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Six years later, Suzuran was now a second-year nursing student at Orinthmus University.
Her daily life was filled with memorizing medical terminology and preparing for clinical rotations.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLd0AWnW6cp
More often than not, she ended up pouring the wrong sugar into her coffee while flipping through an anatomy atlas.
Meanwhile, Kimijima Kouichi remained a butler for the Hanazono family,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzZdz0mXz5y
and was now also enrolled in business management courses at Orinthmus University.
He had never forgotten that moment years ago—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiepLUBxpDl
the day he was pulled from the shadows and given salvation:81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGuAp65jkL
a name, an identity, and dignity by the Hanazono family.
If one day he could shoulder even a fraction of the family’s business burden,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJdXSK7S7U
he wanted to be strong enough to carry it without faltering.
As for Suzuran—born into a prestigious household,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYKk6WlXCP
she was like a greenhouse flower, never forced to bloom anywhere in particular.
Her parents had always been gentle with her, even overly indulgent at times.
“As long as it’s something Suzuran wants to learn, let her learn it.”
She had studied piano, painting, floral design—even taken noble etiquette lessons.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjBtu785FO
But she never truly committed to any of them, nor did she excel particularly in any field.
Politics and business held no interest for her.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mM567E5tS
It wasn’t fear—just a sense that those worlds were too cold, too far removed. Not hers.
What made her decide on her path was the long-standing instability of her mother’s health.
Since childhood, she had stood outside hospital rooms,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1HRG1IuHA
watching nurses come and go, doctors passing in white coats—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYjqCu47ZU
while she could do nothing but smile weakly and cry silently.
Maybe, one day, she thought—she could be someone who actually did something.
When she submitted her application and chose nursing,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqeeVEFr8h
the entire family fell into stunned silence.
This wasn’t the path for a sheltered young lady—too exhausting, too painful, full of night shifts and encounters with death.
But she simply said, softly:
“I don’t want to be someone who can only cry beside a hospital bed anymore.”
She had no grand ideals.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzixvc3gyuR
Just one quiet hope:
“If one day, Papa, Mama, or Kouichi gets sick… I want to be able to help with my own hands.”
It was a modest, simple wish—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHs2GAVdoco
but so sincere it ached.
In the end, her parents just smiled and nodded:
“If this is your choice, then we’ll support you.”
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“Kouichi~ Can you help me check this report?”
Suzuran hugged her tablet and shuffled over to his desk,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9L3bRaWLwi
looking like a cat reaching out its paw for attention.
Kimijima Kouichi didn’t even look up.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGQIflKR0x
His tone was as calm as breathing:
“Still writing like a disaster, I see.”
“Aw, come on~ Just help me fix it a little!”81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpdJdiBXxk
She pouted and pushed the tablet into his hands.
“I have my own coursework too, you know?”
He finally looked up at her, voice caught between a sigh and resigned sarcasm:
“Do you think I divide my day like this:81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgJvGkF81c
half for serving you, and the other half for cleaning up the messes you leave behind?”
“But you’ve always been smarter than me…”
Her voice grew smaller and smaller, tinged with guilt and playfulness,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhkKqR4EEN
as she twirled her finger around the ends of her hair.
Kouichi looked at her for a moment… then finally took the tablet.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SLF7FeI9S
The corner of his mouth twitched, like he was trying hard not to smile.
“…You really are impossible, my lady.”
He opened the report and began reading.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0983zlPGY
His pen glided smoothly over the screen.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nXhDTdNo5
The atmosphere was calm—until:
“Hey, Kouichi,” Suzuran leaned in casually,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwrrsgKPDI
her tone light, almost too light.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3a9hpXb9r
“Yuzuka told me… a cute girl confessed to you again this morning?”
Kouichi paused mid-mark,81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44Xpwv4x1m
but his voice remained steady:
“Yes. I turned her down.”
“Sigh…”
Suzuran tilted her head and leaned on the edge of his desk.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVKTtO6cOc
Her long hair slid gently over her shoulder.
Her tone was faint, almost teasing:
“You’re eighteen now… It’s the perfect age to fall in love.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsi2llLLVr
Are you really not interested at all?”
He didn’t look up.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bGjNVayto
Eyes still on the screen, voice calm:
“I’m busy serving you, studying, and thinking about how to repay the master’s kindness.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNmhcRGLTH
There’s no room in my head for anything else.”
“Hmm…”
She was completely blocked by the seriousness of his response—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFeAcRbQKi
like he was answering a teacher in class.
One second. Two seconds.
She looked down at her toes, voice barely a whisper:
“…So those rejections were just… polite excuses after all.”
She didn’t realize her cheeks had turned a faint shade of red.
And though Kouichi kept his eyes on her report—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljHZQmlaP4
his peripheral gaze had long since drifted81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODBfwi6H6g
to her lowered lashes and those softly blushing ears.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuwJw98y4b
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWR3DTJNMH
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YodXHqvdb
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GPsIRvabV
