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Her panic was almost instant.
She began pacing the lobby in frantic circles, running her hands through her hair and muttering under her breath. Her movents were so erratic, so exaggerated, that she looked like a pitiful little puppy who'd just been scolded.
"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" She blurted, her voice trembling. "I fell asleep! I didn't finish anything! The guests will be here soon, and I-"
Her pacing turned chaotic as she tried to decide where to start, her eyes darting toward the counter, then the doors, then the shelves.
Her breathing quickened, her shoulders shaking slightly under the weight of her growing panic. I could see it—the overwhelming stress, the guilt, and the helplessness building until it looked like she might cry.
"Nina..." I said casually, leaning back against the counter with the most nonchalant expression I could muster.
She froze mid-step, her eyes wide and desperate as they turned toward , and she asked, "What is it, Kafka? I'm sorry to say this once again, but I don't think I can entertain you since-"
"You don't have to worry." I interrupted, keeping my tone light. "I already finished everything." I then tilted my head slightly, smirking, and said, "So, why don't you co back here and keep warming up with that hug of yours?"
Her frantic expression shifted to one of pure shock, her mouth opening and closing as though trying to form words.
"You…You what?" She finally managed to stamr.
"I said everything's done." I repeated with a shrug. "Go ahead and check if you don't believe ."
Without another word, she darted off, rushing around the lobby like a whirlwind as she checked every detail.
She scanned the guest list, the neatly arranged items on the counter, the spotless shelves, and even the fully stocked snack tray. The more she saw, the more her expression softened, her initial disbelief lting into sheer astonishnt.
When she finally ca back to where I was sitting, she looked up at with wide, incredulous eyes.
"When did you even do all this?...It must have taken a lot of effort and ti since there was so much to do."
"In your sleep, Nina, and it wasn't really a big deal since I actually like to do housework...It calms my mind." I said, stretching my arms like it was no big deal.
Her expression twisted into a mix of frustration and embarrassnt as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Why didn't you wake up?" She asked, her tone sowhere between a growl and a pout. "I could've helped instead of letting you do everything yourself!"
I leaned forward slightly, resting my chin on my hand as I gazed at her with a soft smile.
"Because, like I said earlier, you looked too peaceful to wake up, and I considered it a grave sin to disturb such a breathtaking picture, so I decided not to." I said simply.
Her face turned a deep shade of red, and she took a step back, her composure crumbling under the weight of her embarrassnt.
But then her expression shifted to sothing more serious. She took a deep breath, her brows furrowing slightly, and I could see the determination in her eyes.
"This is my responsibility." She said, her voice a little shaky but still strong, almost as if she was trying to convince herself more than . "I'm the one who owns this place, and I should be the one taking care of it all...You shouldn't have done everything by yourself, Kafka...You should've woken up so I could finish what I started."
I could feel her frustration and her stubbornness, and I understood where it ca from, but I wasn't about to let her shoulder all the weight alone anymore.
I gently cupped her face in my hands, lifting her chin so she'd look at .
"Nina," I said softly, my voice calm and reassuring. "You don't have to do everything on your own...You've already got by your side. Now that you're mine, your responsibilities are mine too, so you don't have to carry this burden by yourself anymore and can rely on ."
Her eyes flickered as she processed my words, and I could see the storm of thoughts running through her mind.
For a mont, I thought she might say sothing else, but instead, she looked down for a brief second, her lips pressing together in a tight line, her face turning just a shade pinker.
I expected her to pull away or push away again, to insist that she was fine doing everything herself. But instead, she surprised completely.
Without a word, Nina leaned in, her hands sliding to my face as she closed the distance between us, her lips brushing softly against mine.
Chu~
The kiss was tender and gentle, and I could feel the warmth of it spreading through , leaving stunned in the mont.
When she pulled back, I blinked in surprise, unable to form words at first.
"Nina?...W-What was that for, not that I didn't enjoy it?"
Nina gave a shy smile, her cheeks flushed as she glanced away for a brief mont, her fingers still resting on my face.
"Well." She said, her voice quieter now, almost teasing. "A worker should get paid for his work, right?...So, this is your paynt for all the work that you did, Kakfa...A kiss on the lips from your beautiful employer."
Her words hit like waves, and I couldn't help but chuckle nervously. My mind was still spinning, and I could feel my face turning bright red from the unexpected kiss, not to ntion how cheeky she sounded.
Thinking that I looked rather cute with how flustered I look, Nina nestled into my chest, the tension from earlier dissolving completely as we stood there, wrapped up in each other.
The world outside didn't matter at that mont. It was just us—no more responsibilities, no more stress, just the warmth of each other's presence.
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