Chapter 10

Trevor sighed as Marcus mentioned Saya's single status while he removed his suit. The idea of dating Saya had never crossed Trevor's mind, but his secret care for her was a sentiment he guarded closely. Saya's company brought him comfort, a sense of ease he yearned for. He missed the days when they lived together in the mansion, seeing her every day. Her presence was what he had longed for the most, and even though he engineered opportunities to encounter her, it wasn't enough. He desired to spend extended periods of time with her.

He craved conversations with her, listening to her stories about school, and couldn't help but frown when she shared encounters with inappropriate professors. On several occasions, he even visited her school to issue warnings to those professors.

Trevor longed to be the first person she confided in, the one she shared every detail of her life with. When she had complaints, he wanted to be the one she vented to and the one to solve each problem. He aspired to be the person who cared for her the most. He felt a deep debt to her for the time they spent together and the pain she endured at the mansion.

His little secret was to care for her and look after her, but little did he notice that he was beginning to get greedy for more of her. Unbeknownst to him, the odd sensations his heart experienced when it came to Saya were more than just "care."

As the warm water slid down his body, deep down, he couldn't help but feel happy that she was here with him tonight. He never imagined that Saya would come to him like she did today, so he seized the chance to monopolize her. Oblivious to how his heart had been acting strangely since the night before when he heard the male voice call out to her, Trevor turned off the tap and stepped out of the shower. A knock on the bedroom door sounded the moment he walked into the room.

"Mr. Burton, are you in here?"

Her gentle voice called out to him. It was as if the sound of her voice sent a bolt of lightning through his ears. Trevor had a sudden urge to hear her call him by his name. He often wondered how his name would sound if she spoke it, but he had never forced her to call him Trevor. He always imagined that if he had her call him Mr. Burton, their relationship would remain strictly professional. Without thinking, he strode to the door and pulled it open.

"What's up?"

Saya hurriedly covered her eyes and turned around from him.

"Umm…I can't find the washroom."

"Ah, since you're here, you can use the one in my room." He said and stepped aside so she could enter.

She did not move from her position.

"Saya?"

"Umm, I will return after you've dried yourself and gotten dressed."

The atmosphere in the room shifted, a subtle tension lingering between them as Trevor realized the unexpected intrusion. Saya's bashful reaction and her hesitancy added a layer of unspoken complexity to the situation. Trevor looked down and noticed he only had a towel around his waist. A smile played on his lips as he embraced the lightheartedness of the moment. Without closing the door, he rushed to the bathroom and grabbed another towel to dry his body, seamlessly navigating the unforeseen interruption.

"Done; Come in." He said then walked to his closet to find clothes. The subtle dance of uncertainty played out in the room as Saya hesitated before entering, and the air remained charged with unspoken feelings and untold stories.

With the door closed behind him, Trevor hurriedly got dressed and went to sit on the bed, waiting for Saya to emerge from the bathroom. When the door swung open, he got up from the bed and walked down the hallway, with Saya following behind him.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked, abruptly stopping in the middle of the hallway. Saya, lost in her own thoughts, didn't notice his sudden halt and bumped into him, colliding with his back. The subtle fragrance of his cologne lingered in the air, enveloping them. In an almost involuntary motion, Saya's hand snaked around his waist, pulling him into a warm embrace from behind. The unspoken connection between them became palpable, an unexpected intimacy adding a layer of complexity to the situation.

"Saya, are you okay?" Trevor gently loosened her tight grip, turning to face her. Her face was buried in his chest, rendering her current expression unseen. She remained silent.

Trevor stood there, absorbing the warmth of her embrace, a sensation that intoxicated him. His body responded with a gradual increase in temperature. The unique sensations formed by her hug stirred unfamiliar feelings within him. Even though he couldn't fully comprehend the emotions building up, an undeniable urge surged through him, prompting the desire to hold her even closer, perhaps kiss her passionately. As Trevor's heartbeat quickened, the need to do something for her became imperative. He reciprocated the embrace, offering all of himself to her.

Despite sensing that something troubled her, Trevor struggled to coax the reason from Saya. They continued holding each other in silence, the embrace becoming a language of its own.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke. "I'm fine with anything you cook."

"Okay," was all he replied.

Confused by all that had happened, Trevor noticed she was not willing to speak about what was on her mind. Respecting her silence, he refrained from pressing further with questions. Hoping that his embrace had offered her some form of comfort, Trevor gently let go of her without uttering another word. Turning away, he walked toward the kitchen. Although he sensed her presence following behind him, a part of him desperately wished to turn around and confirm her existence. There was a lingering fear that if he did, she might vanish, and the events of today would prove to be nothing more than a fleeting illusion.

Saya had been acting strangely today, and it made him uncomfortable. To avoid the pain of this day being nothing but an illusion, Trevor resisted the urge to turn back and continued into the kitchen. As he focused on the cooking, Saya opted to watch TV. When he finished, he found her peacefully snoring on the couch, resembling a little child who had not slept in days. Worried about disturbing her, Trevor retrieved her favorite blanket, a relic from her time in the mansion, and carefully covered her, hoping to provide her with a comforting haven in her slumber.