The Mermaid's Last Wish

Chapter 9 - His Undenied Feelings

The ocean waves calmed Erina when she arrived. She wore her sky blue dress matching with her white sandals. She was missing the ocean, fishes, corals, and their kingdom. She saw how different the human world is now.

She thought of the faces of her family, but she couldn't remember. She felt dizzy as she was trying to push herself to reminisce. She fell to the sand.

It was the waves that woke her up. It was already night, and she hadn't eaten yet.

Gavin was waiting for Erina to come out, but she never came. He discovered the empty room too late. He grabbed his coat, ran around, and searched for her. He even asked the people in the streets, but they didn't see her.

He went to their favorite restaurant, "Erina."

The cashier told him that she had been there for a while. "Erina, where are you?" He stopped running near the stairs. Then, he thought about the ocean. He rushed running just to get there.

"Erina! Erina!" He was roaming around, but he could only see the waves. He sat down, brushed his hair up, and messed it up. "Where are you?"

"Gavin."

He heard her voice calling him. "Erina...?" He saw her smiling. The rain poured on their heads. He hugged her tightly. "I thought I was losing you."

"Gavin." Her tears rolled down her cheeks.

The night was filled with fear of losing her. He thought that everything was his imagination or even craziness. This proved that he loved her now.

It was the first day he met her. The day that she was helpless and weak. Although her looks were not real, he felt something for her. Her small face was so cute.

The witch was watching them from afar. She felt guilty about having her memories and her face. She bit her lip and that made her feel lonely. Even if she wanted to return her face, she would be treated badly. She hid herself when Gavin looked at her place.

"Help me!" Erina was in his arms. "Erina, wake up."

He carried her with all his might to the hospital. Good thing he had his money in his pocket.

The white-painted walls of the doctor's office were too clean. The pile of books was neatly arranged and displayed beside his table. The ambiance of the room was calm as long as he wasn't panicking at all.

"Are you his guardian?" The doctor was wearing his white laboratory coat. His face was not too old like he was only in his 40s. He was making himself comfortable with his coffee beside his right arm.

"Is she okay?" Gavin was worried and hid it and made his voice calm.

"Yes. The client is just dehydrated due to a lack of food and water. Perhaps she'll be discharged tomorrow." He was touching his beard like he was thinking about something.

"Is there any problem?"

The doctor shook his head. "Nothing." He was confused about Erina's vital signs. It was like she was not a human. He wanted to dig more, but maybe he was wrong about his suspicions.

Gavin went to Erina's room. The place was clean with two windows closed. He sat beside her with relief inside him. He brushed her hair slightly and watched her sleeping for a while.

He switched on the air conditioner to make the temperature a little cooler. He was thinking about what she thought about the ocean and his suspicions were not proved.

Perhaps her world didn't fit his. It was making it difficult for him to know her well. He didn't know things about her past and, aside from that, she was not saying anything about her family or even about herself.

Was it difficult to make yourself known to others?

The room's light was off. Its ambiance would make Gavin sleepy. His eyes dropped, his arms crossed in front of him. He was beside Erina when he woke up.

"I'm here." Erina sat while her eyes closed.

"Erina, what's happening?" Gavin calmed her down. He quickly turned on the light and saw her sweating.

"I'm here." He was hushing her and telling her that he was there for her. He hugged her in his arms lightly.

He was humming a lullaby that would make her fall asleep again. Little did he know that it was her Queen Mother's lullaby she used to sing for her.

Her tears fell on her cheeks. She hugged him tightly on his chest. "Your Highness, how I missed you so much!"

Gavin's brows drew a line on his forehead, and he thought, "Your Highness? Is she a princess?"

His target to learn more about her was at its peak. He would try to ask her at the right time or maybe, he would secretly look for her from afar.

She stopped crying when her hair was brushed carefully. She felt like her mother was taking good care of her. She was missing her presence, her soft touch, and her smile that shone so brightly.

Gavin's hand was trembling when she moved herself back to the bed. He watched her for a couple of hours. He was worried that she wouldn't wake up. He began to touch her face, tracing her nose gently, her eyes that made her pretty, and her lips - he stopped there. He knew that it wasn't right to go with it.

"What happened?" Erina was looking at Gavin who was sleeping next to her. It made her heart flutter as he was there for her always. Although she owed him so much, she was trying to save money because her tears turned into pearls.

Gavin looked at her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" He became stiff when she ignored him.

"It's because I didn't save you."

"Save me? I don't understand." She shook her head slightly, then she looked into his eyes.

"From your loneliness." His eyes were sincere, and her eyes went down on his pinkish lips.

"It's okay. I want to know myself more. That's why I need space."

"But you have to say where you're going. Let me stay by your side from now on." Gavin didn't know what he was saying until he realized what he meant. He wanted her to stay by his side. Although it sounded selfish, he couldn't deny the fact that he wanted to take care of her.

"I don't understand." Erina crumpled her quilt a little. Her heart wanted to say a lot, but she didn't know how to express it. She wanted it too but didn't have the courage.

He just petted her head and grinned. He gave her the chicken soup he made and the pineapple juice. He wanted to give her a spoon of soup into her mouth, but he put it down.

Erina chuckled as his face reddened. "What's happening to your red face?"

"Nothing. I think I'm too caring and sweet." He looked away and pouted his lips.

"So, what happened to the class today?"

"Don't worry about it. You need to have some rest and I must do my duty." He was trying not to tell the truth, but he thought about it continuously. That's the problem for him. He was too honest about what he was feeling sometimes. He couldn't understand why he was opening himself to her. Perhaps he wanted her to open up to him.

"What are your duties?" She raised a brow, smiling wryly, and made a little laugh. "What are you trying to say? Do you mean..."

"Grandfather is busy. Mochi and Georgie must go to school. There's nobody to take care of your bills." He was looking away from her eyes. He thought that seeing her like that would make him feel his heart beating wildly for her.

"Ah, okay. I understood." She took a sip of the pineapple juice. "This is a delicious drink."

"I made it." He was flattered by her comment. "Just eat your food."

She smiled at him and finished her chicken soup. "Delicious!"

The nurse went to her room to check her vitals. "Good morning, Ma'am and Sir. I'll check your vital signs for a moment."

"How's she?" Gavin looked at the nurse with a smile.

"Maybe she'll be discharged this afternoon. Make sure you'll continue to take care of your girlfriend, Sir."

Erina almost choked drinking a glass of water. "No, we aren't. We're just siblings."

"Ah, I apologize." The nurse left with a smile.

Gavin was laughing secretly as he saw how worried her face was. "You look like you have one."

"I have one?"

"Yes, you have one. The boyfriend thingy." He chuckled in front of her face. He glanced at her with a smile and put down the tumbler and the lunchbox. "You should take a rest for now."

"But I don't have one." Erina's brows met and her lips slightly pouted.

"Not now, but soon."

"Gavin, do you have one?" Gavin stopped from zipping his backpack. His heart began to race wildly when she asked him.

"I have no one. I mean, never." He was looking for someone but all he could do was stay patient because he knew that he would be given a perfect woman for him.

"Why? Of all this time, why don't you try?" Erina was not knowledgeable about relationships. Perhaps her thinking was affected by being in a human form.

"Maybe, I'm not ready." Gavin was curious if she, too, had the same feelings for him, but he just stayed silent instead.