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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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaqyYU9Bt8
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,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6cvleNlOk
and was now also enrolled in business management courses at Orinthmus University.
He had never forgotten that moment years ago—100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgqxTq0ESu
the day he was pulled from the shadows and given salvation:100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJzx4eLsat
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,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKVpVljx3j
he wanted to be strong enough to carry it without faltering.
As for Suzuran—born into a prestigious household,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8R0a82T0y
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvylTpaJz1
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLyVaPwOj7
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,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbomivpBHv
watching nurses come and go, doctors passing in white coats—100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKiE7l2LZ3
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,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qcs9gov0s
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwKa4j04aX
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—100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevjreutfa3
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,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VZmrAa8IU
looking like a cat reaching out its paw for attention.
Kimijima Kouichi didn’t even look up.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKUGlVhE4X
His tone was as calm as breathing:
“Still writing like a disaster, I see.”
“Aw, come on~ Just help me fix it a little!”100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCu65EFtIe
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:100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dM3abBAf0
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,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9DYemgXV1
as she twirled her finger around the ends of her hair.
Kouichi looked at her for a moment… then finally took the tablet.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7MIDxtavo
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVnE08it8o
His pen glided smoothly over the screen.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjPUf2UbA3
The atmosphere was calm—until:
“Hey, Kouichi,” Suzuran leaned in casually,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJg1eMaT6U
her tone light, almost too light.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0egINj3qxS
“Yuzuka told me… a cute girl confessed to you again this morning?”
Kouichi paused mid-mark,100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1vBlSMvKE
but his voice remained steady:
“Yes. I turned her down.”
“Sigh…”
Suzuran tilted her head and leaned on the edge of his desk.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ihDMymmGJ
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.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttfRhsOzhi
Are you really not interested at all?”
He didn’t look up.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGipiLwPGke
Eyes still on the screen, voice calm:
“I’m busy serving you, studying, and thinking about how to repay the master’s kindness.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGb5sDxFuXv
There’s no room in my head for anything else.”
“Hmm…”
She was completely blocked by the seriousness of his response—100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yvoFOSGRI
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—100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSHA8N58NH
his peripheral gaze had long since drifted100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZ0cby1kJs
to her lowered lashes and those softly blushing ears.100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeNphzTxtT
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ewO59Bxj4
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisGjuXFPsa
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭100Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzV1YvNXus
and then Add to home screen.