Chapter 3

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Entering the kitchen, the smell of fresh food was overwhelming as it hit his nostrils like a brick wall, causing him to inhale deeply and savor the delicious aroma. He can see Yumi with the stove on and her attention on the food she is preparing. "Smells great," his tone was calm and collected, and his voice was filled with warmth and appreciation.

The kitchen is a testament to the elegance and sophistication of the house's interior. The walls are painted a warm, creamy yellow, and the floors are made of polished marble, like always. It's spacious and well-lit, with large windows and plenty of natural light coming in.

The chairs and table were functionally sturdy and made of high-quality wood. There are several cabinets and shelves for storing dishes, pots, pans, utensils, and other kitchen equipment. The stove is state-of-the art, and the refrigerator is large and full of fresh produce and other ingredients.

But that isn't what catches his eye, however. A row of delicious buffets was presented in front of him. From the large variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Carter would be drooling at this point, but this is rather too much for someone like him.

"This is..." his mouth was open as his eyes widened in surprise, "this is too much, Yumi," he said in disbelief. "I can't eat all of this," he was genuinely shocked, and his concerned voice was noticeable for the aspect as he headed towards the table and sitting in one of the chairs.

Hearing this, she was not amused, and she let out an exaggerated sigh as she turned her attention back to the stove, dissatisfied with her own actions, "I was trying to surprise you, master," she said as she continued to stir the food, "but I guess I got a little carried away," chuckling nervously as she shook her head.

"Yumi," his voice was soft and gentle, "I appreciate the effort," his tone was sincere, and he meant every word of it, "but this is too much, even for me," he smiled sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head, "I don't think I can eat all of this by myself," honestly, he was a little bit embarrassed, "Besides," his tone became more serious as he continued, "we can't waste good food like this."

He felt a little guilty about not being able to eat all of it, but he couldn't help but admire her effort. "Well," shrugging his shoulders, he took one of the plates and started to place some of the food onto it. "I'll eat what I can, and we'll give the rest to the sick and homeless," his voice was calm and steady, and the tone was filled with determination.

Stopping herself from continuing her cooking, she turned off the stove and went to sit next to him. Her smile was genuine, and the voice was full of warmth and understanding, "that's very thoughtful of you, master," she said, as she placed some of the food onto her own plate. "I'm sure that they'll appreciate it," her eyes lit up as she continued, "but my priority is you, master."

Carter can't help but smile from her words, and he was touched by her kindness. "Thanks," his tone was sincere, and he meant every word of it, "I appreciate the thought," he prepared to chew down his food as he grabbed his utensils.

Just when he was ready to dine on the plate, his wrist was suddenly held by her hand, surprising him by this sudden action. "What are you doing?" He asked in confusion, turning to stare at the young woman with an inquisitive expression.

"Let me feed you."

The statement came out of nowhere, having came out of nowhere. He was taken aback by this, "What?" His eyes widened in shock and disbelief as he tried to process what she just said: "Are you serious?" Carter's tone was incredulous, and his expression was a mixture of confusion and embarrassment.

"I'm a grown man, Yumi," he said as his tone was calm and collected, but the voice was filled with confusion, "I can feed myself, you know," he was starting to get a little irritated, "why would you want to feed me?" He is rather curious about why she would want to do such a thing; it is kind new for him.

"It's not that," she responded, as she looked at him with a serious expression, "it's just that you've been working really hard, master," her tone was firm and reassuring despite its seriousness: "You deserve to be pampered every once in a while." Her words were full of conviction, and she meant every word of them.

Carter couldn't help but chuckle at this, shaking his head in amusement. "I appreciate the thought," he replied, as his tone became more serious, "but I'm not a child," his eyes narrowed along with his hardened expression,  "I can take care of myself," the words came out of his mouth with a hint of irritation.

She frowned, not liking the implication of what he said, "that's not what I meant," she said  while still firmly holding his wrist, "I just want to make you happy, that's all," the girl was persisted, but the words came out with a hint of sadness: "I want to help you, and I want to show you that I care about you," Yumi's tone became soft, her eyes were filled with compassion and understanding, "I know that we aren't children anymore."

"But please let me be the center of your life for once," Yumi's request was gentle and pleading, her voice was also filled with sincerity. She wanted him to accept her feelings and let her do what she wanted, even if it was a little childish or embarrassing.

"Fine," he sighed in defeat, giving into her demands, "just this once," he was a bit embarrassed once again by the whole situation, "but uh," glancing around with flustered cheeks, "don't tell anyone about this." The young man was a bit nervous, and he didn't know what to expect from this.

He wouldn't dream of telling his employees or the whole country about this, as that would be disastrous for him. "Okay, master," her tone was cheery, having bright smile on her face, "your secret is safe with me," she said, letting go of his wrist, "now just relax and let me take care of you, okay?"

Carter can only nod his head in agreement, not wanting to make things worse by trying to argue with her. "I can't believe I'm going along with this," he muttered under his breath as he shook his head, "well, make it quick then," his tone was soft and reluctant.

She scooped a spoonful of the food, and she gently lifted the spoon up to his mouth, saying, "Say 'ah', master," the girl's tone was playful and teasing, and she couldn't help but giggle a little bit at the situation: "It's not going to eat itself, you know." Her words were full of amusement.

God, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed. "I change my—" He couldn't finish his sentence when she shoved the spoonful of food into his mouth, "Hey!" he protested; cheeks turning red as he swallowed the food,"earn me before you do that," the tone was stern to the point of getting annoyed by this.

"Sorry," the young woman apologized, as she couldn't help but laugh a little bit. "But it's not my fault you're so adorable when you get all flustered like that," she replied. Her tone was light-hearted, and she couldn't hide the amusement in her voice.

Steam escaped from his ears, almost as if they were on fire. "I'm not adorable," his words were full of indignation, "I'm a grown person, Yumi," trying his best to sound serious, but the blush on his cheeks betrayed him, "I don't need you to keep treating me like this."

"I know," she replied, as she gently stroked his cheek with her free hand, "but I love you, and I can't help it." Her voice was full of love and affection, and her eyes were filled with warmth and understanding. "I just want to make you happy," she repeated as she continued to caress his cheek.

"Okay, well," he stood up from his seat, coughing out loud for a moment before turning his attention to her, "I'm already full, so mind helping me pack the food?" Carter didn't want to waste any more time of his and wanted to start the day immediately. "Let's just give them to the homeless." His tone was nonchalant, and he didn't seem to care about the situation he was in.

"I love you," her voice was soft, and the tone was full of love and affection, "I want to be the center of your life for once," she continued, as she couldn't help but smile brightly. "I'll always be here for you, no matter what happens."

"Yeah, yeah," smiling from this show of affection, "just help me pack these, alright?" He knew that she wouldn't stop bothering him about this: "I'm going to have a busy day today, and I don't want to waste any more time." He was just too preoccupied with work, and he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible.

Nodding with a smile, she got out of her chair and hurriedly went to the cabinet to grab some plastic containers for the food. "Yes, master!" She replied in an enthusiastic voice, and she couldn't help but feel a little bit excited about the whole situation.

"You're the best, Yumi," his voice was calm and collected, saying this under low volume. "I don't know what I'd do without you," he continued as he couldn't help but smile a bit, "you really are the best," he repeated once more.

To his horror, she heard him loud and clear as her face brightened up at the statement, "I love you, master!" She exclaimed, turning around and running at speeds that he could barely comprehend before hugging him tightly. "Wha-what are you doing?" He was completely flabbergasted by the sudden action: "Get off of me!" His words were uncertain, and he had a hard time hiding his blushing cheeks.

"Never!" She declared as she tightened her embrace, "I'll never let you go!" Her eyes were closed, and she buried her face in the crook of his neck, "you're mine, master, and I won't let anyone else have you!" The girl was adamant as she continued to cling onto him: "No one else is going to steal you away from me, not even God himself!" Her words were filled with determination and conviction, and she meant every word of them.

Carter has no words; this woman has devoted herself to his entire life, and he feels awful about it. After all, he is only one man in this world, and there is no doubt in his mind that there are many other people who are just as kind and compassionate as he is. "You really do love me, Yumi," his words were full of regret and sadness, "but I am not sure if I could really love you back."

"Why not?" Still refusing to let go of the embrace, she asked, "What's wrong with me?" Her voice was filled with hurt and rejection, and her eyes were starting to become watery. "What did I do wrong?" Tears started to stream down her cheeks as she clung onto him for dear life. "Please tell me, master!"

A pile of sweat began to drip down from his entire face, and he was starting to get a little unsure about what to do in a situation like this. Should he continue to push her away? Or should he just give in to her demands and accept her feelings? He didn't want to hurt her or make the situation worse.

Because if he confessed his feelings to Yumi, then losing her would destroy him from the inside out. Moreover, he can't imagine what would happen if he didn't reciprocate those feelings. He could never live with himself if he knew that he had caused her so much pain to himself and those for whom he cared. "I..." his voice was soft and hesitant, and he couldn't help but feel conflicted by the whole situation.

"I'll tell you when I'm ready," he said, his voice calm and collected, "but right now, I'm not sure if I'm ready to have a relationship with you." His tone was firm and resolute, and he meant every word of it. "I'm sorry, Yumi, but I'm just not ready for that just yet," he was being honest with her, and he didn't want to lie or hurt her feelings by giving her false hope.

Silence permeated the air as she looked at him. "But when are you ever ready?" She asked, as she let go of him and stared into his eyes with a cautious expression, "When will you be ready to give me the chance of finally loving me back?" She was pleading with him, and her eyes were full of pain and sorrow.

"I'm not sure," he admitted, his voice quiet and hesitant, "but I promise that I'll let you know when that time comes," Carter's words were full of remorse and regret: "Besides, we have things to do, right?" Placing his hand over her head, he gently brushed her hair with a slight smile and said, "Let's just focus on what is in front of us, alright?" He was trying his best to change the subject and avoid conflict.

"Fine," she pouted, her tone a bit grumpy, "but I'm not going to stop trying to win your heart," she declared in utmost seriousness, "I'm not going to give up on you, master," her form displayed a strong sense of conviction, as she wasn't going to back down, "I'm going to do whatever it takes to make you love me."

Carter can't help but chuckle at her words once more: "You're stubborn, you know that?"

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