Father and son!

A couple of hours later at the general hospital—---------------

“ How is he, doctor?”

Josiane and Thomas asked the doctor about Ryuji’s condition. He smiled and said assuredly, “ He’s fine; the allergy was stopped successfully.”

(Thank God he’s okay!)

“ Can we go see him?”

“ I don’t see why not. Of course, you can, but you mustn’t stay long. The patient needs its rest.”

“ Thanks, doctor!”

The doctor went away soon after. Josiane was impatient to go inside. She looked at Thomas who was just getting a phone call.

“ I have to get this. You go in first to see the young master.”

Thomas walked away and Josiane got inside the ward to see Ryuji. Inside the ward, Ryuji had his eyes shut and was sleeping soundly.

She advanced towards him swiftly and silently sat by his bedside. She touched his hands gently.

“ I’m sorry, Ryuji! I’m so, so sorry!”

“ Had I doubted that your allergy was this serious, I wouldn’t have gone with the plan.” I wouldn’t have done that.”

“ I’m glad you’re okay.” I would never have forgiven myself if something had happened to you because of me.”

As she was talking to the unconscious Ryuji, tears started dripping from her eyes to her cheeks and Ryuji’s hands.

“ I’m sorry! I would never do something so stupid again.”

“ Why are you crying like that and apologizing to me, Sakamoto-San?”

“ Ryuji?” You’re awake?”

Ryuji wiped the tears from her eyes and looked straight at her with a smile.

“ Why were you apologizing to me in my sleep?”

“ That’s—-------------------------------”

“ I was apologizing to you for putting your life in danger. I’m very sorry for everything.” I won’t do something like this again.”

“ Stop blaming yourself, Sakamoto-San!” This isn’t your fault at all. The decision was mine to make.”

“ More importantly, you helped me, didn’t you?”

“ Thanks to what you did, I didn’t get engaged last night.” If anything, I should thank you.”

“ Besides, I heard what you said as I was losing consciousness.”

?

“ The way you talked to my father and Sasaki, I heard it all.” I didn’t miss any of your words as they were meant for me.”

Josiane reminisces about everything she said at the engagement party as she came to fetch Ryuji from there. She felt embarrassed, mostly towards Ryuji’s father.

“ No one had ever taken my stand as you did, Sakamoto-San.” Those who ever got close to me were only after my family’s status and power.”

“ They were never interested in the real me, the real Ryuji didn’t interest them one bit.” You’re the second person who accepted me for me and not for my status.”

“ I’m grateful for having you in my life, Sakamoto-San.”

“ Enough with the talking. You should be resting.”

Josiane was about to leave the ward when Ryuji grasped her hand firmly. Josiane looked on.

“ I know you have to go, but can you stay with me a bit more?” I don’t want to be alone.”

“ Please, Sakamoto-San! I promise it’ll only be for a while.” After that, I’ll let you go.”

Ryuji’s expression as he said that was sad and empty to the core. Josiane, for some reason, knew that feeling.

“ Don’t make that face!”

?

“ You don’t have to plead with me like that to stay with you.” I enjoy being with you the most and besides, aren’t we friends?”

“ Friends don’t plead and they don’t ask for favors either.” Why wouldn’t I want to stay with you?”

“ Where would I go if it’s not staying by your side?”

“ Thanks for your kindness and care, Sakamoto-San!” It’s not everyone who would care for you so genuinely?”

Saying that sentence, he got silent, not saying anything more.

Meanwhile, Thomas was done with his phone call and was heading back to the ward. At the entrance, he accidentally eavesdropped on Ryuji and Josiane’s conversation.

“ By genuinely, do you mean your father?”

“ You don’t have to tell me anything if that isn’t your intention.”

“ My father was never there when I was sick.” In those times, I was always cared for by the maids at the estate.” He was always on business trips and didn’t have time or care for me.”

“ He never celebrated any of my birthdays.” He would always ask his secretary to buy the gifts for me.” He couldn’t even choose the gift himself because it was too much trouble.”

“ I was always told what to do by my father, but I never once got his attention.” My betrothal to Sasaki was also his decision. I had no say in it.”

Despite everything Ryuji was babbling, Josiane was trying to find excuses for his father to justify the latter’s actions.

“ Your father might have had his reasons for acting the way he did.” It mustn't have been easy for him to deliberately stay away from his son like that.”

“ You must be right, Sakamoto-San.”

Thomas entered the ward as he had eavesdropped on them long enough.

“ How are you feeling, young master?”

“ I’m fine, Albertini-San.” If it hadn’t been for you two, I don't know where I would be.”

“ I never asked, but how come Sakamoto-San showed up at the engagement?”

“ That would be my fault, young master.”

“ What do you mean?”

“ Well—---------------------”

Several hours earlier as Ryuji had gone to prepare for the engagement, he left his phone on the bed and that’s when Thomas made a phone call out of his phone.

“ Hello, Ryuji!”

“ This isn’t the young master.” It’s Thomas Albertini speaking.”

“ Albertini-San?” Is Ryuji okay?”

“ That’s exactly why I’m calling you.” The young master might need you. Are you free right now?” I might need you to come with me to the engagement.”

“ Why?” What’s going on?”

Thomas resumed the situation to Josiane in simple terms. After explaining everything, Thomas went to fetch her, and together, they departed for the engagement.

“ I see!” So, that's what happened.”

“ That’s why I was apologizing to you, Ryuji.” I might have put too many eggs while making the fried rice.”

“ You ended up in the hospital due to the overdose of eggs in the dish.” I’m truly sorry.”

“ Regardless of all that, I don’t blame you for what happened”

Just then, Ryuji’s stomach started gurgling, indicating he was hungry.

“ I’m going to go fetch you something to eat.” I’ll be right back.”

“ Thank you!”

Josiane went out of the ward, leaving Ryuji and Thomas alone.

“ She’s a nice girl.” I now understand why you care so deeply for her.” You must like her immensely, right?”

“ Like?”

“ You’re bright red, young master.”

“ It’s so hot in here.” Ryuji hid his face inside the covers.

“ I would be perfectly understandable if you fell for her. She’s pretty, kind, and has a noble soul.” More importantly, she accepts the real you.”

“ It isn’t like that, Albertini-San.” Sakamoto-San and I are nothing but friends.”

On her way to the canteen, Josiane ran into Tatsuki Fujimiya, Ryuji’s father. He felt unpleasant seeing her.

“ It’s you again.” What are you still doing here?”

“ Good afternoon, sir!” It’s nice seeing you again.”

“ Drop the act and answer my question!” Why haven’t you left yet?”

“ Ryuji requested my presence and that is why I’m still here.” Would that answer your question, sir?”

“ My son doesn’t need you; he only needs his fiancee who will be coming shortly to see him.” You may now leave.”

Tatsuki walked past her and continued straight to the ward. Josiane arrived at the canteen and placed an order for Ryuji.

At the ward, Thomas and Ryuji were conversing when Tatsuki Fujimiya got inside.

“ Father?”

Seeing him, Ryuji felt more scared than pleased to see him. He reminisced about how the engagement ended a couple of hours earlier.

“ I’ll leave the two of you alone.”

Thomas glanced at Ryuji’s father and master before stepping out of the ward.

“ How are you feeling now, son?”

“ Okay, I guess!” Why exactly are you here to see me, father?”

“ What do you mean?”

“ You’ve never come to see me before when I was sick.” Why now?”

“ You might have come here to tell me that I’ve messed up, right?” That I embarrassed you at the engagement, right?”

“ I’m certainly upset as the engagement didn’t go through but—-----------------”

“ I knew it.” For a moment there, I truly thought you came here because you were worried about me and cared for me.”

“ The truth is so bitter.” I should’ve known that you never once cared for me. I don’t know what I was thinking, really!”

“ Just because Sakamoto-San told me you mustn’t have had your reasons, I thought it could be true.” What an idiot I was for thinking that?”

Dripping tears flowed from Ryuji’s eyes as he was emotionally speaking to his father. He covered his eyes with his bare hands.

(Sakamoto-San? Is that the girl who interrupted the engagement and who I came across just now?)

(What is that girl to Ryuji? What does she represent?)

On her way back from the canteen, Josiane ran into Thomas who was seated on a bench.

“ For you to be here, that must mean Ryuji’s father is inside, right?”

“ How did you know?”

“ I ran into him when I was on my way to the canteen. He doesn’t seem to like me very much.”

“ I apologize on his behalf.”

“ There’s no need!” I wasn’t offended by what he said in the slightest; He mustn’t have had his share of troubles too, just like everyone.”

“ You truly are a sensible person, Sakamoto-San.” You always see the good in others no matter the circumstances.”

“ That isn’t true at all, Albertini-San.” It’s obvious that Fujimiya-San is a good person and cares deeply for his son beyond everything that might have happened between them.”

“ I only hope for father and son to reconstruct their broken relationship.”

“ I hope for the same.”