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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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwowCicPPNV
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,458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5sxrEw9Rc
and was now also enrolled in business management courses at Orinthmus University.
He had never forgotten that moment years ago—458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO14MiemUrL
the day he was pulled from the shadows and given salvation:458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpe3wWtoR9
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,458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xs9PZPDaT
he wanted to be strong enough to carry it without faltering.
As for Suzuran—born into a prestigious household,458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8zEayESE0
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhAn3uqvOd
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDe7KyLrtwR
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,458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkrfTsgBbS
watching nurses come and go, doctors passing in white coats—458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEINq4ySYDt
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,458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHP6bgddWK
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡot81aUYN94
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—458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELJgyxHzGH
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,458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSnGOehVa0
looking like a cat reaching out its paw for attention.
Kimijima Kouichi didn’t even look up.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmqvux1v69
His tone was as calm as breathing:
“Still writing like a disaster, I see.”
“Aw, come on~ Just help me fix it a little!”458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkt3fyoSC9
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:458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPhxyWmrrza
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,458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3I7ySWK1Bs
as she twirled her finger around the ends of her hair.
Kouichi looked at her for a moment… then finally took the tablet.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPFgypz3sQ
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESAH5Atf0r
His pen glided smoothly over the screen.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OiVJQqgvA
The atmosphere was calm—until:
“Hey, Kouichi,” Suzuran leaned in casually,458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrew2lUsdSj
her tone light, almost too light.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NSdXEPUEN
“Yuzuka told me… a cute girl confessed to you again this morning?”
Kouichi paused mid-mark,458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR75jdZZDiU
but his voice remained steady:
“Yes. I turned her down.”
“Sigh…”
Suzuran tilted her head and leaned on the edge of his desk.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmt6Lq1kxeC
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.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkrNImR80p
Are you really not interested at all?”
He didn’t look up.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SbbvOGNtv
Eyes still on the screen, voice calm:
“I’m busy serving you, studying, and thinking about how to repay the master’s kindness.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlcgHjMdKY
There’s no room in my head for anything else.”
“Hmm…”
She was completely blocked by the seriousness of his response—458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5w4aB4QyRQ
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—458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMvEIwOIgr
his peripheral gaze had long since drifted458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHowxNvBUz
to her lowered lashes and those softly blushing ears.458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFUxpAEkKe
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHViFLTkMS
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx43yggdr2M
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭458Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5ijqUjRKM
and then Add to home screen.