Like the wind breeze, they came in and went out not longer an hour. Dejected as she was, Winter could only look back towards her cousin and her friend before closing the door behind her.

"Do you think it was right for us to force her to talk to Gabriel?" Jillyanna questioned with worry.

"That's fine. She was planning to do it anyway. Before she could change her mind, it is better that she did it now." he responded, stood up with Jillyanna in his arms and walked to the hospital bed and put her down gently. "She would run away like you if they don't talk now."

Using her past dirty trick against her, Jillyanna glared at him. "I wasn't running away. I was planning to have a vacation in States and in Europe."

"Oh right. I remember you asked my father to take you to Italy for vacation." Travis grinned at her.

"Why are you bringing this up? It's frustrating me." her face showed her irritation and annoyance, making Travis chuckle at her.

"I just want to tease you a little. I miss teasing you." Travis smiled and kissed her forehead. "I miss making you frown."

"You are insane!"

"I'm insane for you."

"I will -hmm"

Her words were cut off when he covered her mouth with his lips. His kiss was light and tender, gently caressing her lips like a touch of butterfly wings.

He slipped his tongue inside and parried with hers like a sword fight. 'It tickles but it feels good.' Jillyanna thought as she wrapped her hands around his neck. Sadly though, she was running out of breath.

Gentle yet hurried, she tap the back of his shoulder and Travis stopped kissing her. "I miss doing this with you." he stated while looking at her clear brown eyes. He could see his own soft expression and he liked it when all she could see was him.

Jillyanna calmed herself, leaned closer to him and gave him a peck on his chin. "I miss it too."

They were cuddling and flirting for the remaining time before lunch. He would tease about different things and she would always retaliate with his past deeds.

This time, they were making a joke of their pasts, not letting it affect themselves anymore. Along the way, they have learned to treasure what was right in the present instead of lingering with their past.

Meanwhile...

"Where do you want to eat lunch?" Gabriel asked Winter who had been silent since they left the hospital.

They were on their way back to the mansion and Uncle Wesley, the driver, was the one taking them home. The atmosphere was uncomfortably silent so Gabriel wanted to talk to her.

Winter looked outside the window as she answered him. "We can have our lunch back in the mansion."

"Okay." Gabriel whispered softly. "Do you want to go somewhere else before go home?"

"No."

Gabriel shut his mouth since she wasn't really happy to have a conversation with him. The cheerful Winter can't be found anymore. He missed her smiles. Even when she couldn't hear, she would always try to converse with him, laugh with him and smile. Now, she was devoid of any expressions and her answers were perfunctory as well.

With Uncle Wesley's driving skills, they came back in a very short time. Winter stood in the middle of the living room, waiting for Gabriel to come with Uncle Wesley pushing the wheelchair for him.

"Let's talk in my room." Gabriel informed her and he maneuvered his wheelchair to go back to his room. Winter was closely following him.

He unlocked the door and allowed her to get inside before he came in himself. He closed the door behind him and stood guard in case she'd open it and ran away.

"So you can hear now." not a question but a statement which was to confirm everything with her.

"Yes, as you can see."

"Since when?"

"Few days ago."

Gabriel just nodded his head as if he was expecting that answer from her. "Then, I think I can finally go."

Winter's heart lurched in to her throat when she heard the thing that she hated the most. He was leaving. "Hn. You can." she forced herself to say these words but she didn't look at him.

This whole time, she was looking down on her feet, avoiding his gaze and avoiding the pain it would cause her.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I could've left sooner, you know." Gabriel gave a hollow laugh which sounded awkward at this point.

Her throat constricted and she could feel her heart shattering into tiny bits of pieces again. 'No matter what you do, if he isn't yours, he will never be yours.' she mentally noted and smile despite her stinging nose. She blinked her eyes to stop her tears from falling and raised her head to look at him.

A smile was plastered on her lips. "I was still trying to cope with it. I wasn't sure either if I could really hear or was just having hallucinations. Nevertheless, I have confirmed it now. Thanks for helping me out."

"That's not what I want to hear from you." Gabriel stated, picked the crutches which was standing at the side of the door and used it to support himself to stand in front of her. "Do you really want me to go?"

"Ha? What does it have to do with me? You can decide that on your own." Winter retorted. She didn't want to giver herself another false hope. She learned her lesson in Pantar already. Her stubbornness almost cost her early death. She fell on a cliff, almost drowned herself in the river and lost her sent of hearing. She won't be stubborn anymore. She won't be reckless either.

Gabriel walked towards her in one leg with the help of his crutches. He looked down directly into her eyes. He was so serious that she was starting to blush already.