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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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0VfILd3q2
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,407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNE0f7Pk21w
and was now also enrolled in business management courses at Orinthmus University.
He had never forgotten that moment years ago—407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9T82f1LvX4
the day he was pulled from the shadows and given salvation:407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EgAsMIR16
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,407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoD8t6KL19
he wanted to be strong enough to carry it without faltering.
As for Suzuran—born into a prestigious household,407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcG5mawCjo
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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVUQuFyvsy
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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bVNtcqxTy
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,407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwjgYahhvx
watching nurses come and go, doctors passing in white coats—407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6tBWZTMWJ
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,407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOJIw143RO
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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfvBKhn7v8
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—407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KoqFQMTBk
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,407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Qt8Fn7qPn
looking like a cat reaching out its paw for attention.
Kimijima Kouichi didn’t even look up.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQn0sjPqbTF
His tone was as calm as breathing:
“Still writing like a disaster, I see.”
“Aw, come on~ Just help me fix it a little!”407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQ7ERCoqSL
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:407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQMp0pMohi
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,407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPXaCtqMgl
as she twirled her finger around the ends of her hair.
Kouichi looked at her for a moment… then finally took the tablet.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jC2dCWSSK
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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclencWySGO
His pen glided smoothly over the screen.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsDe4mmKdO
The atmosphere was calm—until:
“Hey, Kouichi,” Suzuran leaned in casually,407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvM2q5ue89
her tone light, almost too light.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88HwLm0dVf
“Yuzuka told me… a cute girl confessed to you again this morning?”
Kouichi paused mid-mark,407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3QINziCOH
but his voice remained steady:
“Yes. I turned her down.”
“Sigh…”
Suzuran tilted her head and leaned on the edge of his desk.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8KadOKRIR
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.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZyuo46DhG
Are you really not interested at all?”
He didn’t look up.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0b4jzhWeLa
Eyes still on the screen, voice calm:
“I’m busy serving you, studying, and thinking about how to repay the master’s kindness.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuft1iZcC9
There’s no room in my head for anything else.”
“Hmm…”
She was completely blocked by the seriousness of his response—407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflEu3O1GfG
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—407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qTWEVYO2O
his peripheral gaze had long since drifted407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXQlKqPiy5
to her lowered lashes and those softly blushing ears.407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtbI4WYLqf
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFPJbA0vB8
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NB4CL4nkH
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭407Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgF31RbtTT
and then Add to home screen.