"paalam. it means farewell."
fujisaki mizuki had been weak for as long as she could remember. she lived in a huge house, had a lot of money, but she could never bring herself to be happy knowing that after she was born- her parents left her and neve...
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╭──── SIX ; stray cat
"TEACH ME ANOTHER FILIPINO WORD, Mizuki,"
Their new set-up was quite strange, now that Baji didn't have the permission to be in the Fujisaki mansion. Since Akihiro came to the mansion, the butlers hadn't been allowing Baji to visit Mizuki and let him in. So, that pushed the two to meet up at night— or, more like Baji Keisuke would sneak in, climb his way up to the tree next to her room's window, and they would converse the night away.
A small smile graced the brunette's lips, after hearing Baji's eagerness of learning the language. She loved how he would always seem interested in the things she would do and love, and in return, Baji always loved the sweet and genuine smiles she would give him after seeing his sincerity.
However, ever since Akihiro arrived, Baji has noticed that Mizuki started to smile less. He wanted to ask her what's wrong, if she needed some hug or anything to cheer her up, but he didn't want to push her over the edge of the cliff more.
"Another word?" Mizuki asked, her fingers drumming on her blanket clad legs.
"Yes. Any word," Baji replied, nodding his head as he tried hard to stay awake.
Staying up late wasn't new to him, because sometimes Toman meetings were held late at night. Then again, he was banned from gatherings because he caused infighting before. He had been sleeping a bit earlier than usual, but still he wanted to stay awake because late at nights were now offered to his hangouts with Fujisaki Mizuki.
"I see. Let me think of something you can use, then," Mizuki said, her finger subconsciously playing with her chin as she thought.
Baji smiled, admiring the pale girl that sat down comfortably on her bed. She looked comfortable around him, heck, he would even go as far as to say that she looked happier around him than when she was around all those butlers. Deep inside him, he hoped that he would be the only one to make her feel like home. After all, he felt that way to her.
One would say that the Baji Keisuke everyone knew was quite different from the Baji Keisuke that Mizuki knows. With Mizuki, he could say anything and still feel like she wouldn't judge him. With her, he could speak what he really wants, he could break down and she would be there to help him ease the pain and worries away. In the same way, he would always be there to provide her the amusement, happiness and care that she longs for.
"Take your time," he replied, taking off his hair tie only to re-tie his hair again as he waited for her to speak.
"I've thought of something now," she said, a small smile on her face.
Baji wasn't really the brightest of kids, but he could read Mizuki like an open book. The smile she gave was a smile that was different from her usual ones— this one seemed more melancholic, as if she hated the word.
"What word is it?" He asked, his brows furrowing as he waited for her words to slip from her tongue.
Mizuki breathed in, gripping on her blanket before flashing him an obviously fake cheerful smile. Baji didn't know why the girl was acting a little strange, and he didn't want to press her further. Maybe he could ask her tomorrow, or when the time is right. He guessed that she was still mourning for her mother's death, and he didn't want to add to the things she was already thinking and worrying about.
"Paalam. It means farewell," she said, her eyes avoiding Baji's intense gaze.
Hearing the word and its meaning, Baji wasn't too sure if he liked the word she just said. A part of him felt lonely at the mention of its meaning, but it was still a word that she was teaching him. He will treasure it.
"Paalam. Did I say it right?" Baji asked, and Mizuki gave him a nod and a smile.
"This is the first word I've taught you that you pronounced correctly! How come?" The brunette joked, trying to lighten up the mood but Baji wasn't in the mood to joke around.
He sighed, his fingers tracing the rough surface of the thick branch he was sitting on. He wanted to avoid Mizuki's gaze, especially with the growing blush on his cheeks. No matter how embarrassing it was, Baji knew to himself that he wanted to say it. The embarrassment will be worth it, he thought, if it meant letting his feelings reach her.
"I'll make sure to remember that word. I'll never forget it like the rest of the words you've taught me," Baji muttered, but the girl still heard it for it was still loud enough only for the both of them to hear.
"Why is that?" She asked, her brows furrowing in confusion as she stood up from her bed.
She pulled the chair away from her study table, now setting it down beside the opened window that separated them from each other. Mizuki sat down and looked at Baji, giving him a more genuine smile this time.
Now I can look at you closer, she thought to herself.
"W-Well, you said it means farewell. And I'll remember it because I will promise to myself that we will never have to say that word to each other. I don't wanna leave your side, and I don't want you to leave my side. Just like that. I wanna be around you for a lifetime," he replied, his cheeks now glowing into a shade of red, even a bit visible under the beautiful gaze of the moon.
Mizuki widened her eyes at his words. Baji didn't seem like the type of person to be so soft, in fact even his features could be enough to broadcast to everyone that he was a tough guy. But when it came to his alone time with Mizuki, he was willing to lay down that tough guy Baji to give her all the care, attention and stories that she needed.
It was as if Baji took out the words right from her mouth, when she thought of a word to teach him. The word paalam popped up in her mind, just because she was thinking of how she was never able to bid her farewell to her mother. Now that Baji was the only person she was holding on to, she didn't want him to disappear and leave her. What she didn't want the most was for Baji to actually end up like her mother, going back to where angels fly.
"I don't ever want to say paalam to you either, Kei." She said, and although she could not hear it, Baji felt his heart beating loud in his chest.
"H-Hey, don't say such weird things now! You're making it seem as if we're dating or something..." He said, trailing off as a blush once again spread out on his cheeks now that he recalled what his mother just told him the other day.
"You started it, though!"
Both Baji and Mizuki widened their eyes when they heard someone knocking on the girl's door. They looked at each other, before Baji told her he was going back home so they wouldn't get caught. She nodded at him, and then turned her attention to the door.
"Come in!" The girl exclaimed, and just as the door opened, they heard a thud and the sound of leaves rustling.
"Mizuki, is what was that?" asked the man, turning out to be Akihiro himself.
Mizuki paused, acting as if she was checking what just fell from the tree. She met eyes with Baji, and he sent her a wink before gesturing that he was going out now. Warmth spread on her cheeks, but she ignored it and gave her father a small and fake smile that she was so used to giving the maids and butlers whenever they were ordering her around and 'caging' her up.
"Oh, it was the stray cat that would often come here and climb up the tree," she lied, and Akihiro paused for a bit as if processing what she just said.
Sighing, the man just nodded and gave her a worried smile before speaking. His hand held on to the doorknob, while he looked at Mizuki who seemed to be sat down next to the window and talking to the moon.
Or perhaps the 'stray cat'.
"I see. Just take care and get some rest now. Staying up late has bad effects on the health, remember?"
"Yes, Akihiro-san."
"Still calling me that... Ah, never mind. Good night, Mizuki."
