This cold came out of nowhere. I had a stuffy nose, dry eyes, and a scratchy throat. It was so uncomfortable."I don't want to go." I weakly refused, barely opening my eyes.I had always hated going to the hospital. The smell of disinfectant was like a nightmare to me. So, in order to avoid going to the hospital, I tried not to fall sick.But in recent years, I had been to the hospital too many times. And it was serious each time. That feeling of panic was unforgettable. Even now, just the thought of hospitals would make me squirm. So, I firmly resisted.Colin took my sweater while coaxing me to get dressed and get up. But I just rolled over and pulled the covers over myself, refusing to listen to him."Baby, when you're sick, you have to go to the hospital. If you get pneumonia, you'll have to be hospitalized. Come on, get up quickly," Colin urged.But no matter how he coaxed me, I refused to listen. He was so anxious that his eyes were turning red, and Helen was so angry that s
Like Colin, he loved me with all his soul but had to suppress his own feelings. He even left home because of my promise to Felix.It seemed like no one had it easy when it came to love.I felt much better when I finished nearly all the pills Colin had bought for me. As my health recovered, I was excited to eat all the fried, greasy food my sick diet deprived me of. However, it became Colin's turn to fall sick.For the first time in my life, Colin was ill.He must have overworked his body from having so much on his plate lately. He had to look after me, go to school, and manage several projects simultaneously.Fortunately, the staff dormitory he stayed in allowed visitations from students.When I went to visit him, Colin was sitting on his bed. He was pale, his eyes had lost their luster, his countenance was sickly, and his nose was red. However, he still sat upright as he usually did.I knew he was trying to look as robust as possible so that I wouldn't worry about him. His thou
It was a gloomy morning. The rain was falling as I ran out of the dorm. I didn't have an umbrella with me nor did I want to waste time running back to get one. Therefore, I braved the rain.I was eager to help Colin.The drugstore chain wasn't that far away from the campus. It was across the street in front of the college, a few blocks down the residential area, and a final turn right. The building would be there.Perhaps due to the rain, there weren't a lot of people on the street. Cars blitzed through the rain puddles, splashing pedestrians with water.The rain became heavier and heavier, so much so that it was hard to discern what was in front of me. I used both of my hands to shield my eyes from the downpour, but the rainwater was so aggressive that I struggled to open my eyes. I could only advance blindly."Watch out, Lulu!"There was a loud shriek and an ear-piercing brake. My body came into contact with something, and the pain knocked me out.I heard someone screaming for
Where was the handsome, charming Colin that I used to know?His clothes were crinkled, his hair was messy, he was unshaven, and his eyes were bloodshot.How long had I been asleep? A century? How did Colin become an old man who looked like he had seen the terror of life?The pain in my body was unbearable. I breathed in and out to soothe the pain. Squeezing a smile, I tried to console Colin, "I'm fine. No need to be so upset. It doesn't hurt."Colin's eyes turned red. He kneeled next to me and grabbed my unwounded hand. Then, he buried his face in it silently. Before long, warm liquid flowed through the cracks between my fingers, wetting my entire hand.I had never seen Colin like this before.My palm was soaked and warm."What about Felix? How is he?" I probed gingerly.Colin lifted his head and croaked. I saw pain in his eyes. Tears still adorned the corners of his eyes. The mole under his eye was still as mesmerizing as ever.Was Colin…I sat up in disbelief. The pain clea
I slid out of my blanket. Paying no mind to the agonizing pain in my body, I wanted to get out of bed to seek the answer.The pain made me sweat profusely.Colin pulled me into his arms tightly. He told me to behave and to rest because letting my wounds heal was more important.He also told me that Felix wasn't dead. He was in a coma in the ICU. He was still breathing.Then, he began putting all the blame on himself. He said he shouldn't have gotten sick and let me get medicine for him. He said he was the one who brought the tragedy upon Felix, that it had nothing to do with me.He hugged me. His body was trembling while his eyes were glossy with tears.All humans fell sick at least once in their lives. Colin had done nothing wrong, yet he believed that he was the reason behind the unfortunate event.Felix wasn't dead, but he wasn't conscious either. No one knew if he'd ever wake up. And no one knew what would become of him if he ever woke up.Waiting for an answer for the most
Colin fell silent for a very long time when I told him that I wanted to visit Felix. I thought he'd dissuade me. In the end, he just patted my head and told me to wait till my wounds were healed and Felix's condition stabilized.If I insisted on going now, I would only be allowed to see Felix from the door. What was the point of visiting him if we couldn't meet in person?In the evening, Mom wanted to feed me chicken noodle soup. I tried to turn her down because I could feed myself since my right arm was not wounded. However, Mom began crying. Honestly, ever since I was hospitalized, Mom had mastered the art of summoning tears whenever.Not wanting to make my mom cry over dinner, I let her do what she wanted to do.As I chomped on the spoonful of chicken soup, I lifted my eyes and saw Matthew standing by the entrance.Looking dashing and well-groomed, he was carrying a large bouquet of baby's breath in one hand and a huge fruit basket in another. Then, he smiled at me and greeted
I sighed internally and made sure that I did not show it on my face, pretending as if I saw nothing.Since I couldn't reciprocate Matthew's feelings, I shouldn't give him hope. I should always make this clear between us.Mom was confused but shrewd enough to notice the change in the general mood. She chose silence. She took my bowl to the pantry, out of this tense atmosphere, to wash it.As soon as Mom left, Helen came in with plenty of bags.I supposed she didn't expect Matthew to be there. When she saw him, she became anxious, nervous, and surprised. She lingered by the entrance, unsure if she should enter or give us privacy.I beckoned to her with my hand and invited her in.Then, I asked Colin, who was sitting opposite me, to sit with Matthew on the side. Helen would take his seat.Helen was an outgoing woman. Although she viewed me as a love rival, we were still very close. She freaked out when she heard that I was involved in a car accident and rushed over to visit me.Sh
"Of course. I'm good at pairing up my close friends." I smiled smugly.Colin held me gently in his arms. He touched my forehead with his face and placed my right hand above his heart. Then, he croaked, "You silly girl, you almost scared me there. Don't act on your own again. No matter what, just let me handle everything for you."You just have to stay by my side like a princess."I found it hard to accept Colin's sudden change of mood.I mewled affirmatively and snuggled in his arms. Listening to his steady heartbeat and taking in the pine-scented cologne on him, I felt calm and safe—like a rescued kitten.Colin planted many kisses on my hair as I held his cheek. We felt the warmth from each other.It was a peaceful moment.Outside, Dad asked Mom why she didn't go inside.Mom stopped Dad and let him sit outside for a while. She said that we were having a special moment inside, so she didn't want to interrupt us.I was so embarrassed I wished I could sink into the mattress. Col