HE WASN'T ABLE TO PROTECT HER

"Let's get inside." Mo Yuan took Han Luo's hand and they went back into the house. The moment he closed the door, a strong wind started to blow. Han Luo and Mo Yuan hurriedly closed all the windows.

She asked Mo Yuan worriedly, "Will the baby cat be okay?"

Mo Yuan looked at her calmly and then his eyes gazed at her top to bottom. She was drenched. He was also drenched. "Wait here, I'll look for it," he said.

Han Luo stayed in front of the door while Mo Yuan went outside again. He searched behind the house for the kitten, which was the last place he saw it. He looked around the swimming pool, but it was nowhere to be seen. The wind's gales had grown fiercer as the rain started to torrent down. Since he couldn't find the kitten, he came back inside. Mo Yuan opened the door, only to be met by Han Luo's perturbed countenance. He tried his best to comfort her. "The kitten isn't here. It must have gone to its home."

"I-I see…" Han Luo lowered her head. Seeing that she started trembling because of the glacial air, he declared, "Don't just stand here. Go and take a shower. We shouldn't stay wet or we will catch a cold."

"All right." Han Luo turned around and went upstairs with Mo Yuan swiftly following behind her. As they walked, the floor had become moistened by the water which dripped from their bodies.

Mo Yuan took a hot shower and changed clothes. He left his wet clothes to dry. He then went to check on Han Luo in his parents' room, where she was currently staying. The young boy knocked on the door, but there was no answer. He then opened it and saw Han Luo struggling with her wet hair.

She had taken a bath and changed her clothes. Since the young girl never usually dried her own long hair, she was having a problem doing so. Mo Yuan strode inside and took the soft pink towel from her. "Let me do it."

Han Luo obediently listened to him. She sat on the bed – just as he told her – and faced the other way. Behind her, Mo Yuan covered her head with the towel and gently wiped her hair. Han Luo's hair was shiny black, silky, and smooth. It felt too good to touch. While he was drying her hair, he sensed her shivering. He asked, "What's wrong?" He felt upset thinking that she might be scared of him.

But her answer was different. She mumbled softly, "I… feel cold…"

Mo Yuan frowned. It was raining outside but it wasn't that cold for a girl like her to shiver. Without thinking, he touched her forehead and gasped. Her forehead was burning. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. Her face was flushed and her eyes looked hazy. She wasn't in the storm for that long yet had caught a fever rather quickly.

Mo Yuan began to panic. "You have a fever – lie down on the bed. I'll bring some water and medicine for you." He helped her to lie down on his parents' bed and covered her with the comforter. "Stay here, and don't do anything."

"…Okay…" Han Luo faintly replied. She felt so weak, her limpid eyes staring at the blurry outlines of him.

Mo Yuan gritted his teeth and dashed downstairs. He felt his chest scorch with fury; he blamed himself for not taking care of her properly. His mother was only gone for two hours and yet Han Luo managed to fall sick under those two hours. The worried boy took out the first aid kit and found some medicine for fevers. He then grabbed a bottle of mineral water and walked back upstairs. Before he gave her the medicine, he remembered that his mother always told him to eat something before taking medicine.

He sprinted downstairs again and poured the chicken porridge his mother cooked for them in a bowl, before taking it upstairs. Mo Yuan helped her to sit down and asked, "Can you eat on your own?"

Han Luo nodded slightly. She reached out her shaky hands to the bowl, but Mo Yuan suddenly stopped her. "Your hands are shaking. If you eat, you'll spill everything. I'll feed you." For the first time in his life, he fed a person. He was clumsy at first and spilled porridge on her dress. He used a napkin to wipe her mouth and fed her again.

When she was done eating, he let her take the medicine. He didn't want her to wear the dress she was wearing since he spilled some food. Therefore, he rampaged through her luggage and found a cotton shirt. He gave her the shirt and told her to change into it. The boy did have manners and didn't want to stay there while she was changing, so he went to the kitchen to leave the empty bowl.

When he had brought back another empty bowl, he found her already lying down, enveloped in the warm refuge of the comforter. He filled the bowl with cold water. Afterward, he put it down on the table beside the bed and dampened a handkerchief. Then he put it on her forehead.

Han Luo opened her foggy eyes and gazed at him. She mumbled, "Big… brother… Yuan… you didn't eat…"

"Don't worry about me," Mo Yuan lightly replied. If she didn't mention it, he would've almost forgotten that it was lunchtime. He was feeling hungry, but he didn't want to leave her alone.

"…N-no… big brother Yu…an… you must eat… or I won't… listen to… you anymore…" Han Luo had succumbed to her trembles and found it difficult to talk. Her breathing had become audible and heavy, as she inhaled and exhaled slowly.

Mo Yuan hesitated before agreeing, "All right, I'm going to the kitchen and I'll eat. You can close your eyes and try to sleep."

"…Okay…" Han Luo smiled slightly – it was nothing like her usual bright smiles.

Mo Yuan went downstairs and hastily finished his lunch. It was uncertain when his mother would come back; to make matters worse the storm was rampaging outside. He headed back upstairs.

Han Luo heard his footsteps and looked at him as he approached. Mo Yuan was startled. "Didn't I tell you to sleep?"

"…Did… you… eat… big brother… Yuan…?" Despite her fever, she still found it in her radiant heart to be worried about him.

"I did. Now go to sleep or your fever won't go down." Mo Yuan sat beside her. He took away the handkerchief from her forehead and moistened it in the cold water again, before covering her forehead.