confident she is, but when it comes to relationships, she's naive."
"Then why don't you warn your friend yourself?" he asked calmly. "If you already think Damian's intentions aren't pure."
"I did. But I don't know if she'll listen. She's too in love to hear anything."
"Then I can't help you with that," he replied without even looking at me as he flipped another page of his book.
"You can help me by talking to your friend. He shouldn't hurt her just because she loves him more."
"I don't interfere in my friends' relationships," he said. "If their intentions are bad, then that's their own problem."
His mindset was completely different from mine.
"I'm just asking you to remind him not to hurt my friend."
"Why don't you tell him yourself?" he replied. "I don't do deep talks with them."
I clenched my fists.
Lucca was unbelievably stubborn. He really had a talent for annoying people with his words.
I decided not to respond anymore because I knew I wouldn't get anything out of him.
Tomorrow, he would finally be discharged from the hospital.
And finally, I would be free from him.
I wouldn't have to see him again, and I would definitely avoid him after this.
I lay down on the sofa. Even though I had done nothing the entire day, I suddenly felt exhausted. Being around Lucca and talking to him drained me mentally.
I closed my eyes and hugged the pillow.
Less than five minutes later, sleep completely enveloped me.
The warmth of the morning sun hit my face, causing me to slowly open my eyes.
I looked around to see where the sunlight was coming from, but the moment my vision cleared, my eyes widened in shock.
Lucca was standing near his hospital bed.
And he was lifting it.
While still connected to his dextrose.
"Lucca?" I called out in disbelief.
Who in their right mind would lift a heavy hospital bed while attached to an IV stand?
But more than that, what shocked me was how easily he carried the huge metal bed. Just by looking at it, anyone could tell it was heavy.
The moment he noticed I was awake, he immediately lowered the bed back down.
I waited for an explanation, but instead, he simply walked toward the window and stared outside.
"What were you doing?" I asked.
No answer.
Should I just ignore what I saw? Or should I tell Dominic so he could scold Lucca?
Seriously, who lifts heavy furniture while recovering in a hospital?
If the doctor found out about this, Lucca's discharge would definitely get delayed.
And honestly, I didn't want that.
Lucca quietly entered the bathroom, leaving me frozen in confusion.
At that exact moment, Dominic entered the room. Damian wasn't with him.
"Why is your mouth hanging open?" Dominic laughed.
I immediately closed my mouth before glancing toward the bathroom. I pointed at it, silently referring to Lucca.
"What about Lucca?" he asked, his laughter fading.
"I saw him lifting the bed," I said directly.
Dominic's expression instantly turned serious.
But strangely… he didn't look shocked.
"Is Lucca even okay?" I continued. "Or is he hallucinating or something? Who carries a heavy hospital bed while attached to a dextrose?"
Dominic remained silent for a moment.
Was he thinking of an excuse? Or was he actually worried?
Finally, he smiled.
That somehow eased the tension building inside me.
"He's actually a weightlifter," Dominic explained casually. "He does that whenever he's stressed."
I slowly nodded.
Maybe staying inside this hospital room for days had stressed him out.
Honestly, I couldn't deny Dominic's explanation. Lucca's physique already made it obvious.
Still… why didn't Lucca just tell me that earlier?
If Dominic hadn't arrived, I would've seriously believed Lucca had superhuman strength.
"Have you eaten breakfast yet?" Dominic asked.
"Not yet. I'm planning to buy food from the hospital canteen. Do you want anything?" I asked.
This would actually be my first time visiting the hospital canteen after staying here for several days.
"No need. I already had coffee this morning, so I'm not really hungry," he answered.
I nodded before excusing myself and leaving the room.
The canteen was located on the first floor, so I had to use the elevator from the sixth floor.
While walking toward the canteen, someone I absolutely didn't want to meet suddenly appeared in front of me.
"Hi, Seraphina!"
The mysterious man who still hadn't properly introduced himself appeared before me again.
Today, he looked exactly like a CEO.
He was wearing an expensive gray suit paired with a crisp white polo underneath, along with a neatly fitted black tie. His silver watch gleamed under the hospital lights, and his polished black shoes completed the elegant look. Everything about him screamed wealth and sophistication.
"Ah… hi," I responded politely without smiling.
"Are you going to have breakfast? Let's eat together in the canteen. My treat," he offered casually.
Was he seriously planning to eat there dressed like that?
People around us, especially women, kept staring at him, yet he seemed completely unaware of the attention. His focus remained entirely on me as he smiled warmly.
"Yeah," I answered shortly.
As much as I wanted to tell him I preferred eating alone, it would be rude.
Maybe I should just tell him to stop flirting with me because it made me uncomfortable?
But what if I was only misunderstanding his actions? Maybe he was naturally friendly.
"Let's go," he said before walking beside me.
I ignored the stares surrounding us.
People looked at us like celebrities.
Honestly, I felt more like his personal assistant than someone important.
When we entered the canteen, there were barely any people inside. The food was already displayed and ready to be served.
"I'll have rice and chicken adobo," I told the server.
"That's all?" he asked. "Why don't we order everything?"
I immediately raised an eyebrow and shook my head.
"Please don't. We won't even finish all of it. I'll just add chop suey. That's enough, thank you."
I was genuinely worried he might actually buy everything.
His vibe reminded me of Lucca.
The only difference was their personalities.
If Lucca was aloof and nonchalant, this man was the complete opposite.
Unfortunately, I failed to stop him from ordering more food and desserts.
At least he didn't literally buy everything.
"Eat a lot," he said while smiling at me.
"Do you really think we can finish all this?" I asked.
"Why not?"
I wanted to roll my eyes, but stopped myself.
I was trying very hard not to be rude, even though he was slowly getting on my nerves.
As we started eating, I noticed that the man barely touched his food.
My eyebrows furrowed.
"You don't like the food?" I asked while chewing my rice.
"Nah," he answered casually. "I just enjoy watching you eat."
This time, I couldn't stop myself anymore.
"Are you flirting with me?" I asked bluntly.
This was already the second time he had annoyed me.
"What if I am?" he replied confidently.
"I don't even know your name."
"If you knew it, would you allow me to flirt with you?"
I was momentarily caught off guard by his confidence.
Honestly, his confidence matched his looks perfectly. If I were someone else, I probably would've blushed from his cheesy lines.
But instead, I felt nothing.
"I don't find it amusing," I said honestly.
He simply laughed, completely ignoring my irritation.
Then he finally spoke.
"My name is Damon."