I woke up early because we were scheduled to visit the factory today. Since it was still dark outside, I decided to go downstairs first and make myself some coffee.
I was already halfway down the stairs when I ran into Jen—Aling Remy's daughter. She immediately walked over to me, a basket of laundry in her hands.
"Good morning, Ate Gianna. You're up pretty early—it's only 5:30 a.m.," she said.
"I have to be," I replied. "Could you show me where the kitchen is?"
She set the basket down at the side. "Are you going to have coffee? I can make it for you," she offered. "Come on."
I followed her as she led me into the kitchen.
The moment we stepped inside, I couldn't help but admire the design. The kitchen was spacious, with several large paintings displayed along the walls. It was beautiful. Jen went ahead to heat some water while I slowly looked around. One painting caught my attention—it was almost as large as the window beside it.
"It's beautiful, isn't it, Ate?" Jen said as she reached for a glass.
I nodded and gently touched the painting. It depicted a long road lined with towering trees, the sky dark above them, made striking by a large glowing moon. My gaze drifted to the other paintings around the room.
That was when I realized that every single one of them was in black and white. They were undeniably beautiful, but there was a quiet sadness to them—a kind of stillness, as if the colors had been drained of life.
"You're probably wondering why all the paintings are only in black and white," Jen said, as if she had read my thoughts.
"Sir Francis painted all of them."
My hand slipped from the painting in surprise. I didn't expect that, but I quickly masked my reaction.
"You probably already know that he has an eye condition," she continued. "He can't see colors. But even so, his paintings are still beautiful."
She walked over and handed me a cup of coffee. I accepted it and turned my attention back to the painting.
"Before, Sir Francis used to come here often. He would lock himself in his room just to paint. Lately, though, he hasn't been around as much—he's busy. You know, Ate Gianna, we owe him so much."
I looked at her, surprised by the sudden shift in her tone. She smiled and took a sip of her own coffee.
"He paid for my college education and helped with my older sister's treatment—she has a bone illness. He even gave us a house nearby. In return, we look after this place whenever he's away. He's such a good person."
She smiled softly as she stared at the painting.
"Every birthday, my only wish is for his eyes to get better. I want him to see how beautiful the world really is—the way we see it. I want him to have a favorite color, something other than black. I just… I hope he gets better. That's all I ever wish for."
I found myself staring at Jen for several seconds. The sincerity in her eyes was impossible to miss. They truly loved Francis. I quickly looked away when she turned back to me.
"Oh—sorry," she said, scratching the back of her head. "Was I talking too much? Hehe, I'm sorry."
I laughed softly.
"I'll leave you now, Ate. I still have laundry to do. Just leave the cup there—I'll wash it later. Okay?"
She placed her empty cup down and excused herself. I nodded as she walked away.
I decided to explore the house while finishing my coffee. The place was huge—even with just two floors, it felt overwhelming. I went upstairs and turned right, where the bedrooms were located. I remembered seeing a library there yesterday.
Sure enough, I found it.
It wasn't very large—just the right size for someone who loved to read. I walked around, running my fingers along the neatly arranged books.
But there were no novels. No short stories either. Almost everything was about science or history. Didn't he ever get bored reading these?
Suddenly, a loud noise echoed from outside, and I turned toward the door. It came from a room with glass walls. I walked over and peeked inside, but I didn't see anyone—just gym equipment.
So there was a mini gym here. Nice.
After glancing around to make sure no one was nearby, I opened the door and stepped inside.
Just a quick look. That's all.
I scanned the equipment—things I'd only ever seen in real gyms. My eyes landed on a barbell resting on the floor. It was huge. Was it heavy?
I bent down and tried to lift it, but it felt like my soul was about to tear itself apart from the effort. I couldn't even raise it an inch.
I knew it.
Annoyed, I let go—but when I turned around, a body was suddenly right in front of me. I stepped back in shock and accidentally hit the barbell with my foot, nearly losing my balance.
Nearly—because before I could fall, an arm caught me.
My heart started pounding the moment I realized whose arms were holding me. I slowly looked up into his eyes… then down—
What are you doing, Gianna?! Get it together! They're just six-pack abs!
I quickly looked away, straightened myself, and stepped back.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yes. Thanks," I replied, avoiding his gaze. Why was he shirtless? And wet—
Oh. Right. This is a gym. Of course he was working out.
"Your coffee."
My eyes widened when I noticed the shattered cup on the floor. The coffee had spilled everywhere.
"Don't touch it," he said, lightly tapping my hand as I reached for the broken pieces.
"Ah—I'll get something to clean it up," I said quickly before rushing out of the room.
When I reached the stairs, I pressed a hand to my chest. My heart was racing.
"Get a grip," I muttered to myself, taking a deep breath to calm down.
"Oy! Good morning, Gianna!"
I looked up to see Ken approaching. He had just come in from outside.
"There's a lake nearby. It's not far. Can we go later?" he asked with a grin.
"Sure, if we finish early at the factory," I replied.
"You promised. Alright—I'm going to take a shower first."
He disappeared just as quickly.
A few hours later, everyone was awake. We ate together before leaving for the factory. It was going to be a long day, so I braced myself for what lay ahead.