I was sick. The great Aanya Shinzaki was sick, but nobody knew it. How could they? I hadn't given any hint that I was unwell. In my mind, I believed I could overcome it without medicine; I thought I would be fine. But day by day, it was only making me weaker, and my body felt like it was slowly surrendering to the illness.
I found myself in the hotel's peaceful garden, a sanctuary of tranquility. The hotel had few guests, and it was the perfect place for some solitude. But as I walked among the blooming flowers and rustling leaves, I couldn't help but feel the aches in my body, from head to toe. I stumbled, my steps unsteady. I was usually so hard on myself, pushing through any discomfort, but this was different.
A voice broke through my foggy thoughts, "What's happening to you?" It was Kai, standing there with a questioning look in his eyes.
"Nothing," I replied, trying to sound confident. Why did he always appear wherever I was?
"Are you sure?" Kai raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear in his expression, and I reluctantly nodded.
A sudden ache pulsed in my head, and I scrunched my eyes, trying to stay conscious. Negative thoughts raced through my mind, telling me to stay away from him, not to come close to him, that I'd distract him. But I couldn't control the dizziness and pain.
Don't you ever come close to him. don't.
Come here and you gonna die.
Stay away.
You will distract him.
The last thing I remember was Kai standing in front of me. My vision blurred, and my body wobbled. Then, darkness swallowed me, and I fainted.
A gasp escaped my lips as I jerked awake, my chest heaving with every breath. The room was dimly lit, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the surroundings. I clutched the white blanket that covered me, trying to make sense of what had happened. Was it all just a nightmare? No, it couldn't be.
How had I ended up back in my room? My last memory was of being in the garden. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I'd passed out; my mind had spiraled into a whirlwind of negative thoughts.
The soft illumination from a nearby lamppost revealed a figure standing beside my bed. My instincts screamed danger, and my right hand tensed, ready to defend myself. But then, I recognized the face in the dim light. It was Kai.
I furrowed my brow in confusion, but Kai appeared relaxed, unfazed by my momentary alarm. He pulled a chair from the study desk next to the bed and sat down, leaning back comfortably. His gaze remained fixed on me, and an odd sense of calm washed over me in his presence.
We exchanged no words, but it seemed his mere existence had a way of quieting the turmoil in my mind. It wasn't the first time; every time he was around, my chaotic thoughts seemed to fade into the background.
I cleared my throat, breaking the silence. Kai didn't shift his gaze; he continued to watch me intently.
"Why are you in my room?" I asked, my voice steady. That irritating smirk returned to Kai's lips, and I fought the urge to wipe it off his face.
"First of all, it's my room," he corrected, "and I brought you here."
I blinked, trying to piece together the events. "I passed out in the garden? And you brought me here?"
