CHAPTER 26

DAKOTA’S POV

Chef Ivo and I were quiet while we were on our way to the clinic that was closest to the restaurant. Don’t want to talk because I don’t have anything to say either. Another thing is that I’m ashamed of Chef, that’s why I chose to keep quiet. I was just looking out the window, but later I heard Chef Ivo ask.

“What happened, Dakota?” he asked while driving. He didn’t glance at me and his eyes were only directed at the road.

I took a deep breath and looked out the window. I don’t know if it’s right for me to tell him more if he won’t believe me and he will believe Almira. Another thing is that I don’t understand what I will feel. Ivo used to be different from me. When we are together, it seems like someone is chasing me and my chest beats very hard. Every time he smiles at me, my heart is happy. And I am also hurt whenever he is with someone else like Almira.

“Dakota?” He called me weakly, so I just looked at him. Now and then he turns back to my behavior but immediately returns to the road because he is driving.

“C-chef...” I can’t explain my nervousness now. It’s like it’s tripled because we’re the only ones in the car now. When our eyes met, I felt something strange in my heart that I don’t know what. I’m not familiar. I swallowed.

He just looked at me, but later I felt my eyes clouding when I felt the pain of my wound. It seems that the strength of the medicine I took earlier is gone. I turned to my bandaged and gauze hand. I just turned to Chef Ivo when he turned the car over and turned off the car’s engine and faced me.

“Why? Does it hurt?” Chef Ivo’s expression seems to have changed now compared to the expression on his face earlier that was angry and annoyed. Now it seems to have become soft and I can read a different emotion in his eyes. He even grabbed my arm, but I immediately took it back. Something ran through my skin like electricity when our skins touched.

“S-sorry, Chef.” I avoided looking at him, then glanced at my hand. “It-it hurts.” I’m lying.

Chef Ivo seemed to come to his senses, so he quickly adjusted his seat and revived the machine. Later, we traveled again to the nearest clinic.

THIRD POV

A week later, the young man Ivo became more and more distant from the young woman, Dakota. He doesn’t understand his feelings for the girl. He had just met her, not yet completely. Because apart from the name, he doesn’t know anything else about it.

He felt good whenever he was with her. He always wants to see the girl. But when young Liam is with her, her head starts to heat up again. Every time he smiled because of that young man, he felt like he wanted to hit Liam.

Last week, when Dakota was injured, he really wanted to help the girl stand up, but she was overcome by shame. For customers, work colleagues and for the girl herself. He doesn’t want to show his softness in front of many people.

But he repented when he saw his hand bleeding. He wants to take her hands and treat it himself. But Liam got angry again. He wants to give points to the girl.

“Ivo,” he was surprised when Almira called him. He just smiled here.

They have been friends with the girl for a long time. Since they were in high school, he was really close to her. Even though his real friend is his older Ivo.Ivo.brother, Anthony. This is a lawyer now.

It is also not hidden in his mind that the girl has liked him for a long time.

“You’ve been quiet a while ago. You didn’t entertain our meeting people much. Tell me, is there something wrong?” Almira asked. It’s like he realized. He just shook his head and spoke.

“It’s nothing, I’m sorry Mira. I’m just a little tired these past few days.” The woman just nodded to him and after a while, he came closer to where he was sitting.

“Ah, Ivo. Do you want me to massage you?” Even though he didn’t have an answer to this, he quickly put his hands on his shoulders. He was startled and stood up suddenly from the swivel chair he was sitting on. “I-I’m sorry, Mira. No need, I’m fine. Maybe, maybe I’ll just rest my body in the bedroom.”

It just woke him up in complete surprise. It seems that he hasn’t moved on from being surprised because of the young man’s behavior here. “Ah, s-sure thing, Ivo.” This is it. He took the laptop and some folders. “First of all, my brother texted that we are having a family lunch. So, you will take care of the restaurant first.” He smiled before leaving his office.

Suddenly, he felt worse. He hasn’t eaten since earlier. Ashton knows how to cook, so he is somehow in charge of the kitchen while he and Almira are in a meeting with suppliers.

He came out of his office with his right hand on the nape of his neck. He also touches his senses from time to time. It looks like he will also have a migraine attack.

“Chef, are you all right?” Wendy asked him. He just nodded. He doesn’t want to talk to other people right now. He looked inside the restaurant. There were only a few customers. It’s only four in the afternoon. He sat in a chair. He bent down and thought.

“Chef...” He suddenly felt softened when he heard Dakota’s voice. He looked at it, when he saw that he was carrying water while standing in front of him, he couldn’t stop himself.

Their eyeballs almost fell out as they looked at Ivo and Dakota. A while ago, they noticed that their chef looked pale. The woman Dakota came to bring her something to drink, but they were shocked when she suddenly grabbed the girl’s hand and pulled her closer. The way they look now is Ivo hugging Dakota’s waist.

“Come on, that’s great! It’s so sweet.” Wendy whispered excitedly. Shane was still looking. Liam seemed to want to approach the two, but Kurt stopped him. “Leave them alone, Tol,” he told the young man.

“O-oy! What is that?” Ashton, still holding a spoon, wanted to rush towards them. “Hep! Don’t mess around. Let them go. Chef pulled Dakota, so just shut up.” Shane already had Ashton on the apron when he said this.

“B-but — — ouch! Yes. It hurts,” Ashton said, scratching his head. The girl hit him again for being naughty.

-

“C-chef,” Dakota tried to remove the young man’s arms from his waist. “Y-are you guys okay?” he touched his forehead, and he was right. The young man did have a fever.

“Just stay here, Dakota. Please...” He whispered. Dakota bit her lower lip when she heard Ivo’s hoarse voice. He looked at the behavior of Shane and Wendy. They are those who approve, but they are not Liam and Ashton.

“C-chef, do you want to go upstairs?” The young man shook his head. A few minutes passed when they were in that position. Dakota was also a little shaky standing up, so he signaled Kurt and Liam to help the young man up.

While walking down the path to his room, the girl just followed. He was carrying a basin with cold water and a white face towel. He also has medicine in his pocket.

When they got inside his room, Kurt and Liam carefully laid the young Ivo down. Dakota, on the other hand, opened the curtain that was slightly hanging messily.

“Do you need anything else, Dakota?” Kurt asked the girl. He thought for a moment, then he shook his head. “No more. If I need anything else, I’ll just go down and get it. Thank you.” He smiled at them. Kurt left the room first, while Liam stayed for a while.

Dakota started to wipe Ivo’s forehead. The neck, arms and hands. “Do you really have to do that?” He was even surprised by Liam’s question, which was still there at the door. The girl did not move. He just continued to wipe the young man. “We can take him to the hospital, right?”

Dakota dipped the face towel in the basin and wrung it out. Folded and placed on the young man’s head. When he was sure that the young man’s temperature had dropped, he stood up and approached Liam. “I can take care of him. We don’t need to take him to the hospital anymore.” He smiled at the young man and looked at the sleeping young man again.

“It’s up to you. If you need anything, we’re just downstairs.” He just nodded and thanked. It came out and went down.

-

He heard Ivo moan, so he went to the side of the bed to stroke his forehead. His fever has come down a bit, and he is sweating somehow.

“Chef.. why? Do you need me?” she asked here. It moved slightly and growled again. “Chef,” she called again.

He waited for him to move again or speak, but he seemed to have fallen asleep again. He was about to stand up but suddenly he leaned over, causing one arm to wrap around his body. He lay down next to Ivo, and he hugged him completely. Even though the air conditioner is on, he can feel the heat of his body.

‘Chef.. why do I feel this way every time I’m with you? Why am I so happy? And it hurts me every time you’re happy with another girl. Nichi and Almira. Why does it feel like my heart is being crushed?’ He whispered to himself.

The young man moved again. He pulled her to hug him even more. Even if he wanted to avoid and stand up, there was nothing he could do. He was feeling sleepy because he was so tired during the day. After a while, he became drowsy and fell asleep.