ELI'S CONDITION

Spring is the time of rebirth, renewal, and awakening. Many trees are blossoming and early flowers are pushing through the earth, birds singing and bees are buzzing. Things are coming to life! Sometimes, people also refer this to as the moment of falling in love.

Ceres died in the cold winter and greeted spring when she woke up. Meeting Joaquin or Eli at this point could have been the best moment of her life but the guilt of her past life kept haunting her. For her, love and spring do not get along well. Yet, her love for him intensified no matter how much she tried to deny it.

"Here." Eli placed three magazines of different styles on her bed. "You can read them if you get bored and I'm not here."

"I still get bored even if you are around." Ceres retorted even though she was taking the goods that he gave her. Really. Not showing she was grateful for him. "It would be great if you could bring me some novels."

"I'll buy you some on one condition."

"I'm not sleeping with you."

"Hey! I'm not that kind of person! Look at me! Do I look like a hooligan to you?!"

"Yeah."

Eli looked at her- tongue-tied. He wasn't even sure if she was kidding or not. [I was never called a hooligan before.] He thought and suddenly, he burst out laughing which stunned Ceres. She never heard him laugh before and not even in Belle's memories was he seen laughing so carefree and genuinely. It feels like he is a different person from Belle's memories.

"Anyway, I'm not asking you to sleep with me. As I have said from the very beginning, I am helping you regain your memories."

"So, what is your condition for me to get my hands on novels?"

"Starting from the basics, I will let you read medical books and show you videos of how things are done. At the end of the week, I will give you an exam. If you get 75%, I'm asking you 75; you can ask me any novel you want to read."

"Deal," Ceres answered at once before he could change his mind to another condition that will not be favorable to her. Since he only asked for 75%, she will do her best to make the most of what Belle knew. [She's pretty smart. This will be a walk in the park for me.]

Seeing her calculating smile as if she has the upper hand, Eli, before he could stop himself, already reached his hand out to rub Belle's head. This gesture didn't just stun the two of them, Dr. Lopez who was watching them outside Belle's room was surprised, too.

She was stalking Eli after she found out what he has been doing during his free time and what she witnessed fanned the jealousy in her heart. She always knew that Belle was kind-natured but she hates people like her. They're the type of people who have the tendency to snatch the ones she cared about. [Not Eli. No. I won't let you have him.]

Stomping her heels angrily, she left the place without turning back. [Eli should only smile at me. He can only rub my head. He is not allowed to look at her.]

"Dad!" Dr. Lopez shouted as she pushed the door to her father's office. "Why are you giving Dr. Rivera so much work? Belle should not be his responsibility."

"What's getting you so worked up? Dr. Rivera is not doing this because he felt responsible. He just wanted to help his junior. Besides, I never asked him to do this. He voluntarily came to me for this. If you want to stop him, go and do it yourself. And please mind your manners. We are not at home."

She didn't get what she wanted, she was even scolded. Her anger towards Belle soared up to another level. The thought of Eli doing this voluntarily brought another surge of jealousy in her heart.

"Can't you ask him to do something else during his free time?" Dr. Lopez tried to persuade her father once more. She just didn't want Belle and Eli to spend more time together.

The director looked at his daughter helplessly. He knew that she likes Eli and if Eli was just an ordinary guy, he would do his best to tie this man down for his daughter. Unfortunately, Eli was indispensable. He was the best doctor there is in their department. And as a doctor, saving lives matter more to him compared to indulging his daughter's whims because of jealousy. At the same time, Eliezer Rivera wasn't the type of man that he can manipulate.

"Peach. Free time is for everyone to use in whatever way they want. Can you hear yourself? If you want him to spend time on you or look at you, do something that can attract his attention. Stop coming to me for this because I cannot and will not help you. Be professional."

"I hate you!" Dr. Peachy Lopez strode out angrily and slammed the door close. The loud sound attracted the other passing nurses and patients. They were all wondering what was wrong with her brain today.

Back in Belle's room, Eli bid his farewell to get back to work. Well, that was just an excuse. He still got more time to spend with her but his recent gesture went out of hand and put them in awkward silence. In addition, Belle's blushing face tickled a part of his heart - probably his left atrium or right ventricle. He couldn't tell.

Belle calmed herself and started reading one of the magazines. It was a fashion magazine that features the latest designs from Gucci, Prada, Celine, and many international brands. She didn't know why he brought this for her when she could not even buy any of this.

"Hmm." Belle flipped the pages until she stopped in the middle and thought of a plan. She needed to investigate this world. She cannot just ask anyone if they heard anything about the Raptors or if a place called Carmen City exists. [If I borrow a laptop from him, will he agree?]

"No!" Eli responded without a second thought. He was visiting her again in the afternoon with Neon but the favor she asked him was just out of this world. Well, she was currently a patient and she needs to recuperate. "You are not allowed to use gadgets."

"I'm not a kid. It's fine. I won't use them for a long time."

"I will bring my laptop for you to study during my free time. Other than that, you cannot use it."

"Five minutes."

"What?"

"Let me use it for five minutes. I need to do some research for our future. I mean for Neon and me. I have to check my bank and find a new home. Just five minutes every time you visit me."

"So, you have remembered what happened to Neon and your godmother?" Eli asked hesitantly. Belle mentioned leaving their home once during Neon's first visit and he thought it was just because she remembers Neon. Apparently, she remembers her godmother, too. She just didn't say anything.

"I won't settle it with her for now since I am weak."

"You are not weak." Neon cut in to correct his sister. "You are strong because you live for me, right Eli?"

[Why is it him again? What nonsense has he been spouting to my brother?]

Eli just rubbed Neon's head which brought a smile to the kid's face. "Alright. I'll agree to this. Five minutes and that's that. No more, no less."

"Thanks, doc."

Ceres was already planning what she should search for first to maximize her 5-minute allotted time. She must obtain as much information as she could. [Wait! What if I don't have enough money?!] Her eyes instinctively sought Eli and when he looked at her, she could only grin mischievously to hide her embarrassment. [Where the heck is my plan to stay far away from him?!]

***

At night, when the hospital was at its quietest time, Belle would wake up and look outside. No one will visit her at any moment and since she was not sharing her room with other patients, she got the best time to talk with the foreign soul in her body.

"Eli is not Joaquin. Don't treat him differently." Belle said as she clutched onto the magazines that Eli brought earlier. "He's not the person you killed so, you don't have to feel guilty about him."

[Do you know anything about the Raptors? We shared our memories several times, you know what I mean?]

"I have not heard anything about them or anyone related to you."

[Aren't you scared of me?]

"I'm not scared of death, lest you."

[So, all I have to do is take away your brother and settle down to a place where he can be happy. Do you even have enough money?]

"We can borrow from Eli."

[You have no shame.]

"I don't need that for my brother."

[Don't worry. I will be your sword and shield. That's what Xhylan said to me and I will be doing the same for you since I owe you this body.]

"Since when are we going to pretend?"

[For as long as we can. I have no plan on telling him who I am.]

"Eli will suspect you sooner or later. He has a very sharp observation."

[I'm sharper and smarter than him.]

At home, Eli was sorting out his questions for Belle's exam but he accidentally bit his lower lip when he wasn't even eating. "Who's talking about me?" He asked while caressing his lip with his tongue. "That stings."

In the Philippines, if you accidentally bit your lower lip or tongue, it means someone was talking about you. Eli must have learned about this when he visited the country with Tristan before.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Come in."

His mother opened the door and found him still fiddling with his computer. "Why are you still awake? Shouldn't you be resting since it is not working hours?"

"I just need to finish this. I'll be going to sleep soon."

"Is that for your patient again?"

"Hm."

"Are you doing this to escape those blind dates I looked for you? Just how much do you hate this idea? You can just be honest with me."

"Mom."

"You are still in love with Jill, aren't you? If you are not, why can't you find someone else?"

"I'm doing this because I already found someone." [Sorry, Belle. Let me use you for tonight. I promise I'll make it up to you.]

But Eli's mother has different brainwaves compared to him.