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chapter seven
once Xuan Yige agreed for Manami to work with Folami, she gave Manami back control of her body. she fell to the ground shakily, a choked sob escaping her lips. she had just lost her family, again, and nearly no pain in the world could match how she felt. she felt as if her whole world was collapsing in front of her.
Shan races over to her, "Manami, please let me explain-"
"don't touch me!" she exclaimed, swatting Shan's hand away and getting up on her own, "you knew this entire time, didn't you? you knew who I was and you made me fall in love with you and then ripped my heart out just so you could make me fall for your fathers trap!"
"i didn't know he would do this! Manmai, please let me explain..." he took a step forward, causing her to take another backwards, "yes, I knew who you were when we met, and at first it was to help my father, but I did fall in love with you. I love you more than anything, and I would never hurt you intentionally"
Manami wiped her tears away and shook her head, "but you did hurt me. you stood by while your father killed Daira, Raider, and Hira. Hira was a child! she was barely 10! none of them deserved this!"
Shan bowed his head in shame, he knew he messed up badly, "i'm so sorry, Manami. i didn't mean for this to happen"
she scoffed, "save your weak excuse of an apology for someone who would actually forgive you for this, though I doubt anyone would," with that, she walked away. she hoped that she would never see Shan again after this day, but she made a deal with Folami.
fate was a bitch.
++++++++++++
Folami let Manami stay in their house while she worked with him. seeing as her house was burnt to a crisp and some of his men were dead, he had plenty of room in his home.
"pick a room, get washed up, and go to sleep. we'll start your work in a couple days" Folami says.
Manami nods, not daring to make eye contact with him or Shan and walks into the farthest room from theirs. it was small, but quite roomy. it had a bed, a dresser full of a mans clothes, and a desk in the corner. a bath room was connected to it as well which was good, she didn't want to have to share one with those men. but she still felt horrible staying there. the room that she now claimed belonged to a man who she killed.
Manami felt her body become less tense every second she sat in the hot bath, something she definitely needed after these past couple of days. she remembered how just yesterday she was sat at the dinner table with Daria and Raider while Hira danced around the room, singing a new song she learned in school that day. how for a whole 3 years she saw them as a real family to her, a family that she had been missing her entire life. and just like that, they were gone. and now she's back to square one, an orphan used as weapon of destruction for a ruthless dictator. but back then she was 11-13, now she was 20. an adult who should be thinking about finding a husband and planning a future, not worrying about if she'd live to see the next day.
a soft knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts.
"hey, Nami? can we talk?" Shan's calm voice spoke. the sadness in his voice nearly made her want to cry again, but Manami was still angry for what he did.
"i'm in the bath right now. we can talk when i'm out" she says with a sigh.
"or I could come in now. nothing I haven't seen before" she could practically hear the smirk grow on his lips during that sentence, making her roll her eyes.
"just to talk"
Shan then opens the door and sits on the chair beside the bath. he didn't look at her with lust like she expected him to, but his eyes were full of sadness, regret, and love. he wasn't paying attention to her body, he was focused on her eyes. he was just worried for the girl he loved.
"I know you won't forgive me right away, but I want to tell you again how sorry I am that this happened. if I had known he would... kill... your family, I would've dropped the plan immediately. he just wanted me to get close to you and get us to fall in love so it would be easier to convince you to work with him. I'd never been in love before, so I thought it would be easy, but I was so wrong. these past three and a half years has been the best time of my life. you make me so happy, Manami. I regret everything I did to help my father, but I don't regret falling in love with you"
Manami bit her lip has she sat there, thinking. how was she to respond? his father just killed her family as he just stood and watched. he knew her actual identity and didn't say anything. but then she grabbed his hands and intertwined then with her, "nothing can make me forget, and it will take lots of time for me to forgive you... but that doesn't mean I don't love you anymore. I love you way more than I should after tonight... and I'm willing to fight for us if you will do the same"
the grin that appeared on Shan's face was the widest he'd ever smiled, "I wouldn't want anything more in the world than to make things right" he then kissed her hands gently and lovingly, "I love you so much, Manami Lin"
she couldn't help but let a small smile appear on her lips, "and I love you, Shan Haku"
a/n: if you can't tell already... Yanmei/Manmai doesn't understand the meaning of a TOXIC relationship. but don't worry, she will soon.
