Chapter Three

Dangerous Elysium || Chapter Three

Nimueh was busy fixing her things for work when she saw the envelope lying in her drawer. She was too busy for the last few days that she didn't even bother to read it.

"Keeper Malwood?" Cold and uneasiness feelings embraced her system. The name was familiar to her. She didn't know why but she had a bad feeling after seeing the name of the sender.

She yelped in shock when her phone rang. That's when she realized she was almost late for the wedding. She put aside the envelope and left for her work. That will wait, she thinks, but the wedding can't so she immediately walks outside her apartment.

Nimueh had been busy with her sideline job for several days while she still had no permanent job. And now she has accepted Joena's offer to be a photographer at her cousin's wedding. Fortunately, she knows photography besides being a Business Manager. She does not want to rely solely on her parents' money because she prefers to be an independent child.

She was stunned and looked in awe after seeing the wedding reception. The venue was breathtaking, the white sands blend perfectly on the wedding's theme. The royal and mint blue color of the silk cloth lined to the benches and coated the flowers' bouquet. Not to mention the gowns of the sponsors and people attended the wedding.

"Look who's here!"

A rough and rude tone echoed in her ear. She didn't mind it thinking that she's not the one that the voice was referring to. But to her surprise, a warm and big hand slightly patted her right shoulder. Her camera almost slipped on her hand. With irritation, she turned around only to face-to-face with the man who always visited in her dreams.

"Y—You?" Supposed to be a statement but she was really surprised.

The man smirked and stretched out his hand in front of her. "The one and only. I supposed we never got a chance to properly introduce ourselves? I'm Aiden Collin."

Nimueh was still dazed. The man—Aiden snapped his fingers in her face. She blinked multiple times before catching her breath at its own pace. "N—Nimueh. Nimueh Reed." She accepted his hand and felt his slight squeeze.

"So you're the photographer?" He asked.

"Yeah. And you? What are you even doing here?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe be a doctor when someone collapsed?"

Nimueh raised her eyebrows. Collapsed, really? But sudden realization hit her. Small gasp escaped on her mouth. Aiden was referring to her. Of course, she thinks she'll really collapse any time because of her tight dress and the fact that she's already pale because of the sun meeting her skin. That's why she's never a fan going outside in the summer season.

"Go to a shady place, yeah?" Aiden offered.

The mention of collapsing strikes her. Nimueh cursed under her breath when she felt nauseous and ready to vomit. But she kept standing. "I'm fine. Just need some rest."

"You're not. Come here, take a seat." Aiden guided her to place without being exposed in the sun. "Water please?" He asked the waiter passing their side.

"I'm fine, really. Don't—" Her words were cut off when Aiden uttered some words then her world came into darkness.

***

"Dude, come on! Open the door." A loud and continuous knock stopped Aiden from preparing a soup. He cursed and immediately walked to his door and opened it. Kaegan has an uncertain looks and cupping his crotch.

"What the—" He was about to ask him what happened but Kaegan was already inside and running fast to the bathroom where. . .

"No shit! Dude, why the hell is there women's clothes here? Are you banging someone right now?" Kaegan shouted from the bathroom.

Aiden just facepalm. He sighed and walked to where his friend was. "Leave them there. And come out quick. Fuck you, Kaegan. Am not in the mood to bang someone right now."

Kaegan came out afterwards. "Then whose clothes are they?"

"Keep your voice down," he said. He came back preparing the soup and Kaegan was behind him.

"No shit sherlock! You're making soup?!"

"Yes. And if you keep shouting, am gonna slice your tongue and mix it here."

Kaegan abruptly shut his mouth. "Are you sick?" He asked in a whisper.

"Nope. It's for the woman there," he said, pointing to his room. "The amazon girl was right there, sleeping. She fainted while at her work. Only happened that I was there too and came in rescue."

"Wow. Are you some kind of soulmate? Coz you know, you always keep on bumping into each other."

"Idiot!" Aiden chuckles by that thought. He was torn between accepting that it might be real though he didn't believe in soulmates and sweeping that idea.

"Anyway, you're staying here for good or what?"

"Dunno. Father still wants me to be here. The hospital's doing great with the help of the board members. If he comes with me to America then there's no reason to stay here," he answered.

Before Kaegan could reply, someone broke a loud cough. He was startled and remembered Nimueh in his room. He didn't wait for his friend. He ran quickly and opened the door. He saw Nimueh still on the bed, coughing hard.

He scooted beside her and ran his hands lightly on her bed. He get the water on the side table. "Hey, drink first. Do you feel dizzy?" He asked smoothly.

"Y—Yes." She drank the water and said thank you after.

"You wanna eat some soup? I prepared it while you're asleep."

"Prepared soup?" She asked, saying the words slowly. That's when she looked at him with wide eyes. "Where am I? And—"

A hard smack can be felt on his chest. "Where's my clothes?!"

Aiden blinked a couple of times before realizing that Nimueh, in fact, was dressed with his clothes. A large shirt. "Oh, I changed your clothes coz you kinda puke?" He almost stuttered. He didn't do anything wrong, why was he nervous in front of her?

"What!? You changed my clothes?" Nimueh looked shocked. Her face almost looks like a red apple.

"Hey! I didn't look at your–you know. I swear!" He blurted out. Shit! Why is he freaking like a woman?

Nimueh stared at him for a moment with a murderous eyes. Those eyes again.

Loud knocks spilled on their silent moment. "For fuck sake!" He muttered under his breath. "Kaegan, could you please just leave?" He shouted that surprised Nimueh.

"A'right bro. Jeez, am I interrupting something?"

He was about to yell again when Nimueh groaned. "Hey. Whoever you are! Yes you're interrupting me from murdering this person. So if you never wish to be killed like him, shut up and leave!"

A moment of silence filled the house. The sound of the clock can be heard. Aiden wanted to burst out of laugh after. Then Kaegan's curse could be heard outside the door. Nimueh was still glaring at Aiden.

"Oh, ah yes. I'm going." Kaegan stuttered then he heard a shuffling sound. "You can't kill him, woman! He's one of a kind."

"Fuck you, Kaegan. Fuck!" He cursed his friend in his mind.

***

Nimueh was still managing to fix her mind. She was in Aiden's house again. And the man wasn't like the last time they met. He's kind a gentleman and has time to worry about her.

She's sitting on the couch. A large television was in front of her and a basket full of fruits. She doesn't know why Aiden was panicking while arranging the fruits and a soup earlier.

"Are you sick? You think I can eat all of these?" She asked, pointing at the food.

Aiden snapped his eyes on her. "You're the one who's sick. Eat them first then we'll go to hospital."

Nimueh's heart skipped in a beat. "Why are we going there?"

"You're sick!" Aiden snapped and regretted it after. "Sorry, it's just I'm a doctor and you're—"

"I'm what?" Nimueh asked with a firm tone.

"You almost had an attack! Don't you know that you should care about your situation?"

"So you knew. Really, you're stating the obvious. Don't remind me what situation I am going through!" Nimueh suddenly yelled.

She's sick. She already knew that. But it always makes her unhappy whenever she remembers. She wants to be a normal person, do what they do in their daily lives, work for her own expenses and needs. She doesn't want to be the sick person who depends everything on medication and people around her. She, in fact, doesn't want to be vulnerable. That's why she always acts tough, smart and brave.

"Hey, I didn't mean it. It's just I was scared." Aiden mumbles after a long minute.

Nimueh kept quiet. Aiden may think that she's mad but she was shocked because this was her first time having someone she barely knew cared and scared for her.

A smooth thing touched her cheeks. That's when she realized she's already crying. Aiden was wiping her tears. "I'm sorry if I made you cry." He whispered.

***

Aiden put the pillows on his face, trying to sleep. He was rolling side to side on his bed. It's already 9 p.m. He wants to sleep. But the woman laughing out loud in his living room wasn't helping. If only he knew that this would happen, he wouldn't bother to offer her to sleep here.

He didn't even know why he's so comfortable having Nimueh in his home though he barely knew her. And that woman also was too carefree hanging around him.

"Fuck! Woman, can you tone it down? Am tryin' to sleep here!"

But the laugh didn't lose. Instead, it became louder and louder until he rambled to get up and confront her. "You can watch the T.V without being loud, ya' know?"

"Quiet. I'm almost done here. Just sit wherever and wait for me to finish then you can sleep." She barely glanced at him.

Really? Did she forget that she's not in her own house? "This is my house, remember?"

A pillow was thrown to him. "Just sit and keep quiet!"

It kind of looked childish but he pouted and stomped his feet before sitting with great distance at her. "You're just lucky because I don't hit women," he mumbled.

"And I can." Another pillow was thrown to his face. He looked at Nimueh but the woman sat there, watching T.V with an innocent face.

He took a deep sigh to calm down himself. He never hit a woman. He's a gentleman. He tried to convince himself not to get the woman out of his house.