; loving causes death, and it might be the case for Ruby
- in which Ruby had a hanahaki disease, causing her to cough up petals in place of blood. A disease that developed over time from loving one-sidedly, and not being loved back. But even Ruby d...
(Events after Ruby fainted while looking for Izek)
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When Ruby stirred awake, there was a faint throb in her chest that made her squint and clutch her chest.
A cough suddenly erupted afterwards. Ruby subconsciously covered her mouth, thinking it was just an ordinary cough.
To her surprise, a petal fell on her lap. A few more red petals fell through her fingers, rendering Ruby silent for a few moments.
What the hell is happening here? As if on cue, a maid entered and saw the petals around Ruby.
"Are you alright, Madam?" The maid hurried over to her side, then looked around to see where the petals came from.
"I'll clean this up right away. Please stay put for a moment, I'll be calling the doctor."
Ruby could only nod, equally confused about the petals that came out of her mouth. She was reluctant to mention it to the maid, because even her couldn't believe what she just coughed.
The doctor soon arrived shortly after. Along with him was Izek, who immediately bore his eyes on Ruby.
Ruby quickly put on her cheery front, smiling at Izek sheepishly. Seeing her act like this again, a sense of irritation arose in his chest, but Izek simply brushed it off with a sigh.
Just why does she always have to act happy when she's clearly not? Izek walked over to Ruby's side as the doctor started to check Ruby's condition.
After a minute, the doctor found nothing strange. "The madam will just need to rest for a few days. Please avoid overexerting yourself, and eat well."
Ruby furtively glanced at Izek before nodding in understanding.
The doctor was saw off by the maid, leaving Ruby and Izek alone. There was this tension between them, which made Ruby uncomfortable about being alone with her husband.
"Uhm... Thanks, by the way. I heard you brought me back home." Ruby decided to start the conversation, fiddling with her fingers as she did so.
Izek was quiet for a few moments. Soon then, he replied, "Don't mention it. It would be a failure in my part to leave you be."
Finally looking at her, Izek asked, "Why did you follow me all the way there? You could've asked someone to send the word to me."
Although there was no harshness in his tone, Ruby couldn't help but feel frightened. She immediately thought that he would get angrier than this, and that he might hit her.
"I-I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you," Ruby said with an obvious trembling voice.
Hah. There she is again. Izek ran his fingers through his hair, clearly frustrated about Ruby's reaction. He had an urge to ask what's there to be frightened about, but his gut tells him to not be direct with his wife.
Izek only sighed, trying to compose himself. "... Alright. But send a prior notice next time. And have someone go with you. We wouldn't want you fainting somewhere else."
"Understood!"
When Ruby made that smile, Izek immediately knew it was genuine. It was so real it made him stop and stare at her. For some reason, it made him want to protect that smile.
However, the moment was cut off when Ruby let out a series of cough.
Izek, a bit confused about what to do, instinctively rubbed Ruby's back soothingly.
"I'm alright, my throat just feels dry." Ruby waved her hand off, but Izek wasn't convinced.
He fetched the water on the bedside table, and handed it to Ruby.
"Tell me if you need more." Izek's voice came out gentle and reassuring.
Ruby nodded and sipped on the glass, quenching her throat with some refreshing water. But because she lied about needing to drink, she couldn't finish it all.
"I think I just need a rest. I'll get better soon." Ruby smiled.
Izek wasn't sure if she was reassuring herself or she was reassuring him, but nonetheless, he nodded.
"I'll stay by your side until you fall asleep."
....? "You don't need to do that. I'm sure you still have things to do. Don't worry about me."
"Just sleep. I can do it later."
As Izek said so stubbornly, Ruby didn't have the heart to refuse him. She quietly tucked herself in the bed, glancing at Izek occasionally.
On the other hand, Izek was seated on a chair next to the bed, with his arms crossed. He had his eyes closed, which gave off an impression that he's resting.
As Ruby thought that Izek was also going to rest, she secretly opened her hand to reveal a few petals that had come out of her mouth earlier.
