But he doesn't know if this is how she feels about him. Or at least how she felt about him when she told him she loved him.

Yes, she's seen some bad things, but she's faced worse since. Maybe that opened her eyes to the fact that she really hates him now.


"I'm not sure, Vengo. I just... You know... comfort her at night. It's not anything that would make her see me as..."

Vengo raised both eyebrows, causing Michel to pause. "What?"

Michel shook his head. "I just felt that I was only serving a purpose for her. She didn't want me around."


"Mind is one thing and the body is another. Logically, she shouldn't want to be with you. But her body, her heart, she can't turn it off, you know. Take it out of her and you'll see." Vengo said confidently.

Receiving these words, the leader finds himself wondering how much weight they suddenly carry.


---

Of course, Vengo had no intention of taking away from Fanny what made her comfortable, but Michel was still intrigued by the theory.

He is also a desperate man. So he asked Andy to help him.

Not directly, of course - the poor man didn't know he was testing a theory, but he asked him to watch Fanny overnight anyway.

He just told Andy that he was going to be out late when in reality he was going to be staying in Fanny's old room.

Fanny goes to bed at 10 p.m., so glancing at the clock showing exactly 11:42 p.m., he knows she's been asleep for almost two hours.

Michel had told her in the morning that he would be home late, which meant she still expected him to go to bed with her when he returned.

She certainly doesn't count on Andy being ordered to be on guard.

Sitting on the bed, Michel glanced down at his watch and sighed in exasperation. The more time passed, the more useless he felt.

Nothing happens. She doesn't need you. Vengo was wrong. Even if she wakes up, she will find her friend there and it will be enough for her to feel comforted.

Another hour passed and just as Michel was about to turn off the bedside table lamp, accepting defeat, he suddenly heard screams.

He swallowed. He knows it's her. He can hear Andy through her panicked cries, but unlike every night when she at least starts to calm down as soon as he puts his arm around her, her voice just seems to get louder.

Michel tries to stay away, but every second of just hearing her painful pleas is too much for him to bear, so running out of the room across the hall and into her room, he finds she kicks around her, Andy tries desperately to get her to stop.

That's when she saw Michel, her eyes really focused on him as he stood there.

And instead of having the reaction Michel hoped she would feel relieved and finally found that she needed him - that they needed each other - Fanny just got angry.

"Fuck you." She yelped, lunging towards him as she threw her at him and began hitting his chest with all her might.

Andy jumps ready to pull her back, but Michel shakes his head at him, telling him not to do it.

"Bastard, how dare you?"

"Michel..."

"No, Andy. Let's go." Michel shook his head at his mafia brother.

"But..."

"Go."

Hesitantly watching the continued indignation of the girl in the room, Andy pressed his lips together and hesitantly left the room and the pair alone.

"Selfish."

"Fanny..."

She slapped him.

Almost immediately, Michel saw the shock on her face, as if Fanny, she couldn't believe what she had done.

However, unable to process the reality of what had just happened, she couldn't help but fall to her knees and cry.

Michel didn't wait and immediately took her into his arms, feeling her give in to the hug without hesitation as she gripped him with deft fingers, clinging to his form as if she was afraid he would let her go again.

And it was at that moment that Michel, for the first time in his life, uttered two words that no one had ever heard him say before.

"I'm sorry." Michel holds her tight against him, letting her finally let go and cry out her tears, wetting his shirt in the process.

"I'm so sorry, Fanny."

"You never leave me again." Fanny sobbed, feeling him resolutely shake his head in response.

"I won't. I'm sorry."

Fanny watched in silence as Michel continued to sleep beside her on the bed, his lips parted slightly as the dark circles under his eyes were still visible even though he had closed his eyes.

But she knows where they come from - she's the reason.

Michel spent many nights watching her while she panicked, never losing patience, but losing so much sleep that eventually his body gave up and forced him to rest regardless of his trying to stay awake for her.

Coincidentally, that was the first night she slept peacefully without any pain or anxiety. Or maybe it's not a coincidence.

Just about twelve hours ago, Michel had held her to his chest as she cried, repeating two words over and over.

I'm sorry.

Despite herself, Fanny sighed, causing Michel to shift slightly as if he sensed the chaos going on inside her head.

Slowly, he blinked his eyes open as he was immediately confronted by Fanny lying on his side, silently watching him.

"How long have you been awake?" Michel asked softly as if it was too early to speak at a normal volume, even though it was past noon.

"A while." She simply replied, not looking away.

Tiredly pulling himself up, Michel ran a hand through his messy hair, yawning as his gaze searched for the clock hanging on the wall, showing it was a few minutes after 12 o'clock at night.

Michel's mouth hung open in shock, turning to her.

"Did the clock stop last night? What time is it?" Michel spoke quickly, reaching past her for his watch and phone, which he had placed on the bedside table behind her.