Ellie-chan (COMPLETED)

Fifteen - Proposal

When I woke up and saw the worried faces of my co-workers, Maeda-sensei, Hiromi-sensei and Sanae-sensei, I frowned. I looked around me. The room's familiar but definitely not my own room. When they saw my puzzled look, they told me I'm in the school clinic.

"You suddenly collapsed. So Maeda-sensei and I brought you here," said Hiromi-sensei. "How do you feel now?" she asked while putting the back of her hand on my forehead.

"I feel okay," I said in a low voice. I collapsed?

"Thank God, you feel okay now," said Maeda-sensei. "You scared the hell out of us when you suddenly fainted. Kochō and Kyotō-sensei were really scared."

"Did you have breakfast today?" asked Sanae-sensei.

I nodded. And I sighed. I remember my father. The phone call...

With the help of my colleagues, I got up and sat on the bed. In between tears, I told them about Tatay (father) and his condition. He was diagnosed with coronary artery disease and he needs a coronary artery bypass surgery as soon as possible. And we need more than half a million pesos just for the surgery.

"We will help you," they all volunteered. I shook my head. No. For sure, they wouldn't make me pay back. I know them. I don't want to be a charity case.

 "Why not?" the asked.

"Don't worry. I will surely find a way," I told them.

When Kochō-sensei heard that I was back on my feet, he dropped by the school clinic and told me I could go home. He is giving me a day's off. If I need tomorrow's off as well, he would understand, he said. I felt like crying again for all the kindness and generosity around me. I just nodded and collected my things. Hiromi-sensei volunteered to drive me to Kyoto-station.

As I was about to get into the car, Naoki and Hiroki came running to me. They said they heard about what happened and they are pretty worried. They handed me a note. I opened it and tears started to build up again...I hugged the boys. Naoki kinda resisted it. He stepped back. I just smiled. I know they are not used to such gesture of affection but I just couldn't help myself.

"Thank you," was all I said to them and I went inside Hiromi-sensei's car.

When I got home, I looked at the note again. In broken English, the boys said something like "We heard about your problem. We want to help. Please let us help you."

I looked at my passbook. I felt like crying again when I saw my remaining balance. It was just a little over two hundred thousand yen or roughly eighty thousand pesos. I need around two million yen more so that my father can have his operation soon. What should I do? Where should I borrow money? I would rather borrow than receive donations from my colleagues. I don't want to look so pitiful to them. I don't need anybody's mercy. But am I being fair to Tatay? Letting pride get in the way of helping him?

I thought about my Filipino friends. Yeah. I'll try borrow some money from them. I called them one by one. But everybody seemed to have no spare money for me. I was getting hopeless and helpless when I got a phonecall. The number did not appear. It says, unknown. 

After I said, hello, I heard that familiar, sexy masculine voice. Hayato Kozuki!

"The boys are pretty worried about you. Can you come down? I'm currently in front of your apartment," he said.

Automatically, my heart beat faster. My gosh! Hayato's here! I immediately changed into something decent and combed my hair. Then, I ran downstairs. Indeed, his car is in front of my building.

As usual, he didn't get out of the car. He just opened the passenger's door in the front seat and motioned for me to get in. Without saying a word, I got into his car. As soon as I got in, he started it and we left the building. He didn't say where we're going. I didn't ask either. I was too preoccupied with what I felt that very moment. Hayato is concerned!

When I looked outside the window, I saw a familiar sign. We're heading towards Aeon Mall. After a few minutes, we reached the parking area and he stopped the car. He asked me to follow him. He went inside Starbucks. I did the same. After getting our orders, he picked a secluded place where we can sit and talk. He didn't waste any moment. He went straight to the point. He told me that the boys told him about my problem. And he's willing to help on behalf of his brothers...

I was shocked. I didn't expect it from him.

"Don't get me wrong though. You have to pay me for every penny. And I have one condition," he continued.

I frowned. Condition? It made me feel nervous. It reminds me of a scene in a romantic movie I saw before where a guy offered a girl financial help in exchange for sleeping with him. Oh my God! Is he suggesting the same?

"Can you cook?" he asked.

Can I what?

"I'm tired of eating restaurant food. I want something home made.  I'll lend you the money in exchange for preparing my lunch everyday."

"What?!" I was actually shocked. I wouldn't have been surprised had he suggested that we sleep together. But to cook for him...?

"Of course, I will give you some shopping money for the food. You can cook it at your place and bring me my lunch everyday. Anyway, your school is close to my office so there would be no problem for that. You can take a taxi to my office. I'll pay for it." 

"What?!" I asked again. I couldn't believe my ears.

"Could you say something else other than 'what'?" he said while looking at me intently. "What do you say then? Are you okay with my condition?"

"I don't know how to cook Japanese food," was all I could say.

"Can't you at least do a little research? For starters, I can eat whatever you prepare. But be a little creative because I easily get tired of the same dish again and again," he warned.

I thought about it. Sounds simple. I'm not a good cook but I'm not a bad one either. If I put my heart into it, I'm pretty sure I can do it pretty well. I was just kinda disappointed though...I thought Hayato would suggest something more romantic...Oh, well...

A/N: Please vote and comment. Any feedback would be appreciated.