Chapter 37: Sewn ''Lily''
After savoring thest bite of the delicious meal Kiro had brought, I turned my attention to Mother''s
well-being. Gently, I gave her her medicine, knowing she needed rest after our lengthy conversation
earlier in the day. The weariness in her eyes was evident, and soon enough, her eyelids grew
heavy, and she drifted into a peaceful sleep. Dodong excusedhad to step out for a bit, leaving the
room in silence.
As the door closed, leaving Kiro and me alone in the private room''s cozy lounge, a hint of shyness
washed over me. I felt the need to exin myself, fearing that I had inconvenienced him by bringing
here with me so suddenly.
"I''m sorry for bringing you here so suddenly," I murmured, my gaze briefly meeting his before
looking down at my hands.
His response was warm and understanding, his eyes reflecting a sense offort that eased my
nervousness.
"It''s okay, Lyka. I''m free to travel now since the doctor said I''m already cured. Besides, I was
worried too," he reassured me, interrupting my apology.
After a moment of silence, I mustered the courage to apologize for Dodong''s behavior, exining
that he could be a bit ignorant at times. I felt the need to rify his actions, not wanting any
misunderstandings to arise.
Kiro''s response was gentle and understanding, hisughter filling the room. "That''s normal for kids,
I guess," he remarked with a warm smile. "Having a sibling can be quite an experience, Lyka."
I couldn''t help but find him adorable with his chatty nature. I tried to brace myself as his talkative
personality could easily overwhelm me.
"S-sorry..." I stumbled over my words, feeling the need to apologize once more. "You paid for
Mama''s hospitalization. It would have been okay if she stayed in the public ward," I said, my voice
tinged with guilt.
Kiro''s response was gentle and reassuring, a small smile ying on his lips. "That''s okay, Lyka. I
want to help," he said, his voice warm and understanding. "How many times will you apologize?" he
teased, yfully pointing out my tendency to say sorry repeatedly. "You don''t have to keep sayingContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.
sorry; I''m here because I genuinely want to be."
"How many times will you interrupt me from saying sorry?" I asked him, feeling a twinge of self-
consciousness as I noticed the surprise in his eyes.
Oops, did I reveal too much? Maybe I overreacted.
But instead of being upset, Kiro burst intoughter. "I just saw your other side, Lyka! HAHA! You''re
somewhat... cute," he said with a yful grin, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment.
I tried to hide my blushing cheeks with my hands, feeling a mix of amusement and bashfulness at
his candid remark. "I-I didn''t mean to show that side of me," I stammered, trying to regain my
composure.
Kiro''sughter subsided, and he gave me a reassuring smile. "There''s nothing to be embarrassed
about," he said kindly. "It''s endearing to see your vulnerable side, Lyk. It shows that you''re human
and that you care deeply about the people you love."
His words struck a chord within me, and I couldn''t help but appreciate his understanding nature.
Kiro had a way of seeing beyond the surface, of appreciating both my strength and moments of
vulnerability.
"I just don''t want to burden anyone with my problems," I admitted, feeling a sense of trust in him to
share this thing.
"You''re not burdening anyone," he reassured me. "We all have our struggles, and it''s okay to lean
on others for support. I''m here for you, Lyka, whenever you need someone to talk to."
"Cute? I heard the word ''cute'' from the outside! Who''s saying cute to whom? What do you mean
cute? That''s like Aling Hwebes'' description of her pet dog named Buknoy!" Dodong barged into the
room, his voice filled with curiosity and mischief.
I couldn''t help but feel a mix of annoyance and embarrassment at Dodong''s interruption. I wanted to
scold him for barging in and eavesdropping on our conversation, but I also felt a bit shy by his low-
key insulting me byparing me to a pet dog.
I wannaugh so hard!
Before he could say anything else, I took a deep breath and decided to handle the situation calmly.
"I don''t know what''s going on in your brain, Dong," I said, trying to maintain myposure. "Just
clean up the food we ate earlier," I added, giving him a clear task to focus on.
Thankfully, Dodong quickly obeyed mymand, leaving Kiro and me alone in the room once
again. I turned to Kiro, a sheepish smile on my face, trying to brush off the awkward interruption.
We spent more time in the private room, and it became a familiar space offort for us. Kiro and
Dodong had formed an unexpected friendship, often going together to buy food for us. During those
moments, Kiro took the opportunity to teach Dodong some simple English vocabry words, and I
would sometimes join them in theirnguage lessons when Mother was asleep.
As the day of Mother''s discharge approached, I began packing some of her clothes in a small bag.
"Get ready, Dodong. We''ll go home soon," I said, gently nudging him to be prepared for our
departure from the hospital.
Kiro had taken care of everything, ensuring that all the necessary paperwork and arrangements
were in ce. He was currently at the Nurse station, tying up the final loose ends for Mother''s
discharge.
Curiosity got the better of Dodong as he fidgeted with excitement. "Ate Lyka, does Kiro have a
girlfriend?" he blurted out, unable to contain his question any longer.
A faint blush crept up my cheeks at Dodong''s candid inquiry. I hadn''t expected him to ask about
Kiro''s personal life, but I realized that he must have noticed the friendly connection between us and
assumed there was more to it.
Trying to stifle a chuckle, I replied, "I''m not sure, Dong. Kiro is a private person, and it''s not really
our business to ask about his personal life."
Dodong nodded thoughtfully, seemingly satisfied with my response. "Okay, I was just curious," he
said with a mischievous grin.
"Shut up, Dodong! Why are you asking about stuff like this? You''re still young!" Mother yfully
scolded him. I didn''t answer because I had no idea about Kiro''s personal life.
"Oh, but guess what, sis!" Dodong eximed with excitement, unable to contain his discovery. "You
know someone named Lily? When we were in bro Kiro''s car earlier, I identally found a
handkerchief in the dashboard. It was pink, and the name ''Lily'' was sewn on it," he shared, his eyes
wide as if recounting a scene straight out of a movie.
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of the name Lily. Memories of Kiro''s reaction when Dodong
had found the handkerchief flooded my mind, and I couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease. Who
was Lily, and what was her connection to Kiro''s past? There seemed to be something significant
about her, something he hadn''t shared with us yet.
Dodong continued his story, recounting how Kiro seemed upset when he saw him holding the
handkerchief. "I got scared! I thought he''d ignore me," he added, his voice tinged with worry.
Taking a deep breath, I tried to reassure my younger brother. "It''s okay, Dong. Maybe there''s a
reason why Kiro got upset. We don''t know the full story, so let''s not jump to conclusions, okay?" I
said, trying to ease his concerns.
Just as I was about to say more, Kiro appeared, surprising me with his sudden presence. "We can
leave now," he said, his tone calm and collected.
With Kiro and me supporting Mother on each side, we helped her stand up, her weak legs trembling
slightly after her hospital stay. Dodong, ever eager to be helpful, carried our belongings as we made
our way towards the parking lot.
Once at the car, we settled Mother in the backseat, ensuring she was asfortable as possible.
"Thank you so much, Kiro. You''re such a kind young man," Mother expressed her gratitude once
more, her eyes filled with genuine appreciation. She had been thanking him repeatedly, and I knew
that her heartfelt thanks were a testament to the impact of his kindness on our family during this
challenging time.
Kiro smiled warmly at her, his eyes reflecting the sincerity of his actions. "It''s my pleasure, Mrs.
Montefranca. I''m just d I could be of help," he replied humbly.
As we started the journey, I couldn''t help but think about how Dad would react when he sees me
with a man,ing home like this.
In the car, I noticed Dodong''s thoughtful expression through the side mirror, and curiosity got the
better of me. I turned my gaze to Kiro''s car dashboard, where my eyes fell upon a pink handkerchief
embroidered with the name ''Lily.'' Kiro seemed surprised when he noticed where I was looking,
hastily putting the handkerchief in his pocket as if regretting something. My suspicion grew stronger;
the handkerchief must hold meaning for him, possibly rted to the mysterious Lily. But who is she?
What is the connection between Kiro and this person named Lily?
Memories flooded my mind - how Kiro had mistakenly called me Lily when I entered his room, how
Joday made the same mistake, and even Lady Linda seemed to remember someone due to my
resemnce to Lily. It was all too confusing and overwhelming, giving me a headache.
Deciding to avoid overthinking the situation, I looked away from the handkerchief and gazed out of
the car window. The passing scenery provided a momentary distraction.