Kiss Me Not

Brione was amazed when she stepped into Cedric's wing of the Palace. Each room had complete amenities like it was his own house inside the Palace.

"You will stay here, of course, we will stay in my bedroom," he grinned mischievously while opening the door to his big bedroom.

"Wow, impressive," Brione complimented but she did not go inside and instead pulled Cedric's arm.

"Show me the music room first," Brione asked, so Cedric led her to his music room.

"Wow, can you play all of them?" Brione commented, looking at all the instruments inside. There were guitars, violin, even a Cello, and drums too.

She sat on the piano chair and turned to Cedric.

"Come here and sit. Play something for me," she said with a sweet smile, tapping the spot next to her, signaling Cedric to sit beside her.

Cedric sat down and watched her open the cover of his piano.

"Will said I can play most instruments. Let's see if my hands remember something," Cedric whispered as he placed his hands on the piano.

"You haven't tried to play any instrument since the accident?" Brione asked.

"Yeah, I have been busy studying mostly about politics and state affairs, matters that are an important part of being a Prince. About people, I should remember and matters that have priority." Cedric answered plainly.

Cedric positioned his hand over the piano keys and made his first move.

Brione held her breath when she heard him hit the C sharp minor key, then he hit an octave with his left hand and a triplet figuration with the right. He was playing the Moonlight Sonata.

The piece she had been bugging Gavin to learn but Gavin said it was too hard for him and he was not patient enough to play it over and over again.

Brione's eyes welled up. She always cries whenever she hears that piece, because it was her mother's favorite and she always played it for Brione to comfort her. She loved how elegant and classy her mother looked whenever she played the piano for her.

Cedric finished playing the piece and commented, "I guess, I can play the piano." There was no response from Brione so he turned only to find Brione crying silently while she stared at him.

"Oh my God, Bri, what's wrong? Sweetheart? Why are you crying?" Cedric asked as he gently wiped the tears away from Brione's cheeks.

"Nothing, just that Moonlight Sonata is my favorite piece. Why did you play that piece?" Brione asked, sniffling.

"Hmm, I don't know. I'm not sure, but my hands just played it automatically." Cedric answered.

"Can you play any other piece?" Brione asked.

Cedric nodded and placed his finger on the keyboard but before he could hit a note, his head suddenly started to ache so bad that he winced in pain.

"What's wrong?" Brione asked.

"My head… It's aching," Cedric whispered and quickly grabbed his medicine from his pocket and grabbed a tablet, and swallowed it. 

Brione stood up and quickly grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to Cedric.

"You should rest. We still have two hours before dinner, so you can take a nap for an hour or so?" Brione suggested and pulled Cedric towards his bedroom. He pulled her along with him and they both ended up on the bed together.

"I want a human pillow, Sweetheart," Cedric whispered in her ear as he hugged her tightly and buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Are you fine now? Shouldn't we ask for Cain to come and see you? How is your head?" Brione asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, let's just rest like this for a while," Cedric whispered and soon Brione heard him breathing deeply.

Cedric?" she whispered but there was no response. He was already asleep. He must be exhausted, traveling such a long way back and forth and with so many things going on in his head. His responsibilities as The Prince and the future King apart from the matter regarding Gavin must be taking a toll on him.

She sighed. She would inform Olivia that Cedric could play the piano later. For now, she just needs to check his butt cheeks for the birthmarks so she could close this case and all the hunches in her heart.

Brione pouted her lips wondering how she could check his butt.  She looked at the ceiling and sighed. Cedric was being cooperative so maybe if later she asked him about it once more he would finally cooperate.

Right, she would just ask him about it and open up to him about the birthmarks, how they were the only things bugging her now.

'Why did he play the Moonlight Sonata and not some other piece?' she mused. She was trying to convince herself that it was only a coincidence but, somehow, deep within her heart, she was asking herself if Gavin secretly learned to play the piece.

She should ask Cedric to try playing the guitar next or maybe try playing another piece on the piano. She was thinking a lot of things but got tired and ended up dozing off to sleep as well.

After almost an hour.

Brione woke up, hearing groans and whimpers. She quickly sat up and checked on Cedric. Sweat drops were forming on his forehead.

"No… Please! No!" he whimpered.

He was having a bad dream so Brione tried to wake him up but he did not budge. She held his shoulders and shook him hard.

"Wake up! Cedric!" she screamed.

Cedric opened his eyes and saw Brione's face close to his. She sighed and whispered, "You're having a bad dream, Darling."

Cedric smiled lovingly and caressed her cheeks as he whispered, "It's so nice to hear you calling me Darling, Bri… I love you."

Brione's face reddened and she quickly moved to get up from the bed as she said, "Ahn, I will go change and prepare for dinner.

Cedric chuckled, wondering why Brione always panicked whenever he said he loved her, but she still looked cute in his eyes.

'When will you answer me, Bri?' he mused with a sigh. How nice it would be if Brione would answer him with an 'I love you too'.