[First Person Point of View— Ghyna Sevilla]
My eyes felt heavy to open. My body felt like it was sinking into the soft mattress. My chest was tight, as if something was pressing against it with every breath I took.
I forced my eyes to open a little, even though my eyelids felt like they were still stuck together. A sensation of heat and stuffiness felt real from my body up to my neck. Through the gap that began to open, my gaze began to drift downward.
A strand of black hair was stuck to my neck. Hair that felt familiar to me.
*Ascella?*
The sensation of breath was felt near my neck. Along with the warm air I felt against the side of my neck. My eyes slowly opened completely.
"Ascell—"
My mouth and throat felt dry. The stuffiness in my body caused my voice to cut off before I could call her name.
The room was still dark; the blue light of the morning sky was held back by the curtains of my bedroom window. Even so, my eyes could see the entire room clearly.
And why was Ascella asleep on top of me?
Her shoes were even still on, pressing roughly against my legs.
It was so difficult for me to move or breathe normally. I exerted all my strength. My breath was held as I lifted the left side of my body that was being pressed down.
It was so difficult.
Even so, Ascella's body slowly turned a little and ended up on the right side of the mattress. My breathing began to gasp a few times. The mattress springs creaked loudly every time our bodies moved. The sound entered my ears like a sharp, piercing pain.
"Ehh... what happened?"
Ascella's weak voice was heard from my right side. My neck slowly turned to the right, moving my head. My cheek pressed softly against the pillow.
"Hah~ Ascella, so you've been awake for a while...,"
Ascella's eyes seemed to open a little, just like mine earlier.
"Was it a dream..."
Along with Ascella's words, the uncomfortable feeling in my body began to be felt again. Once more, I lowered my gaze downward.
"How could this be?!" The discomfort pushed me; my feet quickly got off the mattress and I stood up.
My thin sleepwear was soaked. It felt like I had just been doused with water. My hand pinched the wet fabric and pulled at it. It was warm and sticky; I quickly unbuttoned it one by one.
The sound of the mattress springs was heard beside me, and along with that, the sound of solid footsteps that sounded unusual on my bedroom floor.
"What's wrong with you, Ghyna?" Ascella's question to me sounded slow.
I turned toward her as she walked around from the right side of the bed, all while still taking off the only nightgown covering my skin.
A suffocating night.
Then...
A strange morning.
The uncomfortable feeling in my body began to turn slightly into annoyance.
"I'm the one who should be asking that!"
After saying that, all the annoyance seemed to gather on my face.
I threw the wet nightgown I had just taken off onto the floor. Right in front of Ascella, simultaneously stopping her steps as she approached me.
"You even made me lie... Where have you actually been!"
It wasn't a long sentence. But it felt like I used all my breath to say it.
"I-I'm sorry..."
Seeing Ascella apologize while averting her gaze lowered my annoyance.
"Does my mother know?" asked Ascella while picking up the clothes I had thrown earlier.
I fell silent for a moment facing Ascella's question. Mrs. Riana is a difficult person to read. I indeed hadn't said much. After all, even though she locks herself away after night falls...
"It seems Mrs. Riana already knows..."
"Eh, really!" replied Ascella with a little surprise.
"I'm not sure either. But all night, Mrs. Riana locked herself in her room," I explained to Ascella.
"Ah~ that's bad... The last time Mother locked herself away like that was when she was angry at Grandma!" replied Ascella, with both hands holding her head.
Suddenly, Ascella moved. She threw half of her body onto my mattress. Her body bounced along with the sound of the springs moving up and down.
Seeing her hiding her face made me step closer. My hand lifted to pat her back once.
"Just relax... If you explain it slowly, you'll definitely be forgiven."
"Impossible...," replied Ascella, her voice muffled inside the mattress. She tilted her head slightly to look at me.
"Ghyna, have you forgotten, or are you just teasing me," continued Ascella before hiding her face again.
"In that case, it's better to just face it directly, right? Besides, it's your own fault," I said, convincing Ascella to face reality.
"But, I truly feel. The timing calculation I needed to get home was correct as usual."
Even though Ascella's voice was unclear inside the mattress, for some reason, I could understand.
But, suddenly Ascella turned. Her body faced upward.
"Wait..."
"What is it again?" I asked, confused to see her.
"For some reason, I can't remember... all the events after leaving that shop,"
What's wrong with Ascella?
Has her head been hit?
While I was still confused by Ascella, the roughness of her shoes touched the skin of my arm. Making me realize it once more.
"Why are you wearing shoes inside the house!"
"Moreover, my room could get dirty. Do you really want to clean—"
While standing back up and handing over my clothes that she had been holding, she interrupted my words.
"Be quiet for a moment, Ghyna," Ascella's voice felt deep.
That serious expression.
This was the second time I'd seen it.
"There's something wrong with me. That night, I feel like I forgot something," she said, while walking toward the door.
"Forgot something?"
The sound of Ascella's shoes sounded louder with every step.
"No, not just forgotten. This is too real...," Ascella's voice faded as her back disappeared behind the door.
Leaving me in my own room. Without looking back or ignoring my words earlier, Ascella felt like she was retreating into her own head.
My eyes began to wake up.
The bluish light still held back by the curtains was slowly replaced by the yellowish color of the newly risen morning sun.
"Sunrise?"
I think I also forgot something.
"It feels very important."
Every day before sunrise.
I definitely wake up earlier than the others.
Then...
"How could I forget something important this morning?"
It must be because I went to bed much later than usual.
This might... also be my end.
Without thinking twice, I moved quickly. Along with the morning sunlight that grew brighter, beginning to force its way through the curtains.
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My thoughts were now truly focused on one thing.
After cleaning the sweat from my body and putting on the dress given by Grandma Regina, I went straight out of the room.
I went down the stairs carefully, even though my steps felt hurried toward the lower floor. Every time my soles hit the hallway floor, thoughts—guessing what would happen when I got there—popped up.
However, what I found was something different...
"Sinhart?" I muttered, peeking from the doorway.
I did indeed find Mrs. Riana just as I had imagined. But what I couldn't believe was Sinhart's presence there.
"And he..."
My eyes couldn't believe what I was seeing now.
Sinhart was cooking.
That's impossible.
Didn't he once say he couldn't cook?
Could he be lying to me?
No, that's impossible.
Sinhart...
He cracked an egg into a hot pan.
Then cut tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce like—
Why is he holding the knife with the correct technique?
"Ghyna, why are you daydreaming while hiding like that?"
While I was still stunned by Sinhart, Mrs. Riana's voice felt close to me. So close that I felt my heart stop beating for a moment. Slowly, I stepped out from the side of the door.
There was nothing in my head right now.
An answer to save me from this position.
What?
I could only slowly direct my gaze toward Mrs. Riana's face and prepare myself for whatever expression she would give me.
"Honestly, I'm a little disappointed..."
Mrs. Riana's facial expression hadn't changed since last night. Her gaze remained the same.
"I apologize, Ma'am—"
Right now, what I knew was...
Mrs. Riana didn't look angry yet.
My only choice was to apologize before it was too late.
With my head slightly bowed, I waited for her answer.
"...It is true that my mother forced me to accept you here,"
Mrs. Riana's voice sounded soft. But, I could hear it because I was too focused. For a moment after that, I lifted my head to look at Mrs. Riana.
"About that—"
My words stopped after Mrs. Riana's hand held my shoulder. I could feel her fingers pressing down.
"I already know..."
Mrs. Riana already knew?
What did she know?
Before I could take my thoughts any further, she continued her words.
"...Next time, don't sleep too late again,"
I nodded at her without thinking much.
"In that case, help Sinhart prepare our breakfast." Her hand let go of my shoulder and pointed toward Sinhart, who was standing in front of the cooking table. For some reason, I felt pushed. I wanted to approach Sinhart right now.
Mrs. Riana muttered something. But I didn't hear it clearly. She spoke while covering her facial expression and left immediately after that.
I had no other choice. My steps were slowly short but then became wider. Bringing me closer to where Sinhart stood.
The sound of hot oil in the pan was heard more clearly. From behind Sinhart, I could clearly see he was focused while holding the pan handle.
"Good morning!"
"...Good morning, Sinhart," I replied.
I approached his side.
I really wanted to know how Sinhart's cooking turned out.
"Ah, don't worry. My mother once taught me how to cook; even my aunt didn't believe it at first." While focusing on cooking the fried egg, his words felt like reading and answering the questions in my head.
Sinhart turned the knob of the tourmaline stove. Turning off the heat that was cooking the fried egg.
"Could you move aside for a moment,"
"Ah, sorry Sinhart." I hurried to move out of the path of Sinhart, who wanted to prepare breakfast. Even though, up until now, I still couldn't believe it. He prepared everything himself. This breakfast.
He took and prepared the cutlery from the bottom cabinet.
Then arranged the sandwich fillings with the eggs he cooked, as well as tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce.
On a wide tray, four warm sandwiches were served neatly.
The arrangement and the size of the cuts were perfect.
"Okay, now. Can help move them to the dining room...," he said exactly after finishing, to me who had only been watching the whole time.
This is not normal.
Strange.
Too smooth for Sinhart.
Mrs. Riana always allows it if it's Sinhart.
But... if Ascella were here.
She would definitely agree with me.
"Wait!"
"Why?" Sinhart replied confusedly.
But before I could continue with a question, he interrupted first.
"You don't like the crusts of the bread, right? Don't worry, I can remove them from your sandwich." Right after saying that, he took the knife located on the table and lifted it toward me.
Seeing the blade in his hand surprised me and I instinctively stepped back a few steps.
"Relax..." Sinhart, with the knife in his hand, smiled at me.
"Why is your expression like that," he said while lowering the knife slightly.
"Anyone would definitely be afraid of a knife, especially if someone younger than me is holding it," I replied while regulating my breath.
The sound of the knife blade made my breath hitch again. When Sinhart nonchalantly twirled the knife in his hand.
"Stop that!"
Hearing my tone of voice, which had risen slightly. Finally, Sinhart stopped doing the dangerous-looking knife twirls.
"But I already told you to relax—"
"Hand that knife over to me," I said quickly.
It felt like something would happen if Sinhart was still holding that knife.
Luckily, without answering, Sinhart handed the knife to me.
My hand opened the bottom drawer and inserted the knife quickly.
"That was dangerous, Sinhart,"
"Dangerous? I was just letting you know I can use a knife, b— ...Ghyna." Sinhart, with a smiling expression, pushed our breakfast tray on the table toward me.
"Yes, I know... But that was dangerous," I explained.
"In that case, forgive me. I have never cooked except for... Ghyna," said Sinhart before continuing with a pause.
"So, I was too excited to show off my cutting skills using a knife," he continued with a smile at the end.
Then, after that, I once again advised Sinhart about the dangers of knives more clearly. Of course, while I was carrying our breakfast tray. Finally, we walked to the dining room.
At that time, I still considered it normal and didn't pay too much attention to it. But since that morning, it felt increasingly difficult for me to ignore the strange feeling about him.
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-When I Open My Eyes: My Journey Begins-
End Ch 5