Spring is a time of rebirth, renewal, and awakening. Many trees are blossoming, early flowers are pushing through the earth, birds are singing, and bees are buzzing. Things are coming to life! Sometimes, people also refer to this as the moment of falling in love.
Ceres died in the cold winter and greeted spring when she woke up. Meeting Joaquin or Eli at this point could have been the best moment of her life, but the guilt of her past life kept haunting her. For her, love and spring did not get along well. Yet, her love for him intensified no matter how much she tried to deny it.
"Here." Eli placed three magazines of different styles on her bed. "You can read them if you get bored and I'm not here."
"I still get bored even if you are around," Ceres retorted, even though she was taking the goods he gave her. Really. Not showing she was grateful for him, she thought. "It would be great if you could bring me some novels."
"I'll buy you some on one condition."
"I'm not sleeping with you."
"Hey! I'm not that kind of person! Look at me! Do I look like a hooligan to you?!"
"Yeah."
Eli looked at her, tongue-tied. He wasn't even sure if she was kidding or not. [I have never been called a hooligan before], he thought. Suddenly, he burst out laughing, which stunned Ceres. She had never heard him laugh before; not even in Belle's memories was he ever seen laughing so carefreely and genuinely. It felt like he was a different person from the one in Belle's memories.
"Anyway, I'm not asking you to sleep with me. As I have said from the very beginning, I am helping you regain your memories."
"So, what is your condition for me to get my hands on some novels?"
"Starting from the basics, I will let you read medical books and show you videos of how things are done. At the end of the week, I will give you an exam. If you get 75%—I'm only asking for 75—you can ask for any novel you want to read."
"Deal," Ceres answered at once, before he could change his mind to another condition that would not be favorable to her. Since he only asked for 75%, she would do her best to make the most of what Belle knew. [She's pretty smart. This will be a walk in the park for me.]
Seeing her calculating smile, as if she had the upper hand, Eli reached his hand out to rub Belle's head before he could stop himself. This gesture didn't just stun the two of them; Dr. Lopez, who was watching them from outside Belle's room, was surprised, too.
She had been stalking Eli after she found out what he had been doing during his free time, and what she witnessed fanned the flames of jealousy in her heart. She had always known that Belle was kind-natured, but she hated people like her. They were the type of people who had a tendency to snatch away the ones she cared about. Not Eli. No. I won't let you have him.
Stomping her heels angrily, she left the place without looking back. Eli should only smile at me. He should only rub my head. He is not allowed to look at her.
"Dad!" Dr. Lopez shouted as she pushed open the door to her father's office. "Why are you giving Dr. Rivera so much work? Belle should not be his responsibility."
"What's getting you so worked up? Dr. Rivera is not doing this because he feels responsible. He just wants to help his junior. Besides, I never asked him to do this. He voluntarily came to me for it. If you want to stop him, go and do it yourself. And please mind your manners. We are not at home."
She didn't get what she wanted, and she was even scolded. Her anger toward Belle soared to another level. The thought of Eli doing this voluntarily brought another surge of jealousy to her heart.
"Can't you ask him to do something else during his free time?" Dr. Lopez tried to persuade her father once more. She just didn't want Belle and Eli to spend any more time together.
The director looked at his daughter helplessly. He knew that she liked Eli, and if Eli were just an ordinary guy, he would do his best to tie the man down for his daughter. Unfortunately, Eli was indispensable. He was the best doctor in their department. And as a doctor, saving lives mattered more to him than indulging his daughter's whims born of jealousy. At the same time, Eliezer Rivera wasn't the type of man he could manipulate.
"Peach. Free time is for everyone to use in whatever way they want. Can you hear yourself? If you want him to spend time on you or look at you, do something that can attract his attention. Stop coming to me for this because I cannot and will not help you. Be professional."
"I hate you!" Dr. Peachy Lopez strode out angrily and slammed the door closed. The loud sound attracted passing nurses and patients. They were all wondering what was wrong with her brain today.
Back in Belle's room, Eli bid his farewell to get back to work. Well, that was just an excuse. He still had more time to spend with her, but his recent gesture had gotten out of hand and plunged them into an awkward silence. In addition, Belle's blushing face tickled a part of his heart—probably his left atrium or right ventricle. He couldn't tell.
Belle calmed herself and started reading one of the magazines. It was a fashion magazine that featured the latest designs from Gucci, Prada, Celine, and many other international brands. She didn't know why he had brought this for her when she couldn't even afford to buy any of it.
"Hmm." Belle flipped the pages until she stopped in the middle, plotting a plan. She needed to investigate this world. She couldn't just ask anyone if they had heard anything about the Raptors, or if a place called Carmen City existed. If I borrow a laptop from him, will he agree?
"No!" Eli responded without a second thought. He was visiting her again in the afternoon with Neon, but the favor she asked of him was just out of this world. Well, she was currently a patient and needed to recuperate. "You are not allowed to use gadgets."
"I'm not a kid. It's fine. I won't use it for a long time."
"I will bring my laptop for you to study during my free time. Other than that, you cannot use it."
"Five minutes."
"What?"
"Let me use it for five minutes. I need to do some research for our future. I mean, for Neon and me. I have to check my bank and find a new home. Just five minutes every time you visit me."
"So, you remember what happened to Neon and your godmother?" Eli asked hesitantly. Belle had mentioned leaving their home once during Neon's first visit, and he thought it was just because she remembered Neon. Apparently, she remembered her godmother, too. She just hadn't said anything.
"I won't settle things with her for now since I am weak."
"You are not weak," Neon cut in to correct his sister. "You are strong because you live for me, right Eli?"
[Why is it him again? What nonsense has he been spouting to Neon?] Ceres thought.
Eli just rubbed Neon's head, which brought a smile to the kid's face. "Alright. I'll agree to this. Five minutes and that's it. No more, no less."
"Thanks, doc."
Ceres was already planning what she should search for first to maximize her allotted five minutes. She had to obtain as much information as she could. [Wait! What if I don't have enough money?!] Her eyes instinctively sought Eli, and when he looked back at her, she could only grin mischievously to hide her embarrassment. [Where the heck is my plan to stay far away from him?!]
At night, when the hospital was at its quietest, Belle would wake up and look outside. No one would visit her at this hour, and since she wasn't sharing her room with other patients, it was the perfect time to talk with the foreign soul in her body.
"Eli is not Joaquin. Don't treat him differently," Belle said as she clutched the magazines Eli had brought earlier. "He's not the person you killed, so you don't have to feel guilty around him."
[Do you know anything about the Raptors? We've shared our memories several times, so you know what I mean.]
"I have not heard anything about them or anyone related to you."
[Aren't you scared of me?]
"I'm not scared of death, much less you."
[So, all I have to do is take away your brother and settle down in a place where he can be happy. Do you even have enough money?]
"We can borrow from Eli."
[You have no shame.]
"I don't need shame when it comes to my brother."
[Don't worry. I will be your sword and shield. That's what Xhylan said to me, and I will be doing the same for you since I owe you this body.]
"How long are we going to pretend?"
[For as long as we can. I have no plans to tell him who I am.]
"Eli will suspect you sooner or later. He has a very sharp eye for observation."
[I'm sharper and smarter than him.]
At home, Eli was sorting out his questions for Belle's exam, but he accidentally bit his lower lip despite not eating anything. "Who's talking about me?" he asked, caressing his lip with his tongue. "That stings."
In the Philippines, if you accidentally bite your lower lip or tongue, it means someone is talking about you. Eli must have learned about this when he visited the country with Tristan before.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Come in."
His mother opened the door and found him still fiddling with his computer. "Why are you still awake? Shouldn't you be resting since it's past working hours?"
"I just need to finish this. I'll be going to sleep soon."
"Is that for your patient again?"
"Hm."
"Are you doing this to escape those blind dates I set up for you? Just how much do you hate the idea? You can just be honest with me."
"Mom."
"You are still in love with Jill, aren't you? If you aren't, why can't you find someone else?"
"I'm doing this because I already found someone." [Sorry, Belle. Let me use you for tonight. I promise I'll make it up to you.]
But Eli's mother had entirely different brainwaves compared to him.