Chapter 23 HER CRUSH

FIRA'S POV

"Here is your breakfast!" A wide smile was on my face when we arrived at the mining area. As usual, the miners were busy and working early this morning.

I looked around while giving them a cup of coffee. "Hello. Do you know where my father is?" I asked one of them when I handed him a coffee.

"What's your father's name?"

"Eyrom. Is he here? Maybe he is in the cave?" I was about to walk, but he grabbed my arms.

"He has not been in the area since your mother died." He gulped a coffee. "I thought he was still recovering from the pain?"

My lips parted, looking at him with confusion. He was not coming home for about a week. Last time, we talked. He just gave me bread and told a story about my mother and him. I could still remember his sad smile. I knew he had a problem, but I was just thinking that maybe he was just sad because he would not be with mom.

"He did not go home for a week. Do you know where he went?" I could not hide the sad expression in my eyes.

He pointed at the man who was the same age as me. He was too young to work in mining. I wondered how poor his life was to do the hardest job in the palace.

"Ask him. I saw them talking the last time he was here."

"Okay. Thank you." I tapped Cass' shoulder. "Please continue giving them. I will just talk to someone."

"No worries." Cass smiled at me before stretching her hands to give the miners a bread.

I grabbed one coffee and bread. I exhaled to ease the tension in my body as I walked towards the man. His features were handsome, and dirt was on his long blue shirts and black pants. He had no slippers or shoes. He had mud on his cheek.

I got the handkerchief in my pocket and offered it to him. "Would you mind if you use my handkerchief?"

He just looked at it. Then, his head moved up to look at me. "Why? Am I having a dirt on—"

A smile formed on my lips when I wiped his cheek. "You have something on your face."

He blinked three times with a mouth barely opened. When he recovered from shock, he looked away. "Thank you."

I sat on the big rock in front of him and watched him bury the shovel on the soil. "How can you do your work if your stomach is empty? I have bread and coffee here! Get it. Come here! It is a nice feeling when you are full!"

A smile gradually formed on his lips. Okay, I got him. So I offered the coffee and bread to him. He grabbed it.

"Come here. Sit beside me. I won't bite you." I chuckled a bit. "I don't meet my wolf form. How about you?"

He sat beside me, but he left a bit of distance between us. "Not yet, too." He bit the bread hungrily. "Thank you for the food."

"You are welcome." I watched him drink coffee. "What's your name?"

"Janus."

"What a beautiful name! Anyway, my name is Fira." We shook our hands while smiling to each other. This guy had a nice looking feature even though his clothes were like a rug, it did not lessen his attractiveness. "Actually, I went to you because I am asking about my father? Do you see him or know he is?"

"Eyrom?"

"Oh, yes! That is my father's name."

He bit the bread again and swallowed it before talking. "You look like him." He paused. "Yes, we talked and laughed together. Maybe it has been a week? I have not see him these past few days."

"Do you know where he went? Or any idea who's with him?" The fear in my chest started to grow. I was worrying about him.

He moved his head from left to right while his lips were pouted. I found it really handsome.

Crap! I have a crush on him! I admit that!

"I'm sorry. I have no idea, but I will help you to find him." He gulped again the coffee and kicked the small stone. "He is very kind to me. He even gives me food when I am starving, just like you."

I nodded with a bright expression. "That does not come from me. It was from the Elemental Kingdom."

"Yeah? Is it free? Because if you are going to charge me with money. I don't have one." The worry was written on his face.

"No. No. No! That is free. Don't worry about that."

"Really? The beta who is giving us breakfast selling foods, so I can't afford—"

"Wait? Selling food?" My forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Sorry? Can you repeat?"

"The beta going—"

"Yeah! I understand, but I don't understand. Crap! I am being complicated. Hehe." I scratched my forehead and looked away. Then, my eyes went back again to him. "As long as I remember, the Elemental Kingdom is giving food to the workers for free. They do not sell that."

"Not kidding?" The waves on jis forehead formed.

"Of course I am not!"

"Then why are they selling the food?"

"That's what I need to know." I stood up and smiled at him with a shy expression on my face. His face was radiant even though his hair was messy. I wondered what he would look like if he went out after a bath. "Thank you for talking to me. I still have work to do. Please call me when you hear something about my father. I am worrying."

"Sure. No problem. Ahm…" He scratched his head. "Can you give your handkerchief?"

"Huh?" I was stunned. My eyebrows went up.

"Ahm… I will just wash it and give it back to you when it dries. You wipe the dirt in my face and I am sure that is stinky."

"Oh, no. That is fine. I can wash this my own—"

"Please?"

"Oh." My lips formed an O. "Okay?" I got it from my pocket and gave it to him.

"Thank you." He held the handkerchief and gave me a heart pumping smile. That was why my chest pounded recklessly.

"Nice to meet you, Fira."

"Nice to meet you, too, Janus."

Oh, crap! I found a crush in the mining area!