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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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AKkENcMqd
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,76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22pbkeZhd3
and was now also enrolled in business management courses at Orinthmus University.
He had never forgotten that moment years ago—76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3Fyj62jMg
the day he was pulled from the shadows and given salvation:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5MV77CQMW
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,76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOHTYdgbVe
he wanted to be strong enough to carry it without faltering.
As for Suzuran—born into a prestigious household,76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyy3kcjBJRS
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoXLcCXw9P
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFmDpyPC9w
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,76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkKW1x85Td
watching nurses come and go, doctors passing in white coats—76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvrAmr8Zf9
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,76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUB7LYmspu4
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoYpsDxSlE
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—76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnASE4eCt6
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,76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzX4xUnv0La
looking like a cat reaching out its paw for attention.
Kimijima Kouichi didn’t even look up.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvapNsFUvW
His tone was as calm as breathing:
“Still writing like a disaster, I see.”
“Aw, come on~ Just help me fix it a little!”76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynnWwzmeRT
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:76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU28aSGX5yi
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,76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbM6vpEM6uI
as she twirled her finger around the ends of her hair.
Kouichi looked at her for a moment… then finally took the tablet.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdC8mTmgeRJ
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2gcMfx222
His pen glided smoothly over the screen.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUpd7KKrVs
The atmosphere was calm—until:
“Hey, Kouichi,” Suzuran leaned in casually,76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCa9FODWDe
her tone light, almost too light.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuU7jfgyt1C
“Yuzuka told me… a cute girl confessed to you again this morning?”
Kouichi paused mid-mark,76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAydhyAvtmP
but his voice remained steady:
“Yes. I turned her down.”
“Sigh…”
Suzuran tilted her head and leaned on the edge of his desk.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPosFvNhp5
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.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKbHo6pDn4
Are you really not interested at all?”
He didn’t look up.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DM4bsNdTf
Eyes still on the screen, voice calm:
“I’m busy serving you, studying, and thinking about how to repay the master’s kindness.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvP0TZEtDLE
There’s no room in my head for anything else.”
“Hmm…”
She was completely blocked by the seriousness of his response—76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtD8ShEULS
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—76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPIsZfJ0QJ
his peripheral gaze had long since drifted76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YG68ECuO4
to her lowered lashes and those softly blushing ears.76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpqKUn0Nmkv
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzR6Er0unpl
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6EGQKDmNs
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭76Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXyl0tUZgd
