Wild Young Miss: Mister, Let's Kiss!

The next day…

"Urgh…" A groan broke the silence in her room. Cora was struck by a painful throb in her head even before she could open her eyes. Her hand reached for her forehead, dragging her heavy body to the side as she slowly opened her eyes.

"You'll be fine. I prepared you breakfast and medicines to make you feel better." Just as Cora was trying to recall what was going on, Zion's voice caused her to make her open her eyes abruptly and she jolted to sit up straight.

"Brother Zion?!" Her eyes immediately searched for Zion's figure who was sitting on the chair not far away from her. Upon laying her eyes on him, her eyes widened in disbelief as her jaw dropped. "What…" Her words trailed off, slapping herself lightly to make sure this wasn't a dream.

"This is real…" Zion watched her slap herself, assisting himself up and walked towards her slowly. When he reached the bed, Zion glanced to the edge of the mattress. "Can I sit?" He asked, watching her nod her head as she moved to the other side.

He sighed, "I'm sorry if I surprised you." Zion reached for the bowl of soup on the bedside table. It was still warm as he just bought it not long ago. Thanks to his habit of knowing what time she would usually reply to him in the morning, Zion estimated the time she would be waking up so he bought her something to eat.

"Here," As he opened the lid of the food container of the soup, Zion offered it to her. "You have to eat first so you can take the medicines." He repeated, the side of his lips curled into a gentle smile.

Cora, puzzled at many things, studied the man of her dreams. Her heart felt warm at his kind gesture as she bit her bottom lip. "Thank you." She expressed, accepting the bowl of soup he prepared for her.

'If this is a dream, I didn't want to wake up.' She prayed internally, still couldn't believe that Zion was here to take care of her. How nice it was to feel that he cared for her despite knowing he must be doing what he was doing because she was Zoey's friend.

As she started digging in, Zion's eyes softened. Neither of them talked and only the sound of her soft slurping resonated across the room. Once Cora consumed half of it, she raised her head towards Zion who was watching her in silence.

"Uhm, Brother Zion? Did I…" Her words trailed off as she bit her bottom lip. She didn't have any recollections from last night -- aside from feeling utterly secure as if she knew she was safe -- Cora could not help but wonder if she bothered Zion last night when she was wasted.

She was afraid that she had embarrassed herself in front of him. Cora didn't know what she told him to come to her or take care of her through the night, but she deeply hoped Zion being there with her was pure coincidence. 

It might be impossible as she could only think of embarrassing herself, she should face whatever his answer is, right? Thus, with that being in her mind, Cora pursed her lips into a thin line as she mustered her courage to speak.

"... Did I call you last night? Did I… bother you?" She asked, raising her conflicted gaze back to him. "Whatever I said last night, it's just the alcohol. I'm sorry." She added, apologizing to him even before he could answer.

To her surprise, Zion just chuckled as he patted her head lightly. "No," He said, shaking his head sideways. "You didn't do something like that. I came here to see you." He added, offering her a reassuring smile to reassure whatever her worries were.

"Huh?" Her brows furrowed as she cast him a puzzled eyes showing her bafflement for his reason. "You… why?" She inquired, blinking her eyes curiously as she studied his gentle front.

"Uh…" Upon hearing her question, Zion let out a faint sigh as he looked at her. His eyes glinted which came to her as unexplainable. The corner of his lips titled into a subtle smile as he took his time to ponder what to answer.

Just then, Ivan's encouraging words hovered over his head. 'If you like something, you do something about it…' Was the words that Zion didn't expect he would hear from someone like him. Until now, Zion didn't know why Ivan sounded as if he was encouraging him to woo his woman.

Was it because Ivan knew Cora was so head over heel over him that even if Zion would express his feelings, she would reject? Or was it caused by something else? Regardless, the more Zion thought about it, it gave him courage to go for it. To speak of what he had been holding on in his heart for a very long time.

"Cora," After some time, Zion raised his eyes at Cora. A glint of determination flickered across his eyes as his Adam's apple moved up and down as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"Hmm?" For some reason, Cora felt like he was about to say something puzzling or mind blowing. Therefore, she prepared her delicate heart if ever he tells her she should stay away from him or sort of like that. "Brother Zion, what is it?" She asked, feeling her anxiety creep to her heart with every passing second.

"I like you." After a minute of silence, Zion's jaw tightened as he expressed the words he had been meaning to say for a long time.

"What?" 

"I have liked you for a long time. I came here last night because our last encounter felt so wrong. I had always liked you and knowing that you found someone… better… I regret not telling you about my feelings." To keep his momentum, Zion spoke in one go, putting all his heart in this leap of faith he had taken. 

"I know saying this now is wrong, but I really like you." Zion added, inhaling deeply as he felt the heaviness in his heart lighten saying the words he had been keeping a secret for a long time.

She thought she was just hearing things early in the morning. There's no way her long time crush would magically like her and confess to her, right? Maybe it was just the alcohol from last night or she was being delusional.

"Cora," Slowly, Zion placed his hand over hers, squeezing it lightly. "I like you, from then until now, I really like you not just as my sister's friend, but as a woman.." Once again, Zion expressed his heart.