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“What seat are you in, again?” you turned and asked Tara as you walked down the boarding tunnel toward your plane.
“10E,” she said excitedly, “I think we’re next to each other!”
You checked your seat number again and smiled. It read 10D.
“We are!” you said, grinning back at her. As you stood behind other passengers waiting to board, you looked at your group and did another mental headcount. Tara, Simone, Lola, you. All here.
This was your first international girls’ trip together, and the nerves and excitement had been snowballing as you got closer to your departure date. You had to admit, you were pretty anxious since you found traveling generally stressful, and you also felt a lot of pressure since you had planned most of the trip. The girls had helped with suggestions on what they wanted to do and see, but you had done the bulk of the tracking, booking, calculating, itinerary-making, and more. It was a lot of work, but you enjoyed it, being the perfectionist you were. You sincerely hoped everything would go smoothly, in part because you hated failing, but also because you wouldn't be able to handle your friends’ crushed faces at something going wrong.
Stop being negative, you told yourself, everything is going to be just fine.
There was really no reason to worry. You had essentially planned for every possible situation! You even knew your period was due soon (unfortunately) and had packed everything you would need in your personal bag. And luckily, the first flight was a short one before your official flight overseas, so you would even have some time to prepare more if needed before the long trip.
With that extra reassurance, you felt a little lighter. Your phone buzzed in your hand, and you looked at the screen.
Sylus Qin: Your flight is today, right? Safe travels, and have fun.
A small smile grew on your lips as you read the text. You had only told Sylus about your trip since it clashed with another one of the business dinners he had asked you to accompany him to. This was only the third one he had invited you to, but it seemed to be becoming a habit. If you were being honest, they were a bit nerve-wracking, but the professional connections you could make there were worth the effort. Not to mention, Sylus also said he benefited from having a partner there that he actually got along with.
You didn't expect him to send you anything, today, though, but the gesture was appreciated. He was always a gentleman with you. You typed out a quick reply.
Me: Thank you! We definitely will!
You put your phone away and continued to shuffle along the walkway toward the plane’s door, listening to your friends’ buzzing conversations behind you. Your phone buzzed again, and you looked down to see a text back from Sylus. Eyebrows raised, you read the text.
Sylus Qin: Do let me know if you need anything. I'm on a business trip just a short ride away from your final destination.
That was interesting, he didn't mention this to you when you brought your trip up before. Before you could respond, he sent another text.
Sylus Qin: I didn’t think to tell you since my trip is coming to an end right as yours is beginning. But if you need anything, you have a connection nearby.
Ah, you thought. That really was nice of him!
Me: Oh, interesting, I was just about to ask! Thank you again, though. Hopefully, all will be fine. I planned everything to the last detail.
Sylus Qin: I'm sure the itinerary is perfect, then. You'll have to tell me all about it when you get back.
Smiling, you reacted to his message with a heart before you finally boarded the plane and headed to your seat. Tara was right behind you, making her presence known when she whispered, “Ooh, Sylus, huh? What's that about?”
You cast a light glare at her behind your shoulder. “He's just wishing me safe travels! He's a gentleman.”
You heard her giggle like a little schoolgirl and promptly decided to ignore her as you stowed your carry-on away. After you both were seated, you sent him another response.
Me: Sure! I’ll make sure to take lots of pictures, too.
Sylus responded by giving your message a heart and texted back:
Sylus Qin: I can’t wait. Don’t forget to buckle up, sweetie.
You breathed out a small laugh at that, ignoring the way your heart skipped a little at his nickname for you and buckled your seatbelt. He only began calling you “sweetie” at the first business dinner you attended with him in order to sell the image of you two together, but it seemed he rather liked the sound of it (and maybe you did, too). You liked his message back and turned your phone off as the post-boarding process began, gearing up for the short flight ahead. You could still hear your friends giggling and talking excitedly around you, and you smiled. This was going to be a great trip.
The plane smoothly hit the runway and rushed down the stretch of asphalt as it gradually came to a stop. Everyone shifted in their seats, gathering up their things.
“Tara! Simone!” you whisper-yelled to your friends as other passengers unbuckled their seatbelts and got out of their seats. Since your first flight had left at night, all of you ended up dozing off. You happened to be a light sleeper, so you woke up before the rest of the girls as the plane was preparing to land. The girls slowly woke up, blinking in the soft white interior lights, and groggily prepared to leave.
Once in the airport, you all followed the signs to your next gate, your friends still drowsily blinking sleep away from their eyes.
In a matter of minutes, you were once again seated at your gate, waiting for your next flight. You could tell everyone was restless, with Simone and Lola leaning on each other, their eyes closed, Tara’s foot tapping away, and you constantly checking the gate’s TV screen. You all just wanted to get on the plane and go back to sleep. Finally, after what felt like forever, boarding began. You slowly filed on, found your seats, and settled in. You chuckled to yourself when you peered over at Simone and Lola, finding them already dozing off.
Not before long, the eight-hour flight took off. Feeling more awake than the others, you pulled up your book on your tablet and began reading.
After the first hour, you felt yourself grow sleepy again, so you put your tablet away, made yourself as comfortable as you could, and tried to fall asleep.
By hour two, you had tossed and turned (as much as was possible in your tiny middle seat), "sleeping" so restlessly you believed it was actually costing you more energy. You then opted to look at the in-flight entertainment.
Hour three was going decently well as you watched one of the available action movies you had already seen before (the flight's entertainment section left something to be desired). You tried to ignore the ache that was blooming in your backside from the uncomfortable plane seat.
It was only when the fourth hour began that you felt a faint wave of pain grip your abdomen. You held your stomach and closed your eyes, immediately going into denial about the possible reality that just reared its ugly head at you. One begrudging bathroom visit later, you dejectedly made your way back to your seat, plenty freshened up but very bummed out. You went ahead and took a couple of painkillers as a precautionary measure.
Hour four passed without any more hitches, and so did the movie. You were selecting your next one when, to your pleasant surprise, the attendants came by with a snack.
"Muffin or nuts?" she asked, before looking at her cart.
You were about to reply with "Muffin, please!" before she interrupted you.
"Oh, I'm sorry! It looks like I don't have any muffins left. Would you like some nuts?"
Oh. Might as well. You ate your nuts glumly as you watched your next movie, your mind barely absorbing the story. Unfortunately, the next meal wasn't for another two hours.
Thud, thud, thud. The minimal cushioning on your seat didn’t do much to absorb the force behind each of the child’s kicks behind you. Just your luck.
“Waaaaaah!” A freshly woken up baby wailed, its mother’s frantic hushes drowned out in its cries.
You tried your best to ignore the irritants around you as you tried to fall asleep again for the next two hours. Your mood continued to descend into darker depths as the seconds trickled by. Honestly, you didn’t really care at this point whether you could actually sleep or not and stubbornly kept your eyes shut. You just weren’t in the mood to do anything else.
Hour seven brought you a fresh meal, and you perked up once more when the attendant came by. Fortunately, she had more choices to pick from this time, and you dug into your chicken meal eagerly…
Only to find that, upon preparation, your food had failed to evenly and fully heat up. None of it was frozen, thankfully, but the chicken was half warmed up, the rice lukewarm. You suddenly found yourself blinking back tears. It’s alright. It’s going to be alright, you’re almost there, you reassured yourself. You felt pathetic at the fact that you even had to comfort yourself. Regardless, you couldn’t ignore the fact that you were more sensitive and stressed than usual and that this flight had slowly but surely left you drained and withered. With a sigh, you ate all your food, knowing your body needed the nourishment.
And with that, as if a miracle descended upon you, you found yourself thoroughly exhausted enough to finally drift away into dreamland…
It felt like only seconds later, the plane’s wheels hit the runway, and you frowned and rubbed your eyes as you were pressed against the back of your seat. You groaned to yourself as you tried to shake the exhaustion off and looked around. Your friends were all up along with everybody else. Soon, the seatbelt sign was turned off, and the rush to gather one’s belongings and de-board began once more.
“I’m starving,” Tara said as you all stumbled into the airport. Simone and Lola piped up in agreement, wondering if there were any good cafés or restaurants nearby. You, on the other hand, felt as though you only had a single surviving brain cell left. All you wanted to do was find the way to the train station, where you had one last trip to take. It couldn’t be that hard, right?
Minutes went by, then half an hour. The girls found themselves a place to eat, but you couldn’t stomach a bite of food. You just wanted to reach the hotel and finally get some good rest. They tried to push you to eat or go to the bathroom and wash your face, but feeling more irritable than usual, you snapped.
“Guys, stop! Just finish your food so we can go.”
The silence that fell on you all was thick as tar. They all looked at each other, and you felt the guilt rise in you. Not able to meet their eyes, you offered an explanation.
“I’m so sorry. I started my period on the plane, and I could barely get any sleep. I’m just so tired,” you said, unable to stop the tears from welling in your eyes. Desperate for some kind of mercy, you hoped this was the worst part of your day. You were never comfortable being vulnerable in front of people, but a part of you felt that maybe you deserved this after the way you just treated your friends.
And your friends, being the sweet, loving souls they were, immediately understood and wiped your tears. They finished their food quickly, helped you up, and all began to try and figure out what the next steps were.
Luckily, your itinerary said that you had a couple of hours before the train you booked departed. And after an hour of slowly finding your way around the unfamiliar airport and to the right metro platform, you arrived at the train station. With the thought of comfortable pajamas and a fresh, clean bed waiting for you very soon, you looked up hopefully at the screen depicting train departures. You combed through the list to find the 1 PM train you had booked.
12:10 train, departing from Platform B: DEPARTED.
12:30 train, departing from Platform C: ON TIME.
12:45 train… ON TIME.
Ah, there it was: 1:00 train, departing from Platform F… CANCELED.
“What!?” you said, shocked, “No, no, no! What do you mean, canceled?”
You shook your head and held it in your hands, the weight of all the little misfortunes that had popped up during this trip almost making your knees buckle. This just couldn’t be happening.
“Okay, surely, we can just take the next one going to that city, right?” Tara said reassuringly, rubbing your back.
You shrugged, still not looking up.
A minute later, you were seated in the waiting area, staring at the floor with vacant, tired eyes as your Tara and Simone talked to an attendant at the help desk, using a translating app to assist with the language barrier. Lola had stayed back, rubbing your back reassuringly. You looked up to watch, catching the attendant shaking her head at them with an apologetic look on her face. The tower of dread inside you grew even taller.
“She said that there are no more trains going there today due to some emergency maintenance…” Tara said quietly when she came back.
Simone piped up. “But, but! She also said we can take the earliest train that goes there tomorrow, free of charge!”
“Exactly! As long as the maintenance is over by then… heh,” Tara finished, laughing nervously.
You blinked.
“So… what? Are we going to sleep here?” you asked. You all looked around at the crowded station, not feeling very appealed by the idea.
“Listen, we’ll figure something out. Just try to take it easy and rest,” Lola said. Her and Simone then began to furiously look things up on their phones, looking for any kind of hotel or inn availability nearby and figuring out taxi fares.
Tara pat your shoulder comfortingly and handed you her water bottle. “Here, stay hydrated. It’ll be alright, there’s always some kind of hiccup that happens during a trip, right?” she laughed lightly.
You chuckled humorlessly. “I wouldn’t call this a hiccup, this is a whole disaster.”
You knew you were being unappealingly pessimistic. You knew you were just bringing the group down with your quips, but it just felt like there was a black hole of exhaustion growing inside you, swallowing everything hopeful and bright around it. You decided you would just stop talking, scared you might say something regrettable and too emotionally charged. Tara sighed and looked over at Simone and Lola. Suddenly, she perked up and looked back at you, gripping your shoulder.
“Ow, Tara! What are you-” you said, trying to pry her hand off. So much for no talking.
“You know who could fix this?” she looked at you with that signature, crazy look in her eyes that she only got when she was hit with her Tara-exclusive, one-of-a-kind epiphanies.
You hesitated to answer, wondering if the exhaustion was getting to her head, too. “Who…?” you asked.
She leaned in and whispered, “Sylus.”
“What? No, absolutely not!” you immediately replied, “I can’t just randomly ask him to ‘fix this’ right now! And who said he could, or would? Do you know how embarrassing it would be if-”
Tara interrupted you with a gravely serious expression on her face. “No, think about it. He’s filthy rich, has tons of connections, always goes on business trips around the world, and he likes you,” she concluded with a smug smile.
You rolled your eyes. “Okay, not sure where you got that last point from. We do get along well, but we’re just friends! And I would feel bad asking him to use his resources to-”
She interrupted again. “Text him.”
“But, Tara, this isn’t realistic-”
“I don’t care. Text him.”
“Tara! Listen to me-”
“Text him, or I will.”
You looked at her, not believing the audacity she was speaking to you with. You opened your mouth.
She promptly pulled out her phone. “Alright, I’ll just do it. And I’ll have to do it in our group, too, since it would be weird for me to text him privately.”
You grabbed her wrist. “No, stop! Fine. I’ll do it,” you said. Your heart was pounding in your head. This girl was going to be the death of you one day.
With Tara’s hawk-like eyes watching your every move, you pulled out your phone, clicked open Sylus’s chat, and began typing.
Me: Hey, we finally arrived! I know this is sudden, and I’m not sure if you’re available, but I was wondering if you could help us with something?
Your thumb hovered over the “send” button for a couple seconds before drifting over to the backspace button. Suddenly, Tara cried “Oh, no you don’t!” and jammed her finger on your screen, sending the message before you could protest.
“There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” she said happily as she patted your back.
You stared at her, slack jawed. “What is wrong with-” you stopped suddenly when you felt your phone vibrating in your hands.
“Oh my god, answer, answer!” Tara said, staring at your phone.
You couldn’t believe your eyes. With shaking fingers, you answered the call and held the phone up to your ear.
“Hello?” you greeted. Your voice sounded oddly distant to your own ears.
“Welcome back to earth. I hope your flight was uneventful and smooth,” Sylus’s deep voice came through the phone, crisp and clear, piercing through your brain fog like a floodlight.
You stood up and began pacing around, a habit you always had when you were on the phone. “Um, it was… alright, I guess,” you said. You bit your lip. You had no idea how to say what you needed to say. You didn’t prepare for this!
“Is everything alright? What did you need help with?” he asked, immediately catching the meek tone of your voice.
To your horror, your voice caught a bit with your reply. You fought furiously to keep from having a meltdown on the phone and embarrassing yourself further. “Yeah, I- we just- it’s been a little rough so far, and…” you paused to take a deep breath.
“Sweetie, breathe. I’m right here. Tell me what you need,” he said. His words - even the nickname - brought some comfort to you, and you used the reassuring feeling to stay calm and explain your situation. You still ended up rambling a bit, but Sylus patiently listened, occasionally letting out an “ah” or “mhm” as you spoke.
“I’m so stressed and tired. I don’t know what to do,” your voice broke again at the end, and unable to help it, you felt a couple of tears roll down your cheeks. You sniffed, your eyes darting around, fearful of any curious or prying gazes from the strangers around you.
“Listen to me. Just relax. I’ll take care of it,” he said.
“But- but what are you going to do?” you wondered, still feeling helpless in the midst of it all.
To your surprise, one of Sylus’s deep chuckles drifted over through the receiver. “I’m going to fix it, sweetie. You just sit back and relax. I’ve ordered a driver to pick you all up, and he’ll be there in a matter of minutes. I’ll text you when he arrives,” he said.
Your barely functioning brain could hardly believe what it was hearing. You turned to look at your friends with wide eyes. Simone and Lola, having no idea what was being said on the phone, gave you varying looks of confusion. Tara, on the other hand, looked back in delight, stars glittering in her eyes.
“Oh- okay, yeah. That sounds good. I mean, not even good, that’s great! Wow-” you started.
Sylus chuckled again, the sound also oddly comforting. “Alright, alright. No need to thank me. Just get yourselves outside in one piece.”
With that, you ended your conversation with him and looked at your friends in amazement, focusing on Tara.
“Looks like we’ve got a ride, girls,” you said. They all began cheering and hugging each other like you had just announced they were the most recent lottery winners.
Before you knew it, you found yourselves in the back of a smooth, small, black limousine, headed to who-knew-where. All Sylus told you via text was that he made arrangements for you all at a hotel so that you could rest. When you responded, insisting that he send you the details so you could pay the hotel or compensate him, he just said, “No. Have a safe ride.”
You were still trying to absorb everything happening around you when you arrived at the hotel, a place far more luxurious than you had expected. This only made the guilt inside you rack up even more. You were then led to your rooms - Sylus had apparently booked you a separate one - with your luggage being pushed on a trolley behind you. The bellhops unlocked your doors, brought your luggage inside, left extra hotel keys, and excused themselves. All while you and the others stared at the spacious, pristine, gold-accented rooms in front of you in complete shock and wonder.
Tara nudged you. “Well, that was worth it, wouldn’t you say so?” she said in a hushed voice, still looking around.
Simone and Lola turned to you, each with a million questions brewing behind their eyes.
“Who did you say your connection was!?” Simone asked.
You scratched the back of your head, laughing nervously. How were you even supposed to answer that when this had caught even you off-guard? Before you could think of anything to say, though, your phone started vibrating with another call. Seeing it was Sylus, you quickly answered so that your friends wouldn’t see his contact on your screen.
“Hey!” you said, almost breathless from your recent experience. You saw Tara usher the other girls into their room so you could talk in peace. You entered your room and closed the door.
“I heard you reached the hotel. I trust everything is up to your standards?” Sylus asked.
You laughed at his question, not believing your ears. “Sylus, this went way above and beyond my standards! I am so not used to things like this anymore…” you trailed off, your mind briefly drifting back to your childhood. You shook your head and continued, “Thank you, though. It’s perfect. I can’t thank you enough.”
“I’m glad to hear it. You’re sounding better, too. Rest up, and order anything you’d like when you get hungry. It’s all covered,” he said.
“But, Sylus, seriously-” you began once more, unable to ignore the guilt you felt. You didn’t like using people like this, or feeling indebted to someone.
Sylus stopped you. “Hush, now. You act as if this is a huge imposition on me, when it is nothing of the sort. All that matters is that you rest well so you can enjoy the rest of your vacation.”
You sighed. “Fine… but I’ll pay you back somehow! I promise,” the words came out before you could even think about them, but regardless, they were genuine.
The deep rumble of his laugh reverberated through your ears, and you smiled. “I’ll be keeping that in mind, sweetie. Now, rest up. I’ll talk to you later,” he said.
You ended your second call with Sylus that day with a smile, and eagerly headed for your carry-on to grab your pajamas. You absolutely couldn’t wait to sink deep into the plush, king-sized bed waiting for you in the middle of the room. From where you were standing, it almost looked like the fluffiest cloud in the world was harnessed from the sky and brought down to this room, just for you.
After relieving yourself and cleaning up, brushing your teeth, and washing your face, you finally wriggled underneath the covers, lavishing how luxurious it all felt and letting the scent of the fresh sheets envelop you. The pure bliss of it all soon sent you into a deep, comfortable slumber…
You couldn’t tell how long it had been, but the sun was out of sight. You looked around, groping for your phone. Your body was awake, but your mind felt like it was trudging through waist-high mud to get there. You faintly registered sharp waves of pain hitting your abdomen, and groaned. Ugh… just when things were going well.
After turning on the lamp nearest to you, you crawled out of bed begrudgingly and retrieved your painkillers from your bag. You took another dose, then slowly made your way to the snack bar where you located the kettle, a mug, and a tea bag. You made yourself a cup of hot chamomile tea while clutching your stomach. You then sat at the desk placed near your bed and set down your mug. Knowing all you could do now was wait in agony, you unlocked your phone to catch up on your messages.
Tara <3: [3h ago] We’re gonna catch some Zs! Give me a call if you need anything, although I’m sure it’s all taken care of ;)
Smiling a little, you wondered if they were still asleep. They must have been, since you hadn’t heard from them since. You looked at the next message.
Sylus Qin: [2h ago] I hope you’re resting well. Again, don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything at all. I’m just a call away.
Your smile grew as you read his message again. You didn’t like asking people for things, which often included asking for help, so you knew how lucky you were to have friends who insisted on helping you when you needed it. You usually wouldn’t trust many to do so, but with Sylus, you didn’t mind as much. He made you feel taken care of without feeling like you were burdening him, and for that, you were extremely grateful.
You were still staring at the message when another, stronger, piercing cramp hit you, and you bent over with a grimace. Those painkillers couldn’t hit soon enough. You were going to type a reply, but decided to just like the message. Unfortunately, your brain couldn’t think straight enough to type a coherent sentence at the moment. You groaned again as the pain ricocheted through your body, cursing mother nature’s blessing and all it stood for. Life was cruel.
You barely registered the call coming through to your phone until you saw the screen. Frowning, you answered.
“Hello?” you said through clenched teeth.
“You’re up,” Sylus said, a hint of surprise in his tone.
“Ah, yeah. Just got up,” you said. You wanted to say more, preferably a full and complete sentence, but that was all you could really muster.
“Is everything okay? What do you need? You can tell me,” he said in a coaxing tone.
“Nothing, nothing,” you said before a soft groan left your mouth. You pursed your lips as you cringed. You were too slow to stop it.
“Are you in pain? Tell me what’s wrong, sweetie,” Sylus said. The hint of urgency that seeped into his voice wasn’t lost on you.
You hesitated a bit before telling him. You’d rather he knew the truth than think there was anything major going on. “It’s nothing, I’m just having cramps, that’s all. I took some medication, so they’ll go away in a bit,” you rushed out before you clenched your teeth through another wave.
“Ah, I see… I’m sorry to hear it,” he said quietly. After a second, he continued, “Try to sit tight. I’m going to order you a hot meal and an extra blanket so you can keep warm.”
Your eyes watered at the amount of care he was pouring into you. Why was he treating you like this? You sniffled, the emotions suddenly coming onto you stronger than before, and since you were (mostly) alone, you let them. You muttered a small “okay” before you finally let the tears out, your small hiccups and sniffs undoubtedly audible to the man on the other end. For once, you were just too tired to care much about guarding your vulnerability at the moment. A part of you also gained comfort knowing Sylus wouldn’t blame you for this and, more importantly, couldn’t see you.
He spoke up once more. “The food will arrive soon. Would you like me to stay on the line with you until then? I’m not busy.”
You hiccupped once more, hesitating. “I- I think so. I’m sorry,” you said, feeling guilty even though you knew he was free.
“No need to apologize. Please, don’t cry,” he said softly, then paused before saying, “Did I upset you in any way?”
Alarmed, you quickly responded. “No, no! I just- I’m just feeling a lot right now. It’s been a rough time.”
Sylus hummed. “Yes, it has been. The food will help,” he said reassuringly, then he chuckled, “If you’d like, I can even ask the chef to sprinkle some sedatives into the meal so you can really get a good night’s sleep.” You could practically hear his smirk.
You giggled through the last remaining tears. “No, thank you. I don’t think I’ll need that much help.”
As promised, Sylus stayed on the phone with you until your meal arrived - a bowl of hot, comforting meat stew and rice with a side of fresh salad. He even stayed on as you ate, with you telling him about everything you had planned and still hoped to do and him mentioning how you would have been a great sidekick at his latest business dinner. You were surprised at slightly feeling bummed out knowing you missed another entertaining evening by his side.
You were laying on your bed, feeling much better with a full stomach and a warm blanket wrapped around you as the call still went on. Sylus was talking about his guards’ latest shenanigans while you tried to keep your eyes open, but listening to the deep register of his voice was more soothing than you would have liked to admit. Slowly, your hums and comments during his story came further and further apart, the next one quieter than the last, until sleep overtook you completely. You faintly heard him quietly and inquisitively call your name.
“I take it you’re asleep,” he said with a chuckle, “Good. Sleep tight, sweetie.”
Sunlight warmed your skin when you woke up again. You blinked your eyes open and squinted, peering around the room. Your brain alerted you that you were looking for something, but you weren’t sure what. The nagging feeling persisted, becoming stronger. As the sleep faded away more, you began to register the sound of frequent knocking. Knock, knock, knock. You heard Tara call your name. Knock, knock. The girls were all calling your name, your phone buzzing next to you as they spammed it with calls.
You sat up and rushed to untangle yourself from the layers of sheets on top of you, almost tripping over yourself to get out of bed. Cold sweat stuck your hair to your neck and forehead as you finally stumbled to the door. What was going on?
You reached for the knob and pulled. “What? What is happening?” you asked, hurriedly.
Your eyes landed on Tara, Simone, and Lola, all fully dressed with their bags fully packed, looking ready to seize the day. They all froze as they took you in.
“Oh…” Tara said.
They all blinked at you, then at each other, and you just stared back. You gathered from their reactions that you probably looked extremely disheveled, but you didn't care. “What’s wrong? Tell me!” you said, unable to wait.
“We need to go so we can catch the next train, remember?” Tara said, “We were texting and calling you so you could get up, but you weren’t answering…” she trailed off when she glanced down the hallway to her right, her eyes catching onto something… or someone.
You heard faint, steady footsteps coming closer. You leaned over the threshold to see who all three of the girls were now looking at.
And immediately regretted doing so. Coming down the hallway in all his tall, sleek, handsome glory, was Sylus Qin himself. You gasped when he caught your eye and whipped around to hide behind the door, nearly closing it completely. You did not look anywhere near presentable right now. You hoped and prayed he didn’t fully register the state you were currently in.
“Good morning, ladies,” you heard Sylus say once he stopped in front of your door.
“Good morning, Sylus! Wow, this is a surprise,” Tara replied cheerfully, as if all was right in the world.
“I was just nearby on business and thought I would check in. I trust you’re all doing well?” he said, going along with the conversation.
“Yes, well…” Tara began, and you took the opportunity to quietly step away and rush to the bathroom to straighten yourself up. Once inside, you looked in the mirror, and your eyes widened in horror. You doubled down on the prayer you made earlier, adding on the hope that perhaps Sylus thought he was imagining things when he saw you. Yes, maybe he’d just chalk it up to being a trick of the light.
You used the bathroom and made sure everything was in order where it should be, washed your face, brushed your teeth, and quickly redid your hair. Then, you pulled a hoodie on top of your old, worn pajamas in order to look a little more put together. You applied some lip balm and moisturizer before going back to the door, feeling much more presentable.
Taking a deep breath, you opened it wider once more and peeked around the edge. Almost instantly, Sylus turned to you, his jewel-like, red eyes taking you in, as if to check if you were all in one piece.
“Well, well. Good morning, sleepyhead,” he said with his signature smirk.
“Good morning,” you said with a nervous laugh, “I’m sorry about earlier. I had no idea you were coming.”
“It was my mistake. I hadn’t given you a heads-up. I just wanted to check in on you girls to ensure everything with your stay went well,” he replied, his eyes not leaving you, despite addressing the others.
Simone and Lola piped up, saying, “It was great!” and, “We slept sooo well!” respectively. Tara chimed in with her agreement, while all you could do was smile shyly.
Say something! You spoke up after a second, “Yeah, it was perfect. No complaints here.”
The corners of Sylus’s mouth tilted up before he turned to the others once more. “I’m glad to hear. As we were discussing, feel free to go downstairs and eat breakfast before meeting the driver. I know this must be quite the detour from your original plan, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy the city and the tours I arranged for you today. It’s important to take a break and have some fun before traveling again, isn’t it?”
Wait, where were they going? To your surprise, all three girls nodded along and thanked Sylus excitedly before going back into their room to put luggage back inside. When Tara came back, she turned to you.
“I guess Sylus somehow anticipated that we would have a slower morning today, so he actually arranged a whole day out on the town for us! He said he can arrange transportation to the next city, too, and manage any necessary adjustments to our original itinerary,” she said, her eyes sparkling with a hint of something you refused to acknowledge at the moment.
You couldn’t help the alarm showing on your face throughout this all, looking between the girls and Sylus, then back to the girls, and back to Sylus. He then ushered them toward the elevators, and they bid you goodbye before stepping in. You heard Simone eagerly ask, “Who is that?” as she disappeared. All you could do was stand there stupidly and blink at where the girls were just standing.
Sylus slightly bent down to catch your eye again and gestured toward the room. “Well? Do I get an invite?” he asked cheekily.
“Oh! Yeah, of course,” you said. You looked down at yourself, straightening out your cat-patterned pajama pants as best you could before opening the door wider and stepping aside. He looked dashing as always, in a casual, but neat v-neck sweater and ironed slacks. In his right hand, he held a briefcase. He set it down on a counter nearby before turning to you.
“I booked a room for myself here after our call last night so I could check in on you and the girls first thing today. How are you feeling?” he asked.
You looked away and smiled, unable to hold his intense gaze. His thoughtfulness continued to surprise you. “Much better, thank you. Although, I’m still a little tired. It’s pretty early,” you said.
“Yes, it is. You should rest some more, then,” he said, then stepped toward the bed. “Come,” he beckoned.
Confused, you slowly followed him and watched as he lifted back the covers and sat on the edge of the bed. He gestured for you to get in.
“I can tuck myself in, Sylus,” you said with a nervous laugh. You hesitated in front of him, feeling a little uncomfortable. This wasn’t exactly a two-person job.
“Oh, I’m very well aware, sweetie. But sometimes, others experience joy out of helping those they care about,” he said, making sure you caught his eye. “And sometimes, you should let them,” he added.
You couldn’t help but blush at his blatant honesty and breathed a laugh, breaking eye contact. Still feeling a bit awkward, you cautiously climbed onto the bed and slid your legs under the sheets. He brought the covers up over the rest of your body as you slid further down and got more comfortable. Your face burned.
“There,” he said as he finished, “Now, get some good sleep.”
“I will,” was all you could mutter as you looked into his eyes, trying to decipher the emotions behind them.
Despite his tender actions, he was still extremely skilled at keeping a stoic face on. This didn’t do anything to stop you from wondering, though. You needed to know why he was doing this. Why he cared so much. Maybe it was the effects of the past 24 hours, or maybe it was your touch-starved, stubborn heart that you kept carefully locked up, but you found your curiosity rising at an alarming rate. Now that he was here, you didn’t really want him to leave. Before you knew it, your hand reached out, and the tips of your fingers brushed along his sleeve. You rolled the fabric between your fingers, your tired eyes trying to follow the countless paths of each individual thread. His hand was so close, his skin just centimeters away, but you just… couldn’t. This would have to do.
Sylus watched you closely, leaving his arm resting within reach. “Would you like me to stay until you fall asleep?” he said quietly, as though his voice could scare you away.
You nodded.
“Then I will.”
You felt your eyelids get heavier, and your breathing even out, still quietly playing with the fabric of his sleeve. What you thought would be an awkward silence or moment turned out to be peaceful and lulling. You fell asleep faster than usual, with your fingers still clutching his sleeve.
In the midst of your dreams, in a limbo between reality and subconscious illusion, you felt things move around you.
Soft contact against your head, your hair brushed away from your face.
Surfaces shifting, weight lifting on one side, then a dip on the other.
A final, faint touch brushing against your cheek.
You rolled over and sighed at the comforting scent of fresh laundry and faint cologne, lost in the sweetest and deepest of sleeps you had had in a while.
When you finally opened your eyes again, you felt much more refreshed than before. Raising your arms above you, you stretched out all the kinks in your body and sighed in satisfaction. Looking at the bedsheets around you, you realized the spot next to you was not empty like it was the night before. Sylus had shifted over to the other side of the bed while you slept, keeping a respectful distance from you, but still laying within reach.
He was propped up, leaning against the pillows against the headboard, fast asleep. His hands were folded over his stomach, legs crossed at the ankles. His face was peaceful, eyelids shifting slightly as he dreamed. You wondered what he was dreaming about.
Slowly, you reached your arm out toward him, entranced by the way his hair caught the sliver of light that peeked in through the closed curtains. Being careful not to wake him up, you softly touched some of the silver strands. You noticed his lashes and brows were a darker color. Does he dye his hair…? You breathed a soft laugh in disbelief. His hair was soft as silk, though, and you lightly brushed through it some more, lost in thought.
Suddenly, he inhaled a little deeper, and his eyes slowly blinked open. He frowned slightly, unsure of what had interrupted his sleep. You immediately retracted your arm and stared at him in silence, holding your breath. Maybe, if you didn’t move at all, he would just go back to sleep…
Instead, he continued to blink the sleep away from his eyes and turned his head to look at you, seeing if you were awake. He was met with your wide-eyed stare, as if facing a deer caught in the headlights. He took in the sight before him, then smirked slightly, understanding the situation. When he spoke, his voice was deeper than usual, tainted with sleep and rumbling in his chest.
“You’re like a wary little kitten, always so curious, yet cautious. I don’t bite, you know,” he said, then added as he closed his eyes again, “At least not all the time.”
You raised your eyebrows in shock. “Not all the time?...” you asked.
“Mhm,” was all he replied with.
You sat up, not satisfied with the answer, and fully awake. “Wait, what do you mean by that?”
“If you’re really that curious, you’ll find out eventually,” he said, then with a smile that told you he knew exactly what he was doing, he added, “Kitten.”
You lightly hit his arm. “Hey, I’m no kitten! I’m a lioness, thank you very much. And you’ll tell me what you meant by that.”
He frowned, turning his head away. “I don’t know what you mean. All I can hear are little mewls coming from your mouth, and I’m just trying to sleep here.”
“Sylus! That’s not fair!” you protested, resorting to nudging him incessantly. You almost forgot how fun it was to jokingly provoke him.
Sylus’s hands flew up at the same time as he opened his eyes again, and he caught your wrists to stop your non-stop poking and prodding. In one swift movement, he pulled you down to his chest, holding your head with his other hand as he leaned down to talk. Your heart rate spiked.
“For your information, lionesses usually act with grace. You are currently displaying the never-ending playful and energetic behaviors of a little, baby kitten. Am I wrong?” he taunted. You could feel the beating of his heart and the low vibrations of his voice through his chest. Your face flushed red at your proximity. Your heart hammered away, a thrilling feeling rushing through you.
Still determined, you giggled. “Sylus, what are you doing? Unhand me!” you said as you tried to wriggle out of his grasp. He released your head, but held onto your wrists.
“No. Not until you admit that I’m right,” he said. You looked at his face, and it was evident he was enjoying the show. You squirmed even more, but his grip was too strong. I thought he was a businessman; where is all this strength from!? You couldn’t help but wonder in frustration.
“No! My lips are sealed,” you said, turning your head away stubbornly.
Sylus opened his mouth to retort, but to your horror, your stomach beat him to the chase. Guuuuurrgglee. You looked back at him with wide eyes.
He glanced down at your stomach, then back up at you. “Looks like we’ve got a hungry kitten on our hands,” he said, releasing your wrists.
You held your head in your hands, not even wanting to look him in the eye. “I guess I’m a bit hungry…” you mumbled.
You felt his forefinger under your chin, tilting your head up. He was smiling at you, not smirking, for once. “I’ll order some lunch. You can go freshen up, if you’d like,” he said. He turned to the phone on the bedside table next to him and opened the menu folded next to it. “Any preferences?” he asked.
You scooted off the bed and headed toward the bathroom, wondering if you could wash away your embarrassment. “No, not really. Just no onions, please,” you said over your shoulder.
One hot shower and a change of clothes later, you came out of the bathroom feeling like you fully shed yesterday’s skin. Rubbing some lotion on, you walked out of the bathroom to see Sylus seated on the balcony with two full plates on the table beside him. Your mouth watered.
As you stepped out, you took a closer look at him. He had his laptop out and seemed to be doing some work, typing away on his keyboard. He looked relaxed, sitting in the shade with his sunglasses on. He looked up at you upon your entrance.
“Welcome back. Did you have a good shower?” he asked.
You sat down as you methodically wrapped a microfiber towel around sections of your hair, trying to squeeze out all the water. “Yes, very much so,” you said, “That did me a lot of good.”
He smiled. “Good, I’m glad,” he said, then he pushed one of the plates of food closer to you, “Please, eat.”
You eyed the food eagerly, not sure whether to start on the fruits or the croissant sandwich or the extra serving of steaming, hot fries. Reminding yourself to eat one thing at a time, you picked up the sandwich first and took a bite. It practically melted in your mouth.
“Mmm… I am so hungry,” you mumbled, “I just want to stuff all this food in my mouth right now.”
Sylus chuckled, looking up at you from his screen. “By all means, you’re welcome to do just that.”
You scoffed, chewing and swallowing. “No, I shouldn’t. It wouldn’t be very graceful of me. I’m a lioness, remember?”
He laughed, shaking his head. “Alright, kitten. Whatever you say.”
You gaped at him, shocked at his audacity to still call you that and were about to retort when his phone began to vibrate on the table. He picked it up and looked at the contact.
“Sorry, sweetie. I have to take this call for work,” he said, standing up, “Please, keep eating.”
You forgivingly waved him off, not holding anything against him. You took another bite of your sandwich as he stepped inside and held the phone to his ear. You watched the city’s birds fly by and the people milling about below as you listened to his voice in the background. You took a sip of orange juice, the cold drink acting as the perfect counter to the bright sun shining above, its tang lingering on your tongue. Humming in satisfaction, you turned on your tablet that you brought out and pulled up your book. Today was going to be a good day. Because Sylus is here? The thought popped up in a small part of your brain. You smiled to yourself. Maybe.
Sylus slowly paced back and forth across the wooden floor of the hotel room, listening to the man on the other end of the phone ramble on about the potential numbers for this and the predicted percentages of that. He had already decided he was going to reject his business proposal within the first five seconds of the conversation. The rest of the man’s attempt was futile. He sighed, not caring if the ear on the other end heard him.
Turning around, he looked toward the balcony. You were sitting in your chair, as comfortable as can be, reading your book and lazily braiding your damp hair. You looked like you didn’t have a care in the world, and it suited you perfectly, in his opinion. His gaze remained on you, a small smile turning the corners of his lips, the voice talking in his ear just an echo in the distance. He could get used to this.