His Tattoo

IT'S been two days since Zoe lived with Helios. It's Monday, and she just went home from school. Her everyday life as a student became different the moment she lived with Helios. Yesterday, the man ordered someone to pick up and pack her things at her old apartment. However, they only brought her something that she would need at school but not her clothes because Helios bought many of them.

She knew he bought her but to the extent that he would buy her dresses and stuff. She couldn't say anything about his treatment. He's caring—despite the fact that he has a solid and scary aura, she still manages to stay calm on his side. And she has this strong feeling that she's safe when she's with him.

About her mom… they lost communication. But Helios assured her that her mother was safe. She trusts Helios' words. She doesn't know, but she felt at ease being with him in just a few days.

"Miss, dinner is ready."

"Thank you, Nana Milky. But I will wait for Helios first," Zoe said and smiled at Helios' butler.

"But Helios said you must eat dinner on time, Miss," the old woman said, which makes Zoe hold her hand.

"Nana, I'm okay. I will just wait for Helios, and you can have a rest. I will be the one who will prepare his dinner," she said.

The old lady sighed. "What else I can do? Since you live here, you always want to help, but Helios ordered that you don't have to and focus on your studies until you graduate."

Zoe crept a smile on her face. "Nana, I am just a nobody. So, I want to help."

The old lady shook her head and sighed. "Okay, then. I know I can't change your mind," the old lady said in defeat, then smiled at her. "You're such a beautiful and kind lady," she added.

She smiled back and let the older woman go into her room as she waited for Helios. Also, she needs to talk to him. She was curious about his treatment and the like. And why does he always ask her if she knew him?

And no matter how hard she tried to remember moments from the past people that she interacted with, she can't really remember him. The fact that she will forget the faces of people that she met, she also knew that it's pointless.

She glanced at the wall clock, and it was already eight in the evening. She turned off the television. Helios usually got home at this time, she thought. She stood up and was about to walk on her way to the kitchen when the main door opened.

And the man she wanted to see stepped inside.

A tint of shock was visible in Helios' eyes when their gazes met.

"What are you still doing?" he asked, and he walked to the wooden table near the door and put down his car key inside the swan's cup.

He started to take off his neckties as he walked closer to her.

Zoe sighed. "Did you already eat?" she asked, trying to be casual to him—well, they always talk as if they knew each other for a long time.

Yesterday, Zoe found out about his identity when she asked Nana Milky. He's a famous bachelor in the business world. He owned a car company.

"You knew I'm not eating dinner outside—"

"Yeah, you prefer Nana's dishes," she said and smiled. "Come on, let's eat," she added, which made Helios frown.

"You really talk to me as if we've known each other for a long time, yet if I asked you, you always replied that you can't remember," he said.

Zoe sighed. "It's the truth. I really can't remember—have we met before?" she tilted her head a little bit, "No matter how hard I tried to remember every event…" she shook her head, "—I can't remember that we have met before.

Helios formed a sly smirk on his lips. "Okay. Don't overthink about it," he said as he took off his coat and his necktie. He was about to throw it on the couch when Zoe rushed towards him.

"Let me," she said as she grabbed it. "I'll just put this on the laundry basket—"

"Zoe…" Helios called her name, which made her put to a halt.

She arched her brow and met Helios' gaze. She waited for Helios' following words, but his mouth didn't open, and just nodded at her before he walked towards the kitchen.

Zoe frowned. "Did he want to say something to me?" she whispered.

When Helios pulled the chair in the kitchen and sat, he cursed inside his head. Don't lose control, his inner self shouted.

He heaved a deep sigh and waited for Zoe. After a few moments, Zoe returned, and the woman started to serve him dinner, which she didn't need to. But it seems like the woman felt that she has debts to pay, so he just let her. Besides, it was the first time that a woman cared for her—he meant a stranger like her.

Zoe smiled at him, and he smiled back. And it's another thing that he does, unusually. He's not fond of smiling, but his heart softened with a simple smile or gestures from Zoe.

They eat dinner peacefully, and when he's done, he stands up and is about to put his plate on the sink when Zoe stands up and initiates to have it.

"You can go upstairs and rest. Leave it to me," she said.

He sighed and nodded. It seems he can't stop her. He then left the kitchen and went upstairs.

Zoe smiled unconsciously while washing the dishes. She doesn't know, but she feels like she was her girlfriend— "Damn it," she whispered. Then suddenly. She remembers that she needs to talk to him.

After she was done with what she was doing, she hurried to the next floor and knocked on Helios' room. She frowned and knocked once again but still, no one opened the door. She then tried to twist the knob, and her eyes widened… 'it's not locked,' she thought.

She pressed her lips together and heaved a sigh as she twisted it and pushed the door open. Her forehead creased when she didn't see Helios inside. She knew what she was doing was inappropriate, but she was just curious what his room looked like, and as she expected, it was shouted luxury, yet it was simple.

The interior paint is so cold to the eyes. It's gray and has a lining of black below. He has a king-sized bed. And the color of the sheet and his comforter is silky black. Now, she nods. Helios maybe loves the color black and gray. The color of his pillows was gray.

She closes the door and roams her eyes inside his room. And her gaze stopped on the picture frames that were above his side table. She smiled. She walked towards it and grabbed it as she ran her fingers into his portrait.

"What are you doing here?"

Zoe suddenly put down the frame and turned around in his direction. Her eyes widened when he saw him.

Helios is half-naked!

And while he walked in her direction, her eyes went down to his navel—shit! Eight-packs, she screamed inside her head.

She was about to look away when her eyes caught the tribal tattoo on his left arm until it covered his left chest. She squinted her eyes, and thoughts suddenly came into her mind. Then she came to realize…

"Y-You…" her heart started to palpitate as the memories of that night came across her mind, "—you're that man—that tattoo…" she's sure that she already saw that tattoo—the unique tribal design…

Helios approached her side in a swift move and suddenly cupped her face and pressed his lips into hers.