My Fiancée Hates Me

When I awoke, I found that I was laying in an all-white hospital room with bandages all over my arms and hands. I sat up not realizing where I was and suddenly felt a pressing headache and touched my head to find that I had a bandage wrapped around my head as well.

My memories seemed strangely vague...

Did I fall down a flight of stairs?

Someone with black hair was sitting and laying his head on the bed by my side.

This familiar appearance?

The person soon squirmed around and lifted his head. His hair seemed all over the place because he was resting. This unkempt looking person was definitely Garett, my husband's cousin, but why did he appear younger looking than usual?

"You are awake, Arielle," Garett said with a relieved expression.

"Where am I?" I asked indifferently.

"You were in an accident...a bookcase fell on you. Do you remember any of that?" Garett asked.

I was in an accident?

How come I do not remember anything?

My head began stinging...

A vivid image of Garett's decapitated head being pierced through a wooden pole suddenly surfaced into my mind.

"Are you alright, Arielle?" Garett asked as he tried to touch my head.

I slapped his hands away.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"What do you mean by who am I? Do you not remember me? I am obviously Garett," he said.

Garett died! This person is obviously a fake!

"That is a lie! Even if you wear that mask of a skin, you cannot fool me. How dare you pretend to be him? You are obviously a fake! An imposter!" I screeched at him.

Erik soon came in with a bouquet of pink peonies, my favorite flowers.

"You are finally awake, Arielle," Erik said.

He looked just as young as when he was a teenager.

"...Erik?"

Erik asked that Garett leave while Erik tried to calm me down. He explained to me that this world and timeline was slightly different from the one I came from and that I was now the sixteen-year-old me and not the twenty-year-old me who witnessed Erik's stabbing.

"I am so sorry...I do not remember anything after you got stabbed," I said solemnly.

"Stop...the most important thing is that we are alive right now and that there is no one that can hurt either of us anymore. Lady Kaya Ouchi and the perpetrators behind the incident have also already paid for all of their crimes," Erik explained.

"...I see. If this is the past of an alternate world, does that mean that Garett I saw earlier is not really an imposter?" I asked.

"...He is definitely Garett," Erik answered.

"Then, I have said some shameful things to him...I should apologize to him right away," I said as I tried to get up from bed.

I was suddenly met with an intense pain in my back and lower spine.

"You are still injured. Stay here while I go get him," Erik said as he went outside.

It seemed that they had quite a long conversation before coming back in.

"I am sorry about earlier, Garett. My memory is fuzzy from waking up," I said.

"I understand... Then, I'll get going now," Garett said.

"You are leaving?" I asked.

"...It is better if I am not here," Garett said indifferently as he left.

He still waited to see me before leaving...

"Erik, what is my current relationship with Garett in this life? He waited for me to wake up by my side this whole time. It seems a bit strange, yes?" I asked Erik.

"...Will you let me stay by your side while you recover?" Erik asked as he held my hand.

Erik seems a bit strange as well.

Such a strange thing to ask when we are already engaged...

"Of course, you are my precious husband...or dear fiancé as of right now," I said as I grasped his hand.

"Yes!" he responded happily.

Maybe I am thinking too much...spending time with Erik is what makes me the happiest after all.

I saw the books of my favorite authors on the side of my bed along with a canister of my favorite tea and snacks.

"You prepared so much for me," I said.

I felt so touched that Erik put so much effort in making my stay in the hospital so comfortable.

"...Yeah," Erik said awkwardly.

Strange...

"I almost feel a little bad about taking your time. You must be very busy, Erik," I said.

"What did you just say?" Erik asked.

"...I feel bad about taking up your time," I repeated.

"No, the last part..."

"Erik?"

"Can you say my name a few more times?" Erik asked.

I laughed.

"Erik...Erik...Erik...Erik, has it been that long since I said your name?" I asked.

"...It hasn't, but I like hearing you say my name. I do not get to hear it often," Erik said.

"What are you talking about? Your parents and your retainers should say your name more than me," I said.

"They all call me by Prince and just Prince. I am nothing more but a title to them," Erik said.

"His Majesty and Her Majesty do not all you by your name?" I asked.

"Sometimes I would sneak out of the Castle when I was younger. I would assume the identity of a boy who was not a Prince. Even if people did not necessarily call me by the name Erik, I was still happy to encounter people who would not talk to me formally all of the time. Even though you were my fiancée, it took you several years before you could refer to me as just Erik," Erik said.

"...I am sorry about that," I said.

"Also, it feels a lot more special when you say it, so whether you tell me you like me or you hate me with my name, I still feel a bit happy when you do so," Erik said with a slightly sad smile.

"...What a strange man to feel happy when someone says that they hate you," I said.

Erik soon slipped on some comical black frames with a pudgy pink nose and full mustache with a long beard.

"I would say that this strange old man would like anything you do to him," Erik said as he brushed his fake beard with his fingers.

I laughed at his cheesy comedy bit.

"You are such a strange person at times," I said as I held my stomach from the stinging pain. "Ow..Ow..."

Erik quickly took of the comical prop and looked worried.

"I am sorry about that! I was not thinking of your health. Should I call for a doctor?" Erik asked frantically.

I pat his head gently.

"I am fine, so continue being like the sun as you always are," I said with a smile.

Being with him like this is happiness to me...but why do I feel uneasy?☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐