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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.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEdg1TyzZX
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,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMx7FjHcadQ
and was now also enrolled in business management courses at Orinthmus University.
He had never forgotten that moment years ago—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9JAHqXEtn
the day he was pulled from the shadows and given salvation:39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SeUazl5SP
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,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdBCTPMWhs
he wanted to be strong enough to carry it without faltering.
As for Suzuran—born into a prestigious household,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9vLi261Yq
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.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreJRJDYjk9
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.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxyNrBKLui
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,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYIvEGTxNC
watching nurses come and go, doctors passing in white coats—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kb2lvrLqJ
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,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JKu9jdRrM
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.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtmz9w05su
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—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFiL7WqRZz
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,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJ2To0uWTl
looking like a cat reaching out its paw for attention.
Kimijima Kouichi didn’t even look up.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2p3NRWfLX
His tone was as calm as breathing:
“Still writing like a disaster, I see.”
“Aw, come on~ Just help me fix it a little!”39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtT5Q0yX32Q
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:39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNESameKde
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,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIUi6Ww3VQ
as she twirled her finger around the ends of her hair.
Kouichi looked at her for a moment… then finally took the tablet.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzx6KJTOJO
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.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6JPzPRC9G
His pen glided smoothly over the screen.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQhtkSc2fR
The atmosphere was calm—until:
“Hey, Kouichi,” Suzuran leaned in casually,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKVJXvfLBH
her tone light, almost too light.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT30kWJ8ZaN
“Yuzuka told me… a cute girl confessed to you again this morning?”
Kouichi paused mid-mark,39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxQsZv5qwx
but his voice remained steady:
“Yes. I turned her down.”
“Sigh…”
Suzuran tilted her head and leaned on the edge of his desk.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OzPcEPnbd
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.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQZRIoJHlE
Are you really not interested at all?”
He didn’t look up.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8dzleI1dQ
Eyes still on the screen, voice calm:
“I’m busy serving you, studying, and thinking about how to repay the master’s kindness.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dfTbVBENQ
There’s no room in my head for anything else.”
“Hmm…”
She was completely blocked by the seriousness of his response—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQzFJnIGsv
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—39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWxGzJvB8F
his peripheral gaze had long since drifted39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVnyZhfR4D
to her lowered lashes and those softly blushing ears.39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXXZSsQ2Xs
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3470lFEQ6R
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLy3S6FZkaQ
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭39Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6dB350Cac
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