The Magic Bug--Intermission by cris

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The Magic Bug

Intermission

Seravi woke up to the sound of a bird chirping outside his cottage. But this time the pounding in his head had, amazingly, disappeared. A smile grew slowly on his face.

I think my flu had disappeared! I'm not sick anymore! He excitedly rose up from his bed...and quickly fell down on the floor.

"Or probably not," he muttered to himself as he struggled to crawl up to his bed. As he lay there on the bed, panting from his exertion, Elizabeth asked worriedly, "Seravi,
are you alright?"

"I'm fine, my dear Elizabeth and I think my flu had gone but I feel so weak..."

"That's just normal, Seravi. Your body had to regain its strength after fighting an illness."

"Hmm, you're right as always, Elizabeth."

"But of course."

Just then, Dorothy came in, smiling.

"Oh good, you're awake, just as I thought. I've heard you speaking just now, you know. I hope you're hungry since I've brought you breakfast," Dorothy rattled on, failing to
prevent the nervousness she felt from creeping to her voice.

Seravi didn't react when she placed the tray on the side table. Not liking the silence that settled in the room, she continued on, "By the way, the doctor visited while you're
sleeping. Since you're fever broke up last night and your temperature was about normal when he checked you up this morning, he said you'd be okay from now on. Maybe a little weak but he said you'll probably be fine tomorrow...", her babbling trailed off when Seravi had at last looked at her. Unconsciously, she stepped back when she saw the anger in those green eyes.

"Thank you for the food. Now leave me alone."

Dorothy thought frantically. Where are the teasings, those insults that should have followed whenever we talk? The remorse coulpled with the guilt she'd been feeling since yesterday deepened and made the tears well up to her eyes. He is really mad at me...

"Se-Seravi..."

"Will. You. Please. Go. Away!"

Dorothy couldn't prevent the flow of tears from falling to her cheeks. She said brokenly, "Seravi, I'm sorry. I am so sorry..." And then sobbing, she ran out of the room.

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The silence in the room was unbearable. As Elizabeth's accusing eyes bore into him, Seravi said defensively, "I have the right to be to be angry. She tried to manipulate me while I was sick!"

For once, Elizabeth didn't reply. She just continued to look at Seravi so steadily, he hastily placed her back to the side table where he (thankfully, he thought) couldn't see
her face.

He then noticed the breakfast tray that Dorothy placed on the table before she ran out. Even if he is famished, Seravi angrily pushed the tray away, sloshing some of the noodle soup on the tray.

Hah, would you look at that, he thought mockingly. The noodle soup have its noodles shaped like animals. How ridiculou--

Seravi's eyes widened and he murmured, "She remembered..."

"Seravi, go away. Don't you see, I'm sick," Dorothy wailed, her face full of those little red pocks only a 10-year old girl with a bad case of chickenpox will have. She tried to
cover herself with her bedsheets, only the green-haired boy tugged it down again.

"C'mon Dorothy, don't be that way. Everybody at school missed you. I missed your pretty smile..."

"Oh shut up! Stop lying to me! I'm so ugly with these horrible little red things. Doris said so. *I* said so."

"That's not true. You're still as beautiful as ever."

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Am not!"

"Am too--" Seravi stopped and sighed. "Alright, alright. Just this once, I'd let you win. Okay, you're..." Seravi stuggled, "...not pretty," he finished lamely.

Smugly, the sick little girl said, "I told you so." But she couldn't stop the tears that fell from her eyes.

"Aw, Dorothy, please stop crying," Seravi said miserably when Dorothy didn't.

Suddenly Seravi remembered something that might cheer up Dorothy. Hastily, he opened up the basket that he'd been carrying.

"Hey Dorothy, I nearly forgot. This is for you." With flourish, he produced from the basket a soup tureen, two bowls and spoons. Uncovering the tureen, Dorothy caught an aroma so delicious she stopped crying. Taking the bowl of soup Seravi is offering to her, she hesitatingly sipped a spoonful of the hot soup.

"Hmmm, this is good!"

Blushing, Seravi asked eagerly, "You think so?"

"Yeah. You made this, didn't you? It's delicious!" Laughing, "I especially love these cute animal-shaped noodles."

"Wow! Thanks!"

"No, thank you for cheering me up. I'd really like to kiss you right now..." Seravi brightened up, "...but I won't. I'm sick." She continued to eat calmly, ignoring Seravi
who facefaulted...

A hour later, Dorothy hesitatantly peeked in. When she saw Seravi lying peacefully on the bed, she tiptoed in to get the tray. As she swiftly walked out, Dorothy felt someone tugging her dress.

"Dorothy, could you stay for a moment?"

Putting the tray on the table again, Dorothy quietly sat beside Seravi's bed.

"Dorothy, I--"

"Seravi, I--," both started simultaneously.

"You go first."

"No, you go first."

"Naah, I really think you should go fir--"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP AND START TALKING!"

(cris: HUH?!)
(Dorothy: You shut up too!)
(cris: *sweatdrop*)

"Okay, okay. Just don't yell. Sheesh!"

Seravi covered her hand with his. Looking at her surprised violet eyes, he said solemnly, "About this morning, Dorothy. I'm sorry I made you cry. I should have--"

Dorothy interrupted angrily, "Stop that, you fool! You know as well as I do that all of this is my fault! I'm--I'm so sorry, Seravi for that very stupid thing I did yesterday."

"But I--"

"Seravi, I'm the one really at fault. I'm the one who should be begging for your forgiv--"

"Stop interrupting me! Can't you see I'm trying to apologize here!"

"Idiot!"

"Witch!"

Suddenly Dorothy began to laugh. At first, Seravi was astounded but he too began to chuckle. As their laughter filled the morning air, the bird outside Seravi's window was so startled, she flew away.

"Seravi?"

"Hmm?"

"Honestly, do you forgive me?"

"Yes, I do. How about you? Do you forgive me?"

"I do."

Smiling, Seravi took Dorothy's hand and kissed it while Dorothy, surprised, blushed furiously.

*CLICK!*

The two looked up when the sudden bright light flashed at them... and saw that they are surrounded by a horde of reporters and photographers, filling up Seravi's tiny room and now slowly closing on them.

*CLICK!*

"So the rumor is true about your secret wife, isn't it, Mr. Seravi? This lady is her, right?"

*CLICK!*

"Did she took care of you while you were on you violently sick, Mr. Seravi? What's her name,
anyway?"

"Mr. Seravi--"

Seravi groaned, "Oh my God..."

(TO BE CONTINUED)