Chapter 5 - I'll make you a bouquet but pay Me Afterwards

“We are here.” He said, and I turned to my right and we were indeed in front of the apartment.

“All right, I’ll go down first.” He said, and I nodded.

“Ah!” I shouted as Xavier accidentally pushed me down while he was getting down from the horse, so I fell down too and fell on my butt. Again.

“Shit, are you okay?” Xavier immediately held both of my arms, asking if I was okay. Why would he even ask that when I looked like I was about to cry? My leg was shaking when I tried to stand up while using his shoulder as a support. Note that he is currently kneeling right now and I was trying to stand up.

“Hey, don’t force yourself.” He stood up so I lost balance and gladly, although I didn't want it, he grabbed my waist and prevented me from falling down again.

“Just what the hell are you thinking!?” I said irritatingly and placed my arms between us to create some distance.

“I’m sorry!” he said and stopped holding my waist to support my arms. My legs are still shaking from the impact since my butt fell down to a flat and hard surface twice.

“Thank goodness you are helping me walk.” I said as I was walking slowly because I couldn’t control my legs that much.

“Seems like you’re having a hard time. Here, lean on me.” He said and moved his left shoulder. I held his left arm and clutched my right arm at his shirt.

We were slowly walking toward the entrance when I suddenly heard a ‘kik!’. At the same time, we both fell.

“You are an idiot, Xavier!” I said irritatingly and couldn’t even stand back up and just lay on top of his back.

“Help me, you idiot. I can’t stand up.” I said. “How can I stand up if you’re on top of me? Move your arms, fool.” I did what he said and leaned my arms on his back to move my body as he continued to groan.

“Fuck! What are you doing to him!?” I heard a woman’s voice, so I looked up at the door. Oh, it’s Lanzhuen.

She ran towards me and Xavier, who couldn’t even stand up. I am distracted by how she shows too much of her skin in her clothes.

She was wearing really short dolphin shorts and a spaghetti strap.

She helped Xavier stand up and didn’t even bother to look at me. “Are you okay?” she asked him, patting every part of his body.

“What did you do!?” She then turned to me, who was still lying on the ground.

“What!? Help me stand up first!” I said and still tried to stand up. “Why would I he—“ she stopped what she was going to say when Xavier helped me stand up.

“Can you stand up now?” he asked me while still holding my arm to support me. “Wait.” I said and tried to feel my legs. I can now freely move it and I can even kick Lanzhuen with it.

“Yep. I’m alright now, thank you!” I thanked him and we both let go of each other’s arms.

“All right then, I’ll get going now.” He said and turned towards Lanzhuen and they both, KISSED.

What in the fucking world!?!?!??!

“Bye.” That was the last thing he said before riding his horse and leaving.

I am still dumb-founded by what my virgin eyes have seen.

“Why are you still standing?” she asked me with one of her brows raised.

“Uh……” I scrunched my face with confusion when I looked at her.

“I am just going to say this once. You have no right to be with the prince unless you are someone from a royal family.” She said and turned to walk away and stopped when I asked her a question.

“What about you? You even kissed each other. Are you from a royal family?”

“How dumb can you be? Of course, if you share a special relationship with him, it also makes you a royal.” She said and rolled her eyes before walking away.

‘How dumb can she also be? Being in a relationship with him DOES NOT make you a royal unless you marry each other. Even a rule maker will understand that logic. Did she just make it up?

“Catte, are you okay?” Auntie Tina asked me when we met at the stairs and saw me limping.

“Yep!” I said and smiled. She smiled back and went downstairs and I went upstairs.

I placed the bag containing the smart phone and walked to the closet to change my clothes. I am now wearing a red polka dot pajama and sat on the chair on the study table and opened the bag.

I needed to read the instructions because it is a different model than the one from the human world. I downloaded apps that I think I would need and just played with them until I got bored.

I looked at the clock and it was already 7:30 in the evening, so I went downstairs and saw auntie Tina cooking, so I walked towards her.

“What’s for dinner, auntie?” I asked and peeked at the pot. It’s red with some meat.

“It’s called dinuguan.” She said and tasted the sauce.

“Eh? But why the red color?” I asked because I am pretty sure dinuguan looks black. “It is human blood.” She answered and I just looked at her dumb-founded and she also looked at me like that.

“How about the meat?” I still asked, hoping it was not human meat.

“It’s bird meat.” Bird meat!?

“Uh….. auntie….. can I not eat any meat?” I asked hesitantly.

“Huh? Why?” she turned to me from the pot.

“I had a feeling I should not eat it.” I said and scratched my head.

“Huh? That’s unusual, vampires actually like this kind of food.” She replied with a confused face.

“Fine, what do you want to eat?” she added.

“Uh… is there any foods that don’t have any meat?” I asked back.

"Ahm…. I don’t really know….” She answered while looking sorry.

“Is that so… then I think rice porridge will do for now? Do you perhaps know how to make it?”

“Of course! It’s such a basic thing to cook, especially for sick people!” she said and took out another pot and started cooking again. I just smiled brightly and sat on the sofa to watch television. I didn’t bother going up again since it would be done in less than 15 minutes.

“Hey Lanzhuen, time to eat.” I invited Lanzhuen who was sitting on the opposite couch when I saw that auntie Tina was setting the table.

I helped her and she placed the rice porridge on a bowl on my seat. “Thank you, auntie!”

“Lanzhuen, let’s eat.”

“Dear! Dinner’s ready!” she shouted to call out her husband.

We are now currently eating dinner and I’m glad no one is commenting about how my food is different from them. Well, I understand Lanzhuen would never talk to me about that stuff, but auntie Tina’s husband also just smiled at me when he saw my rice porridge. Him, assuming that I’m sick, is better.

“Catte, did you get to buy all your school supplies?” auntie Tina asked.

“Yep! I also had so much fun!” I said and took a spoonful of rice porridge.

“That’s great.” She smiled.

I washed the dishes after we ate dinner. It would be embarrassing for Lanzhuen if I would just let her do it. The plates might crack and slash her precious hands, right?

Plus, I don’t really mind it since there are only 4 of us and this is the least I can do since auntie Tina lets me stay here.

I went upstairs after that since I didn’t have anything to do downstairs. I just played with my smartphone before sleeping.

It was still 8:30 in the morning when I woke up, so I stared at the ceiling for a while. It was almost I am sleeping with my eyes open, but eventually, I got hungry, so I stood up, fixed my bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. I wore black leggings topped with a yellow crop top with loose sleeves that we bought yesterday.

I left my room and went downstairs and saw a pancake on the island counter. I grabbed a glass and opened the refrigerator and poured some milk into it before sitting down and eating. ‘I hope this is just cow’s milk’ I thought as I sipped a bit from the glass.

I just saw the note under the plate saying ‘don’t worry! The filling’s not meat! Enjoy eating! - auntie Tina’. My eyebrows raised and I took a bite of the pancake and it really had a filling that tasted like red bean.

I just ate quietly while looking at the surroundings when the door towards the garden opened. I looked up and was shocked when I saw the old man entering.

“ndkshdiwhf!?” I said shockingly, but it came out not understandable so I forced myself to swallow it.

“Huh?” the old man asked, not even shocked to see me.

“Huhtdog, old man,” I replied and drank some milk.

“You’re still with your ‘old man’? I already said I am just 24,” he said and walked towards me. “Wow! pancake!” he added when he saw what I was eating and ate one whole piece of the pancake.

“What the fuck?” I said with a shocked voice.

“Why does it have a strange taste inside?” he asked while still chewing.

“It has a red bean paste inside. And don’t talk when your mouth is full.” I answered and took a bite, showing him the middle of the pancake that was on the plate.

“Is that so….. ‘don’t talk when your mouth is full’? says the one who greeted me with such alien words.” he replied while still trying to taste the inside carefully. I just rolled my eyes at what he said and ignored it.

“This is a whole new flavor…” he commented while nodding his head.

“Huh? isn’t this already common?” I asked, pointing at the pancakes.

“No, what is this called again?”

“Uh… red bean pancake? I don't know, auntie Tina left it here.`` I answered and showed him the note auntie Tina left.

“She left? but I just saw and passed her in the living room earlier.” he said with a confused expression, and right after that, the door of the bathroom near the living room opened, showing Auntie Tina.

“Oh, you’re already eating it? Does it taste good?” she asked while wiping something on her clothes.

"Yep! Your cooking’s really incredible, auntie!” I exclaimed while smiling brightly, showing that I really love it.

“It’s great that you enjoy my food so far. By the way, Amadeus is going to tour you around here today. No matter how much I want to do it with you, I need something to do with your files since you forgot everything.” She said with disappointment and sadness in her voice.

“Oh.. that’s sad, but since you will do something good, then it’s okay. Have a safe trip, Auntie!” I said and we both waved at each other before she left.

“Eat faster, Catte. The clock is ticking.” the old man said while tapping his finger on the counter.

“Why don’t you eat too, so you won’t get bored?” I said like it was the most obvious thing to do.

“Nah, that’s too much for me.” he replied while waving both of his hands in front, showing that he didn’t want it anymore.

“You know, you and Xavier are indeed brothers. You two eat like a cockroach on a diet.” I said, and ate the last bite of the pancake. I stood up and placed the plate in the sink while drinking my milk.

“Cockroach on a diet, huh? How about you? You eat like you are going to be hanged soon enough.” He sarcastically said and laughed like he was laughing at my whole being.

“That is a joke from an old man, I should at least laugh.” I acted talking to myself and laughed.

“Why can’t you stop calling me an old man?” he asked, like it had been bothering him throughout his whole life.

“Because you are truly an old man, Amadeus.” I said and slightly waved my hand to drop the subject.

“Ugh!” I groaned after I finished gulping down a whole glass of milk. “Shall we go?” I asked Amadeus, the old man, while panting a bit.

“You would want to wipe that mouth of yours,” he said with a smug face.

“Just get going.” I pushed him while licking my lips to make sure there was no milk left.

“So… we are going to start here first. The living room.” he said, and spread his arms to show me the living room.

“Lanzhuen was usually the one who is always here so…” he said and looked at me like ‘if you two are not on good terms, you know what to do’ look. Oh Lanzhuen, huh? Just another reason for me to stay in my room.

“And also, this granite is really special to auntie Tina’s husband and this gorgeous vase is hers, so you might want to be careful next time because I was not an exemption last time.” he said and pointed at the granite center table with a vase on top.

“Let’s go upstairs first before we go to that area,” he said, and walked first.

“As you can see, there are a total of four rooms here. The one on the left corner of the corridor is Lanzhuen’s, on her left is auntie Tina’s husband and next is Auntie Tina’s, and of course, the far right corner of the corridor is yours.” he explained while pointing at each of the rooms.

“Ohhhh, but why do auntie Tina and her husband don't sleep together?” I asked and looked up at him.

“Eh, they always sleep together, that room’s just for her husband if they ever get into a fight with each other.” he replied and went downstairs, so I followed him.

“And then…” he walked towards between the dining area and the kitchen. “As you have already spent two nights here, this is the dining area where everyone eats and this is auntie Tina’s area.” he pointed at the kitchen.

“Uh-huh.” I said as I nodded my head.

“And this area……” he now exited the kitchen through the door. It looked like it would make you go outside. I followed him and was shocked by what I saw. “It’s your first time going here and this is the garden.”

He spread his arms again and I was fascinated by the pretty flowers and how they were arranged so perfectly. This whole land is full of flowers and trees like a mini forest.

“Wow……” I mumbled and he just chuckled.

“Do you know who made these?” he asked, then looked at me while touching a flower petal.

“How the hell would I know?”

"It’s me.” he said, and I immediately looked at him shocked.

“You? Flowers?” I asked as I looked at him and the flowers alternatively.

“What? What's so unbelievable about me planting flowers and making a bouquet?” he asked back and pointed at the gazebo with a bunch of colorful crepe paper and polyester tissue paper hanging on the table.

“You can do that?” I asked, referring to making flower bouquets.

“Yep! Want me to make you one?” he asked, and we walked towards the gazebo.

“Okay.”

"What is your favorite flower?” he asked and I answered with energy, “Tulips!”

“Okay then. Sit here.” he tapped the wood chair and walked back to the garden and started grabbing and wrapping some flowers.

I was just watching him, being fascinated by how his hands move so professionally and with elegance. We stayed quiet for a while as he was busy making the bouquet and I was just watching him do it.

“Here.” He handed me a bouquet of yellow tulips with white wrappings.

“Ahhhhhh so beautiful….. thank you!” i said as I slightly hugged the bouquet. I was admiring its beauty when my body suddenly became stiff because of a thought.

“Do… Do I need to pay for these?” I asked him, who was looking at me smiling. He also flinched like he just remembered it now. Damn, I shouldn't have asked him.

“Do you have any money on you?” he asked me back with curiosity.

“Uh….. none?” I looked at him with asking eyes.

“Then….” he slowly walked towards me and I slightly walked backwards when I felt a wall on my back.

I am trapped between a wall and him.

“H-hey.. what do you think you are doing?” I asked with furrowed eyebrows, but I actually felt scared of him.

"You don’t have any money on you… so you must pay with your body.” he leaned forward and smelled my neck and i saw him licking his lips. I got so scared and pushed him back.

“Hey! Are you crazy!?” I asked, but he was still looking at my neck.

“Do you even know what you are doing, perverted old man!?” I asked and held my neck. “You shouldn’t do this to a girl! Fucking idiot!” I furiously said but he just ignored what i said and leaned forward at me again.

“Hey! You are a royal, right? Didn’t they teach you manners!? What the fuck are you doing!?” I struggled and just said anything I could think of because of panic.

“I got to say, you smell so good…” he mumbled and I could feel his lips touching my neck and his teeth almost biting me.

“N-no…. Stop it……” I am almost crying while begging for him to stop.

“Hey. Stop what you are doing. Immediately.” I heard a voice from our left. It’s familiar and–I looked at who it was and Xavier! I looked at him with my eyes, begging him to help me.