CHAPTER 18: YOU'RE GONNA CLEAN OTHER PEOPLE'S ROOM?

CHAPTER 18: YOU'RE GONNA CLEAN OTHER PEOPLE'S ROOM?
“You’re not hungry?” I asked.

The truth was, I was the hungry one.

“You can just tell me if you are. You don’t have to drag me into it,” he replied but still focused on the book in front of him.

He was wearing those thin, square-framed glasses. The ones he only used when we were studying. Somehow, they made him look even more serious than usual.

“I was just asking. Thought you might want something too,” I said, and stood up.

He looked up at me and his eyebrows were drawn together. “You’re not going to cook, are you?”

An idea popped into my head. Maybe I could impress him for once.

“Of course I am,” I lied, rolling my eyes at him.

Without waiting for a reply, I walked straight to the kitchen.

He didn’t say anything. He just watched me go while still confused but with amusement in his eyes.

The moment I stood in front of the kitchen, trying to decide what to do, my mind went completely blank. My head felt like it was spinning. I didn’t even know what to pick.

Open the stove? I had no idea how.
Wait. What was I even planning to cook?

Right. I should at least decide what food I could manage.

I headed straight to the refrigerator, hoping I’d find something easy. Something I wouldn’t burn. Or poison myself with.

Then I saw it. Eggs. People always say that’s the easiest. So I took one.

And now what?

"Put on your apron," a voice said.

I turned around and saw him standing in the kitchen doorway and his arms were crossed together while leaning against the frame. He was still wearing that square-framed eyeglass he only used when we studied.

"I know. You don’t have to tell me," I answered with a roll of my eyes.

I searched for the apron and, when I finally found it, I pulled it over my head. But how was I supposed to tie it?

I turned it around, tried to guess where the strings went, but my brain was completely confused.

Then he stepped forward. He took off his glasses and handed them to me.

"Hold this," he said calmly.

I took it while my hands were shaking a little, and he reached behind me, gently taking the apron strings.

His scent hit me instantly. I could barely breathe.

God. How long has it been since I was this close to him? How long has it been since I touched his body?

No. Stop it. This is not the time.

"First of all," he said while still adjusting the apron, "if you can’t do something, don’t pretend you can. And it’s never wrong to ask for help. That’s something you should remember as an heiress. If you can't do it, don't act. If you don't know it, ask."

And suddenly, I understood why my parents chose him to be my professor. Sure, things didn’t turn out the way we expected. But I’ve learned a lot from him. Not just from books. But from the way he talks and the way he thinks.

"Eggs? Really?" he asked while staring at the one egg I had placed on the counter. His face looked like he’d just seen something unbelievable.

"What? It’s an egg. That’s enough for me," I said with a shrug.

"Are you seriously telling me this one egg is going to fill your stomach?" His eyes widened.

I just shrugged again and gave him a bittersweet smile.

Eventually, he finished cooking it for me. He placed the plate on the table without a word and turned to leave.

"You’re not eating?" I asked.

He stopped walking. "I’m full," he said simply while hands were in his pockets and the glasses were back on his face.

He walked out of the kitchen.

And yeah... he looked good. I admit that.

After I finished eating, I made my way back to him. He was still in the same spot, eyes on the book, while flipping each page.

I cleared my throat, hoping he’d at least glance up.

He didn’t. But he spoke.

"What do you need? Sit down and study." His voice was calm.

I shifted my weight and played with my fingers before finally saying it.

“Dad said… If you could help me clean the other room. The one beside mine. My cousin’s staying for a long time, so she needs a space.”

That made him stop.

He closed the book slowly and took off his glasses, placing them neatly on top of the table. His eyes finally met mine, but they weren’t soft. They looked confused.

“You agreed?”

I gave a small shrug. “I couldn’t say no.”

"You’re their daughter, Reina," he said, his tone low. "And you said yes to cleaning a room for someone else? That’s not even your responsibility."

"She’s not just someone else," I replied. "She’s my cousin."

"She’s still an outsider when it comes to your place in this house."

He looked more disappointed than angry, but I didn’t want to hear any more of it.

“If you don’t want to help, I’ll just do it myself.” I turned away.

But before I could take another step, I felt his hand wrap gently around my arm.

I froze.

He didn’t say anything right away. It was like he was still thinking about it. Then, in a softer tone, he spoke.

“Fine. I’ll help.”

I looked down at his hand on me. He noticed it too. His eyes followed mine, and then he slowly let go.

Neither of us said anything after that.

But the silence said more than enough.

Both of us were quiet as we made our way upstairs. There was something about the air that felt heavy, like neither of us knew what to say.

When I opened the door to the room, a thick wave of dust hit us straight in the face.

We both coughed.

"When was the last time you opened this room?" he asked between coughs.

"Two years ago," I said quickly.

He looked around and squinted through the dusty light. "Well, it's just the dust, but this place is still cleaner than your study room the first time I got there."

I made a face, half surprised, half offended.

Of course, this room was cleaner. No one had touched it in two years. Everything stayed exactly where it was. That’s why it looked so organized.

I kept those thoughts to myself. He once told me not everything deserves a fight. Some things are too small to waste energy on. I’ve been trying to follow that.

"I’ll clean this side," he said, pointing toward the window. "You take care of the cabinets."

I nodded and walked over to where he pointed. We worked in silence, only the sound of dusters hitting wood and small sighs filling the air.

It took us a few hours to get it done.

By the time we finished, my body felt like it was made of thread. Everything ached, and I could barely lift my arms. Without thinking, I collapsed onto the bed. The mattress was soft, newly covered in fresh sheets, and it smelled like lavender.

I closed my eyes just for a moment.

When I opened them again, the sun was gone. The room was quiet. I sat up and looked around.

He wasn’t there.

I stood up and checked downstairs. Still nothing.

He wasn’t in the kitchen, not in the living room, not even in the yard.

I glanced out the window. The sky had turned deep blue.

“It’s already dark,” I whispered.

Where could he be?