Wilfred Part 2

"Of course I understand Mari! Take as long as you need!" my boss from the convenient store said to me as I told him what has happened over the phone. After him I called the bakery that I work at as a janitor and the kid's school. Then it was finally time to call the manager from the restaurant that I despise. He gets on my nerves for everything I do. I was late a few times and missed work apparently means that I'm lazy.

"La Blanc Restaurant how may I help you?" the manager answered.

"Hey boss..." I said. After that, he started to yell at me for missing work yesterday.

"I can't come in for a while sir..." I interrupted his lecture and told him about my situation but left out that I am staying in a castle.

"That's the worst excuse I have ever heard from you!" his voice screeched in my ear. I set the phone down and daydreamed through his stupid lecture. After a while he says something that I never wanted to hear.

"That's it, you're fired Miss Yoshihara!" he yelled.

"Woah hey now, don't do that!" I picked up the phone. "Think about this a bit sir!" I tried to calm him down.

"No more of this bullcrap Marika! I've had enough of your stupid excuses! Oh my child is sick! Oh I've been called to my child's school for a parent-teacher conference last minute!" he mocked me with such a high pitch voice. "I'm done Marika, done!" after that he hangs up.

"This is not fair..." I whispered to myself. I gripped the phone and I threw it on the carpet. I pulled my hair back in frustration and tried to think of a plan of some sort to get that job back. I might have hated it but it paid well.

"Is everything alright ma'am?" Claude's voice asked behind me.

"I'm fine." I said, turning around to face him, hiding my frustration with a smile. Then I noticed the flowers in the hall were dying. "Hey Claude, those flower don't look to well." I pointed them out to him. He looks over and nods his head.

"I'll talk to the gardner to take care of them." he said about to leave.

"Wait! Can I do it?" I asked. He looks at me with such a surprised look. "I want to at least pay back to all of you for taking me and my kids in..." and besides, flowering is peaceful and soothing for me. It's a great way to get rid of stress.

"You're a guest though." he said with a cold tone.

"I know but please?" I asked again.

"Fine, I'll talk to the gardner..." he agreed and left the room. Ten minutes have passed and Claude comes back with a little watering can. He hands it to me, not saying anything to me and just leaves. I feel like I made him mad.

I went to the flowers and watered them. After I was done, I didn't know where to leave it so I went to go look for the door to the garden. As I walked I noticed a room with the door cracked open wide enough to see inside. Out of curiosity I went closer to take a look. I opened the door and see the prince sitting at a desk full of papers. He looks up and gets a bit startled.

"...what brings you here?" he asked in such a soft voice.

"Sorry I didn't mean to bother you. I just saw the door was open and you know what they say 'curiosity killed the cat'." I said laughing awkwardly. I couldn't look at him because I was so nervous so I looked over to a little coffee table in the middle of the room. There was a little pot of withering flowers on it.

"Your flowers aren't doing too well." I pointed over to the pot. He glances at it but says nothing about it.

"Here, I have some spare water...do you mind?" I asked raising the watering can. He nods with his stoic look. I smiled awkwardly and watered the little pot carefully so that I don't spill the water. I felt him staring at me but I tried to ignore it.

"I'm sorry for what my parents said to you at breakfast." he finally said something.

"It's fine. I get remarks like that all the time. I'm pretty much used to it." I brushed it off. It's hard to have a nice life when people judge you when it's not any of their business. He was quiet for a little bit.

"When will your home be ready?" he asked.

"The landlord said that it is going to take some time for the repairs to get done so I don't really know. Maybe when he gives me a call." I answer the best I could. I really don't know when we can go back to our lives but the best thing we can do is wait.

"What about your kids' school? Will everything be fine?"

"Yeah, I told the school why and they say that their teachers will send them homework so they don't get far behind."

"Are you going to be teaching them?"

"Yeah. I might not look like it but I was on a full ride scholarship at the University of Charles." I said smiling proudly.

"Really, what did you study?" he asked curiously and motion me to take a seat. I put the can down and sat on the yellow couch across from his desk.

"I was studying the arts and literature." I answered. We talked for awhile with him asking many questions about me. It was like a fantasy to talk to an actual prince. Many girls will be so jealous of me right now.

"What do you do as a Prince?" I asked when he ran out of questions. Before he could answer the door slammed open, revealing an angry Claude.

"What are you doing here? You must leave! You are not allowed in this study!" He shouted.

"Claude it's fine." the prince said in a stern voice.

"Your Highness..."Claude became surprised at the prince's tone. "Yes Your Highness..." he bows. He quickly gives me an angry glare as he leaves. The my phone vibrates in my pocket. I checked it and saw that there were some files from the kid's teachers, all titled homework.

"Sorry I have to go! Time to teach!" I said and bowed to the prince.

"It's fine." he breaks into a smile. My heart started to pounds at his sudden expression. I left him and I went to go gather the children to our room.

...

"This is so useless! When are we going to use this in life!" asked Naruki as looked at the math homework I have printed out from the files on my phone.

"It's multiplication, you ARE going to use this life Naru so quiet down and listen." I poked his forehead and told him carefully how to do it.

"Aunty why is homework so boring?" Haruka asked politely as she looks away from her history assignment. I shrugged and continued to work with Naru until Kai shoved his own math homework towards me. I looked at him and see me was giving me puppy eyes. I looked at the paper and saw that nothing was written at all except for his name.

"I am not doing your homework Kai." I said bluntly. He looked like he wanted to cry. I patted his head but he still gave me the look.

"Do mine instead!" the twins said in sync. These kids...

I groaned and looked up at the ceiling. Why can't they just do their homework like everybody else!? Then I heard a few knocks at the door.

A maid came in with some snacks and tea. She bowed and set the snacks and tea on the table. We all thanked her. But as she left she gave me a look that I see all the time. It's a look of judgement that I get when I'm with the kids. A dead eye, disappointed look.

"Are you going to take that from her?" Naru snarled, noticing.

"...3x7 equals what?" I ignored him trying to get him back on track.

"Stop ignoring it! You always have to put up with people like her! Judging you without a second thought. Not even knowing the whole story!" Naru shouts. He balls up his fist, holding back his anger. I reached out for him but then he runs out of the room. I tried to chase after him but the hall was already empty. Only the prince was there, standing in the middle of it.

"Is everything alright?" he asked. I didn't answer him and moved my hair back in frustration and groaned.

"Is Naru okay?" Haru pulls at my dress.

"Let's go back to homework Haru." I told her, ruffling her brown hair avoiding the subject. She turns around hesitantly and goes back to the table with Kai. As I tried to go back the prince grabbed my shoulder. I looked at him and see that he had a very worried look on his face. I was shocked by his expression. My heart fluttered a bit as he stared into my brown eyes. I put my hand on top of his and squeezed it. He reluctantly lets go and I go back inside.

...

It was in the middle of the night when I woke up for the fifth time. I couldn't fall asleep. Naru has been tough as usual. He's been like this since...his father's death.

I slowly moved out of bed so I don't wake the kids up. My eyes adjusted to the dark and see that Naru was sleeping on the couch with a blanket and a small pillow.

I carried him the bed and let him down on in the middle. I moved all three of them and covered them. And just like that, they all move closer to each other huddling in the middle of the bed. I smile and took a quick picture of them. After that I left to go get some air.

As I walked, I noticed something on the ground. I looked closer and found out that it was a plain light blue bookmark. I picked it up and noticed a door was slightly open. I slowly opened it and went inside.

Prince Wilfred was sleeping on a navy blue couch in the middle of the room with an open book on his stomach.

I quietly went up to him. His sleeping face was gorgeous, making my heart beat faster. 'He's so handsome...' I thought, watching him. 'He's going to catch a cold...' I looked around the room to find so sort of blanket to cover him with. At that moment his eyes fluttered open.

"...what are you doing?" he asked softly, rubbing his eyes.

"I was going to find a blanket for you so you don't catch a cold." I answered flustered. "And I found this in the hall..." I handed him the bookmark I found.

"...I was looking for this...thank you." he smiles at me.

"Y-yeah..." I stuttered.

"Why are you up? It's very late..."

"I couldn't sleep very well..." I explained. He motioned me to it next to him on the couch. I slowly sat down onto the soft couch. 'He is so close..." I could feel his body heat near me.

"I enjoyed our conversation earlier today." he said.

"I do too." I smiled.

"I'm sorry for Claude's behavior. He had no right to yell at you." he bowed his head a little.

"Oh no it's fine! It's my fault for being somewhere I shouldn't be..." I said remembering Claude yelling at me.

"No it's not your fault. Don't blame yourself please." he said kindly. "Can you come back tomorrow and talk to me again?" he asked looking serious.

"...yeah." I said blushing a bit.

"Is your nephew okay?" he asked looking worried.

"...he's fine." I softly said.

"...you don't have to hide it." he tilted his head smiling. I tried to say something but nothing came out. My heart suddenly started to beat.

"We both should go to bed. Like you said, it's late." I said hastily and quickly left the room. My heart was pounding so hard, I felt like it was going to pop out of my chest. I ran all the way back to my room.

I quickly laid on the couch and covered myself with the blanket. What is wrong with me? I couldn't sleep the rest of the night. I stared into space, thinking non stop about Royal Prince Wilfred.