'You have to eat more...'

Soon a lovely aroma filled the house. Athena sniffed, her eyes wide, sparkling as she stared at the roasted meat. Her stomach suddenly grumbled loudly. Her face turned red and she placed a hand on her stomach. Darren chuckled at her cute reaction.

"Can I have a bite?" She asked timidly.

"Yes, only on one condition." He gave her an evil smirk. She swallowed hard. She suddenly had a bad premonition. However she pretended to not be scared and said boldly, "What condition. I can do anything to get that meat!"

She was a meat lover and she was willing to sacrifice anything for that meat.

"Really?" He chuckled. "You won't go back on your words once I tell you the condition?"

She nodded vigorously like a hen pecking on rice. He leaned in and whispered in her ear. Athena's face turned red and she pushed him away. "I won't do it!"

Darren pulled a long face. "You are already going back on your words?"

" Shameless!" She uttered and ran out of the room like something was chasing her.

He chuckled. He somehow found her reactions kinda cute. "Fine. I will give it to you without any conditions."

She immediately appeared at the door and stared suspiciously at him. "You are not lying, are you?"

He shook his head. She walked in hesitantly. "Sit down." She obliged and she was given a small piece of meat. She accepted it happily and gobbled it down. Darren shook his head helplessly and proceeded to cook the other dishes. Athena watched him cook skillfully with saucer eyes.

"Let me cut the vegetables," she offered and picked up the knife. She began to cut the vegetables clumsily.

"Be careful to not cut yourself," he warned her. Athena nodded and wore a serious expression.

She turned to look at Darren. His sleeves were rolled up as he stirred the pot. Athena gulped. Do all men look good while cooking? She blushed and pushed her weird thoughts aside.

"Argh!"

Darren turned to look at her, startled by her scream. She had accidentally cut her finger while ogling at Darren. Blood poured out of the wound. Fortunately, the wound was not deep.

He sighed helplessly. "Why are you so careless? Do you want to cut your finger off? What were you even thinking about?"

Athena bit her bottom lip and did not reply. She was never going to tell him about her weird thoughts. "You can continue to cook. I will be back."

She did not wait for him to respond and scurried out of the room. Darren could only stare at her disappearing figure helplessly. She was strange. She seemed to enjoy inflicting injuries on herself.

She soon came back with her finger bandaged. Athena was about to pick up the knife when he barked at her. "Don't you dare pick that knife! Find a chair to sit on and watch me cook."

Athena pouted, unwilling to do what he had said.

"Now!" He added. Athena obeyed this time and found a chair and sat down. She sulked.

Soon, Darren was done. She helped him serve the dishes and quickly sat down on a chair. Her eyes sparkled at the several dishes on the table. She could see herself gobbling down every single dish. Athena looked at Darren for approval to start eating.

"Dig in," he said as he picked up a fork. Darren watched her eat rather too fast, not caring about her image. Darren placed food after food in her plate and she ate it all. It was like she had been starving for days.

Athena paused when she noticed that he was not eating. Instead he was staring at her in amusement.

"Whhhy eh yo naughty eating?" She asked with her mouth full of food. Why are you not eating?

"Don't you have any table manners?" He scolded her. Athena swallowed the food in her mouth and grinned before she continued to stuff more food in her mouth. He rolled his eyes at her.

Three quarters of the food on the table was soon gone under his astonished gaze. Still he continued to put more food on her plate.

"Are you not going to eat?" She asked. Darren smiled. "I am not really hungry."

So she ate until she could not take anymore. "I am now full. Stop putting food on my plate."

" You have to eat more."

Athena glared at him as she rubbed her now big and round stomach. "Do you want me to get fat?"

"Actually I was planning to fatten you up and then eat you up." He gave her a wink.

She opened her mouth to retort but then thought of something and closed her mouth.

"Why are you not saying anything?"

She shot him a glare and tried to stand up but failed. Her stomach felt really heavy at the moment. He raised an eyebrow mockingly at her exasperated look. "Can't stand up?"

"I can!"

"If you can then why are you not standing up?" He taunted her. Athena ignored him and stood up with great difficulty.

She walked slowly towards the door.

"Athena?"

She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him. He stood up and walked towards her. She craned her neck to look at him. He was way taller than her. She looked at his towering figure and sulked inwardly. She looked so small when she stood next to him.

He grabbed her hand and headed towards the front door. "Where are we going?"

"You will know very soon," he answered mysteriously. Athena struggled to catch up with him. He walked in long strides and was deliberately dragging her. "Slow down!" She yelled at him but he did not slow down. Instead he walked faster.

Athena could only curse him under her breath. They got out of the house. It was already dark outside and the sky was filled with bright stars. Athena looked at the beautiful crescent moon and quietly admired it. Darren slowed down but did not let go of her hand.

"It's so beautiful," she said with her eyes shining with awe. She had never watched the moon before. Darren smiled. They walked in silence. Athena looked at her small hand that was being held by Darren and felt an indescribable emotion. She was held her hand like this when she was still little.

It was quite peaceful and quiet. Only the rustling of leaves could be heard. A soft breeze blew gently. Athena looked around, feeling relaxed and happy. After waking up from her coma, her life seems to be better than before. Darren doted on her, spoiling her rotten. And she did like being spoiled.

Thirty minutes passed as they walked. "Are we there yet?" She finally spoke up, breaking the silence.

"We are almost there," he replied. They fell into silence again. "Close your eyes."

Athena looked at him in confusion. "Do you trust me?"

She fell in deep thought at his question. Did she trust him? Athena looked into his gentle obsidian eyes. She did not know why she subconsciously trusted him. Was it because he had saved her once? Was it because of his gentle actions?

She did not know the reason but she knew that she trusted him. After contemplating for a few minutes, she answered truthfully, "I do."

He looked satisfied by her answer. "Then close your eyes." She obliged. Athena felt a hand cover her eyes. "Don't peek."

He led the way quietly. "Are you not peeking?"

"No," she denied. Time passed as the two walked.

"Can I open my eyes now?" She asked.

"No."

After about three minutes....

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"No!"

A few seconds later...

" Can I..."

" No," he interrupted. Athena pouted and did not say anything else again. After a few more steps, he removed his hand from her eyes and said, "You can open your eyes now."

Athena opened her eyes and gasped in amazement at the beautiful sight in front of her. There were fireflies all over the place. There was a small pond that reflected the sky. The trees swayed slightly in the wind. There were colourful flowers everywhere. It was quite a natural and beautiful place.

Athena looked around, with her mouth agape. She pulled her hand away from him and began to chase after the fireflies. Her soft laughter was heard as she ran. Darren smiled at her carefree behavior.

"This place looks so beautiful!" She exclaimed, happily. This place also looks familiar....

She pounced on him, catching him off guard. His expression softened and ruffled her hair. "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it!"

She then realized what she had done and quickly moved away from him, blushing. "Sorry. I got caught up in the moment."

She went to sit down at the pond. She took off her shoes and dipped her little feet into the cold water. Athena watched the fireflies as she dangled her feet in the water. "Thank you Darren."

"For what?" He asked as he went to sit beside her.

"For all of this," she instantly replied and looked at him. "I never had this kind of fun in my entire life. I have been always living in sorrow, fear... Fear for what might happen in the future. Sorrow over my short life."

" Your short life?"

Athena nodded. "I..." She paused, contemplating if she could tell him. He seemed to be a trustworthy man. After all, all he has showed her is kindness. "I have an unknown illness that is incurable."

Darren looked at her in surprise. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

She was not yet trusting him completely at that time. "I did not trust you at that time," she answered honestly.

" But now you trust me," he grinned. Athena nodded and fell silent. She looked at the water. Darren placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up.

"Stop worrying about the future. Let tomorrow take care of tomorrow. Enjoy all the time you have right now," he advised her.

" I guess you are right," she mumbled. The two fell into silence for a while. Athena stared at her reflection. "So do you have a family?" She asked curiously.

"No," came a curt reply and did not say anything else. Athena did not ask further since it seemed to be a sensitive topic from the serious expression on his face . However this made her become even more curious about his history.

"Or a wife?" she finally asked, her eyes shining with curiosity. She did not know much about him.

He shook his head but then grinned. "I don't have one but I can make you my wife if you want."

Athena rolled her eyes. Shameless man. She suddenly sneezed.

"Let's go back," he said. "I don't want to have you catching a cold."

.....