The Best Birthday
The Black Phoenix
*banner by katreena
------
JIYONG’S POV
I feel hot. No, not all over, just one side. My right side to be exact, where Dara was resting. I blinked my eyes open and looked down at her. She was mumbling under her breath. I tried to catch her words but I didn’t understand anything. With our bodies closely pressed together, I found out she was hot, literally hot. I touched her forehead. Oh damn, she’s burning with fever.
I was about to get up when she suddenly clung stubbornly to me. “No. . .” she mumbled. “Don’t leave me”
“Dara, I have to-.”
“Jiyong. . .” she whispered. “Stay. . . don’t leave me”
“I’ll be back” I told her eventhough I’m not sure if she’s conscious or just dreaming. I jumped out of bed and went to get a little towel and a container of lukewarm water. I pulled the bed sheets off her and started pressing the wet towel all over her. Then, I went to get her a cotton shirt and shorts when I remembered I wasn’t wearing anything myself either. I pulled out clothes for myself and put them on first before heading back to the bed.
I tried to be as gentle as I can be while putting the shirt and shorts on her. I didn’t bother getting her a bra and since those items didn’t come to mind a while ago. I don’t usually panic but her fever is wholly human, not caused by anything by my kind so it’s making me a bit edgy. I can bring her to the hospital of course but I really don’t like hospitals. I lied to everyone about my scars. Some of these scars that I got were from my father and if only my mother took me to a shadow healer just like Bom and her mother, I think I would have less scars. I do think Bom and the others knew about the reason why I hated hospitals but they chose to keep mum about it.
I went to the first aid kit that Bom brought the last time she visited. I remember she left a container of medicines there, too. I told her it’s unnecessary but she insisted. And I’m glad she did. I looked through the medicine box and went to get a glass of water when I found what I was looking for.
“Jiyong. . . where’s Jiyong? I heard her mumble. “No. . . not you. . . no. . . Jiyong. . .”
“I’m here” I told her, feeling totally pathetic. Since when did I start answering sleep talks?
“I want Jiyong. . . .!” she cried. “Pancake. . . my Jiyong”
“Shh” I hushed her. “I’m here”
“Jiyong” she cried louder, thrashing around the bed. Oh ! I set the glass and medicine aside to hold on her thrashing body. It’s really surprising how she could thrash around like that when she’s supposed to be weak.
“Dara, open your eyes” I told her.
“Jiyong. . . I want Jiyong here. . .”
“Dara” I shook her hard, gently tapping her cheek. “Hey, wake up”
She started crying and words I can’t understand. She was sweating really hard now. I moved her damp hair out of her face and reached out for the little towel and soaked it water. I pressed the cloth to her forehead, cheeks and her neck.
“Jiyong” she sobbed.
I sighed. “Pancake”
Weirdly, her eyes opened but they looked out of focus and confused. “Jiyong?” she softly asked.
“Yes, it’s me” I nodded. “I want you to drink something. It’ll make you feel better, okay?”
“Okay” she croaked weakly, looking relieved now.
“Did you have a bad dream?” I asked her after giving her the medicine and letting her drink the glass of water.
She frowned a little. “But. . . I’m still dreaming, aren’t I?”
“No, you’re not”
“I’m not?”
“Just go back to sleep now” I sighed after a while.
Her eyes were already drooping but even before they closed, she mumbled, “I love you, Jiyong”
She turned quiet for two straight hours. But then, she started whimpering and trembling. I lay down and pulled her close to my body.
Her sleep talks went on and off for the next hours. She hasn’t mentioned my name anymore. I caught a few words like where, I don’t know, I don’t want to, how, where, where and who. The rest were all low and soft mumblings.
It was already ten in the morning when she stopped talking. I wanted to wake her up to put something in that stomach of hers but upon seeing her peaceful face, I thought otherwise. I just decided to make rice porridge just in case she wakes up any moment and look for food.
When I went back to the room, I saw her pushing herself up from the bed. What the ing hell is she doing?
“Hey! What the hell are you doing?!”
She looked up. A smile suddenly brightened her face. “I was going to look for you”
“Lie down again!” I told her a bit harshly.
“I was just wondering where you were” she quietly mumbled as she went back to bed.
“Are you hungry?” I asked in a gentler tone.
“A bit” she admitted.
“Wait here” I told her. “And don’t you dare move”
“Aye!” she cheerfully answered though she sounded weak to me.
My eyes narrowed. I just hope she’ll follow me just this once. She’s usually stubborn. I went back to the kitchen to get her a bowl of rice porridge as well as a glass of water and medicine.
I was glad to see that she did stay put in the bed when I returned. She was grinning knowingly at me. I shook my head at this. She’s already pale and all but she can still grin like that?
“What’s with the grin?” I growled.
She shrugged. “Just reminiscing yesterday’s events. That was the best birthday ever!”
“You got sick and you still consider yesterday as your best birthday?”
“Of course I do!” she beamed a bit weakly than she usually does. “You were all sweet, you gave me a ring then we made love a couple of times” she finished with a giggle.
“We only had twice, Dara”
She grimaced. “Spoilsport” she then mumbled.
“Just eat” I sternly said. “Here, open your mouth”
I started feeding her. It’s quite obvious that she’s enjoying the fact that I’m feeding her and filling in the role of a nurse. She’s wearing a huge smile on her face and she’s beaming brightly. I was satisfied to see that she didn’t look so pale anymore compared to a few minutes ago.
“You’ve been talking in your sleep, you know” I told her as I watched her swallow the medicine I gave her.
“Really?”
“Why, can’t you remember your dream?”
She frowned then turned thoughtful. “Not all parts. I only remember the latter part. I was in a church, walking down the aisle, my groom was. . .” she stopped, her eyes growing wide in fear and panic.
‘Jiyong. . . where’s Jiyong. . . .?’ the words from her sleep echoed in my mind. It didn’t take me that long to grasp the whole situation. “I’m not the groom in your dream” I said matter-of-factly.
She tensed and went very still for a moment. But then, she waved it off. “No, not really. I didn’t see my groom’s face. But it was just a dream, anyways”
“Dara, you know I’m not THAT kind of guy, right?” I knew I was being. . . harshly honest. I could lie, I know. But I don’t want her to live in a world of illusion about us. It’d be better if everything’s clear between us. I was expecting to see pain or disappointment or anything like that in her face but she disappointed me. Instead, she looked strangely determined. “I don’t like that look on your face” I told her.
“You should also know that I’m a very persistent person” she winked. “And I don’t easily give up”
“Your point?”
“You will see” she winked. “I’ll be having the final laugh, ha! Anyways, what else was I saying while I was asleep?”
“You’re having a very wet dream about me AGAIN” I smoothly lied, teasing her. “You were endlessly, too”
She flushed, making me laugh.
- - -
I stayed in bed with her for the rest of the day. She wasn’t burning anymore but she was still hot. I was mostly teasing her. But when she fell asleep, I climbed out of bed and went to the study table. I already skipped school today so I need to do some reading. Aside from studying seriously, I’m also doing some research about the black phoenix. I didn’t bother asking Bom to do the research since she’s pregnant and all. I didn’t just forget about the black phoenix. Maybe I owe the mysterious creature our lives but I don’t want to be too trusting. In this world, most especially my world, most of the time, nothing comes free. I want to know WHY it saved us. But so far, I’ve only come up with crappy things such as its unknown origin and the existed even before the first shadow was made one.
I frowned in surprise upon hearing footsteps. Then, the next think I know, Dara pulled a chair for herself and settled it beside me. She sat down and leaned her head down on the pillow she brought with her that was resting on her lap.
“What are you doing? You should be in bed” I told her.
“I want to be with you” she said.
“Go back to bed, Dara”
“I want to be near you”
I sighed and closed my book wearily. I stood up and glanced down at her. “Come on, let’s go back to bed”
She held her arms and legs out to me, making me growl in annoyance but still, I complied. I bent down closer to her so she could wrap her tiny arms and legs around me. I took the pillow from her hands and carried her back to bed. “There you go, little giant baby”
“I love you, pancake”
“Yeah, I heard” I snorted.
“You’re so cute, you know” she giggled.
“You’re worst when you’re sick” I gritted.
“Hehe” she giggled again and cuddled closer to me when I lay down beside her.
“I guess you’re feeling better now?”
“I feel heavy, exhausted and a bit dizzy but I feel better compared this morning” she smiled. “I’ve got a very competent and efficient caregiver”
“I should be rewarded”
“Ooooh, I’ll give you a reward now! I-.”
“No” I cut her off. “You’re not well yet. And I’m just joking”
“Fine” she grumpily said. “Just wait when I get better. Ha! You’ll be surprised!”
“I already know what’s running on your mind”
twitched. “Can you sing me a LULLABY? A slow song, not the loud ones you usually sing along?”
“No fuc- freaking way. Have you any idea how disgusting is that?”
“It’s not disgusting!” she protested. “Oh, come on! I’m sick pancake. How will I get better if I don’t get my basic needs?”
“You’re taking everything for granted”
“Sing me a lullaby!” she commanded in a slightly strong voice. She was still weak.
I sighed. I can’t believe this is happening to me. I took a deep breath again. “Baby goodnight. . .” I sang. “Baby goodni-. “
“STOP!” she suddenly said. “Not that song! You sound too y with that tune, it’s making me feel. . . I feel warmer hearing you sing like that”
I laughed and gave her a quick peck on the lips. Oh damn, she’s too adorable for her own good. “But that’s the only mellow song I know”
“Fine” she scowled. “Sing anything you like but just toned it down”
I paused for a moment. “Here I stand. . .empty hands, wishing my wrists were bleeding, to stop the pain from the beatings. . .” I started. “. . . there you stood, holding me. Waiting for me to notice you. But who are you? You are the truth. . . I’m screaming these lies. . . you are the truth, saving my life. . .”
I looked down at her. She was smiling.
“. . .the warmth of your embrace melts my frostbitten spirit. You speak the truth and I hear it, the words are: I love you. And I have to believe in you. . .but who are you. . . you are the truth. . .”
I looked down at her. She looked peaceful. I kissed her forehead and whispered a soft goodnight.
Comments