SELEN opened her eyes that morning but did not leave the bed yet. She was lying flat on the bed with her eyes fixed on the ceiling. Seven days had passed, and she was done mixing the love potion doses on Sage’s meal. The eighth day will be the moment of truth. The time has come to know if the love potion that she made took effect on Sage.
She turned in the direction of the door when she heard it creaked. Nana Violy came inside her room.
“What are you still doing there? Aren’t you going to Sage’s house for work?”
She sat up. “I’m feeling anxious, Nana…”
Her grandma sat on the edge of the bed.
“Why? Is there a problem? Haven’t you reconciled with your best friend last night?”
“It’s not about Rei.” She heaved a sigh.
“Oh. It’s Sage.”
“Hm-hmm.” Selen nodded.
“What about him?”
“He still hasn’t come here, right?” Her shoulders dropped. “Maybe the love potion was a failure. I really suck at witchcraft…”
“Come on, dear.” Nana Violy reached her hand and pressed it gently. “You still have half of the day. And don’t lose hope, Selen. Sometimes, the love potion takes effect longer than expected.”
“If I… fail on this one, I still can charm another, right?”
Nana Violy smiled. “Of course. But you said you like Sage among others.”
“Hm… I like him… a lot.”
Her grandma stood up.
“Get up now and head to work, Selen. Whatever the result may be, your day must go on like it used to be.” Nana Violy left the room.
She stretched her arms up and yawned. Her grandma was right that life must go on.
Selen jumped out of bed.
She was on her way to the bathroom when Lulu suddenly appeared between her legs. It meowed softly as if begging her to pick her up. And so, she did. Selen raised her cat and bumped her nose with Lulu’s.
“Did you miss me, Lulu?” It meowed in response. “Well, I miss you too. It’s time for us to take a bath.”
She brought her cat to the bathroom.
Selen filled the tub with water. She and Lulu dipped together.
“If I succeed charming Sage. Will you be happy for me, Lulu?”
The cat purred loudly and swam towards her.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said with a wide smile plastered on her face.
SELEN was a little disappointed when she got to Sage’s house. He was not there, and she did not know where he had gone to. She tried calling him, but he did not answer. Nana Violy told her that she still has the rest of the day. But the more minutes passed by without knowing the fruits of her labor, she was getting more and more anxious.
She shook her head. Being an overthinker would not do her good. She better pulled herself together and do her job. And her first task for the day was to wash the dirty laundry.
She was about to head to the laundry area when she heard a thud from upstairs, followed by a loud cry.
“Sean?”
Selen ran upstairs and went to the guestroom where the little kid sleeps. She saw him planking on the floor, crying.
“Sean!” She immediately picked him up. “Hush…. Hush… stop crying. I’m here now.”
She examined the kid’s head and found a bump on the left side.
“What happened to you, Sean? Did you fall from the bed?”
“Hm…” He nodded as he cried.
She caressed his back. “Stop crying now…”
Selen carried the child downstairs. She was on the landing when Sage entered the house.
“What’s the matter?” he asked, looking at Sean.
“He fell on the floor. How could you leave him alone?” She walked past him and headed to the kitchen.
“I stepped out for a while to buy something. I left him alone because I knew you’re coming.”
“Then, you should’ve waited for me before leaving the house.” She deposited the kid on a chair and went to the fridge to get some ice cubes.
“Here’s the ice bag.”
Sage hand holding the ice bag appeared from behind. She turned to face him.
Selen looked at him intently. She was trying to read what was on his mind.
Why is he acting so casual?
“D-don’t you have anything to say?” She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat.
What should I say?” His brows furrowed.
“Nothing.” Selen heaved a sigh and snatched the ice bag from him.
She put the ice cubes inside and strode towards Sean.
“I will put this on your bump, okay? This will make your head feel better.”
The little kid did not make a protest.
Selen turned her gaze at Sage, who was leaning against the sink. He was munching the left-over ice cubes as he stared at her.
“W-what?” Suddenly, she felt conscious.
“Are you sure you don’t have any romantic relationship with Reinald?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
Her mouth dropped open. “Are you suspecting me that I’m having a romantic relationship with my best friend?”
Sage pointed at himself.
“I’m a man too, Selen. I know when a man looks at a woman with so much adoration in his eyes.”
“Well, Rei and I are not in a relationship—” She suddenly realized something. “What is it to you if we have a relationship, anyway?”
“Let’s not talk about it in front of a child.”
Selen lowered her gaze on Sean. The little kid was just staring at her innocently while he sucked his thumb. What could possibly ruin his innocence?
She turned to Sage.
“Take him upstairs then.”
“We’ll talk about it later on.” He checked his wristwatch. “We need to go to the orphanage.”
“Why? Are you going to take him back?”
“You’ll know when we get there. You bathe him, Selen. I’ll wait for you two in the car.” He went out of the kitchen.
THEY stood a few meters away from the playground, watching Sean play with other kids in the orphanage. The kids seemed happy, and their laughter filled the air. But Selen knew better. Deep inside those little bodies were broken hearts and lost souls.
“Are you planning to return Sean?” she asked with her eyes focused on the kids. “Why don’t you wait until Christmas? It would be nice if he gets to celebrate the season with you.”
“Do you think that kid and I are a good match?”
She gave him a side-way glance. “Hm. However, Sean and I aren’t a good match.”
She made him laugh at that. “Soon he will learn to like you. It’s just that you haven’t won his heart.”
Selen looked at Sage with narrowed eyes. Of course, winning someone’s heart is all that matters. And she was dying to know if she won his heart with the help of that love potion.
“I’m planning to adopt Sean,” he told her. Sage put his hands inside his pockets and looked at Sean, who was now playing on the slides.
“How about your fans? You have a lot of fangirls that might think that Sean’s your real son—”
“I don’t care about them now. I’m planning to retire soon.”
She gaped at him.
“Y-you’re retiring?” Wait, this is not the confession I’d like to hear from you! “Why? Don’t you think it’s too sudden—”
“I’d like to live a normal life and build my own family. I realized that I will never be happy when I also need to choose between the one that makes me happy and my career.”
“You’re making me sad, Sage…” She heaved a sigh.
“You’re sad? But why?” He held her by the arm.
“I’m your fangirl. Watching you on a drama makes me happy.” Selen pouted her lips.
“But you’re with me now. And you can see me every day, anytime you want.” Sage pulled her closer to his body. His hand went to the side of his head and gently caressed it. “Selen…”
She blinked and gasped when her heart started beating like a drum.
Oh, my! Is it happening?
“E-eh?”
Sage looked at him straight in the eyes.
“I like you…”
Dugun… dugun… dugun…
Selen felt her cheeks burning. She knew it was the love potion’s effect. But still, her system felt the excitement. And she knew why…
She had fallen for him…