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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.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5b0i9Du7Gy
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,65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVLWQy3eie
and was now also enrolled in business management courses at Orinthmus University.
He had never forgotten that moment years ago—65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGdXfckPRU
the day he was pulled from the shadows and given salvation:65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSY1sbxbr5u
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,65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNkFPGewCi
he wanted to be strong enough to carry it without faltering.
As for Suzuran—born into a prestigious household,65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5nJnNqQEY
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.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCG2AqCvFd2
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.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF87nqzcFCE
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,65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiWjkbaUNg
watching nurses come and go, doctors passing in white coats—65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhhWOAzxFy
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,65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqNsWWuXbY
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.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7DmegGkm3
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—65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12r5adb8OW
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,65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgz21i1KaQy
looking like a cat reaching out its paw for attention.
Kimijima Kouichi didn’t even look up.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZPpFZ7tDh
His tone was as calm as breathing:
“Still writing like a disaster, I see.”
“Aw, come on~ Just help me fix it a little!”65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVFPzxCEYh
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:65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbX47goNESX
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,65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwUi0g3Xny
as she twirled her finger around the ends of her hair.
Kouichi looked at her for a moment… then finally took the tablet.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTn5wkYitE
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.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2F0w1WhOH
His pen glided smoothly over the screen.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ohnCc6YIG
The atmosphere was calm—until:
“Hey, Kouichi,” Suzuran leaned in casually,65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4gNcg23fp
her tone light, almost too light.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCH97845XP
“Yuzuka told me… a cute girl confessed to you again this morning?”
Kouichi paused mid-mark,65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQsVdbZomu
but his voice remained steady:
“Yes. I turned her down.”
“Sigh…”
Suzuran tilted her head and leaned on the edge of his desk.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanVnsVOSnA
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.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvYHVo04xr
Are you really not interested at all?”
He didn’t look up.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVegM2VAh4p
Eyes still on the screen, voice calm:
“I’m busy serving you, studying, and thinking about how to repay the master’s kindness.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2063pRmBHV
There’s no room in my head for anything else.”
“Hmm…”
She was completely blocked by the seriousness of his response—65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdLF2qY3qd
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—65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZl7wMCIrHv
his peripheral gaze had long since drifted65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeW8W0bWPJD
to her lowered lashes and those softly blushing ears.65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1JtVzWbth
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You made it this far—you're seriously the sweetest! 🥹💗65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvo1Iy4uoZU
If you liked it, don’t forget to like 👍, bookmark ⭐, and drop a little comment 📝~65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4I8M2N5sE
Your support keeps me going—and keeps the characters falling deeper in love 💞💭65Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPFxMM80vZ
