The Gilded Cage

chapter 9

He sat opposite me, and we ate dinner in silence. I was chewing the food slowly and absently, and he seemed to notice that, so he said calmly: "Does my presence bother you? You don't seem comfortable eating..."

I ignored his question and said, bewildered: "Since when... since when did you put the items in your wardrobe and the rest of the room? You didn't go out during these two days, right?"

He answered in astonishment: "The items in my wardrobe? For about two weeks!"

My eyes widened, and I felt a lump in my throat. He must be joking!

If he got the apartment two weeks ago... then how did the owner give me the key, and why? And more importantly...

He got the apartment before me, so why didn't he clarify the matter to me? He should have told me beforehand. Anyone else would have kicked me out from the first meeting... Why did he let me invade his home like this?

The spoon slipped from between my fingers, and my eyes were fixed on him with annoyance and tension: "Why didn't you clarify the matter from the beginning and tell me it was your apartment?"

I continued, not understanding: "Why? You should have kicked out any intruder like me!"

He smiled his usual cheerful smile: "Would I kick out a beautiful girl looking for a place to live??"

He continued, laughing: "Stop being silly. I'm not that rude!"

— "You didn't answer me... Why didn't you clarify the matter for me?"

— "Huh! What's wrong with you, girl?!"

— "Answer me, please, because the matter doesn't seem logical to me even now!"

He twisted his lip and stared at me carefully, shrugging with indifference: "I wanted it so much and didn't oppose you on that. Also, you didn't give me even one chance, remember? You threatened me and still do this all the time. Not only that, but it seems you hate hearing my voice, so how could I explain the whole matter?"

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment and annoyance, but I turned my face away a little before crossing my arms stubbornly: "B...but I don't understand you! It wasn't that difficult! If only you had told me you moved your stuff two weeks ago, the problem would have been solved, and I would have searched for another place! So why, then?"

— "Because I wanted to..."

He said it simply while continuing to eat nonchalantly, so I muttered, not understanding: "Wanted what, exactly?"

He exhaled, placing his left foot over his right: "I don't know... maybe because I don't mind, and maybe because I wanted to get to know you since our first meeting that night..."

I gaped a little and said unconvinced: "What? Is this another joke? It must be one of your pranks?"

He ruffled his hair, smiling: "Who knows!"

My eyebrows rose in surprise, and we fell silent for moments until I broke this silence impatiently and resentfully: "Listen... even though you don't deserve an apology, I am in the wrong, so I apologize for what I did and for invading your apartment in my rude way. Just give me a day's grace, and I'll move out of the apartment. Do you mind?"

He quickly straightened up in his seat in surprise: "I don't mind you staying here, Miss. It's not as if I'm annoyed as you think. I have no problem with it at all!"

He added in an urgent tone: "You can stay!"

I leaned my elbows on the sofa resentfully: "I told you it's impossible. I'm a nurse, and my reputation matters a lot to me; it's what represents me to people..."

— "Is that all that matters to you?!"

My eyes sharpened: "Listen to me and activate your imagination! Let's assume you've now been in an accident. You're crossing the street and get hit by a bicycle, so you're taken to the hospital, then y—"

— "I won't be taken to the hospital because of a bicycle!"

— "Assume it's a motorcycle then... When you're in critical condition and open your eyes to see a nurse with a bad reputation smiling at you and examining your condition, will you really feel comfortable?!"