Chapter Seventeen
“Steve?” a voice croaked behind me. Steven whipped his head up to look at the source of the sound and I turned around. There in the bed, Sao was awake and looking at Steven.
I stood up from my kneeling position just as Steven was standing up. I gave him a gentle push towards the bed and he took slow steps. When he stopped by the bed, I could tell that he was crying hard because of how his shoulder shake.
“Saori?” he called, his voice low.
Saori started to cry as she pulled her brother in for a hug. Despite her condition, she managed to cling to Steven. The two siblings cried as they hugged. Steven kept on murmuring his sorry in her ears as Saori continued to cry. When Steven leaned back, he put his hands on her cheeks and dried her tears.
“I’m sorry, Saori. I’m such a coward for leaving you behind,”
Saori cried once more as she tightened her hold on her brother’s hands. “No, no, it wasn’t your fault. I didn’t even thought I’d survived,”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,”
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The good news of Saori waking up spread the moment everybody woke up. They took turns in visiting her to introduce themselves. Saori was slowly recovering and Carly started to feed her soups because her body wouldn’t be able to digest hard foods since she hadn’t eaten anything for a few days.
Carly had asked Griffin and Jake to accompany her to the nearest forest so that she’ll be able to collect some herbs and plants she needed for Saori’s medication. She left me in charge of her patient since I started to study medicine.
The three left for the forest right after breakfast so that they be back before dusk with time to spare. Carly had asked the sisters before if they could grow the herbs that she was looking for. We found out that they can grow flowers, fruits, and vegetable but not herbs. That was the limitation of their abilities.
I took the bowl of soup that Coleen and Tash prepared for Saori. I put it in a tray with a glass of water. I thanked them and picked the tray up before I made my way towards the clinic. Then, I balanced the tray with one hand to open the door but someone beat me to it.
I looked up and saw Zoi’s grinning face. I smiled at him and he opened the door for me before he closed it behind him. Steven was in the room when we entered but he was sleeping. Saori smiled when she saw me then motioned me forward.
“Could you please tell Steven that I will not vanish when he leaves the room,” she pleaded. “He won’t listen to me and I’m sure that couch is not comfortable.”
I put the tray down on the table besides her bed and nodded my head. I saw Zoi took the chair at the end of the bed as I made my way to the couch where Steven was awkwardly sprawled on the couch to fit himself. Smiling, I knelt on the floor and gently shook him away.
“Wha?” he mumbled groggily.
“Hey, why don’t you go to your room to sleep? I’ll take care of Saori,”
He looked at me before looking at Saori who nodded at him. Then, he smiled at me and thanked me before sleepily made his way out the door. When I stood up, Saori beamed at me before thanking me. I gave her a smile before I took the small table and put in in front of her. Then I put the tray in it.
“Bon appetite, Saori.” I said, gesturing to the soup.
“You know, I love this soup and all. It’s delicious, don’t mistake me. But I miss real food,” she groaned as she took the spoon.
I laughed at her before I sat on the chair besides her bed. “Soon, honey. When Carly gives her thumbs up,”
She nodded and started to eat her soup. As she did, she was looking at Zoi, who was sitting at the chair on the end of her bed. Zoi just looked at her with his brow raised in question. Then, Saori faced me and whispered, “Who is he?”
I laughed at her and turned to Zoi. “You haven’t introduced yourself yet?”
He shook his head and answered with a smirked, “What can I say? I’m shy,”
I wrinkled my nose at him, “Sly, perhaps. But never shy,” then I turned to Saori as I gestured to him. “That is Zoi, our resident pain in the ass,”
Saori laughed and introduced herself to him. But I swear I saw her blush when Zoi gave her a smile. I shook my head. Does this man knows what his smiles does to a woman’s heart?
After Saori finished eating, she turned to me and looked at me for a long time. “Are you my brother’s girlfriend?”
I choked on air and coughed. Saori stared at me confused at my reaction and I felt Zoi staring at me. Probably his brow raised and one corner of his lips in a smile that was somehow daring me to answer.
“No, I’m not,” I replied but she didn’t seemed to be convinced.
“But I saw you with him when I woke up. You two seemed pretty close for someone not in a relationship,”
I shook my head, “I was just telling him that you’re going to be alright. There’s nothing more to it, I swear Saori.”
She furrowed her brows at me, “You know I’m not gonna disagree if you two are,”
I laughed at her, “You don’t have to worry because we are not together. Steven’s just a friend,”
Saori opened her mouth to speak but Zoi stood up from his chair and walked towards me. He stopped behind me and bowed low enough to give me a kiss on the cheek. My eyes widened in shock and Saori stared at us, at lost for a word.
“They are not,” he said as he stood straight up. Then with a smirk, he added, “Because she’s mine,”
Before my mind comprehended his words Zoi had already escaped the room, laughing as he did. I blushed at his actions and I took the table and tray up from the bed. Then, I put the table on the ground and took the tray before I faced Saori.
“Don’t mind him, he likes to test my patience,” I asked with a laugh but inside, I was seething. Somebody’s going to die tonight. “Rest, I’ll come back later. But don’t hesitate to call out if you need anything.” She nodded at me and I exited the room. Thankfully, I didn’t bumped into Zoi on my way out.
I put the tray away and started to wash the dishes. We had running water because there was a water tank outside, which Jack had filled. So, water wasn’t a problem. But we didn’t had electricity in fear of someone noticing it.
After washing it, I put the bowl and glasses aside for them to dry. Then, I washed my hands dry in one of the cloth beside the sink. Before I could move away, a hand snaked around my waist and I felt myself pulled towards a lean body. He leaned down to whisper in my ears and I shivered at his breathe.
“So, what do you say?” his husky voice whispered.
I slapped his hands and moved out of his reach before I faced him. “You’re not funny,”
He stared at me, all humor gone from his expression. “Who says I’m joking?”
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