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Have you ever experienced anemia? Where you couldn't walk and your vision got blurry? Then your body feels numb until you lose consciousness?
That's how Fanny felt right now.
She woke up in the auditorium, clueless. Fanny was sure that she was on the way to the campus before. But, maybe her anemic made her passed out.
"You fainted in front of the campus gates."
She turned towards the savior who had helped her. "Why, thank you--"
Her words stopped when she saw the man who helped her. She felt shocked for a moment before left a normal expression to him who was sitting besides her.
Out of all the people in the campus, why should her ex-boyfriend to be the one who helped Fanny?
"I see your anemia getting relapsed."
Fanny kept silent then nodded her head in response.
"Next time, you should watch over your body. Okay?"
"Y-Yeah." Fanny answered slowly.
He rubbed Fanny's head briefly before leaving her to go to his class.
"Uh, and thanks for helping me." Fanny said with awkward smile. Stopped the tall young man' steps.
He only left a smile before completely leaving the auditorium which was very quiet. "You're welcome. See you soon, Fanny."
"Yes. Bye, Saber."
•••
Claude emerged from the doorway carrying a small plastic bag filled with blood-boosting caplets, a water bottle and bread.
"Fanny! I heard that you fainted in front of the campus!" Claude yelled frantically. "You got anemia, right?! I brought some medicine here!"
"Claude, watch out!" Lesley gave a warning for Claude to watch his step.
Just as Lesley warned him, Claude immediately kissed the wood right on the head of the door. He winced in pain as he clutched his head. Meanwhile, Gusion behind him just shook his head as he entered the class. He heard that Claude wanted to meet Fanny, so he chose to follow him to the art and design major because he wanted meet Lesley too.
"I know he's tall. But he tends to forgot that he had to duck when he wanted to come in." Lesley nagged in annoyance, she was tired seeing the same problem again.
Claude was so careless!
"He was panicked, hun. There's no way he'll think to duck." Gusion responded with a sigh.
The class atmosphere was rather lively even though the lectures was finally over. Claude and Gusion, who were in the same major, civil engineering, went straight to the art and design campus after finished their lectures. They waited the art and design class over while filled their stomach at the campus canteen.
Claude immediately approached Fanny who was rested her head on the table with her arms propped up.
"Fan—" Claude's stopped when Fanny immediately sat up straight and wrapped her arms around his waist. She immediately hid her face on his flannel shirt.
Fanny and Claude's position immediately became the spotlight of other college students. Some of them gave a meaningful smiles because they rarely saw this sight.
"Gosh! Had a pity on a singles like us!" Chou commented, he felt offended seeing them.
"Alright, time to leave the Earth. I'll come to the Mars and stay there as a single alien." Yin chirps along.
"Yin!" Wanwan was behind him and immediately smacked her childhood friend's back. To her, Fanny was feeling unwell and it was only natural for Claude to pay attention to her.
Claude felt that Fanny didn't want to move, he immediately took the initiative to put the books and pencil cases into his lover's bag. He immediately slung the strap of her bag over his shoulder and carried Fanny with a bridal-style.
"Oh no, I'm lose. I'm no romantic guy after seeing this." Gusion teased, which was rewarded with a glare by Lesley. "I'm just joking, hun."
"Fanny was feeling unwell! I guess it was natural that Claude carried her!"
"Did you want me to carry you like that?"
"Oh, shut up."
Claude ignored the shoutout of the people around them, he chose to take himself with Fanny to a quieter place. For example, the park on the campus of the arts major. He had heard that the park was very beautiful. The walls on the park were fully painted with murals by art and design students.
When arrived, Claude sat Fanny on a tree chair that was designed as if it had been cut down. He crouched down to saw her eyes on the same level.
"Was there something wrong?" Claude asked while holding her hands.
Her green eyes looked at Claude with a somber look. Then she looked down and played with Claude's fingers which were longer than her own. Such a cute behavior certainly that made Claude feels tickled.
"Answer me, baby." Claude smiled a little as he gently poked Fanny's chin.
Fanny pouted because she couldn't act tug when Claude was asked her patiently.
"When I was fainted. Saber was the one who helped me and took me to the auditorium."
Claude's smile didn't fade. "And then?"
"It reminded me of a bad memories when I was still dating him."
Claude didn't respond, he watched Fanny's face with affectio.
"Looking at you made this expression, I want to beat him again."
Fanny glared at her lover in disapproving look. She didn't want to see Claude beat up Saber because of her. Plus, the campus definitely wouldn't tolerate such a commotion, let alone a fight. In the past, Claude was punished with a two weeks of suspension and received additional guidance.
Realized that Fanny doesn't like the idea, he stared worriedly at her. "You still had many doubts?"
Fanny shook her head. She never possibly doubt Claude's purely sincerity all along. She remembered how Claude was the one who healed her old wounds due to Saber's abusive treatment.
"I'm so lucky to be your girlfriend." Fanny continued with teary eyes. "Why do you want to be with me, Claude?"
"Did I need a reasons to be with you?" Claude replied while caressed her cheek who was sat in front of him. "Simple. I'm just in love you."
Fanny felt touched for no reason hearing Claude's answer. She slowly rubbed her eyes.
"You should cry when we get married later, not now." Claude joked as he nudged Fanny's little nose.
"Don't tease me!" Fanny snarled with a pouting lips.
Claude chuckled before left a sweet kiss on the corner one of her eye. "I was actually mad when you dated Saber."
Fanny was curious to hear that. "Why?"
Claude wanted to say that he often saw Fanny got an abusive treatment from Saber. Recalled the memory, he knew Saber just leaving her all alone on campus. Or when they quarreled, Saber chooses to be manipulative and blames everything on Fanny. Then forcibly pulled Fanny and took her to a hidden place only to scold her.
For all along, Claude was watched all of that sh*t. And yes. He felt angry. Therefore, Claude acted like a madman when he accidentally found a bruises on her wrist.
"I'm mad because I failed to protect you." His softly told. "That's why when we first started dating and you tried to accept me. I was like the happiest man in the world."
Fanny's blushed when Claude kissed her palm. Whatever Claude did to her was a new experience for Fanny's. She was unfamiliar with the affection Claude gave her yet she didn't refuse it.
Because, Fanny really loves him.
"It doesn't matter if you're still a little scared, but you had to realize that you are not in the past anymore."
Claude touched Fanny's crescent-shaped earrings. The earrings that matched the twinkling stars that were in one of Claude's ears. Both of their earrings had meaning for each other.
"I will do anything for you."
Fanny smiled happily then immediately rushed to hug Claude tightly. She was happy just being with Claude and wished they were together forever.
"I love you!" Fanny said with happiness.
"I. Love. You. Too."
Fanny let out a small giggles when Claude landed a multiple kisses on her face. On her cheeks, to her nose, and finally on her forehead for quite a long time. She fluttered every time Claude showed his affection. It feels sweet like a cotton candy.
"Now, take your medicine. Then I'll bring you to packed up to the Vonetis island."
Fanny nodded willingly, she had to took care of her body which was often weak due to her anemia. Tigreal and Claude often reminded her to not starved herself yet she often forgot their advice because of her studies.
"Oi, Claude! Are you finished yet? We had to go now."
Gusion's voice echoed as soon as Fanny had taken the medicine. Maybe because their group to go to Vonetis Island had completed, so Gusion was looking for him. Claude moved while helped Fanny slowly to stand up.
"Can you walk?"
"Yes."
Claude immediately hold her hand and then walked out with Fanny out from the campus park. Both of them had to go down the stairs if they off from the campus. The road emerge to the parking lot which was quite close to the campus gate.
Maybe Gusion had waited for him on the downstairs, that's why his voice could be heard through the campus park.
Claude was just going down each step when Fanny who was walking behind him suddenly stopped.
"Claude, wait a minute."
"Yeah?" Claude half-turned to look at Fanny.
"We're in the same height!" Fanny smiles, as yet come down the stairs.
Claude realized that their height difference was quite large. Since he had walked down three steps on the stairs, their views were equal. He chuckled as he caressed the back of Fanny's hand gently.
"That's right. You had to be extra careful when you stepped down, okay? I could carry you again if you still felt dizzy."
However, what Fanny did next was very unexpected. She tugged at his collar and planted a kiss on his lips.
Claude was stunned.
Fanny giggles again while looking at his reaction, she caressed his face briefly then continued her steps on the stairs. Now, she led Claude to the parking lot while holding his hand.
Gusion who was waited for them, frowned. Right besides him, Lesley stood there. He let Fanny chatted with Lesley as they stepped into his car. Let him alone with Claude in the parking lot.
"What happened to your face? Got a stung by a wasp?" Gusion asked in wonder.
He saw how red Claude's face like a boiled tomato.
"No. It was because the weather's hot." Claude excused while fanned himself with his flannel shirt.
Gusion nodded in understanding then walked away while talking about the Vonetis Island they were going to visited. Claude half listening and nodded, unfocused.
He almost thought of kidnapped Fanny by carrying her on his shoulder, took her away and locked her up in a place where only Fanny and himself there. His wild imagination was already scattered everywhere after Fanny planted a kiss on his lips.
Claude clicked his tounge subconsciously. He ignored Gusion's mutter that he was a freak.
Gusion was not wrong, though. Claude was a freak because of he couldn't handle his cute and small girlfriend.