Her closed eyes were squeezed shut as she lied in bed, in her dark room, unable to fall asleep. His parting words stuck in her head. She figured, with much thought, they'd never leave until he returned.
With fists tightly clutching the blanket covering her head, she sat up. It just didn't feel right to her. Letting him go like that, letting him out of her sight, was it really alright?
She could feel the slightest draft from her window as a sharp pain began to pound in her head. "Damned Colonello," she muttered, falling back down in her bed.
"Is that any way to greet someone after they just came back, kora?"
Her once forcibly closed eyes were open in seconds flat at the sound of his voice. "Colonello..." her voice shook with anger as she raised a clutched fist. "Where the hell have you been?"
.
As she walked into the room the man was in, every footstep she took could be heard. "Well, how're your injuries?" she asked, looking down at the man.
"They said that all the injuries I got were nothing compared to the one you gave me, kora," lifting his shirt to show were they wrapped bandages around the place she had hit him.
"Looks like it hurt."
"Goes without saying. You hurt your hand too, kora."
She lowered her eyes at the man. "That just means that I have to toughen you up some more. Intensive training starts today! Injured or not!" she proclaimed before beginning to walk away.
"What a mean teacher, kora."
She stopped, looking as if she wanted to say sorry, but the words wouldn't come.
"You know," he began, sitting up and facing the woman, " even if the teacher is horrible, in the eyes of their student, they're special."
Her eyes widened. "Colonello..." she started to walk again, her feet loudly echoing on the floors, "we'll skip the training for today. Rest up for now."
He sat there, smiling proudly at the place the woman stood. "See? I was right, kora."
.
"Teacher, your student has arrived. Hope you weren't too lonely without me, kora!"
"Hmph. You're late." She turned around, glaring at her student. Then, out of nowhere, she sighed, giving up on her pursuit. She began to walk forward, and as she passed him, softly hitting him on the chest with her fingers. "I'm glad you're better," she whispered before briskly walking on.
"Lal," he laughed, "you haven't changed at all, kora."
Though she pretended not to hear his comment, she heard every word, which sent spikes of anger down her back. "Stupid Colonello," she muttered, the man following closely behind her.
.
True to her word, Lal Mirch went all out on her training that day. Half of which because she wanted to get rid of her anger, the other half was so she could punish her student. So, by the end of her training, both she and Colonello were dripping in sweat, and both of which, collapsed on the ground right after training was finished.
"L-Lal," he stuttered, trying his best to catch his breath, "don't you think that was a little too much, kora?"
"N-not at all."
He inhaled, and as he exhaled, the arm which was previously holding him up, gave way, leaving him lying on the ground. "Hey, Lal?"
She looked over at him. "What?"
"Do you think things will stay this way forever?"
Turning her head, she didn't reply, for she didn't know.
"Do you want things to stay just the way they are?" he tried again.
Yes, she thought; but the thought itself was merely a thought, nothing more, nothing less. How could she want things to change? Even if she tried to say something, she knew she wouldn't say, no, couldn't say what she wanted to say to him, she knew she would mess it all up. But, most of all, what she knew for a fact was that Colonello would only laugh, completely understanding what she wanted to say, unlike so many people that misunderstood her harsh words.
"Hey, Lal?"
"Now what?"
"You know, I would do anything for you? I would sacrifice anything I could give you for your sake. Hey, Lal? You know, you're really special to me? I don't want to see you hurt. Hey, Lal? I love you."
When he said those words, she could feel her heart stop. Yet, somewhere deep down, had she always known this? Had she just played innocent, acting as if she knew nothing? Deceiving herself? Has she always felt the same? Or was it something else? Do you want things to stay just the way they are? His words echoed throughout her. "You asked me if I wanted things to change earlier. My answer is no."
"Haha, Lal, I figured you'd say that, kora." Though on his face might have been a goofy smile, he didn't know what to think. Was it good or was it bad? Even if he was the closest one to her, even he didn't always know what she was thinking.
"Colonello, I … I … l … l.."
His eyes widened, as another smile took hold of him. He tried to hold it in, he really did, but he just couldn't help laughing at her as she tired to talk. "I get it, kora!" he laughed, at her.
Her face lite up, while on the other hand she felt both embarrassed and angry at the blond man.
"Then say it if you want to, kora."
She paused only for a moment, awed at Colonello. "I love you."
-The End-
