“That’s enough let the poor boy go,” Grandma Ren said

“I’ll ruin that face of yours if you don’t return with her!” Grandpa Ren threatened pushing Jiro toward the door.

Jiro rubbed his ear and mumbled to himself as he went over to the shed and grabbed an umbrella.

_*_*_*_*_*_

Selina searched frantically through the patches of vegetables and went here and there but didn’t find anything. Selina looked up at the sky scratching her head and shivered. The raindrops were endlessly falling down. 'If the rain wasn't so cold, it actually look really pretty' Selina thought.

“Where can it be?” Selina asked walking over the cabbages then stepped back looking at something glittering on the ground. “There it is!”

_*_*_*_*_*_

“Where could this idiot be?” Jiro questioned himself as he headed back to the garden.

Glancing through the thick rain he noticed someone crouching by the patches of vegetables.

“Sel!” Jiro shouted from afar.

Selina looked up surprised, “What are you doing here?”

“Your grandparents are yelling at me! What the heck are you doing here you dimwit!” he shouted.

Selina made a face and made her way out of the garden.

“I…” she began.

“Hurry! They’re pissed off at me!” Jiro said grabbing her wrist and pulling her quickly after him.

When Jiro appeared with Selina at the doorway Mrs. Ren ran out of the house. Worried expressions on their faces.

“Selina! Where were you?” Mrs. Ren questioned.

Selina just smiled back and laughed foolishly, “I just went out, that’s all. I’m fine see?”

Selina sneezed when Mrs. Ren touched her forehead, “You know you don’t do well with the rain. Hurry up I’ve prepared a warm bath for you.”

Jiro watched as Mrs. Ren led Selina off and made a face.

“What a princess,” he mumbled, “that’s right everyone cares about you and only you.”

“Hey, what are you talking about?” Grandpa Ren asked looking over.

“Nothing,” Jiro replied and went back into his bedroom.

Without realizing it he’d fallen asleep once he’d touched the bed. He awoke when he felt someone jump onto the bed. Everything was blurry at first then he rubbed his eyes to see Selina bending over him. Jiro gave a shout and sat up knocking his forehead into hers.

“Ah!” Selina shouted as she sat back her hand against her forehead. “That hurt!”

Jiro also rubbed his forehead, “Who told you to do that?”

Selina made a face then asked, “Hey are you hungry? You slept through dinner.”

“Aiisshh,” Jiro ushered then got off the bed getting out of the room.

Minutes later Jiro found himself sitting at the table as Selina heated up some food and brought them over. Selina watched as Jiro gulfed down his food then grabbed something out of the pocket of her shirt and held it in front of his face.

“Here you go,” Selina said.

Jiro glanced up to see the chain of the necklace first, “Where’d you get this?”

“At the garden,” Selina answered, “take it I feel dizzy so I’m going to go to sleep.”

Jiro watched as she placed the necklace on the table and watched as she got up to leave.

“Hey wait,” Jiro called out.

Selina turned around to wait for a reply but Jiro walked over to her instead.

“You have it,” Jiro told.

“Huh? No it’s ok I don’t need it,” Selina replied.

“Just take it,” Jiro told and slipped the necklace over her head. Jiro took a close glance at her and found that she was pale. “You better not fall sick on me. Go to bed.”

“Thanks,” Selina said and walked out.

To Jiro’s own surprise he’d woken up early in the morning. Grandma and Grandpa Ren were already up and busying themselves with everyday chores.

“Where’s Selina?” questioned Grandpa Ren.

“Still asleep,” Jiro answered after he had washed his face.

“Go wake her up. Married ladies are supposed to wake up before their husbands,” Grandma Ren told.

Jiro nodded and headed back to the bedroom to find Selina curled up under the blanket. A smile crawled onto his face and he rushed over tossing the blanket aside.

“Rise and shine!” he shouted.

When Selina didn’t respond he looked upon her again. She was sleeping, her knees up to her chest.

“Selina?” he asked staring at her. Jiro placed his hand on her forehead. “You’re so hot.”

Jiro rushed out and returned with Mrs. Ren who seemed more concerned. She sighed after pulling the blanket back over Selina.

“It’s just a fever,” Mrs. Ren explained, “give her breakfast and feed her some food around noon. We won’t be home so take care of her.”

“Wait, where are you going?” questioned Jiro.

“We’re going to go to the garden,” Mrs. Ren told. “We’ll come back soon.”

Jiro nodded and watched as Mrs. Ren walked out then turned back to Selina.

“Weakling…” he muttered and walked out.

He heated the porridge Mrs. Ren had made and put it into a small bowl then grabbed a spoon and returned to the bedroom.

“Selina,” he said. “Wake up.”

“What?” Selina asked meekly.

“Eat some food,” Jiro told.

Selina lay still not budging. Jiro rolled his eyes.

“Selina!” he yelled.

Selina scrunched up her face and turned around slowly trying to sit up. She finally managed to lean against the wall but fell against Jiro. She pulled her hand out and motioned for Jiro to hand her the bowl. Selina gave herself spoonfuls but not being able to stuff all of it into some of the porridge fell and slide down Jiro’s shirt.

“Hey! Watch it!” Jiro told. “You’re so disgusting!”

Jiro grabbed the bowl out of Selina’s hands and grabbed the spoon scooping up some of the porridge. Selina slowly ate the porridge that Jiro fed her and after a while Selina made a face pushing the bowl away.

“I don’t want to eat anymore,” Selina told half awake.

Jiro moaned lamely and placed the bowl on the table by the bed and glanced at his shoulder to find that Selina was already asleep. ‘She’s so warm’ he thought to himself.

“Hey you aren’t really sleeping are you?” Jiro questioned. “You still have medicine to eat!”

The day went by quickly with Jiro taking on some chores around the house. He found it even more boring when all that he was listening to was the chickens screaming. Annoyed he threw down the ax that he was using to chop the pieces of logs and turned to walk away when he met Grandpa Ren around the corner. Grandpa Ren was carrying a knife in his hand.

“Where are you going?” Grandpa Ren questioned. “Are you done with the chopping?”

Jiro smiled foolishly, “I…I…actually I was just going to get some water.”

As Jiro quickly walked passed Grandpa Ren said, “Liar! Hurry up and finish chopping! Don’t you feel bad if you leave it to grandma and Selina’s mom? They’re women you know? When you’re a man bear with the burden.”

Jiro made a face turning around. He’d never be able to win against this arrogant old man.

“Yes sir,” he said and picked up the ax again.

Jiro returned to the bedroom later that night stretching and making loud noises.

“Ahh! What a pain!” he shouted and looked over to the bed to find Selina curled up into a ball.

Finally remembering that she was sick he walked over to the bed making sure that he hadn't woken her up. He stared down at her and finally laid down on his side of the bed glancing up at the ceiling. He turned to glance at Selina, who was tightly tucked under the blanket. Jiro moved closer to her and pulled her over to him.

“You have to get hurt and then you’re sick, I wonder what else is going to happen next,” Jiro said to Selina then gently locked her into his arms. “The best medicine is some heat but I’m only doing this for tonight so don’t think too much.”

Jiro awoke the next morning when he found himself thrown to the ground with a loud scream.

“Ow! What the…” he questioned rubbing his head as he sat up.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Selina questioned loudly pointing at him in an accusing manner.

“What’s your problem?!” asked Jiro clutching onto the blanket that had fallen with him.

“You…you took advantage of me because I was sick last night, right? What did you do to me?!” Selina demanded to know.

“What? I didn’t do anything. You’re not the kind of girl that turns a guy on,” Jiro started, then an idea struck him. “But you know that area felt really good. Really soft too.”

Selina frowned and looked down at her chest gasping loudly.

“ert! You’re so disgusting!” Selina grabbed a pillow and tossed it at Jiro.

Jiro laughed as he watched Selina exit the room, “You never cease to amuse me.”

Selina found her mother in the kitchen with a lot of food laid out on the table. The sweet aroma of Chinese food drifted up into the air and into her nose.

“Mom what are you making? Why so much?” Selina asked as she reached down to grab something and stick it into .

“The village festival remember?” Mrs. Ren told.

“Oh! It’s here already?!” Selina asked.

“It’s tomorrow,” Mrs. Ren told.

“I forgot all about it,” Selina said.

Mrs. Ren smiled, “You’re sick, so you better get out of the kitchen.”

“Oh right,” Selina said and headed out.

She returned to her old room and went to sit at her desk leaning her head into her folded arms. She was replaying beauty of the village festival in her head. Golden lights hung everywhere, food was being shared all over the place, game stalls surrounded them, a play was going on, competitions, dance shows, some others were watching movies being shown and plenty more. It was under that romantic scene when Calvin had first held her hand. Selina still remembered how her heart had fluttered.

“What are you smiling at?” a voice asked bringing her out from her dream.

Selina turned to see Jiro’s hand moving in front of her face.

Jiro laughed and pulled his hand away, “Still thinking about other guys when you already have a husband. What a girl you are. Lets not have grandpa give you a lecture about marriage.”

Selina made a face and got off the chair walking away, “You’re always ruining everything. I can’t even think with you around.”

“I heard there’s a festival tomorrow. Lets make sure we have some fun,” Jiro said with a smirk on.

“Why is it that I have a bad feeling about tomorrow?” Selina asked.

The next day arrived quickly. After helping her grandparents bring the food she was free to go wherever she wanted while they visited with friends and other villagers. Crowds formed everywhere. Selina’s eyes opened wide in excitement as she glanced around to see all the games and competitions going on.

“This is going to be fun,” Selina said to herself.

“Where are you going?” Jiro asked following her.

“What are you doing?” questioned Selina turning back to look up at him.

“Tagging along,” Jiro told, “for your information I don’t know the way around, so grandpa told me to come with you.”

“Aish,” Selina mumbled. “Come along then.”

They walked from here to there playing a few games. Unfortunately, Selina had no real skills and didn’t win any prizes. Jiro made fun of her and won many things.

“Here you go,” the stall owner said handing Jiro a stuffed animal.

Selina made a face and watched Jiro receive his prize.

“Come back again young lady, next time you might win something,” the stall owner encouraged.

Selina smiled and nodded then walked away with Jiro following her.

“Feeling bad? It’s ok! Not everyone is good,” Jiro teased.

When Selina didn’t answer Jiro walked a little faster to catch up to her and glanced over her shoulder to look at her. Jiro gave a foolish smile realizing that she was pouting. He slipped his arm around her and stuck the stuffed animal in front of her face. Selina stared at it in surprise and turned to look at him. Jiro found himself freezing. He stared back at her silently lost.