.08

Daniel follows Roseanne out of the office since Micah is still sleeping inside. They head to the pantry where they can grab something to drink and talk.

“Thanks for taking care of Micah while I am not around. I didn’t know it will take this long.” Roseanne apologises, feeling guilty to bother him with something that isn’t supposed to be included in his job.

“Don’t worry, he is a very lovely boy. I had fun being with him and I am pretty sure that he enjoyed my companion as well.” Daniel smiles back.

‘Oh boy, what do I have to do to see that smile all the time.’ Roseanne thought.

“Micah always wanted to have a big brother, or just someone that can be around to care about him. It’s too bad that I am too busy with my work...”

Rosanne sits on the counter, her heads facing downward with her lips pouting. She feels guilty that she cannot spend much of her time with her family, unlike her father who was always there for her no matter how busy he was.

How I wish you were still here, father…

Daniel watches as Roseanne is in her deep thought. He cannot see her face clearly, but her plump pink lips are all in his eyes. He might have thought that she looks really attractive, vulnerable and needs a hug right now. Maybe if he…

“I am such a bad daughter, a bad sister, aren’t I?” Roseanne suddenly speaks up. Realising his wild thoughts, he coughs a few time to snap out of them.

What are you even thinking, Kang Daniel? She is sad and is your boss for goodness sake!

“Umm, I think Micah will understand. But hey, there’s always a chance for you to make up to him.”

“Hmm?”

Roseanne looks up at Daniel, still pouting her lips without her conscious. She must have been comfortable enough with him for her to do so, as it was far different from the image other people had seen about her. For them, she is just the tough, strict and cold heiress of a big company.

A silence groan escaped from Daniel’s mouth since Roseanne is oblivious to her effects on him.

‘Sh*t, there she goes again, being all soft and cute without even trying.’

“Micah is having a drama play in his school on next Wednesday. He invited me to come which I accepted. I also promised him that I will make sure that you are going to be there too. What do you think? You won’t make me break my promise to a child...right?” Daniel opens his eyes as big as they can and blinks quickly as if he is begging her to accept the invitation.

'This is definitely way easier to ask than the one Jennie told me to do.' He thinks.

Roseanne chuckles at Daniel’s action, remembering how much of a difference with how he asked her for the double date earlier. He definitely put a lot of effort in this. He is indeed a big guy with a bigger heart for children.

‘She smiles again, because of me.’ Daniel can feel his heart flutters.

“Alright, alright. I will go. But wait, how come Micah asks you first before me?”

“Thanks to some boys bonding time.” Daniel answers.

“Sure… boys.” I might have just but he is way too happy to realise it now.

Roseanne agreed to go because why not? It means that she can spend more time with him. By that, she totally means Micah. Totally.

ROSÉ POV

The next Wednesday

I regret it.

Regret on agreeing to Micah’s drama play? Totally not.

I must haven't think thoroughly when I am choosing my outfit this morning. I am wearing a plain white shirt tucked into a black short skirt. It looks really cute but it is not that practical as the skirt is a little short. Well, not too short kind of short, but it is short enough in the venue where Micah’s drama is held. The hall has a theatre-like seating where it goes level by level, and our seats are only a few rows away from the stage which is located in the lower part. It feels uncomfortable for me to walk down the stairs like this. I hesitated for a while before feeling defeated and turn to ask for help from my personal assistant.

“Dan, can you help me to get my jacket from the car?”

“Why, are you feeling cold?”

I shake my head but I was too embarrassed to tell him the real reason. He looks at me with a slightly confused face before it turns into an understanding look.

“Here, take mine instead.”

He hands me his jacket which I gladfully take and wrap it around my waist. On second thought, maybe it is not a bad choice after all.

There is still a plenty of time before the show starts so we go to the backstage to see my brother who is still getting ready.

“Mother, sister! You two made it!” He runs toward us and hugs both of us enthusiastically.

“Of course we did, it is your day after all.”

“Brother Daniel! You really brought my sister! Thank you!” I feel warm inside to see they both going well with each other.

“You’re welcome, Micah. Thankfully I don’t have to drag her all the way here.”

I rolled my eyes at Daniel’s remarks. Now I feel bad because my brother had to ask other’s help just to make sure that his sister will come to watch him, and Daniel might really have to do what he said considering her hectic schedule.

“ATTENTION TO ALL THE PERFORMERS! PLEASE COME AND FORM A LINE!”

“I think that’s your cue, Micah. Good show ahead, we are very proud of you.” I pat his little head before he goes to meet his fellow friends.

DANIEL POV

“I know, but I am not in the office at the moment. I will be back as soon as possible.” Roseanne has been on her phone since we left the backstage, “I am sorry, it is a call from Miss Lee.” She silences her phone and put it in her handbag.

“It’s alright, the show hasn’t started yet. By the way, I am glad that you came and thus not making me a promise breaker.”

“Oh? I mean, no problem. I guess I should thank you for giving Micah hope as well?”

“No big deal, as long as he is happy.”

“True.”

Not long after that, a narration indicates the start of the drama play. The play is indeed well prepared with a good plot and nice props, all the teachers and students must have put a lot of effort in it. However, I am more interested in seeing how focused Roseanne is watching the play, the proud look on her face when she saw Micah, small talks she made with her mother, her soft chuckles that are like music to the ears… I totally sound like a creep now. It is until then that I realised that I was watching her more than the children on the stage. It will be a very hard question to answer if I were asked who is cuter: her or the kids?

“Is there something on my face?” She quickly takes a compact mirror out and examines her reflection.

“Hmm? Umm, not-”

Shoot, she just caught me looking at her.

“Dan, look at that! It is Micah’s solo part!” She points to the stage excitedly. I just figured out that it wasn’t a hard question after all.

Micah faces the audience while delivering his line with no sign of stage fright. It is pretty impressive for a kid his age to be that full of confidence and into his characters.

“And now, let there be fire!”

The sound effect is playing really loud on the speaker when suddenly it explodes and ignited. All of us thought it is part of the play until someone shouts,

“FIRE! EVACUATE NOW!”

Screaming sounds of the audience and the children filled the entire hall. People start to become panic and make their way to the nearest emergency exit, a few of them make trying to make calls with their phone probably to ask for help. My eyes immediately search for Roseanne and her mother as I was ready to them out of the hall.

“Wait! How about Micah?” Roseanne stops on her pace and turns to the direction of the stage, “I have to bring him out too!”

“No!” I grab her hand before she manages to run further, “It is too risky. I will bring you and your mother out first, and then I will come back to get him.”

“But-”

“Just do whatever I said!”

This is my first time shouting, or even raising my voice to her. She has no choice but to bring her mother out to safer place since I insisted. When we are already outside and seeing that they are in a good condition, I head back into the hall in order to find Micah.

“Dan, promise me to bring him out, and please be careful!”

“I will.”

ROSÉ POV

Every second and minute feels like an eternity when Micah and Daniel are nowhere in sight. This is all a deja vu, it is just like father’s incident all over again. I feel that anxiety is taking over me at a fast rate, and knowing that I cannot do anything else right now made it even worse. However, I fought hard to get myself together as I don’t want to worry my mother even more. She has been holding me tightly since we came out of the hall earlier and assures me that it will be fine when in fact, she must have been worried sick about Micah. The firefighter has arrived the place to do immediate rescue. I approach and tell one of them to look for them inside.

‘Father, please bless Micah and Daniel… I can’t lose any of them…’

“SISTER!”

I look at the direction of the voice to see that Micah is running toward me. The tears of joy flow out of me without me even realising. I get down on my knee to embrace him tightly, feeling thankful to see him again.

“Micah! Thank God you are safe! Thank you too, father! Are you alright, are you injured?” I break the hug and examine him.

“I am fine, sister. Please don’t cry.”

Micah rubs my back to calm me from my breakdown. Despite his young age, he is really brave, just like our father. He doesn’t even cry or show any sign of trauma. If only I can be a little more like him, be like our father.

“Where is brother Daniel? I thought he went to look for you, why are you out alone?” It finally struck me that only Micah is out here.

“I don’t know, I was rescued by an uncle fireman. I didn’t saw him.”

Just when I thought my worries are all over, it comes back to me like rocks that hit me hard with no mercy. Now that the one who was supposed to be saved is here, where could the one that went to save be?

I wander around to look for Daniel to see if he is injured and is now getting medical treatment. The incident wasn’t really serious so not many people are hurt, most of them are just shocked. I am glad that everything is under control because no one deserves to experience whatever I had been through. The firemen walk out from the hall one by one which I assume that the fire has been put down. I approach one of them to ask whether they know where Daniel is.

“Excuse me, sir. Did everyone come out safely? Do you happen to see my friend? He is a really tall guy.”

“You mean him? He had done a great job in helping us rescuing the kids inside.”

He points at a man who is now calming the children at the corner. The tall, familiar guy that I am looking for, the one that I am worried about.

“Yes, it is him. Thank you so much.” I bow to him.

I honestly never feel happier to see him, standing right there safe and sound. I watch him from afar as I am deep in my thoughts. The urge to go and hug him is really strong at the moment, but I know that I can’t because I know that I will never be able to let go.

It will only drag him more into my mess. He will eventually end up getting hurt because of me.

I will never want, and will never let that to happen. 

Hello readers! I am sorry for the lack of update, all of us have real life matters to deal with right?

This chapter is shorter because it was originally supposed to be one with Chapter 7 but I split them.

See you in the next update!