*Chapter 05: Memories and Burdens

Lunely's PoV

Tick... Tock... Tick... Tock...

I was tensed right now- my hands were shaking, I could hardly catch my breath, and was profusely sweating as I tried to calm down... I mean, why not? It's my first time having dinner here and the mood is really tense!

"Lou?" Lei's mom- or should I say my mom suddenly grabbed my attention as she stopped eating. "I don't think you're moving your food. Don't you like it? I can have the maids prepare the food you want-"

"No worries Mom. I'm just trying to adjust." I tried to smile as I started eating my food- from the looks of it, it was a medium-rare steak. But I was a little surprised because it was just steak- there were only raw lettuce leaves and a dressing near my plate. Aren't they eating rice or something? Why only meat? I tried eating this before but there's some rice on it.

Suddenly, Leiro broke the silence as he spoke about something.

"Mom, Dad? I have something in mind. It seems that Lunely's room isn't ready yet. Nanny Fae's colleagues haven't finished cleaning her room for tonight. Well, I'm just wondering, since I do have a bunk bed, can Lunely stay in my room just for one night?"

I silently wimped. Yikes! I remembered Leiro's order that I will be sleeping beside him, but why did he mention a bunk bed? I thought I will be sleeping beside him...

"About that, Nanny Fae told us that too. It's okay though, you can let her stay with room for tonight. My, it seems like you started to use living with Lou now, aren't you?" Dad suddenly laughed at us. Hey, I don't know if I'll be happy or depressed by what he said.

"All right. That's okay with us. Well, if it's okay with Lunely-"

"Y-Yes! It's fine for me to sleep with brother Lei later." I said to my parents as I just saw Leiro smiling secretly. Seems like I made him happy again- this is another achievement for me.

But yeah, I'll only stay here for one month. That's why I don't want to adjust too much- I won't be here for long... I don't want the time to come when it will be difficult for me to leave here because I'm used to it- and I don't want that!

°•°•°

After eating, I suddenly went to the bathtub and took a decent bath- I mean duh! I don't want to make Leiro dislike me because I stink! And besides, they said a bath restores your spirit- I'm a bit tensed now so taking a bath might be a good choice.

I also decided to just get dressed in the bathroom- it's kind of embarrassing to do so in Leiro's room- it's a bit risky, he might see my ches- wait, what am I even thinking?!

When I entered, I was suddenly surprised while holding the doorknob- I mean, I didn't see anything indecent to Leiro right now, but why does he seem to be smiling while holding a pink hair dryer?

"C'mon Lunely, let me dry your hair before you go to sleep." Leiro smiled at me once again as he plugged the hair dryer into the outlet.

"Wait, what?" I slowly stood up the walk towards Leiro. "Wait, let me clarify this- you're the one... who's going to dry my hair?" Eh?! Did he mean it? He's going to dry my hair? Oh wait, calm down my precious me, it's just my hair...

"Hurry up Lunely. If you don't move just yet, I might change my mind-"

"Okay, okay!" I shouted as I quickly sat on a chair Leiro gave to me and took the towel off my hair. Leiro just chuckled as she took her hairbrush near his desk and combed my hair first. Cursed you, Lei! How dare you blackmail me! I'll have my revenge soon... Hmph.

I can see his reflection in his mirror- his sparkling eyes, his smile, and even his swaying moves as he started to operate the hair dryer and as he dried my hair. To think, it looks like he was doing it before.

"Seems like you're used to this, eh Lei?" I asked him as he looked at me in the mirror. He just nodded smilingly as he continued drying my hair up. "Let me guess, you're doing this to Liana too, right?"

Leiro suddenly froze the moment I told him that. His hand stopped in mid-air, leaving the hair dryer blowing on my hair in the middle. Eh, did I say something bad? My, my, why did I say that-

"So you caught me," Leiro said softly to me as he slowly turned the hair dryer off and sat down on his bed, simultaneously smiling just to hide his true feelings. "I'm sorry Lunely."

"Huh? Why are you apologizing? And why did you stop? My hair isn't dry yet-" I tried convincing him to continue but he seemed to have lost interest.

"Give me a moment... I was just caught off guard. I used to do that to Liana every night." Leiro said softly to me, as he buried his face in his pillow. "After she took a bath, she always wanted me to dry her hair before we went to sleep. And yes, she always slept with me every night. Honestly, her bed was on top of our bunk bed, but she always crawled into my bed whenever she had a bad dream."

I saw him with dead eyes mumbling about his experience with Liana. Well, I expect nothing less from a guy with a sister complex. I've encountered many men like this, and Leiro's also one of them.

"Here Lei." I smiled at him as I gave him back the hair dryer. "I'm ready to listen to your past moments with Liana. You can do that while drying my hair up."

Well, better cheer him up.

"But, Lunely-"

"No more buts!" Suddenly I shouted at him, as I crossed my arms at him while holding the hair dryer. "If you don't move yet, I'll change my mind-"

"You're taking revenge eh? That was my line earlier..." He said as he just stood up and placed his pillow back on his bed. At last, Leiro's giggling... What a relief. "If you insist, you go back to where you're sitting and we'll take this to the next level-"

"Excuse me?!" I was suddenly surprised by what he said. "What do you mean by 'next level' huh? Don't tell me you're not into-"

"Relax Lunely. I told you once, I'm not a pervert. I just want to play with your hair, that's all." Leiro giggled once again as he stood up and pulled something up from the small drawer near his desk.

"I see... Just please, choose your words next time Lei- Ehh! Just how many hair clips do you have there?! There are still hair clamps... Wait, are these Liana's hair accessories?" I asked him. He just nodded as he took one of them and went to my back. "Wait, Lei, you know I'm not used to sleeping with a hair clip on my head-"

"I know Lunely... Promise I'll take them after. Just let me play with your hair... Please? Pretty please?" He clasped his hands together and pleaded like a kid. Hey... I never thought Leiro's always been so childish- despite his age. Well, I also have no choice. I just surrendered my whole hair and let him play with it. He's reliable, I guess. Seeing him happy brightened up my mood.

Leiro started telling stories about Liana and him as he played with my hair. Judging from his memories, I'd say that the loss of Liana pierced his heart. He did mention that Liana and he were having a trip to the mall. The tragedy happened when Leiro was driving the car when they were suddenly hit by a truck near an intersection. Leiro luckily survived the accident, but Liana didn't make it since the truck collided near Liana's seat and killed her on the spot.

Upon Liana's death, Leiro told me that was also the day she was hit by ESCD. It's unlucky, you know? That's why Leiro suddenly disappeared from the old school he attended because I used to see him there...

Well, another realization came into my mind- Leiro's loving and caring especially to little sisters like me and Liana. No wonder Yusarine liked him too.

°•°•°

After all these events, Leiro and I decided to sleep since it was already nine-thirty at night, which is almost past his bedtime, and Leiro still has school tomorrow so he had to sleep early.

"Hey, Lunely?" Leiro suddenly asked me as he put away the things he had used before. "If you want to sleep on your bed, it's okay with me. I'm sorry if I surprised you a little. I just missed the times that Liana was beside me before we went to sleep. This moment we had gave me so much comfort so... thank you."

"Lei, I told you once. You're not at fault so you don't need to apologize. I've met many patients like you, and all of them also acted the way you act in front of me. I know the feeling of having a sister complex so don't worry. " I smiled at him, as I hung up my towel near his closet.

"I know. So it's your decision, okay? Just let me know when you need something I'm a light sleeper so you can wake me easily." He said as he fixed his bed for a while and surrendered his body to it. He cover himself up with a blanket as he smiled at me once again.

"Good night Lunely. Aren't you going to sleep just yet?"

"My, you're so hopeless, dear crush," I murmured secretly as I slowly climbed the ladder towards my bed and took my new two pillows from it. I didn't go down the stairs as I quickly jumped down to Leiro's bed, which made me frightened as if he saw a ghost.

"What- Lunely?!"

"I haven't even answered your question, have I?" I giggled as I pushed him a bit, fixed my pillow, and quickly lay down while trying to grab Leiro's blanket. "D-Don't get the wrong idea about me, I'm just a little sorry for your situation right now so I'll be doing this once, do you understand?"

"Lunely, I..." He smiled as if he was really happy about my decision. "I... D-Don't worry. You'll be safe by my side, I can promise you that."

"I'll look forward to it..." I giggled as I slowly came near to him and let him hug me once again. I cover my whole chest with my arms, as Leiro slowly pet my head while he started humming a lullaby- wait what? did he mean what he had just said?!

Well, I felt sleepy while Leiro was doing that. For the first time in my life, I slept with the man of my dreams, not even that, he's stroking my hair and even sang me a lullaby- ah, I'm so lucky!

But yeah, Leiro's currently treating me like his little sister, so I won't fret. At first, I was still a little scared to sleep next to him, or should I say embarrassed, but seeing him like this made me so protected...

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