Café

"Hey, Mimi, did you know?" Jyou spoke too loudly, while holding a mug with both his hands. "Café is coffee in Portuguese. Diego from the bookstore told me that."

"I don't really care about how the beverage is called, you shouldn't have drunk so much." She sighed, taking the empty thermos bottle from the desk overloaded with open books. She had found strange that Jyou hadn't replied to her messages since the day before and decided to check on him. She decided to pay him a visit and found him almost drowning in coffee, allegedly in preparation for a difficult exam.

Jyou was trembling from head to toes on his chair, almost burying his face on the books. He seemed happy to see her, though, which stopped him from complaining too much about her interruption on his studies. He only complained for ten minutes straight.

She took the bottle to the kitchen and returned to his bedroom, finding him reading once again. His relentlessness was increasing and she could swear that his heartbeat was loud enough for her to hear, some steps away.

"We need to do something about the caffeine in your body before you get worse!" Mimi decided, going back to the kitchen, where she took three plastic bottles of water out. "Drink lots of water! Then, we'll go for a night walk and buy some fruits!"

"I can't go out now!" Jyou protested, turning to her. "I have a really important exam in three days! I can't afford to fail!"

"I can't afford to allow you to treat yourself so poorly!" Mimi raised her voice. "Can you even understand the deplorable state you are in? You are harming yourself!" She felt hot tears flooding her eyes.

"Mimi…" Jyou stood up, feeling guilty for making his girlfriend cry. He wanted to embrace her but couldn't stop his arms from shaking.

"You're going to be a doctor, Jyou! Your job will consist in taking care of people!" Mimi reminded him. "How are you going to do that if you don't take care of yourself first?! If something bad were to happen to you because of your recklessness, I… I don't even know w-what I…"

She put the bottles on his bed and rubbed her eyes. Some sobs escaped from her mouth.

"I'm sorry!" Jyou said, sounded ashamed. "You're right… I'm so sorry, Mimi!"

Once she stopped rubbing her eyes to wipe the tears, she saw that Jyou had taken one of the water bottles. However, he was having difficulty in opening it. Mimi made him seat on the bed, opened one bottle and held it for him to drink. After finishing it, he told her:

"I feel like you're treating me like a baby."

"Babies can't take care of themselves." She said, still annoying.

"I won't be this irresponsible again." Jyou promised. "I don't want to scare you like that ever again."

"You shouldn't do it just for me!" Mimi had a scolding tone. "You need to like yourself more and be kinder to yourself!"

Jyou studied her, attentively. That had not been the first time Mimi had told him that. But, in regards to that specific request, it had been always so hard to do as she told him. Maybe it would be easier if he was as positive and loving as her. Sometimes, it was hard for him to understand what was there in him to love.

However, the most wonderful person in the world loved him. From all the people she could have chosen, she chose him. Mimi had a special wisdom when it came to understanding people; she wasn't someone to be fooled by appearances. If Mimi saw something beautiful and worthy to be loved in him, she should be right. The best he could do was to trust her and look into himself for the person she had fallen in love with. And to take care of that man capable of making her happy.

"C-Could I have more water, please?" He asked.

"Of course." Mimi said, calmer, opening the second bottle and giving it to him. They didn't talk much more that night, even after going out for the walk and buying the fruits.

Jyou accompanied Mimi to her apartment's door.

"I'm going home and eat some of these." He told her, glancing at the bags filled with fruits that he was carrying. "Then, I'm going to sleep. I won't touch coffee again anytime soon."

"That's good to hear." She showed him a large smile.

"I love you, Mimi."

"I love you, Jyou."

"Thank you!" He exclaimed, suddenly feeling his eyes getting warm. Mimi pulled him to a soft kiss.

"Take care of yourself, my love." She ordered, sweetly.

From that night on, Jyou would obey her without question.