sᴇᴠᴇɴᴛʜ.

She was confused. She didn't know that it's been two days since the last time she remembered falling asleep. She was holding his phone when she fell asleep and then, when she woke up, she was still holding it. Her clothes changed but the ambiance of her bedroom didn't. She sat up and held her head lightly. She was feeling hazy until she heard a knock from outside. The door went open and saw that it was the Fourth Prince. She smiled faintly and he sat beside her. 

"How do you feel? You slept for two days because of your fever." He said and now, her mind started to get clear. She hummed softly and closed her eyes again. She was still feeling out of energy. 

"I asked Lauren and Fuyu to keep a copy of the lessons you missed. They said they will visit you later after classes." He continued, pulling her a little closer to give her a hug. 

She felt relieved now. He is there to make her feel safe and protected. She hugged him back though she was still feeling weak. Her nanny walked in with a bowl of rice porridge with shredded chicken meat. He helped her to take her lunch and after taking medicines, he let her have more rest. He left her room and it seemed that her nanny was waiting for him. 

"Can I talk to you, Young Master?" The older one asked and he nodded politely. They went to the garden to have a private conversation. He didn't attend his afternoon classes just to make sure that she is already feeling well. 

"As Young Mistress' future husband, I would like to ask you to take care of her well. I've been with her since she was in her mother's womb and now that things around her are getting more complicated, I know you will be able to protect her." She started and he agreed. As the person who will be by her side until the day they will die, it will be his responsibility but at the same time, he wasn't forced to do it for her. 

"I understand your worries, Nanny. I may not be the perfect partner but I will do my best for her." He said and the older one smiled softly. 

At the age of sixteen, they still have a long way to go. His grandfather influenced him on handling their family business and this gave him a chance to learn and improve. In the eyes of other people, it may be an arranged marriage for business but for him, at least, it is not. He likes her and she is also giving hints that the feeling is mutual. Though he should not be too comfortable with it because he can tell that there are men who want to pursue her. 

"It was not my first time to see her so fragile and vulnerable but that night, it was my first time to see in her eyes that she was so scared to lose someone." She started again after a long pause. 

The news about the incident with the Second Prince was suppressed by his own family and only them, his closest friends, knew about it. Until now, he is still in the hospital. The doctors said he will need to stay there for one more week to make sure that his head injuries will not be infected. He let out a soft sigh before going back to her bedroom. When he arrived back, he saw her clutching on the phone tightly, sweating heavily as she was having a nightmare. 

"Riku!" She screamed, jolting from her sleep. Tears started to fall from her eyes and he quickly went by her side to comfort her. 

On the other hand, the Second Prince already regained his consciousness. Only his family and closest friends can visit him but he preferred to be alone for now to contemplate. Will his decision to decline the arranged marriage be better than accepting it? He doesn't want to get married without love. He looked for his phone but they said it was missing. He knows where it is. It is with her. 

"Come in." He said when he heard a knock from outside. The door opened and the First and Third Princes walked in. He noticed the sullen face of the youngest, so he already assumed that something went wrong. 

"What happened to your agenda?" He asked the First Prince but he kept quiet instead. He still can't process everything that happened between him and the Sixth Princess. 

"Just things." He muttered and the Second Prince didn't ask anymore. They know that it is not the right time to ask about it. 

"I already checked the surveillance cameras in the whole area but they were quick. They tampered with the video footage and your incident with them was nowhere to be found." The Third Prince said. Though he doesn't really need those, he can't risk the Fifth Princess' life just for his plans. 

As the next in line for the Aoyama Empire, his parents, especially his grandmother, couldn't accept what that family did to him. They should still be careful because they are dealing with a no ordinary family. They are affiliated with the yakuza and they probably have people lurking around him. He is also careful about this because all people who are close to him might be used against him. 

"Let's lie low for now. I'm still not fully recovered and I don't want to have more problems aside from this one." He said and then, they heard a knock from outside. 

"Come in." He said and when the door opened, they saw a slim figure approaching. It is his supposedly fiancée.