Bargain Wedding

Kiss It Better

When Coco and Axel reached 'The Suzuki View', they spotted the person who had called them earlier. Getting hastily out of the car, Axel ignored the man at first as her focus was on Jona. She rushed to a white and familiar Audi, but no one was inside. She then turned towards the man and watched him handing Jona's phone over to Coco.

She ran towards them.

"They took him to St. Elizabeth Hospital." Axel heard the man say. It was now she noticed that Jona's car was being towed, but that was a worry for later. She was shut off, completely gone into another dimension. She couldn't think straight. If it wasn't for Coco, who managed the situation in an acumen way despite his panic, Axel wouldn't have been able to even move a muscle.

The man took her back to his car and drove off to the hospital.

As they arrived, Coco parked the car in the basement and quickly got out. Axel was still inside while Coco already began to walk. When he noticed that Axel was not following, he turned back and knocked on the car window. "Axel!" He called, startling her. "Are you feeling okay? We are here. Let's go see Jona."

Coco had witnessed Axel an hour ago, and he knew that the girl wasn't well herself. It was as though reality returned to Axel as she broke into tears.

Coco opened the door for her and pulled her out to gently hug her. She cried on Coco's shoulder. "Is he going to be alright?" She asked, muffling.

"Of course, he is. He has got you. How can he not be okay?" Coco soothed her. "Don't you want to see him?" He asked and looked around. It was completely dark, but he got a feeling that someone was watching them.

"I am scared," Axel replied. She had forgotten all about her condition by now and the only thing that ran into her mind was Jona and his safety.

"Don't be scared," Coco consoled while still hugging Axel, but he started to move slowly with the girl towards the elevator while scrutinizing his surroundings, not feel very safe standing there in the dark.

Axel wiped her tears clean with her sleeve and made herself presentable for her husband. Her exhaustion was killing her, but her body got an adrenaline boost in shock-response, which made her go through it all.

She shuddered slightly due to the aftereffect of crying as Coco patted her shoulder. When the elevator door opened on the ground floor, they both got out and ambled to the reception. "Jona Suzuki. He was brought here because of an accident." Coco asked the lady in pink two-piece uniform scrubbers and a neat sharp bun.

"Are you his family?" The nurse asked while clicking on the keys of the keyboard to get the ward information.

"I am his wife, he is a friend," Axel replied quickly, and the nurse looked up at her from head to toe.

"Ward C-16."

☘

The two made a beeline for the elevator after examining the blue boards that mentioned ward numbers. C-wards being on the 4th floor, they pressed the button, and as soon as they got out and spotted the said room in front of their eyes, their legs stopped. They didn't speak with each other as they slowly trudged towards the room.

Coco patted Axel's shoulder again. "He will be okay."

Axel breathed, knowing that she loved her man and couldn't wait to confess and be his. The only problem was that she was extremely shy and awkward when it came to expressing her love. Anger, on the other hand, was no problem.

Step by step, they straggled towards the door and Coco swung it open. He entered the ward first and Axel remained by the door. They saw Jona reclining on the soft plush bed with a white mattress and white sheets while he drank water from a tumbler. His head was covered in a white wound dressing.

Coco walked in. "Hey, you okay?" He asked, rushing closer to take a look.

Jona smiled with a small nod. They both drifted their gazes towards the door to see Axel, still like a mannequin. "Axel," Jona softly called her, but the girl didn't budge.

"She cried for you," Coco whispered in Jona's ear as he sat by him slyly. Jona felt fireworks set off inside his love-deprived heart. He felt emotional, thinking that Axel cared about him enough to spare him a few tears, but at the same time, he also felt bad for making his girl cry or worry over him, even in his condition.

"Sweetie," Jona called again.

Axel's lips started to quiver while her eyes brimmed again. Jona's voice, as if he pulled the lever, and the water, which was steady and calm, now began to flow turbulently. She started sobbing after covering her face.

"No no... It is just a scratch," Jona uttered quickly, trying to stop her from crying. He attempted to rush to her, so he could hug her, but just as he moved, a pang in his back didn't allow him to be so quick, and he slumped his back in the bed again.

Axel, on the other hand, was all Niagara Falls by now. Coco stood from his place and walked up to Axel. "He is okay...he needs you now." He instructed, patting Axel's hand, and forcing her inside.

Axel suddenly felt so embarrassed to have cried rivers in front of Jona, and worse, Coco. She abruptly wiped her tears with her sleeve again. Coco gave Jona a coy side-eye over his shoulders as he drifted away and closed the door behind him.

She stood frozen, looking at Jona, whose face didn't leave a smile. With a dressing and bandage, Jona still managed to look pulchritudinous.

Axel stopped at a distance after taking a few steps into the room, away from the bed. Jona waited with a smile and when he saw his wife not moving anymore, he held out both his hands towards the cherry-haired female and softly jutted his chin to call her in for a hug. She gawked at Jona's arms for the entirety of his act and finally lunged at her husband.

She got between the elder's outstretched arms and Jona encased her in a warm embrace immediately. The woman couldn't help but start crying again. "No...no, shh. Please don't cry, baby. I am fine, look. There is only one small scratch on my head." Jona soothingly ran his hands over Axel's back while the younger tightened her grip around the man, causing him to hiss in pain.

"Sorry. Sorry, Jona... Sorry." She suddenly retreated when she heard the hiss with a fearful look on her face and ran her hand delicately over Jona's back.

"I don't mind... Do that again," Jona said coyly. All he wanted was to join their lips together.

"Where does it hurt?" Axel asked in a low tone after getting flustered and pulled away. She worriedly examined Jona's body for any other physical injury while turning into a tomato.

"Will you kiss it better if I tell you?" Jona asked with a provocative smile and saw Axel get burned to crisp crimson all over her face.

She wandered her gaze off to the sheets as she shuddered again with the aftereffect of crying while blushing. Jona slowly pulled her into another hug, delicately. "Come here."

Axel closed her eyes as she got lost in Jona's fragrance of roses and cherry blossoms while inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly.

☘

Coco and Axel finished the paperwork to take Jona back home. The doctor permitted the release of the young CEO, given he came for regular check-ups, but it was not required for him to remain in the hospital.

Jona, ironically, never felt better. Axel had finally grown fond of him and the man couldn't wait for the day when his wife would be entirely his. He couldn't wait to claim what was his.

Coco drove the two sick people back home. Axel sat with Jona in the back passenger seat after Coco threatened her that he wouldn't drive them if she took the front seat. As he drove in silence, he worriedly stole glances at the two in the back. He was sure what he saw in Axel's eyes was love and fear of losing Jona, but what he didn't understand was why she was at her friend's place without Jona's knowledge. Why was she hiding anything from his best friend?

The exhaustion caught up with Axel, and she finally dozed off. Her head was tilted towards Jona's shoulder and the man positioned her in his arms securely, ignoring a little pain he had in his body.

Jona's heart was beating fast. He couldn't fathom that Axel would soften for him so soon. When he married her, he assumed it would take years for her to accept him if that was even possible. He certainly didn't think that Axel would come around in just four months. Though this couldn't be understood as romantic feelings, Jona knew, unless expressed otherwise. But it was definitely something if she chose him over Minhaj.

The silent ride came to an end and as they entered the mansion's gate. The security guards let the Range Rover inside the mansion. Coco pulled over and craned his neck around. "She is asleep," Jona whispered slowly so as to not wake the girl.

"So? Are you planning on carrying her into the bedroom?" Coco whispered back.

"I mean... I can try. It doesn't hurt anymore," Jona lied and Coco stretched his lips into a thin line, mocking his best friend while squinting his eyes and blaring the car horn twice.

Axel jolted upright and Jona rubbed his forehead with his fingers as he sighed. "Save it for the special night," Coco sniggered.

Axel looked at him blankly.

The driver got out and opened the door for Axel. "Thanks, Coco-San," the girl conveyed and felt him patting her arm encouragingly.

"You are welcome anytime," he uttered.

They noticed Jona staring at them unamusedly, fixing his elbows on the car's body. Axel now rushed towards him and held his waist. The man smiled while Coco also trudged toward them. He put his hand on Jona's waist from the other side. "Do you want us to carry you, Jona?" He asked with a mocking wince.

Jona looked at the sky, probably webbing a plan on how to kill his best friend.

☘

Axel helped to pick out pajamas for Jona to change and waited by the closet door in case the husband needed her while Coco sat on the bed. The best friend also realized that the bed was different, but he only felt happy without saying anything. Jona came out in muslin white pajamas and a loose shirt, different from the silk robes he would usually wear for sleep.

Axel stepped back when Jona strode out and looked at her and then Coco. "I guess it is safe to say I won't be coming to the office... But I will work from home," he stated, speaking matter-of-factly.

"No!" Both Axel and Coco replied in unison and flashed each other a smile.

Coco got up from the bed as Jona walked slowly towards it and Axel remained right behind him. They both helped the man to bed and put the duvet over him. "You are not working at least for a week," Coco ordered his boss.

"And you..." He pointed his finger at Axel, "have to make sure that he doesn't." "He will not say no to you," Coco whispered the last sentence with a wink, causing Axel to smile shyly. "Take care of yourself. You need rest too." He added in a low tone and his implication was clear.

Axel nodded.

"I will come to visit tomorrow. The medicines are with Obasaan. And... I am done. Good night."

"Thanks, man. Good night." Jona smiled, and the handsome man shook his head with a smile before leaving the two love-sick people behind.

Axel now felt awkward in the privacy of the room, just like she felt after her first kiss with Jona. She dawdled around and Jona took notice of that. "Axel," he called her softly. Albeit he was desperate for her to confess to him, he would wait some more until she was finally ready.

"Hmm," The cherry-haired woman turned towards the new bed where Jona was lying.

"I will sleep in the next room. Come to bed now," he patted the bed, politely inviting the younger.

Axel pursed her lips while thinking. Jona never said he would sleep in the next room. Why now? Especially when there is a new and bigger bed.

"I will take the couch," Axel spoke after a considerable amount of time, not wanting to sleep in a different room.

"You also need to rest, Axel. Come here," Jona's soft voice held authority this time and the woman found herself following his words. "I will go to the next room. You sleep here comfortably." Jona suggested as he tried to get up.

Axel immediately held him by the torso while positioning herself to sit on the bed. "Let's share the bed... I have no problem." She said quickly and breathed out as if she was holding it in for minutes.

Jona looked at her with astonishment, which later flipped into a beautiful smile. "Are you sure?" He asked, raising his brows while suppressing his grin.

"Yes, I am sure. If you need anything at night, and you are in another room, it will be difficult for me to help you. Let's sleep together... I mean... let's sleep in the same bed." Axel uttered.

This time, Jona couldn't help but grin.

☘

Axel walked into the closet and changed into her sleepwear. When she walked out, she turned off the lights before climbing on the bed. Positioning her huge hug pillow in the middle with her back towards Jona, she lay awake like her husband.

Both of them couldn't fall asleep for quite some time for obvious reasons.

I have never been jealous of anything more than her hugging pillow. Jona thought. "Are you awake?" He called lowly after half an hour.

"I am awake. Do you need anything?" Axel asked as she flipped herself towards Jona, supporting her upper body weight on her elbow.

"How about... You hug me tonight instead of your bunny pillow?" Jona asked. He didn't think that Axel would, but she placed the hug pillow on the edge of the bed and snuggled closer to him. This caused so many butterflies to erupt within Jona's body that he got confused about the origin of those beautiful insects.

Axel always needed someone to be with her when she was sick. She didn't find anything bizarre in her husband's request if he also sought comfort in physical contact after the accident. She didn't read too much into it, but at the same time, it was like food coming toward the hungry person. She was manifesting physical contact and warmth, and it happened. She gently wrapped her arm around Jona's torso. "Sleep now," she coaxed Jona, and soon after, Jona heard a soft whimper from Axel's mouth as she slept first.

Jona adorned his girl sleeping peacefully. Never had he ever seen her sleeping up close, by his side.

"Good night, baby. I am so sorry. I am going to make it all better soon. I promise. Please forgive me when the time comes," he softly kissed Axel's forehead.