Kiss the Stranger

“Hello, Yohan. Awake yet?”
I woke at Maysa’s friendly voice. I barely lifted my heavy eyelids, and she gave a wry smile before continuing.
“Don’t move. Stay just like that. We’ll eat after I check your wound. How does that sound?”

At her gentle question I nodded and said yes without a word. I’d been wearing a loose shirt with several buttons down the back—so she could treat my wounds more easily. Carefully, the nurse unbuttoned the shirt and peeled away the bandage holding the gauze in place.
Lately the disinfecting had dropped to about once a day; according to Maysa there was no more bleeding, so we just needed to wait for it to heal. Even so, disinfecting and applying the ointment stabbed me with sharp pain every time; I flinched whenever the cotton touched me.
“How was yesterday, Yohan? Did you sleep well?”

Her question—whether to distract me or genuine curiosity—I answered vaguely.
“Yes… it was pretty much the same as usual.”
“Is that so?”

I felt Maysa’s cautious fingers touch the wound. Probably applying medicine.
“Sorry—I ran on at the mouth because it’s been so long since I saw the princess. I should have given you your evening dose, but you were already asleep. You looked so deeply asleep I didn’t want to wake you.”
Only then did I remember why I’d woken at dawn. I must have dozed again before Asghail woke. Now I lay alone in the bed.
I felt tired, but the fog in my head had lifted considerably. The pills had clearly kept me in a drowse.

“…Ugh.”
I groaned through clenched teeth at the worst spot, and Maysa said,
“Almost done. Hang in there, Yohan.”

With a small encouragement her gauze went back over my wound. She wrapped a bandage carefully, shifting my body gently, then spoke once the treatment was finished.
“The wound’s wide, so I just secured the gauze with the bandage. Don’t worry—it’s healing well.”
“Thank you.”

Between shallow breaths I thanked her. She patted my shoulder, then told the nurse to bring my meal. The nurse passed the instruction to a page outside the door, and I lay face down, catching my breath. The rain that had poured until dawn had cleared and sunshine streamed in. The thunderstorm felt like a dream.
“…Um.”
I spoke tentatively. Maysa, who was tidying her tools alongside the nurse, turned her head. I parted my lips with effort.

“My wound’s healing well, so I’d like to leave now…”
“What? Why?”
Maysa looked genuinely startled. The nurse’s eyes widened too, as if she’d never expected this.

“This is the Crown Prince’s chamber. I’ve stayed here thanks to His Highness’s grace while you treated my wound, but it’s healed enough now. I should go back to where I was. That’s only natural.”

“Well… um.”
Maysa, unusually flustered, stammered. She scratched her head, sighed, then spoke.

“Actually, Yohan, the reason I kept you here for treatment wasn’t just that. Your wound was severe, and I thought it’d be better to leave you in one place rather than move you each time… so, well.”
“I know.”
I spoke calmly, watching her choose her words.
“I’m grateful to help with His Highness’s sleep disorder. I even have an inkling what the evening medicine is…”

Maysa looked startled for a moment, then sheepishly apologized.
“Sorry.”
“No—it’s truly a relief to be useful. …But.”

I paused before continuing.
“I don’t think I can stay like this forever. We need another solution…”
“Why?”

This time she needed more composure. After a deep breath, I spoke.
“His Highness will marry the princess, right?”
“……”

Maysa went silent. I added,
“I didn’t realize it yesterday, but I’m fortunate the princess didn’t get angry. An omega like me lying in the fiancé’s bed… If I were her, I’d be jealous.”
I would have burst into tears. Even mentioning Najima and Asghail’s marriage now makes my chest ache. If I witnessed their wedding, my heart would surely shatter.

“The princess and the Crown Prince don’t view each other the way you think, Yohan.”
Maysa tried to reassure me, but I shook my head.
“Still, that’s the princess’s place.”

A sob rose in my throat; I hurried to steady my voice.
“I’ll work during the day. At night—after dinner—I’ll return here. But you should prepare for the day I leave. Find a way to treat His Highness’s insomnia that doesn’t rely on me…”
“Is that possible? The steward failed and ran off.”

“I can’t stay between the princess and the Crown Prince either. And the steward neither failed nor ran away.”
I corrected her, but she seemed uninterested. It upset me that the steward would be misunderstood, but unless he comes back, their opinion won’t change. So I fell silent.
After a moment, Maysa asked,

“What will you do then? Return to the lab during the day?”

“…I’ll mostly be in my workshop.”
Maysa cocked her head. I explained,

“I have something I was making to finish, and I need to care for my cat… I don’t really have anything else to do.”
“Sitting still won’t be easy. What if your back reopens?”
Her tone grew stern. I answered seriously.

“I hate pain too, so I won’t overdo it. If I feel the least bit unwell, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} I’ll stop and let you know.”
I offered a smile; she pursed her lips. Suddenly I thought of the steward’s face overlapping with hers. I wondered if he was doing all right—but now wasn’t the time to daydream.
“When the palace allows free entry and exit, I’ll go back to where I was living. So please do your best to cure the Crown Prince’s insomnia. I’m counting on you.”
Once the culprit is caught and the matter resolved, the entry restriction will lift. Then I’ll truly have to leave.

As I renewed my resolve, a page entered carrying a tray. Maysa glanced at him setting soup and bread on the table and said,
“Eat first, Yohan. Can you walk?”
“Yes.”

Of course I could, I thought as I sat up—but a wave of dizziness halted me. I closed my eyes in a grimace, took several deep breaths, then opened them. Maysa’s worried face came into view.
“See? I told you not yet.”
I forced an awkward laugh and shook my head.

“I’m really fine. I just got dizzy from standing so fast.”
Still, disbelief hung on her face. I moved cautiously and set my foot outside the bed. Rising on my own took a lot of effort, but wasn’t impossible. I managed a few steps to a chair and let out a relieved sigh. Maysa watched me eat my soup without speaking for a long moment.
“Thank you for the meal.”

I set down my spoon and thanked her. Maysa, who had said nothing until then, spoke.
“I’ll hurry the research, Yohan. You must have had a hard time—sorry.”
“No, I’m truly grateful.”

I shook my head hastily.
“I’m really happy to be of help to His Highness.”
I smiled sincerely, but Maysa didn’t return it.

Phew.
I returned to Asghail’s room at sunset. It took quite a while to walk from the room to the workshop, and the return took twice as long. In the end I only worked for a couple of hours. By the time I arrived, it was past noon and Zahra had already left; I didn’t even see Rikal.
Tomorrow I must go out earlier….

Just then I met Maysa in the corridor—she’d come to fetch me—and we returned together. But the moment I entered the room I was completely exhausted and nearly collapsed to my knees.
“See? I told you not to overdo it.”
I wanted to say I was fine, but no words came. She supported me as I lay down, and my eyes closed on their own.

“Yohan, your medicine….”
Maysa’s voice drifted away in an instant, and before I realized I was falling asleep, I was out cold.