Thank you

Zairo could not believe what was happening, so coming into his house and taking over his room was not enough she wanted to train with them too?? But she really wasn't the main problem now. It was Old man who kept on agreeing to what she wanted. He has even agreed to become her teacher, not only that, he even told Zairo to help her because somethings are easier to understand when someone your age shows it to you.

"Why would I want to help her?? Zairo asks pouting

" because in the process of helping someone else, you are also helping yourself " Old man told him but he was too angry to think about it.

They all went through the training that day each with different expressions on their faces. By the end of the training, Jato was looking like he just came out of a swimming pool. He was sweating from head to toe profusely. A part of him wanted to call it quit but another part didn't want to be a weakling. But all he wanted to do now was lie down somewhere and sleep. As for Zairo he had gotten used to training so it was nothing new to him. All through the training, he was throwing malevolent glances at Chinju. One time Old man called him forward to show something to Jato and Chinju, and he made sure he jabbed her with his shoulder. He was just being a bad baby.

Chinju on the other hand just ignored his tantrums and focused on her training, but of course that was not easy to do because he made it very obvious that he was looking for trouble.

Jato was going to wait for something to eat before he went back home but he decided to just go home. He was scared if he stayed longer Old man might start another training...

"We'll see you tomorrow, right Jato?? Old man asks teasingly

" Yes,.. Maybe.. He ran out of the place as he answered..

They decided to close the shop earlier today, normally they closed the shop by 9pm since it was in the same compound, but Old man stated that they had all had a long day so they would close early, have dinner, go to sleep and continue everything the next day.

As usual, Zairo made dinner and the three of them ate in silence. "thank you for the food,.. I will go to bed now" Chinju says and Zairo watches her closely as she walks into 'his room'. He just didn't know what to say. He did not finish his food that night, he just went to bed...but not before setting his alarm clock to 4:30am. He was going to wake up early and open the store before she did.

The alarm rang and he jumped out of his bed. It was almost as if he didn't even sleep. He went straight to the back of the house,.. "Yes!!! I made it, the door is still closed. She has not woken up yet". He was really happy at this fact. He ran back into the house, took his bath and got himself ready all in 10 minutes.. Then he ran back to the training room door, opened it only to see Chinju there practicing. Apparently she had woken up since 2am to take a leak but couldn't fall asleep back so she came to the training room and has been practicing since then.

Though she did not open the store, Zairo was still jealous that she woke up before him...

He walked past her and went straight to the door that led to the store. He opened the store himself, Chinju was going to clean up the training room but he told her he would do it. So she let's him. When he finished cleaning the training room and the shop, it was already 7am so he went back inside to make breakfast, while she swept the remaining part of the compound. He remembered that Old man mentioned he wanted green tea, so when he was done cooking he decided to boil water for tea.

He was going outside to throw out the trash when he saw Chinju on the floor, she was finding it hard to breath, he ran up to her and sat her up, allowing her to rest her back, he was confused he didn't know what to do "Old man!!, Old man!!!, Old man!!!...he frantically called out it seemed like the only thing he could do at that moment, her situation was getting worse, she was finding it harder and harder to breathe.

Fortunately, Old man came out running, he saw them both on the ground, Zairo holding her in his arms, he looked scared, worried, and almost at the point of tears. He looks at her...

"Zairo do we still have honey?....get me some honey and hot water....hurry" he tells the terrified Zairo. He gently pulls away from her leaving her in the arms of Old man and runs inside to get what he was asked to.

Thankfully he was already boiling water, so he just gets the honey as fast as he could, grabs the kettle of boiling water, and runs back outside. He runs back inside to get a bowl, he pours a bit of cold water into the bowl because he felt the water would be too hot. Old Man collects the bowl and adds the hot water and honey into it. He gives it to chinju, she tries her best to drink the little she can, but the breathing was not yet okay. Old man gives her more honey water and then slowly her throat starts to clear up and gradually she began to take deep breaths and in the space of some time, her breathing was back to normal.

Old man carries her into the room and places her on her bed. Zairo was still shaken up. He felt like it was his fault. If only he had allowed her clean up the training room instead. It was less dusty than the outside. He had no idea she was asthmatic. She had almost given up and it would have been his fault. All because he was stupidly jealous.

"it's not your fault," Old man said. It was obvious what he was thinking because he was still shaking. "it's not your fault so just be nicer to her" Old man said and walked away.

Zairo walks up to the door of her room, opens it a little and slides his head inside just enough to see her. She was asleep, she wasn't looking as pale as before. Now she was just calmly asleep. He let out a sigh of relief.

Through out that day, he did not stop checking on her. He would peep through her door to see if she was doing okay, to see if she was awake. He could barely eat, Jato did not come to their house that day so they just thought he was scared of training . He was sincerely worried. He eventually fell asleep in the living room.

He did not set an alarm so when he woke up, the sun was already up. It was already past 8. He stood up from the chair and then he remembered something. He ran to the door of Chinju's room, he opened it slowly and peeped through and then flung the door wide open in shock. She was not there. He started to panic 'did she have another attack..., is she alright.., what if something bad happens to her?? All these questions kept on ringing in his head. He ran towards the door.....

She was sweeping the outside floors. He let out a huge sigh of relief...

"What are you doing?? He yells at her

" oh Zairo.. Good morning" she says grinning. He walks up to her and snatches the broom from her.. "I said what are you doing....are you crazy, do you want to get another attack again?? She was looking confused why was he angry this time...

" from now on clean the the training room and the store it is less dusty... I will do the rest...he says. She could suddenly understand what he was trying to do. He saw the smile on her face...." I'm not doing this because I'm concerned or worried about you, I just like sweeping the outside that's all. Don't you dare do my own chore....

" yes boss" she says with a big smile on her face.

He turns around to walk away. His lips curled up. He was pleased with himself.

As expected, Chinju had already opened the store and even Old man was awake and he even made breakfast. So Zairo just freshened up and had his breakfast. He was very hungry.

After eating, Chinju was doing the dishes when Zairo walked up to her and handed her a nylon bag... She cleans her wet hands on the blouse she was wearing and collects it.

"just incase it ever happens again" he says as he hands her the nylon. It was inhalers. He had bought them the previous day. He saw the happiness in her eyes and he was also happy but he still had to play the hard guy.

"let me tell you again, it's not that I am worried, I just don't..... He was still talking when she threw herself on him in a hug.

" Thank you,.. Thank you for saving me twice.., Thank you " she says with tears rolling down her cheek.

Although he did not wrap his hands around her to hug her back, he did not push her away either. He just stood there smiling to himself.