How I Wish

CHAPTER XI

Chapter XI

"How are you feeling Sang?" Luke asked as he took a seat on the chair beside me. Turning my head, I offered him a weak smile.

"I'm feeling better thank you. I really am sorry for freaking out earlier and making things so difficult." I whispered and looked down at my hands in embarrassment. Pressing a nail into the skin of my thumb, I watched as the pink tone of my skin leached of colour as I applied pressure.

"As I said earlier, you have nothing to apologise for, plus it actually makes things easier eating in here as I'm sure your attention would have been stolen as soon as you stepped inside the mess hall. That would have been a shame as it would have meant I wouldn't have had the chance to meet you." Glancing up, I found Luke smiling at me, the familiar playful twinkle in his eyes winking at me. I couldn't help but worry he was mocking me with his statement, but his expression showed no signs of dishonestly which just confused me.

"Why would it have been a shame?" I questioned.

"Isn't it obvious?" He asked, and I shook my head. "You have everyone under a spell cupcake. Not only are you beautiful on the outside, but on the inside too – and that is a rare thing in this world." He added, leaning towards me. My eyes widened at his words, and I could only blink at the male in front of me.

Was he being serious?

Because it felt like he was definitely mocking me now, especially after Gabriel's words earlier.

Saddened at the realisation that he was only teasing, I pulled back and turned towards the table. Pain in my thumb captured my attention, and I saw my nail had broken skin, making a small bead of blood rise to the surface.

A golden hand appeared in front of my face, and I jerked in my seat as it gently grasped my wrist and slowly detangled it from my other. I tilted my head slightly and found Luke frowning down at my thumb, a somewhat distressed expression on his face.

"What was it I said that upset you?" He asked as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, and softly pressed it against the drop of blood on my thumb. I could only watch as he cleaned the skin before returning the handkerchief and bringing my hand to his mouth where he pressed a soft kiss against the pad of my thumb.

My heart thumped in my chest at the action, and my eyes accidently lifted and met his.

"I-I." I stuttered, unsure what I was trying to say.

"Whatever I said that hurt you, I'm sorry as that was not my intention." He murmured as he dropped out hands into his lap. I forced my eyes to remain upwards, less I combust at the sight of our joined grip being somewhere so... personal. Swallowing harshly, I shook my head.

"You d-didn't." I tried, but he obviously didn't believe me from the expression on his face and I sighed, guilt filling me at making this kind male feel bad.

"Sang?" My head snapped up at the familiar voice, and I smiled, distracted by the sight of Kota on the other side of the table, a bowl clasped in his hands.

Surprise was etched into his features as he looked down at me. "It's good to see you again." He said.

Luke snickered beside me, and I looked over at him to see him giving Kota a knowing look. Kota cleared his throat, a slight blush staining his cheeks as he evaded the blondes eyes. Dropping the bowl to the table in front of me, he slowly pulled out a chair and sat down. "How are you feeling?" He asked, placing his clasped hands in front of him on the table.

Offering a shy smile, I looked down at the bowl in front of me as I contemplated how to answer.

"I'm doing better, thank you. I k-know you were the one who got me to H-healer Green when I fainted, and I'm grateful you did o-otherwise-" I trailed of, realisation of how close I had come to dying slamming into me, and I looked away from the thick orange and brown broth to meet Kota's eyes.