The Mermaid's Last Wish

Chapter 10- Hello, Cat!

The time for discharge they had been done a few hours ago. They went to a mall to buy some clothes for Erina.

"What are we doing here?" Erina roamed her eyes to the place where a lot of people were having fun.

"Let's shop for your clothes. You're getting my clothes every weekend and sometimes making me uncomfortable." He stopped walking at a boutique. Her forehead bumped on his back.

She accidentally looked at his eyes when she raised her head. She turned her eyes to the mannequins dressed with colorful linens and cloth. Its designs were beautifully made.

"This is so beautiful." She made a special curve on her lips. Gavin looked at her secretly and grinned.

They were roaming around the boutique. Erina saw the white dress. "This is pretty."

"Nope. It's not pretty for you."

"Okay, this one?" She grabbed another dress with the color pink.

"Maybe. But first, we should look for your underwear too." His face blushed with a tinge of red.

"What's that?" Erina whispered.

"I think that you should get a box of underwear."

A saleslady approached them and asked, "What can I do for you?"

"Just find me her size." He was shy about asking but he did.

The saleslady was secretly laughing when he said that. "Here it is, Sir."

"Just tell her. I'll go there to find her something." He walked to the dress section and searched for a sky-blue dress.

After a long wait, they went home happily. This was the first time that Erina enjoyed his company. He was there for her always and never left her whenever she wanted to stay.

Erina was standing in front of the restaurant. She was holding a basket full of picked flowers from their yard. She changed the flowers on the table and there was a stuffed toy, a cat. She saw a small card with a short letter, "Please see me at the rooftop garden. 5 pm."

She became excited when she saw her name written on it. She put on her red apron and started making the noodles. The chimes went on ringing. Her face turned to a smiling face when she saw her grandfather.

"You're too early today. It seems like you're in a good mood." He smiled at her and he saw a small card. At that moment, Gavin entered the restaurant.

"I'll be going to the school's rooftop garden."

Gavin heard her well. She was going to see a man. His heart was pricked by something edged thing. He wanted to stop her because of a bad instinct about it.

It was a rainy afternoon when Erina went to the school. It was fifteen minutes before five o'clock. She saw how beautiful the trees swaying as the wind blew. She felt calm at its view.

"Erina, please don't go there." Gavin was riding on his bicycle. He was soaked by rain. He insisted on going. He didn't know why but he wanted to protect her with all his might. "Erina, please."

He followed her at the gate and his bicycle was almost dropped as he was trying to run after her. "No, Erina. Don't come." He ran as fast as he could on the upstairs. His adrenalin rushed when he heard a scream. He almost caught his breaths as he managed to run with her.

He feared that he might lose her for the rest of his life. He wanted to be with her like her mother for a long time. It was too painful for him that his mother died in an accident.

Erina went to the rooftop and when she opened the door, a person grabbed her from her behind and she was pushed to the wall. The person grabbed her hair and said, "It's your end after all."

"No!" Erina stomped at the feet of the attacker and hurriedly looked. "Who are you?" The attacker didn't respond which was why she grabbed the black facemask.

Gavin was catching his breath when he reached the rooftop. He saw Erina lying on the floor with the scaffoldings around her. He panicked and at the same time, calmed himself not to hurt her body. He checked her pulse on her neck and he sighed deeply.

"Thanks, God!" He gently carried her in his arms. "Are you, alright? Is there something that hurts you?"

Erina's vision was blurred because of dizziness. She remembered how she was hurt when someone pushed her down to the ground. It was an unknown attacker that made her unconscious but she remembered the sweet smell of vanilla and lavender.

The whole night, Gavin looked after her. He was gently wiping her face with a soaked towel. He was making himself awake watching her sleeping on the hospital bed.

It took him hours of watching her but he fell asleep when it was already five in the morning. He asked Georgie to watch for her for a while. He hurriedly ran inside their house and made breakfast.

Out of nowhere, he stopped walking. He thought that someone was watching him. He looked around and checked the place but nothing came out in person. He slowly walked to the road and rode the bus.

He was still thinking about her. He couldn't let it happen to her again. So, he wanted to know who did that thing. If ever he knew, he would never forgive. It was punishable by law and in his eyes, it should be taken seriously. It was a danger that caused him to be overprotective of Erina.

"You're good at helping her." Georgie was standing opposite Gavin's place. They were on both sides of Erina's bed.

"I know it. It's just a small thing." He made a call for their grandfather to pick her up.

"Make her out of danger." Their grandfather's face looked like a stern man.

"Why do I need to?"

"It's your duty because you're a man." Their grandfather left him puzzled.

"Then, why?"

The grandfather looked back at him."No more asking questions. It's all written in your heart." He left him with a smile on his face. He was trying to make him realize how worthy she was to him. Perhaps, it wasn't yet the time for the two but soon or after the problems, they would cope up with it and feel the real presence of love.

Gavin went to the restroom to wash his face. He was looking at the mirror asking himself why he was chosen to like her. It was normal but for him, no. He was an ordinary man with many ambitions and dreams to acquire.

He calmly looked at her face with a grin. Then, the door was opened by Georgie. "Wait, what's happening here?"

He stood up and brushed his hair once. "Nothing."

"And what did I see?" She was making him feel nervous. Her eyes were something playfully looking at his eyes.

"Nothing. I just want a sleep." He laid himself on the couch to have a nap. "Good-bye!"

Georgie chuckled and locked the door. Gavin felt embarrassed as she was teasing him. He wanted to bury himself in the ground to hide his reddened face.

Georgie was waiting for her grandfather in front of the hospital. She heard a cat meowing behind a tree. She went there to look for it. She saw Mochi holding the cat and he was sleeping silently. She sat beside him and she wanted to have a stroke for the cat.

Mochi began to open his eyes and she was there. He grinned so brightly as she was stroking the fur of the cat.

"Hello, cat!" Georgie was startled when she saw his gaze.

"What's with that look?"

"Nothing." She quickly stood up and pushed down her skirt. She crossed her arms when Mochi was giving her the cat.

"I know you like him."

She carried the cat and she was striking its back. "I hope you can be my friend, Seven."

"Seven?" He slightly pouted his lips and smiled widely. "That's a good name."

"Not even. I wanted to call him Seven." She went to the bench to wait for her grandfather. Mochi came and sat beside her.

"How's she?"

"She's feeling better." She was angry with herself because she couldn't look at him. She felt her heart beat again for him. It was really strange because she had stopped her feelings but he couldn't. Was that how hard to force the heart not love the person you like?

Mochi was looking at her secretly. He wanted to make her happy with the presence of a cat. He knew how she loved cats. He was lucky to be able to find one. He never realized how big his grin was for her smile.

The white cat with the blue eyes was sleeping on her lap when they arrived home. Mochi made a little snacks for them and let their grandfather to go to the restaurant.

"Why did you call him Seven?"

Georgie's heart raced so fast. "I just like to call him Seven."

"Are you sure?" He wanted to know but she kept on refusing.

"Why do you need to know?" Her voice was raised a little high tone.

"I'm curious about Seven."

"It's my birthdate. Happy now?" Georgie almost gritted her teeth but she looked away from him. The cat was awake when Georgie was eating a piece of bread. She gently gave a little for him and found joy in talking with him.