She's My Sleeping Pill

Rissy walked inside his apartment and sat down on the black couch. She looked around without saying anything yet. In fact, she was thinking how to react to his words without sounding pretentious or overreacting. She didn't want to break their fragile relationship. 

"It doesn't really matter to me." Rissy stated after some time. "It's not that I don't care about it but, it's something that I can't change. You don't have a family? So, what? I have a family and I can extend the love of my family to you. And we can make our own family if our relationship works. As for your job, isn't it a decent work? You're protecting the country from being jeopardize. Whether your work as a secretary is fake or not, as long as you like what you're doing, I will support you on that."

The apartment sank into silence and Rissy couldn't bring herself to look at him. She was a bit nervous to see his expression after all the words she said. Unexpectedly, Chris sat on the space beside her. He clasped his hands together and turned his head to the side to look at her.

"Have you heard of Alexander Minato? Stefan's older brother?"

"Yup. Why?"

"He's my half-brother. We share the same father and I was born few years after him. I was conceived by mistake but his family didn't take responsibility of my mother's pregnancy. She died when I was ten years old and because we were poor, my grandparents couldn't afford to raise me. They kicked me out of the house and I started wandering on the street. I became a garbage collector, washed cars, walked dogs and do different kinds of menial works just to earn a meager some of money. I did all these for two years. And then, a military official found me. He told me to become an assistant to a military doctor because I'm efficient with my work. And then, I was adopted by Major General Hawkins which is how I became Chris Hawkins. The fall of the Minato family, was also part of my plan. It just so-happen that Stefan decided to take them down as well and I willingly helped him. If he did not, I would do it on my own."

"Oh. I'm glad that someone out there helped you and raised to become the person you are now."

"Aren't you mad? Hasn't your opinion changed after hearing all these words from me? I'm vengeful and I keep grudges hidden deeply in my heart."

"Well, I'm not a very kind person either. I think we all have a dark side to us." Rissy responded with a faint yet comforting smile towards him. "And I am so glad that you're letting me know about these things."

"I don't want to keep any secrets from you. Anyway, my mission will be done soon which means, I will have to stop working as Stefan's assistant. I don't know what will be my next mission is but I am pretty sure that I'll be able to survive it. After all, I have you now."

"Hey, we're not done yet. I haven't shown you my secrets yet." She replied. "Let's have dinner first. We can chat while eating and we can still chat on our way to my house."

"Sure." Chris stood up and arranged the dishes they bought on his small dining table. It was just enough for four people to eat but since it was just the two of them, it looked very spacious. "My apartment seemed cold, isn't it?"

"For most single people, I can say that their house or apartments would really look cold."

"I'm so happy that you have an open mind."

"I can't say that you are way better than me because we have different experiences. The pain you felt might not have the same intensity to the pain I felt as I grew up but I'm sure, it must be really painful to be alone for two years."

"It was, but it helped me realize a lot of things. No matter how cruel the world to you is, there are still people who remained kind and would always lend a helping hand and I met a lot of people like that. The kindness might not come from your own family but kindness is still kindness, you should be thankful for it."

Rissy was silent for a little while and her spoon stopped moving as well. She was staring into space with a blank look on her face. "Have you…have you experience being bullied?"

"Being bullied? I guess but not to the extent of getting wounds and bruises. When I was loitering in the streets, doing odd jobs here and there, there were some bigger children who would ask for my money but not all of it. They would just take half of it."

"And you just let them do it?"

"Hn. I don't want to make enemies of them because they outnumbered me. Since it's just money then, they can have it. I don't want to be beaten into pulp."

"Good for you." Rissy continued to eat which put a little bit of uneasiness in Chris's heart. Asking him a question like that, he was more or less, sure that she was asking base on her experience and somehow, he didn't want to talk to her about it. He didn't want to open any scabs of her wounds.

"Is there anything else you wish to do after dinner?" Chris asked in hope to divert her attention but it was futile.

"I'd like to go home as soon as I can. It would be best if you know me better before entering the relationship that we both want. And since you shared a lot tonight. I'd like to share something of myself as well. So, just send me home after dinner."

"O-okay. I don't really mind."

Rissy's confidence started to waver and she was starting to be afraid but things like past experiences and awful secrets, it should be known earlier and it should be coming directly from the person involved because at the end of the day, you don't want your partner to know these things later on and from someone else's, do you?