Fauna, ever attuned to his mood in her own baffling way, caught the fatigue in his eyes. She twisted around, peering at him with worry, her brow creasing as she searched his face.
"I don’t know what you’re going through right now, Mika." She said softly. "But you look like you need a hug."
Her eyes grew round, the kind of wide-eyed look only animals and Fauna could muster, and she asked, almost shyly.
"Do you want to give you a hug, Mika? A really, really comfortable hug, the kind you always love?"
Mika looked down at her—at her genuine, unguarded care, at her silly puppy-dog eyes—and for all his frustration, he felt the ache in his chest loosen, just a little.
He managed a small, real smile, and nodded.
"Yeah, Fauna...I’d actually really love a hug right now."
Fauna’s face lit up instantly. She turned around in a flash, looping her arms around his neck, pressing her bare chest flush against him—her warmth enveloping him in the softest, most complete embrace he could ever ask for.
"There, there, Mika...I’ve got you. Everything’s going to be alright..."
The closeness was overwhelming. Mika lted into the hug, arms winding around her, letting himself get swept up in that endless, sun-drenched warmth that only Fauna could give.
It was the kind of hug that made you feel like nothing in the world could touch you, a balm for every ache you didn’t even know you had.
But as his heart swelled, sothing else bubbled up—a craving for connection, for sothing more than just comfort.
He leaned down, unable to resist, and began kissing her face—first her forehead, then the bridge of her nose, her cheeks, pressing soft, adoring kisses along every patch of skin he could reach.
Fauna only giggled, nuzzling into his touch, lifting her head up as if to offer even more of herself.
He then went further, letting his kisses drift lower and lower, his mouth brushing closer and closer to her lips.
But just as he was about to press his lips to hers—she slipped her hand up, palm pressing gently to his mouth, stopping him in his tracks.
"No, Mika, you know you can’t kiss there." She shook her head slowly, her eyes twinkling but her tone suddenly very serious.
"That’s a place you can only kiss soone if you really love them...soone you’re going to marry in the future. Not soone like ."
She pulled back a little, her hand still blocking his lips, and gave him a look that was gentle, almost apologetic, but resolute.
For a mont, Mika just stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. He couldn’t help it—a laugh burst from him, sharp and incredulous.
"Wait, wait, wait. You let touch you everywhere, strip you in your office, run my hands all over you, and...and now you say I can’t kiss your lips? That’s the line? Fauna, are you even hearing yourself?"
"Of course." She just looked at him, unbothered and unrepentant, her logic seemingly unbreakable in her own mind. "Those are just gas. But kissing is...special. It’s different, Mika. Really, really different. That’s where you show real love. So you can’t, but...."
She smiled mischievously and added,
"...but Anya on the other hand, you can kiss as much as you want. She’d basically be on cloud nine if you were to kiss her once."
"She was also really happy a few days ago. And I could already tell without even asking her that sothing happened between you two, so I suggest you kiss her in the lips instead."
Fauna suggested doing her absolute best to get both her daughter and Mika together, as that was her biggest dream—to have Mika as a son-in-law
Mika on the other hand could only shake his head, laughing at the absurdity, at how nothing about Fauna’s logic ever made sense—at how in her own twisted, innocent way, she made her own rules for everything.
And yet...he found himself loving her more for it.
In a sudden burst of playful frustration, Mika reached up and pinched her cheeks, tugging them outward until her lips squished together in a round, puffy pout.
"W-What are you doing, Mika?" She squeaked in surprise, eyes widening in protest. "Pulling on my cheeks has nothing to do with any dical examination!"
He grinned, finally finding so small satisfaction in her bewildernt.
"This isn’t a dical exam, Fauna. I just wanted to pull on them because they’re so puffy and cute!"
She squird, blushing and puffing out her cheeks even more, looking both annoyed and secretly pleased.
"Stop treating like a child, Mika! I’m older than you, rember? I’m supposed to be the one pulling your cheeks, not the other way around!"
She tried to reach for his face, but he dodged, holding tight to her cheeks.
"Not today." Mika declared with a stubborn grin. "Today, these cheeks are mine. Only mine. You’re just going to have to accept it."
Despite her complaints, Fauna’s eyes sparkled, and she lted against him, letting out a soft, happy sigh.
Mika was happy—really happy—just being here with her like this.
But as warmth filled his chest, another thought crept into his mind: what next?
He didn’t know how to move forward from here. Seducing Fauna was nearly impossible. She was like a soft wall made of innocence and motherly love—untouchable, impenetrable, pure.
No matter what he did, her heart only saw him through that gentle, protective lens.
He did have one idea—one surefire, foolproof thod...but it was dirty.
A low-handed trick. Sothing that, even just thinking about, made him feel guilty. Using it on soone as kind and innocent as Fauna would feel like tarnishing sothing sacred.
’No, he couldn’t do that. Not to her.’ He sighed inwardly.
And besides, he was ntally drained.
He didn’t have the energy to play gas right now. So, instead, he decided to focus on the reason he ca here in the first place.
Pulling his thoughts back to the present, Mika looked down at her and asked casually.
"By the way, Fauna, when are we doing the tests? I assu it’s the sa set as before, right?"
"Oh—yes!" Fauna perked up imdiately, totally forgetting the tests for a mont. "The sa tests as usual."
"Good." Mika nodded, smiling faintly. "And, if you want, I can also sample a few of your new trial products. Don’t hesitate, alright? Consider it my way of making it up to you for not visiting in so long."
At that, Fauna fiddled with her fingers nervously, looking like she wanted to say sothing but couldn’t quite get it out.
"Actually...Mika..." She started softly.
He raised a brow. "Hm?"
"There’s...actually a favor I wanted to ask you."
Mika raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A favor?"
"Yeah." She murmured, biting her lip. "There’s sothing I want you to help with. I an, we’ll still do the tests, of course, but before that...could you do sothing for ? Even though I’m not sure you’ll like it."
That caught his attention. He tilted his head, studying her expression.
"You’re making it sound dangerous." He said lightly. "What exactly do you want help with, Fauna? You know I’ve let you stick six inch needles in my arm, push strange powders into my body, and even inject experintal toxins in the past."
"So what could possibly you hesitant to ask a favour?"
"N-No, it’s nothing like that!" She said quickly. "It’s just...well, for the past year, I’ve had a new batch of trainees under ."
"Ah." Mika murmured. "The next generation of little doctors."
"Yes..." She said, smiling nervously. "And they’re quite exceptional, actually. Especially one of them—Cecilia. She’s the head of the batch. Very smart, very hardworking, always eager to improve."
"She’s everything a ntor could ask for."
"Sounds like you’re quite proud of her." Mika nodded.
"I am." Fauna said, smiling softly. "And, well...because I was so proud of her and the others, I used to brag a lot during our casual talks. You know —I tend to ramble."
Mika smirked. "You don’t say."
She huffed, swatting lightly at his chest before continuing.
"Anyway, during those talks, I...might have also started talking about you."
"?"
"Yes." Fauna nodded sheepishly. "I may have told them how amazing you are—how talented, how brilliant, how much potential you have as a doctor and researcher. And well, I might have...overdone it a little."
"Overdone it?" Mika’s brow furrowed slightly. "How much exactly?"
She hesitated, her blush deepening.
"I, um...I might have said you were the greatest doctor the world could ever offer. That no one could ever reach your potential no matter how hard they tried."
"Oh, co on, Fauna!" Mika groaned, dragging his hand down his face. "Even you should know how wrong that sounds."
She winced at his reaction.
"You’re talking to a bunch of young doctors who are just starting out." He explained with exasperation. "They have big dreams, high ambitions, and you’re out there telling them that so random boy who hasn’t even graduated yet has already surpassed every human being in existence!"
"Of course, they’d be frustrated! And honestly they should be laughing at how absurd it would’ve sounded to them."
Fauna nodded guiltily. "I know, I know...and they did laugh about it at first! They said I was just exaggerating, joking around. But..."
"But?" Mika prompted, narrowing his eyes.
Fauna hesitated before saying quietly.
"But Cecilia didn’t. She...didn’t take it very well. She has a strong head, and she takes things personally. I think she felt...insulted. And ever since that day, she’s been determined to prove wrong."
Mika arched a brow. "How so?"
"Well, she’s been asking over and over to call you here—to let her et you. She says she wants to ’test you out’ herself, to see if you really are as great as I said you were."
Mika blinked in surprise. "What, like so kind of challenge?"
"That’s exactly what she said." Fauna admitted with a helpless sigh. "She wants to challenge you. She’s convinced I exaggerated, and she’s been itching to expose as a biased woman who’s too sentintal about her son."
"Oh, perfect." Mika groaned, rubbing his temples. "So now I’ve got a jealous protégé gunning for , all thanks to your big mouth."
Fauna winced guiltily.
"I’m sorry, Mika! I didn’t an for it to turn into this! I just...I couldn’t help being proud of you."
He looked at her, half amused, half exasperated.
"You really need to stop running your mouth and talking about all the ti, you know that?"
"I know..." She mumbled, cheeks red. "So that’s why I need your help. I want you to et her. Please. Just once. So she can see for herself that I wasn’t lying. That you really are as amazing as I said!"
Mika sighed deeply, leaning back in his chair.
"You do realize this is going to be a pain, right?"
Fauna smiled sweetly, clasping her hands together.
"Please, Mika? For ? Pretty please!"
He stared at her for a long mont before finally letting out a soft chuckle.
"You really don’t play fair, do you?"
Her eyes brightened imdiately. "So you’ll do it?"
He gave her a sideways glance, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.
"Yeah, yeah. I’ll et your Cecilia since I can’t resist when you beg so cutely. But if she ends up trying to stab with a syringe out of spite, I’m blaming you."
"Deal!" Fauna giggled happily, clapping her hands together. "Oh, you have no idea how relieved I am! I promise she won’t be that bad. She’s just...passionate."
Mika shook his head, still smiling faintly.
"Sohow, I have a bad feeling about this."
Fauna only leaned forward, beaming with excitent.
"Don’t worry, Mika! I’m sure you two will get along just fine."
He sighed again, resting his forehead against his palm.
"Famous last words, Fauna...famous last words."
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