I hate hospital. I hate the smell of hospital. I hate the sound around hospital. I just hate hospital, period. Dad was ushered inside the surgery room as soon as we reached the hospital. We all had been waiting for two hours now and it seemed like the doctor wouldn’t be coming out anytime soon. I was so sleepy, but I was afraid to close my eyes. Changmin wouldn’t sit still. He kept pacing back and forth in front of us. Yeah, the stranger was with us.

Honestly, I admired his loyalty. Even though Changmin didn’t ask him to stay, the stranger didn’t leave us. And now he was sitting next to me where it was supposedly Changmin who sat there. I kept my mouth close because I didn’t want to offend him with my iness considering what he had done for us.

“I can’t do this. I have to do something.” My brother tugged at his hair exasperatedly.

“Go grab a coffee for your sister.” The stranger suggested.

Changmin stopped mid-pace. His eyes focused on me questioningly. I could read the frustration on his face so well. “Yes please.”

Changmin nodded once before marching off in the direction of cafeteria without a word. I hoped for my brother’s sake that it still opened. “Thank you.” I said without looking at the stranger.

“It was nothing.”

His flippant answer tugged at my nerves. My eyes slid to him. “When someone expresses her gratitude to you, the least thing you could do is to appreciate it.” Oh god, here I started.

His eyes stared back at me. “I did appreciate it. I said it was nothing because I’d do anything for your brother.”

I masked my remorse with ignorance. Damn if it was working. “Whatever.” Feeling guilty as hell, I gave him the cold shoulder.

I heard as he heaved a sigh as if he didn’t know what to do with me. Well, I wouldn’t blame him. I had that effect on people. Years of difficult growing up had toughened me up. Yet, it bit me in the when I shut people out. Truth was I needed their help. I just didn’t like seeing pity in their faces. Was that a problem if my life different from them? Didn’t mean that I was the lowest scum on the earth that God gave me this life, right?

Chance was we could fix this once my brother graduated. He was the only string that could get us out of the hell hole. No matter what happened, he had to graduate. Mom would want that. The old dad would want that. My thoughts were interrupted when the stranger’s hand closed around mine.

I looked up to find him studying me closely. No pity, just intense curiosity as if he was figuring me out.

“Hey.” He said softly. “You okay?”

I was shaking, I realized. Like an earthquake was happening within me. I willed it to stop, but it was a futile effort. The tremor wouldn’t subside.

Supportively, he pulled me close until I slumped heavily against him. This was the luxury I didn’t have,