Poppies

Hitting the jackpot of life. What does that mean? You were the lucky one, having found the most reliable partner, as you thought, in the entire world. Maki is the most gentle person you've ever met. You met in college. Maki was your first love, as you were for him, because he's a one-woman man. Once he experiences strong feelings for someone, that attachment becomes inseparable. He couldn't imagine life without your smile, and you couldn't remember a single moment when you argued or yelled.

But now winter has arrived—the time for New Year's, snow, and sledding. And illnesses. You've always had a weak immune system, and going out without a scarf and hat during a severe snowstorm was a huge mistake. You came home with a runny nose that very day, and the next day your temperature spiked. And that's when Maki's nature kicked in—"feed me, water me, and keep me warm," was more or less what it sounded like. He never left your side, taking your temperature every hour and giving you medication.

And now he brought you breakfast in bed - good porridge, but you couldn't eat even half of it, and Maki was so upset that he almost cried... Quietly, so pleadingly, he whispered:

• Come on, honey... one more spoonful, and then sleep...