Chapter 21: Only Your Opinion Matters

Mika’s face twitched, his exasperation plain as he let out a long sigh, his voice dry.

"You’re unbelievable, Charlotte. Only you could turn a hospital visit into...whatever this is." He shook his head, his smirk faint but fond, clearly used to her audacious outbursts.

The doctor, her face now a deep scarlet, could no longer stand the intimacy of the exchange.

"E-Everything’s fine!" She blurted, her voice high and panicked as she backed toward the door, clutching her clipboard like a shield. "You’re cleared to go, Mika. All tests are complete, and you’re in perfect health. I-I’ll just...excuse myself."

She turned, practically fleeing the room, her footsteps echoing down the hall as she escaped, her mind reeling with questions about the nature of their relationship but too overwhelmed to linger on them. As a professional, she knew better than to pry into the lives of such extraordinary patients, especially one tied to a goddess’s daughter.

"Look at that, Charlotte." Mika sighed, his tired gaze following the doctor’s retreat before turning to Charlotte, his voice laced with mock reproach. "You scared her off. She’s probably running to tell her colleagues about the crazy goddess’s daughter threatening to murder her over a pulse check."

"I don’t care if she gossips." Charlotte’s smile widened, unrepentant, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she nestled closer, her grip on his arm unrelenting. "Let them talk about my love for you, about how we’re meant to be." Her voice was bright, almost giddy, her possessiveness wrapped in a playful tone. "It’s not my fault she was getting too cozy. I’m just protecting what’s mine."

Mika rolled his eyes, his smirk softening into something gentler.

"They won’t be talking about your love, Charlotte. They’ll be talking about how the goddess’s daughter nearly drove a doctor to jump off the roof out of spite." He nudged her lightly, his tone teasing but firm. "You’ve got to rein it in sometimes. You’re terrifying people for no reason."

"Me? Terrifying?" Charlotte’s smile turned into a playful gasp, her hand flying to her chest as if offended, though her eyes gleamed with amusement. "I’m just a sweet, innocent girl looking out for my favorite person!"

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Besides, I don’t care about anyone else’s opinion...Only yours matters."

Mika shook his head, his expression softening despite himself, but a flicker of concern crossed his face as he glanced out the window, the city’s lights twinkling in the deepening dusk.

"Speaking of which..." He said, his voice turning serious. "Why exactly did you drag me here, Charlotte? I told you I didn’t want all these tests, all this attention. I wanted to keep things quiet, but you did the exact opposite."

"...You brought in every top doctor in this hospital, had them run every scan in the book, and made a spectacle of it. What’s going on?"

Charlotte’s smile faltered, her grip on his arm tightening as a guilty expression crept across her face. She looked down, her fingers tracing small circles on his hand, her voice quieter, almost sheepish.

"I didn’t mean for it to get this big, Mika. Honestly, I was only planning on a small check, up, just to make sure you were okay after...everything." She bit her lip, her eyes flicking up to his, her guilt plain. "But...it wasn’t my fault, I swear."

Mika’s brow arched, his voice calm but skeptical. "Not your fault? Then who turned this into a full, blown medical circus?"

Charlotte winced, her gaze dropping again, her fingers tightening around his.

"I-It was...Mom."

She admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, as if confessing a betrayal.

"I didn’t want to tell her, Mika, I really didn’t. But while you were off handling your...errand, and I was eating that sandwich, she called me. She was asking why I was so late, why I hadn’t come home yet. And I...I let it slip. About the accident, the truck, everything."

Mika’s eyes widened, a flash of shock and panic crossing his face, his voice rising slightly.

"Y-You told your mother? Charlotte, why would you do that? You know I didn’t want anyone else knowing, especially her!"

"I didn’t mean to! I swear, I tried to cover it up, but you know how she is!" Charlotte’s face crumpled, her eyes glistening with guilt as she shook her head frantically. "She’s like a bloodhound, she catches everything."

"The moment I mentioned the accident, she pried it all out of me. I couldn’t stop her. And then she insisted we come here, called the hospital herself, demanded a full scan, top doctors, the works."

She looked up at him, her expression pleading, her grip on his hand desperate.

"A-Are you mad at me, Mika? I didn’t mean to betray you. I just...I was worried, and she made it impossible to hide. Did I do something wrong?"

Mika held her gaze, his initial shock softening as he saw the genuine remorse in her eyes. He then sighed, shaking his head, his voice gentle but tinged with resignation.

"It’s not the most convenient thing, Charlotte, but it’s not your fault. A slip, up in front of your mother is like stepping on a landmine, she’d find out sooner or later."

"She’s too observant, catches every little detail. It’s probably better she knows now than sniffing it out herself later." He offered a small, reassuring smile, his hand squeezing hers lightly. "I’m not angry. Just...don’t let it happen again. I don’t want anyone else knowing, especially not—"

"Those four thieving witches!"

Charlotte cut in, her guilt vanishing as her voice turned sharp, her eyes narrowing with a sudden venom.

"I know, Mika. I’d never tell them. Those vultures are always circling, waiting for any excuse to swoop in and steal you from me...They’d use this as a chance to fuss over you, pretending they’re concerned just to get close."

Her voice dripped with spite, her grip on his arm tightening as she leaned closer, her expression fierce.

"I won’t let that happen...Not today, not ever."

Mika chuckled, a low, amused sound, his eyes glinting with fondness despite the topic.

"You’re still on about that? Charlotte, they’re practically your sisters. You can’t keep fighting them like this forever." He shook his head, his smirk teasing. "Though, knowing you five, the day you all get along is probably the day the world ends."

Charlotte’s pout returned, but her eyes sparkled with mischief as she nudged him.

"Let the world end, then. I’m not sharing you with those scheming harpies." She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a playful whisper. "You’re mine, Mika...And I’m keeping it that way."