The Professor's Son

"Are you okay now buddy?" Xhemin uttered in front of Summer as she towed her head against the horse. It had been few days since Summer was found and she was glad the horse's condition was getting better. "Drink more water, it will help you get better" she added.

It was past noontime but Xhemin was slightly sleepy, yawning every now and then. The maidservants had observed that for the past few days, the little miss seemed to have not been sleeping well. However, they though it was kind of normal, she must have a terrible rough adjustment in Woodbridge—with the weather, the people and the routine.

Unknown to everyone, the little miss had to get up every midnight—when everyone else was asleep in order to attend and treat her horse. Summer brought with him a rare disease, and so the horse needed a specific type of medication only few people in the whole country knew. Xhemin who knew how to make the cure had to be secretive about it because her grandfather had long warned her that it might stir up national interest and public attention, which was the last thing she and her grandfather wanted.

Summer had Staw disease, the acute stage that almost cost the horse his life. If he was not found sooner, it might be too late for Xhemin to cure him. For how and where Summer caught up the disease, she had no idea. She did think all these years that Staw disease was non-existent anymore for it had been years since she encountered one, but when she examined Summer, she became more certain about it.

So, Xhemin treated Summer—at night when no one was looking. No one must know Summer had Staw disease as well as the fact that she made the cure to treat Summer. Last time around, when she unconsciously spilled that Summer was sick to professor Shun and the rest, she instantly told him it was just a simple horse flu that will soon fade away. Unsuspecting, they believed her and so she had to sneak out every night to see Summer.

"Little Miss, maybe you should take some nap" One of the laborers suggested when he saw the girl yawned again for the nth time.

Turning her head to him she answered "I just need a power nap, I can't be gone for too long because I have to go to the hillside to get some more wild herbs"

"It's weekend and you are still on your research? Don't you have some rest days?" the laborer continued to chat with her.

"Well, I guess." Xhemin answered in a nonchalant way. She didn't really care about rest days or so. The thing she needed was not a rest day but a preoccupied day. With that, she won't have a chance of remembering how lonely it was not being in Hampshire.

Xhemin was still absorb with attending to Summer when she heard the maidservant's giggles nearby. She turned to the side where the women gathered themselves, she saw them eyeing on something at a distance. Her eyebrows curved upwards.

"What are they fussing about?" She asked the laborer whom she chatted earlier.

"I guess, the professor's son is home. They kind of adore him" he answered explicitly.

"I see. Do they like him that much?"

"Well, Dr. Cyan Shun was one heck of a hot guy. You should go and greet him Little Miss" He suggested.

"I guess you are right. I'll take my leave then" She answered and started moving. However, before she could step out of the barn, Madam Selina came rushing toward her, her vintage hills clicking on the barn's cemented floors.

"Oh dear, there you are! Come met my son!" The old woman called on to Xhemin as soon as her eyes caught the sight of her. She was walking with a man beside her, the man's big boots made a rhythmical noise against the floor, solid and regular like a soldier. The professor's son himself was a tall big fellow with alluring features and faultless sun-kissed skin.

"Hello Doctor Cyan Shun, I'm very pleased to meet you" Xhemin simply greeted.

"I'm deeply pleased to have met you too. O my, the great doctor's granddaughter! I can't believe it!" He was unable to keep the delight from his voice. Without fanfare, he pulled a bouquet of fresh flowers from behind his back and handed it to her. "These are for you"

"They are pretty, thank you" Xhemin looked up at him with a smile of pure pleasure as she extended her hands to accept the big bouquet of flowers he brought for her.

"I am so sorry I have not been able to show myself at the mansion. But I am very glad that nothing bad happened to you" he added, recalling the incident previous days ago.

"Don't think about it doctor, there's nothing to apologize really" Xhemin answered a little awkward. It seemed that for the past few days, people kept on apologizing for the mess she did. Where in fact, she should be the one apologizing for it.

"Alright" he responded with relief and continued waggishly "I haven't formally introduced myself, I am Cyan Shun, veterinarian. At your service little Miss, " His introduction ended with a wide beam and he gave her a solid salute, as if he was a real trooper.

"Xhemin Lae Dugmoch, botanist" Xhemin also introduced herself, mimicking the ways of the professor's son. Right then and there, she knew the man got some humor in him. She found it amusing in an odd way.

"I guess we should do a handshake!" Cyan suggested offering a hand.

"Well of course!" Xhemin reached out as her smile turned wide.

"I am very glad you two met already, Madam Selina interceded. "By the way son, have you seen Xhemin's horse?"

"I did. At the mansion" Suddenly, Dr. Cyan's face turned dim. All the glow of joy turned into a pool of worry and concern. "Little Miss, I'm sorry for what happened to your horse"

"Dr. Cyan, no need to be sorry for that. The securities brought my horse safe and sound" Xhemin answered not getting the thought of what Dr. Cyan was implying.

"But you horse is... I mean your horse will—"

Suddenly, Summer showed himself out of his barn. Xhemin had not closed his pen yet because she was in the middle of giving him water earlier which she eventually forgotten because of the mother and son's arrival. Summer moved toward Xhemin and licked her arms.

"Oh, there you are buddy. You need more water?" She turned to Summer who was very pleased with the attention she was giving. "By the way Dr. Cyan, this is Summer"

"Impossible!" Dr. Cyan froze on the spot. All his facial muscles twitched in sync.

Both women turned confused to Dr. Cyan's reaction. Madam Selina queried in an instant "What is it Cye?"

His mother's question wakened Dr. Cyan from his disbelief. When he saw the women's puzzled face flaunting in front of him, he immediately renounced what he said earlier by saying, "Nothing mother. I am, I am just glad that Summer was home."