CHAPTER 14
AS I STOOD in front of the bedroom door, I sighed. I’ve been going back and forth for a while now and can’t decide whether to hold the doorknob to open it or just go back to bed and sleep. I can’t think straight, and it is unclear to me why I’m acting like this. The beating of my heart is hard for me to comprehend. I don’t understand why I felt this way since earlier when Hideo and I were at the boutique-until we got back here on the island. The pounding in my heart never went away.
Why is my heart pounding like this?
I took a deep breath again. My hand that was supposed to hold the doorknob also hung in the air. In the end, I just went back to the bed and sat on the edge. I didn’t go through with my plan to leave the room to go down to the living room. I’m sure Hideo will scold me again if he sees me leave the room without his permission.
After a while, I turned my gaze outside the window-it was quite dark around. It’s evening. I didn’t even realize the time.
I leaned on the headboard of the bed and looked around the room. My eyes caught the books under the small table. I stood up from my seat again and walked over there to see what books those were. I like to read books. That’s one thing that relieves my boredom and stress, especially in my current situation. There is no TV or any appliances that I can entertain myself with so that I don’t get bored.
I looked at and read the titles of the novels one by one. The rest I have read before, so I just picked up the book I was not familiar with. I went back to bed again and leaned against the headboard again and started reading. Until I didn’t notice the time anymore. If only my stomach hadn’t rumbled, I wouldn’t have been able to take my attention away from the book I was reading.
I looked again at the open window. Later, I closed the book I was holding and also looked at the closed door. When my stomach churned again, I got up the courage to get up of bed and walk towards the door. With no hesitation, I opened it and walked towards the stairs. All around is quiet. The curtains in the living room are slightly fluttering in the wind because of the open door to the lanai.
“Hideo!” I softly called him as I went down the stairs. “Hideo!” I looked around again, but I still couldn’t see him. I felt my stomach growled again. When my eyes landed on the kitchen door, I immediately walked towards it. I don’t care if Hideo sees me down here. I just want to eat because I’m so hungry.
When I entered the dining room, I immediately searched for food. There was a dish in the fridge, but I didn’t bother to take it and heat it in the oven. I don’t have time to do that because I’m starving, and I want something to eat. I only took the bread that was on the kitchen counter and looked for the filling, and I didn’t even bother to sit at the dining table, either. While I was looking at the kitchen door, I ate the bread on the kitchen counter. Hideo might come in suddenly and scold me. But thank God because he didn’t come until I finished eating. When I put away and washed the glass and spoon I used, I left the kitchen. I was about to go upstairs again when I looked at the open sliding door to the lanai.
Where is he? Did he leave the island? Am I the only person here? Questions in my mind and stepped closer to the sliding door. A cool breeze greeted me, so I hugged myself. I also heard the soft lapping of the waves on the beach. It was quite bright outside, so I could barely see the beach.
When I was outside the door, I felt the cold breeze more, but I just ignored it. I looked around until I saw what seemed to be a white object floating in the sea. I frowned and stared at it. The sea is quite a distance from where I was standing… but I know, and I’m certain, that what I see now floating in the sea is a person.
“Hideo?” I uttered and hurried down to the lanai and ran towards the sea. “Hideo?” I don’t understand why my heart beat suddenly faster as I hurried to go to him.
I felt a mixture of fear and worry in my heart as I approached the man now floating in the sea. Yes, it’s Hideo. I’ve only been with him on his island for a few days, but I already memorized the look of his back.
I was about to pull him to the beach when I grabbed his hand, but I was suddenly surprised and scared when he grabbed my hand as well and pulled me closer to him when he stood up straight.
“Ahhh!” I screamed out loud.
“What are you doing?”
I heard his angry voice as I closed my eyes tightly and tried to take my hand back from him.
“Ahhh!” I yelled again. Jesus! My heart almost jumped out of my ribcage because of so much fear.
“What are you doing out here, Ysolde?” His voice was still angry.
Only then did I slowly open my eyes and look at him. I don’t know if my heart is pounding now because of the shock and fear I felt earlier, or because of our eyes meeting. I stared at his face, his eyes. It’s quite dark where we are, but I can clearly see his brown eyes. The eyes when I first saw them inside the elevator were full of mystery, anger, and darkness. But now, as I stare into those eyes… I see nothing but sadness. Oh, God! He’s Hideo. The man I saw the first time I knew was brave, tough, no weakness, no fear… but now I see something very different. Even if he’s angry with me now, I know he’s weak inside in those moments.
I looked at his entire appearance for a moment. The seawater was still dripping from his black long hair. His eyebrows were thick. His brown eyes are fluffy. He has a pointed nose. His lips were thin, which suited him. It was red, as if he hadn’t smoked. Yeah, I saw him smoking, once. And he has a perfect jaw line. God! If it wasn’t just this way Hideo and I met, I would think he was a perfect man. I would think I was very lucky because I was the woman he wanted to marry. But not… even though Vena told me he is a good person, my impression of him will not change.
“I said, what are you doing out here, Ysolde?”Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.
I came back to myself when I heard his angry voice again. When I looked into his eyes again, he was gazing at me.
“I didn’t give you permission to leave your room.”