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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.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iOsiiSySv
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,66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmscji8uL1S
and was now also enrolled in business management courses at Orinthmus University.
He had never forgotten that moment years ago—66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6dbJN31Xn
the day he was pulled from the shadows and given salvation:66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnr4ktCeNVA
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,66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLwBhqfEFR
he wanted to be strong enough to carry it without faltering.
As for Suzuran—born into a prestigious household,66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkHa4pXHME
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.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFu3UisfjT
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.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhe3qdzdnq
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,66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxNbP4pf1p
watching nurses come and go, doctors passing in white coats—66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAq6LonyHL
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,66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGVLCsl4NI
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.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahcZ60S7Ff
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—66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTvg429syx
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,66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RNe8pwklO
looking like a cat reaching out its paw for attention.
Kimijima Kouichi didn’t even look up.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXAcSDXEb3
His tone was as calm as breathing:
“Still writing like a disaster, I see.”
“Aw, come on~ Just help me fix it a little!”66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQbcH6fGn1
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:66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5QZcUKabe
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,66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcuWazwuCj
as she twirled her finger around the ends of her hair.
Kouichi looked at her for a moment… then finally took the tablet.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1gpZCHlGXq
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.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bXIOJkeKz
His pen glided smoothly over the screen.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NaA34ZfDX
The atmosphere was calm—until:
“Hey, Kouichi,” Suzuran leaned in casually,66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNgcyzMQV6
her tone light, almost too light.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2b9vcFomA
“Yuzuka told me… a cute girl confessed to you again this morning?”
Kouichi paused mid-mark,66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyEUeqpN17
but his voice remained steady:
“Yes. I turned her down.”
“Sigh…”
Suzuran tilted her head and leaned on the edge of his desk.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oZy2MYC5l
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.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYWyEANam8
Are you really not interested at all?”
He didn’t look up.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1A7hs4CFsL
Eyes still on the screen, voice calm:
“I’m busy serving you, studying, and thinking about how to repay the master’s kindness.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRq2ylzAF2
There’s no room in my head for anything else.”
“Hmm…”
She was completely blocked by the seriousness of his response—66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡod2gzaot71
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—66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgRmgdyNuP
his peripheral gaze had long since drifted66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPULKi56rXE
to her lowered lashes and those softly blushing ears.66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMwPIjb6FU
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftR1U5GwNd
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcphRNzRBlc
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭66Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGt56TplRr
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