Chapter 228 - A Pitiful Story

"Wait, I almost got it." Mimi bit her lower lip and focused intensely on securing the hard object before her.

Tobias's brows furrowed a little. "Mimi, let me do it. You might—"

"No! I got it, just give me a moment!"

Very carefully, Mimi lowered the knife onto the cutting board and leveled it against the carrot.

Chop!

"I did it!" Mimi bounced on her toes and looked up at Tobias. Her expression was bright and purely full of joy.

Tobias chuckled while carefully taking the knife out of her hand. He set it on the counter before rubbing her head.

"Good job." He smiled.

Mimi giggled with a playful grin. She looked back at the cutting board, snatched the knife, and began chopping vegetables again. Watching her continue her previous actions, Tobias was too nervous to leave her alone.

With his arms crossed his chest, one hip leaned against the counter, he watched her movements intently to ensure she wouldn't injure her precious fingers.

Not a second later, he heard her yelp in pain. In two long strides, he was by her side. Holding up her finger, he saw the small dot of blood seep from her finger.

He sighed heavily. "Let's clean it first, then I'll bandage you."

Mimi looked at her bleeding finger then Tobias and nodded. When she walked to follow him into the living room, she heard him say: "Leave the knife."

Pursing her lips, Mimi set the large knife back on the counter. It felt nice being a chef for a while.

...

"Why did you suddenly want to learn how to cook?" Tobias stood in front of the sofa and took out his first aid kit. He grabbed a cotton ball, doused it in disinfectant, then gently placed it on her finger.

Mimi watched his movements and replied, "Well, with my new lifestyle it looked like a good hobby to learn."

Tobias raised an eyebrow. "New lifestyle?"

Mimi looked up at him and blinked innocently. "You."

Tobias's movements stiffened. He dropped his gaze, staring at her in a daze as he tried to figure out the meaning behind her words. His black pupils stared deeply into her violet eyes. He had been staring at her for a while, so Mimi's gaze grew increasingly amused.

She laughed softly.

"You won't be able to cook for me forever, right? Since we're a couple, we have to support one another. I thought I might be helpful by learning how to cook." She helplessly glanced down at her finger. "Ah, but I don't think I will be very good at it in comparison to you."

Tobias looked at Mimi without saying a word, then he heaved a sigh. He suddenly sat on the sofa, placed her on his lap, wrapped his two arms around her firmly, and propped his chin on her head. Feeling the temperature of the small body in his arms gradually getting warmer, his heart squeezed bitingly.

He couldn't live without this girl.

"Tobias?"

He didn't respond.

"Toby?"

He uttered a sigh that was more like a groan. "Just wait a moment."

Mimi went silent as Tobias held her on his lap. In silence, she enjoyed the feeling of his large hands gently caressing her back while he deeply thought about something. Because he hadn't said anything for a while, Mimi glanced at him and found him staring at her.

After a while, he asked, "What was your sister like?"

Mimi was surprised by his sudden question. She shifted her eyes a little to the side and thought. Her heart warmed up at the image of her sister.

"Of all the children, my sister was considered the brightest. My sister was such an incredible genius that my father never even bothered to meet me at all. Did you know since I was born, I only saw my father five times?"

Tobias's black eyes shone dangerously. He frowned and hugged her a little tighter.

"I had no idea." He muttered lowly, but Mimi somehow felt a very dangerous air.

Hearing his voice, she lifted her head. She smiled a little at his gloomy expression but continued to speak.

"But now she's gone. And, luckily, I was deemed unimportant enough to be discarded by everyone. I was able to free myself."

Tobias silently listens to the girl speak in a soft voice and gently brushed her hair with his hand.

"But I loved my sister...She had always been kind to me. Out of everyone, she was by far the most interesting. She told me everything, even things one shouldn't tell a child."

Mimi lowered her head and sighed softly. "Unfortunately, it looks like my sister wasn't completely honest with me. It seems like after everything, I never really knew her."

She lifted her head to look up into the man's handsome face. "It's quite pitiful, isn't it? But I'm not too sad about it. If anything, as a Hirogori, we're not born with familial love. So...for a while, I was thankful for her to show me just a little bit of it."

Mimi lifted a hand and cupped his face. As she stroked his cheek, his beautiful features captivated her. The corner of her lips curved up, exposing the two faint dimples on her cheeks.

"If it weren't for her showing me what it feels like to be loved, I would have never known my feelings for you."

Before, when she thought of her sister, she would be depressed, angry even. But now, she was only left with pleasant memories. This was thanks to the fact that Mimi was currently happy in her life - that she had Tobias in her life.

Tobias watched her smile bashfully and his gaze trembled. His throat felt sore for a moment. He leaned down and kissed the corner of her eyes.

"Then, I'm thankful to her for providing you with happy memories and allowing you to fall in love with me." He whispered, his voice slightly rough.

Mimi somehow felt emotional at his affectionate words. He looked into her clear violet eyes, and she looked back at him. Her eyes were completely filled with his image.

Suddenly he said, "You don't need to learn how to cook for me."

Mimi's eyes went round, and she looked at him. Such a change in conversation.

"Why?"

"It's too dangerous for you."

Mimi snorted. "It's bound to be for someone who has never cooked before. If I don't earn a few injuries, then I'll never learn. Besides, what if I want to learn to cook not just for you but for myself?"

"You won't need to." He replied calmly.

Mimi couldn't understand his words, so she looked at him without saying anything.

Tobias sighed, then leaned his head gently against hers. His deep voice whispered softly, "Because I'll always be there to provide you with food."

Mimi was surprised by his words. Her cheeks puffed out a little before finally her soft laughter rang out. Tobias looked at while she laughed. He loved hearing her clear laughter. He never wanted to lose this sound.

Tobias tilted his head and kissed the corner of her eyes again. As he kissed her, Mimi burst into laughter. He kissed her eyes, jaw, and neck at random without any restraints as she laughed endlessly.

When she finished laughing, she found her back was pressed against the sofa and Tobias hovering over her. She smiled and raised a hand to pinch his cheeks.

"You spoil me too much, Toby."

Tobias chuckled and leaned forward to kiss the top of her head.

"You're welcome." He whispered.

Mimi burst into laughter again. Suddenly, the sound of her phone ringing on the table sounded. Tobias lifted himself off of her and Mimi reached over to grab her phone. When she saw the called ID, her eye twitched.

She answered. "My, my, it's so late for you to be calling me, big brother."

"Mimi, are you at Tobias's right now?"

An eyebrow rose on her face. "Yes."

"Are you planning on sleeping there?"

"Yes," Mimi answered honestly.

Alec was silent for a moment. On the other end, she detected the sound of him shuffling around as if he were putting on a jacket. Following that was the sound of keys.

"Put Tobias on the phone."

A sudden bad premonition arose in her heart, but she still handed the phone to Tobias, who looked at her with a raised brow. Taking the phone from her hand, he lifted it to his ear.

Not even seconds later, Tobias sighed heavily. "Yes, I know."

With her legs crossed on the sofa, Mimi stared at Tobias with a puzzled expression. Tobias glanced at her, then shifted his gaze away.

"Calm down, I know. Yes, I will take her home."

Mimi was startled. Her dazed senses, which were drowning in warmth instantly sobered up.

What the hell was her brother saying on the other end?!

After five minutes, Tobias ended the call, his expression dark. He looked at her with a slightly helpless look and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Your brother told me to drive you home."

"What? Why?" Mimi frowned. "Did you not already promise not to touch me until I'm a.d.u.l.t? Now he doesn't want me to spend the night at your house?"

Tobias sighed. "It's that, or he comes over and sleeps with us."

Mimi's lips tightened into a thin line.

"I'll get ready."