Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 71595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 286(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Her fingers came away wet, and she bit her lip hard.
She was crying, in front of the sheikh, in front of the whole school for heaven’s sake, and she hadn’t even known it.
Was this how life was going to be like again?
“S-sorry.”
“It is nothing to apologize for,” the sheikh said quietly. Ruthless as he was, even Malik was not left unmoved by the vulnerable look on Katerina’s face, and stepping forward, he found himself awkwardly wiping her tears away himself.
Aghast at what she had made the sheikh do, she shook her head, protesting, “It’s o-okay, please—-”
“I insist.”
The sheikh spoke gently, but even so the command underlying his words was unmistakable, and she forced herself to stay still at the sound. The sheikh’s touch was gentle, and somehow it made her cry even more. “I’m s-sorry.”
“That’s the second time you apologized for no reason.”
“I’m sorry.”
“And now a third time.”
It made her laugh, but it made her cry harder, too. “Sorry.” She knew he was probably sick of hearing her apologize by now, but she couldn’t help it.
The sheikh lowered his handkerchief. “What exactly are you sorry for?”
“For saying sorry even when you told me not to?”
“And that’s it?” Behind Katerina, the sheikh noticed a tall figure striding towards them. The younger man wore a look of grim purpose, and he met the sheikh’s dark gaze unflinchingly.
“I don’t know.” She closed her eyes in a mixture of frustration and despair. “Maybe I’m sorry for everything. Sorry for myself, for going back to my old ways—-”
“You’re not.”
The voice came from behind, hoarse and raw with emotion, heartbreakingly familiar—-
She whirled around.
Yuki.
It was Yuki.
Her Yuki.
He looked bone-deep exhausted, like he hadn’t slept at all, and his clothes looked like they were still from last night’s.
“I’m sorry I’m late, senpai.” His voice was just a little bit unsteady, just a little bit too human—-
It wasn’t the way gods were supposed to speak, and just like before, she didn’t like hearing it.
Maybe that made her weak, but she didn’t think part of her would ever change.
She would never like hearing him like this.
“What are you doing here?”
Yuki’s fists clenched at the stilted way her words came out, and he had the craziest urge to haul her close and to hell with everything. She looked like she was about to break down any second, dammit. Breathing hard, he controlled himself with an effort and with his gaze trained fully on her, he said, “I came from Asakusa.”
She paled.
“I found the place you rented.” He swallowed hard. “It was a very nice banner. I hope you don’t mind I took it home with me.” He waited for her to say something. In the past, his words would have made her blush, stammer –
It would have made her say or do something. Anything.
But the Katerina in front of him now was different.
All she did was stare at him—-
Like it was all she could afford to do not to break down—-
Ah God, please let him not be too late.
He forced himself to continue, saying doggedly, “I also found the bento boxes. I ate everything.”
Her eyes widened.
“Everything.” His tone was emphatic. He needed her to see he wasn’t lying.
And when her eyes started to tear up again, he realized that she understood—-
And when her tears started to fall, he also knew that it wasn’t enough.
“Oh, Yuki.”
His jaw hardened. “I told you, didn’t I, senpai? I don’t like it when you say my name like that.”
“L-like what?”
“Like you’re fucking telling me goodbye.” He stepped forward. “Like you fucking believe I’ll ever let you go—-” He took another step forward, but this time it made her rear back, and Yuki whitened when he saw the other man place a hand at the small of her back. “Get your hands off her,” he said between clenched teeth.
Malik was unperturbed by the cold glint in the younger man’s eyes. “And if I do not?”
Yuki didn’t bother answering, only striding forward with deadly purpose.
She let out a gasp when she realized Yuki fully intended to get into a public fistfight. He was the most civilized person she knew! Why would he do something like this?
“Yuki, stop it!”
Her wild gaze flew to the sheikh’s, and the damn man was even smiling, as if he was merely waiting for Yuki to throw the first punch.
“Are you guys insane?”
But when Yuki started to take a swing, she found herself jumping in between the two men—-
“Stop!”
The sheikh pulled his fist back in time.
Yuki’s fist, however, showed no signs of stopping.
Déjà vu.
Her eyes automatically closed.
She was going to get another nosebleed—-
But instead she felt a pair of hands take hold of her cheeks.
Her eyes flew wide open just as Yuki began to pinch hard and stretch her cheeks wide. Fury was stamped on every inch of his gorgeous face, and every bit of it was directed at her.