Yannis shrugged it off casually, but Zinnia frowned in concern. โHow could you be so careless? Is the cut on your hand big? Does it hurt?โ
Yannis said, โItโs nothing serious, just a tiny cut and it doesnโt hurt at all. Itโs probably healed already; your Master already took care of it.โ
Yannis thought nothing of the minor cut on his hand. It had probably already healed at that moment.
Zinnia asked, โWhat brings you here? Werenโt you helping Master and the others prepare dinner?โ
Zinnia also recognized the way Yannisโs hand was bandaged as Nathanโs technique but said nothing.
Yannis said, โJust came to remind you to get ready for dinner.โ He glanced past her figure into the room.
The room was beautifully decorated in warm tones that perfectly matched her style. On the desk sat a vase of pink Cappuccino roses. According to Zinnia, Nathan would bring her fresh flowers every day, each time a different variety.
โWell, is it ready yet?โ Zinnia peeked her head out eagerly. The living room was quiet. Clearly, it wasnโt ready yet.
โJust a bit longer,โ Yannis replied.
โWant to come in and wait?โ Zinnia asked, glancing at him as she stepped aside to let him in.
The layout here is quite similar to their previous house, and sheโs kept some of her little habits too. โSit here, right here,โ Zinnia said, guiding Yannis to a small loveseat positioned away from the desk.
โWhat mischief are you up to?โ Yannis teased as he sat down, eyeing her suspiciously. He quickly noticed that she seemed to be keeping him away from the desk.
Zinnia retorted indignantly, โYouโre the one up to no good, not me.โ She thought, โWhy does he always assume Iโm up to something bad? Canโt he ever think I might be doing a good deed for once?โ
Yannis chuckled. โSo, what โgood deedโ were you up to, then?โ
โNot telling you.โ Zinnia tossed her head playfully. She wasnโt about to spill the beans.
โAlright then,โ Yannis conceded, knowing she had her little secrets and choosing not to pry further.
โShouldnโt you be back at the Perkins residence?โ Zinnia asked, puzzled.
She reasoned that, since he and James had cleared up their misunderstanding and it was a holiday, James would surely want him back at the Moore residence.
โI went back at noon,โ Yannis replied. He had returned to the Perkins residence at noon but came back that evening to join Nathan and Zinnia. This was their first New Yearโs countdown together, and he didnโt want to miss it for the world.
โYannis, can you help me figure something out?โ As the thought crossed her mind, Zinnia moved to sit beside him, propping her chin on one hand, a troubled look on her face.
โWhat?โ Yannis lowered his gaze.
โI feel like Master is hiding something from me,โ Zinnia said, her voice tinged with unease. โAnd itโs something big.โ Zinnia trusted Yannis completely.
At her words, Yannisโs gaze sharpened slightly. โWhat makes you think that?โ he asked.
โMasterโs been acting strange lately,โ she said. โI just have this gut feeling heโs hiding something big from me.โ
โMasterโs been making all my favorite dishes, just like before, when he was about to leave, or when I was the one about to go. Itโs like he wants me to try everything as if Iโll never get to eat them again.โ
โAnd before, when Master was about to leave me, he did the same thing. He cooked all my favorite foods for me. Honestly, Iโm really scared that Iโll wake up and heโll be gone again.โ
Zinnia trusted her gut feeling. She thought, โMaster is acting really weird. No, seriously, something is extremely wrong.โ
Even though she had checked Nathanโs pulse that afternoon and found nothing unusual, Zinnia thought, โBut thatโs exactly what worries me most. When everything seems perfectly normal, thatโs the biggest red flag of all.โ
โYannis, what do you think heโs hiding from me?โ Zinnia asked, trusting his clever mind could help her puzzle it out.
Yannis lowered his gaze thoughtfully. โWhy do you think heโd want to keep this from you?โ She was more perceptive than they had imagined.
โI donโt know. Maybe heโs hiding something really important from me,โ she said, with her voice tinged with uncertainty. Zinnia absently twirled the tassel on her sleeve.
โWhat exactly is Master hiding from me?โ she wondered. She wasnโt as clever as Nathan. As long as he wanted to keep something from her, Zinnia would never figure it out.
For instance, he kept his true identity and the truth about the Moore family hidden from her for over a decade. If he hadnโt deliberately let something slip, Zinnia would never have guessed it.
The Moore familyโs wooden token, the Moore residence, the Flowing Technique, the Moon Scar Creamโฆ Every single one pointed her toward the truth about who Nathan was.
Nathan had anticipated she would figure it out; in fact, heโd deliberately guided her to the discovery.
โDonโt overthink it. Your Master would never hurt you,โ Yannis said gently. Honestly, Yannis couldnโt understand why Nathan still refused to tell her, even with his condition getting worse.
โMy Master would never hurt me,โ Zinnia said, knowing full well that Nathan was the last person who would ever harm her.
โZinnia, Yannis, come out for dinner now,โ Nathan called out. With Nathan and Jackson around, the younger two naturally became the ones being cared for and doted on.
โComing, Master.โ She turned to Yannis. โCome on, Yannis, letโs go.โ Zinnia sprang to her feet and thought to herself, โAfter all, no matter what Master is hiding, heโd never do anything to hurt me.โ
The two of them left the room. The air was filled with the aroma of crayfish and chili con carne.
โIt smells amazing,โ Zinnia exclaimed as she stepped into the living room and saw the round dining table loaded with dishes.
โGo wash your hands, Zinnia,โ Nathan said with a warm smile as they emerged.
โFeed me one crayfish first,โ Zinnia pleaded, edging closer to Nathan as he set the plates on the table. Her eyes were fixed eagerly on the plate of crayfish, full of longing and anticipation.
โStill such a child,โ Nathan chuckled as he peeled a crayfish and fed it to her.
Zinnia pouted in mock annoyance, then flounced into the kitchen to wash her hands.
Yannis stood quietly behind them, watching the warm bond between Zinnia and Nathan. His eyes betrayed a hint of melancholy.
โTheir bond is so strong. If she ever learns the truth, will she be able to handle it?โ he wondered.
Sensing his gaze, Nathan softened his expression. They sat down, with Zinnia taking the seat between Nathan and Yannis.
โHere, have some more,โ Nathan said, placing a slice of perfectly cooked beef in her bowl.
โYeah,โ Zinnia replied with her mouth full, her cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk as she chewed.
As Nathan spoke, he turned to Jackson and the others beside him with a smile. โDonโt you guys want to go home? Itโs such a rare day. If you weren't heading home, why would you all came here to hang out with us?โ
For families like theirs, the older and busier they become, the more time they spend apart. Usually, only major occasions can bring the whole family together.
Jackson said, โI went home at noon, but came back tonight to keep you two company. I figured youโd be all alone.โ Jackson was adding ingredients to the chili con carne.
With such a rare day off, neither of them could just skip visiting home. However, Nathanโs identity had to be kept secret. He and Zinnia always spent the holidays alone, just the two of them in their quiet home.