CHAPTER 99

CHAPTER 99
Leo's POV

“Leo, this is your room,” Koba explained. “I know you want privacy, but I can’t leave you alone. What if you need to use the washroom or need something? That’s why we’ll be together until you get better.” His tone was reassuring. “Don’t worry, I won’t touch you. I’m a gentleman, after all.”

I rolled my eyes at him, look at him, trying to act like a gentleman now!

“You know, Koba, you’ve really changed,” I remarked. “The Koba I knew… liked to hook up with people because of his desires, and he always made fun of me, teased me.” I looked at him earnestly. “But now, you’re a completely different person. I don’t know what made you change in these three years, but you’ve changed for the better.”

It was true, Koba had really changed. I had never seen this caring side of him before. He used to always call me “Tomato,” but now he was simply using my name and behaving like a true gentleman.

I rested my back against the headboard and pulled the blanket over my legs.

“Leo, wait here. I’ll bring something for you to eat, okay?” Koba said. I nodded obediently and waited.

After a few minutes, Koba returned carrying a tray. It was loaded with pasta, ramen, chicken fried rice, and kimchi.

Seeing the spread, my appetite surged, I was hungrier than I’d realized. He set the tray down on the bed in front of me, and I noticed a new mobile phone box sitting there as well.

I picked up the box. “Is this for me?” I asked, looking at it.

Koba unboxed the phone and handed it over.

“This mobile is for you,” he said with a smile. “Your old phone went into the seawater, so we couldn’t recover it. But we can start fresh with a new one. New phone, new start. Enjoy your meal.”

I was so happy to see the phone that I smiled back at him. “Did you eat? If you don’t mind, we can eat together… you know what I mean?” I suggested.

And so, we ate together. It wasn’t bad at all.

After eating, we both sat there talking, and Koba turned out to be surprisingly funny. He was cracking so many jokes that I laughed with my heart’s content.

At one point, I even called Sol and Andrew on my phone to check in. They were doing fine; their parents had called them back, or so Sol had told me.

That’s when I realized Sol actually had parents. I had always thought she was an orphan, but she wasn’t. That was good, I guess, she had people she could rely on.

“Koba, can I ask you something? Could you help me with it?” I asked. He nodded and gently took my hand in his.

“You know my friend Ariel? Well… three years ago, he suddenly disappeared with his boyfriend. His older brother told me he was safe, but since then, I haven’t been able to contact him at all. I don’t know if he’s tried to reach me since I changed my number, but… could you please find out if he’s safe?” I asked.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find out and let you know,” Koba promised. “If you ask me for something, of course I’ll do it. And… you know, my twin brothers want to meet you. They’ve missed you so much. Would you like to meet them? I know Sol has already met you, but still…”

I looked down, hearing that, and gently pulled my hand back from his. I didn’t know what to say or how to answer.

“I don't know if you know what happened three years ago and why I left and never contacted you?” I mumbled, staring past Koba.

I had always assumed that Koba didn't know why I left or what had truly happened, but I eventually found out that he knew everything.

When he saw my missed call, he tracked my last location to Enzo's mansion. The driver who witnessed everything told Koba and the twins the truth about how Enzo and his fiancé had behaved.

Koba was furious and stopped speaking to his older brother. For the last three years, he had only stayed in touch with the twins.

I never imagined he would go that far for me, an outsider, but he spent those three years searching until he finally found me.

While it was shocking to hear they hadn't spoken in so long, I knew it must have been hard for Koba since brothers should be there for each other.

“Koba, the last three years must have been hard, right?” I asked teasingly. “Did you become a spy in a movie?”

“Oh, please,” he replied, explaining that he now has a decent career as a company founder. He even learned how to draw and has a studio at the back of the house. It felt like he was truly opening his heart to me. I told him I’d love to see his work later, and he nodded.

After taking my medicine, I fell into a deep sleep and woke up in Koba's arms. He was being careful not to touch my injured leg. It was already evening, and since I needed to use the restroom, I had to wake him up for help.

“Lia, you’re awake! Did you have a nightmare?” he asked gently.

“No, but I need to use the restroom. Can you help me up, please?” I asked. It was embarrassing, but I couldn't do it alone. He picked me up and carried me to the bathroom.

A few minutes after helping me back, Koba received a very serious phone call that made his face go pale.

“Something bad has happened, Lia. I need to go, and I don’t think I’ll be back soon,” he said, resting his head on my shoulder. “But I can’t leave you alone either.”

I reassured him that I would be fine with the servants and that he should go if it was urgent. He mentioned hiring a caretaker, and while I wasn't against the idea, I wasn't sure if I'd be comfortable with a stranger.

As he sat there in deep thought, I began to pet his hair. When I stopped, he took my hand and placed it back on his head, signaling me to continue. I smiled and kept petting his hair; he seemed to really like it.