When we were finished doing our business, a farmer came into the nipa hut as the rain also stopped from falling.
 Good thing that I was already dressed up so we walked towards the car hand in hand. 
It's a good thing that a car mechanic happened to pass by and he helped to fix Phoenix’s car. 
Now on the way home, Phoenix was silent. We acted as if nothing happened but the red marks on Phoenix’s neck were evident and the smile on his face was plastered the whole ride. 
He kept on taking a glance at me, and while his other hand was on the steering wheel, his other hand was on mine. He clutched my hand and he kissed it. 
He never dared to bring what happened and I’m thankful for that. I’m afraid that I would burst into embarrassment if he did. 
Well, it all went well right?
****
I hadn’t had the chance to talk with Phoenix the next day as he stayed in his room the whole day.  
I wore a hoodie to hide a hickey from my body. Good thing that Lola Nanding didn’t notice something strange. 
“Sereia, are you busy?” Lola Nanding asked. “Can you give this to Phoenix?” 
I turned to her and saw her holding some porridge. I raised my eyebrows at that, “Why? Is he sick?” 
Lola Nanding nodded, “Yes. What did the two of you do yesterday? His body is burning.” 
I bit my lip, “We got wet from the rain…” I replied. Well, it was true. But I don’t have to mention what happened to us at the nipa hut right? She doesn’t have to know…
I grabbed the porridge and went to Phoenix’s room. 
I cleared my throat and knocked on the door. "Phoenix?"
He didn’t reply and I knocked again. Sighing, I opened his door and I saw his sleeping form on the bed, a blanket covering his face. 
"Hey.” I greeted, putting the porridge on the side table. 
He didn't bulge. I went closer to him and looked at his face. He’s really asleep.
“You should eat this porridge, Lola Nandign prepared it for you,” I said and instantly, his hands reached out to me and pulled me to the bed beside him. He groaned, opening his eyes to look at me, and wrapped his arms around me. 
He was also wearing some hoodie and I put my hands on his forehead to check his temperature. 
“Come on, you need to eat,” I said, and he breathed in, inhaling my scent as he rested his head on my neck. 
“No, let’s stay like this for a while.”  He mumbled, pulling me into a cuddle position. 
Sighing, I gave in to his request and stayed like that for a while. 
“Sereia?” A voice called out from the door and my eyes widened. Phoenix also snapped his eyes open and I panicked. 
Gosh, it’s Lola Nanding!
Still wrapped in Phoenix’s arms, I pushed him away and I landed on the ground. 
I yelped in pain. 
Just in time, the door opened and Lola Nanding appeared. 
“What’s taking you so long, Sereia? And why are you on the ground?” 
She asked, noticing that.
“Oh, I’m doing some yoga here.” I lied, caught redhanded. 
She seemed to buy that lie as she brushed it aside and looked at his grandson. She heaved a sigh, “Next time, take care of yourself. You’re overworking.” 
Lola Nanding then made him eat the porridge and I helped her prop Phoenix up. She spoon-fed Phoenix and Phoenix shook his head. 
“I want Sereia to feed me, Lola Nanding.” He said, pouting at me. Lola Nanding glanced at me, then nodded understandingly before leaving us alone now.
I grabbed the spoon and spoon-fed him. When he finished it, I made him drink some medicine and made him lie on his back now. 
Grabbing the plates, I was about to walk to the door when his hand stopped me, “Where are you going?”
“I’ll get more blankets for you,” I said. He was swearing, but he’s also shivering.
He then removed his hand from me and let me go out of his room. I got some blankets from the supplies room downstairs and put them on him. It took three blankets to make him stop shivering. I even turned off the fan for him. 
When lunch came, I went upstairs again to deliver his food. He was now bathing in sweat and his blue shirt was very wet. I removed the blankets from him and noticed that his temperature had somehow gone down. 
I woke him up and spoon-fed him again. When he finished it, I opened his closet and grabbed a black shirt and shorts. 
“Take off your clothes,” I said to him. 
He gave me a pointed look.“Whoa, easy, princess. Are you taking advantage of me just because I’m weak now? After what happened yesterday….” He said as he put the blanket in front of him, acting as if was going to do something to him. 
I looked at him deadpan, showing him that I was serious. “Your clothes are wet from sweat. You need to change your clothes, Phoenix.” 
He let out a nervous chuckle, “Just kidding, I can’t sit up straight, my princess.” He said, struggling to keep himself seated. “Or you can change my clothes yourself.”
He playfully raised his eyebrows, winking at me, and then winced in pain, now coughing. 
“Looks like you can change your own clothes now that you have the energy to flirt with me,” I commented as he pouted.
“No, I need your tender love and care, my princess!” He exclaimed. 
I sighed, giving in. Only, for now, Phoenix. 
Grabbing his shirt, I took it off and gulped. 
In all honesty, I’m acting as if he’s not affecting me. I honestly want to run away from him, not knowing how to act after what happened yesterday. 
A smirk played on his lips, "You're enjoying this, aren’t you?" He asked. 
"W-what?" I stuttered and instantly changed his shirt into the black shirt I was holding.!
"Why are you acting shy now? You were so aggressive yesterday-“
I cut his sentence off, “Okay, stop bringing that up.”
That didn’t stop him. He even held my hand, raised his shirt, and placed my hands on his abs.
“What are you doing?” I asked in a panic. “You know what? Change the rest of your clothes on your own. I need to leave now.” 
Standing up, I stopped when I heard a phone ringing. I saw his phone from the nightstand lightening up and I gave it to him.
The caller was unknown and Phoenix sighed.  
I instantly walked outside to give him space. I stayed outside his room in case he needed my help. I paced back and forth, waiting for him to call me. After a while, I heard Phoenix’s voice saying, "Come inside, Sereia."
I did as he told me.. he was glaring at the wall in front of him as he clenched his jaw. He didn’t seem to hear me entering as I knocked on the wood to gain his attention. 
“Who was that?” I asked, referring to the one who called. 
“Someone not important. Anyways, aren’t you going home now? You said you have work right?” 
I halted at that. Something was in his eyes that I couldn’t pinpoint. Is he pushing me away now? I bit my lip, not able to contain the sadness in my voice. “Yes. But you need help-“ 
"I have Lola Nanding. I can take care of myself, Sereia." He said, his cold voice slicing through the air. 
It feels like he just changed from being the flirty Phoenix to this serious one.
It’s almost like I couldn’t recognize him…
I notice he calls me by my first name every time he’s serious. I suddenly want him to return to calling me “princess”. 
He then grabbed a folder from his bedside table and handed it to me, "Here."
I looked at it in confusion, "What is this?"
"That’s the land title and other papers for the land."
Opening the folder to confirm it, I gasped. Why is he…giving this to me…now? 
"W-why?" I stammered. “I mean, why are you giving this to me?” 
He faced me, his face void of any emotion, “isn’t that what you want? The reason why you are staying here to prove yourself? Now I’m giving it to you freely.” 
“But why all of a sudden?” You were very persistent in saying no to me.”
"Things changed, Sereia. Just take it." He cut me off.
"I won't take it without a valid reason. This is really sudden.” 
He sighed, now standing up. “You really wanna know the reason?” 
I stood firmly, “Yes.” 
He leaned into me, "The truth is, I have been losing money with the farm. The one who called earlier was my investor, saying he quit. That is why I had been meeting some more investors, wanting them to change their minds but they now refused. The land I just worked hard for is crumbling to pieces. I failed.” 
My mouth hangs open in shock. I just looked at him carefully, reading his face. 
"Then are you just giving up that easily? Dumping it to me like trash?” I couldn’t help but ask. “This is not the Phoenix I know.” 
“You don’t know the real Phoenix.” He snapped at me. 
“The Phoenix that you don’t know run away from the media, from his parents and everything. He didn’t accept the money that his parents were giving him, saying he wanted to earn his freedom. Now that Phoenix is crushing in  front of you.” 
“Fine. Yes, I may just have entered your life. And I learned one thing.” I said. “The Phoenix I knew all along is a coward.” 
“I’ll help you regain that land,” I assured him. I already knew it deep down. As days passed, my mind changed. I no longer want to regain this land. “Push me away for all you want. That won’t be enough for you to make me leave this place that easily.” 
And with a final look, I left his room. 
Screw it. I guess I have to extend my stay here.