AS HE STARTS THE ENGINE, a fruity-scented air breezes into my nose. That gives me something to do other than waiting; finding how the car’s perfume looks like. I look around, and my eyes land on a bottle with a red apple picture on it.

Wew. The car is red, the perfume is red, also the shoes are red.

I peek at him from head to toe. He has a red handkerchief tied somewhere on his pants, and the phone beside him is also in a red supreme case. So he’s not crazy with golden stuff, but red.

“You love red so much, huh?” I supposed to think that one. The huh probably added a little sarcasm tone. Should I say sorry?

He still doesn’t respond, at all.

“Sorry, I should’ve said that in my head.” I pause

Because that still sounds bizarre.

“Ok... forget it.”

“So, where are we going now?”

Can’t I just stay still?

I hit my head with one hand; because I’m still holding nainai, and I deserve it.

“Duh, the hospital.” He finally replies.

See? He said “duh”, duh.

“Of course. I mean, which one?”

“The W Hospital.”

“Alright.”

I prevent myself from bluffing more things by checking nainai’s face. Maybe, even if I’ll blurt something, it’ll be not too duh.

She’s looking the same like the last time I checked her; not ok, very pale, and she still presses her eyes several times. Should I just try distract her with... stuff?

“Nainai, sorry for not fulfilling my promise.” Did I even make one?

“W-what promise?” She murmurs in a low, weak voice.

“You know....”

I think I found something.

“I said I’d come back in 10 blinks, but I believe it’s past 30 blinks already when I came back to you with the car.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, dear.”

Ok, I also did.

“I mean, you’re supposed to only wait until you blink 10 times. Because after your 10th blink, I’d surely come back to you.”

“But I took more than that to find the ride. That’s why, I’m sorry, nainai.”

I heard a giggle in the middle of that. For sure.

It’s working, then.

“It’s nothing, dear.” She sounds like she’s whispering.

I think I should’ve not drained her like this, but stayed still instead..?

“Sorry for interrupting your very-important talk, but we’ve already arrived.” Says the guy.

I open the door right after he opens the car’s lock. But before I manage to get out, he says, “I’ll do it.” So he’s already helping nainai from another door. Cool, then. And since he’s with her, I’m taking her bag instead.

I follow them from behind to the Emergency Room (ER).

---

A nurse approaches us as she sees us getting near the door. She takes nainai from the guy, leading her to one of the beds.

And then, a doctor gets off of his huge boss chair, then walks to nainai. He turns to us for a sec then asks, “What happened to her?” He starts taking out a stethoscope from his coat.

That reminds me that I still have no idea about that. So I tell him, “I only know that she’s laying on the street, her things were everywhere, and her elbow was bleeding.”

“I see.” He responds, while examining her body.

In the midst of that, nainai mutters, “You two should go now. I’m fine.”

“It’s ok, nainai. My class starts in a few hours.”

“When exactly?” The guy asks.

“10.”

“It’s 9.30 by the way.”

I widen my eyes and gasp, because I don’t know that stalling time would be this easy.

Nainai probably saw that and got the wrong idea [that I panicked], so she says, “Just go, dear. Or else,” She pauses—and I don’t like that word before. “I’ll just go home and not get any treatment at all.”

She’s not joking. She’s trying to bring herself up from the bed, about to sit on it.

“Don’t, nainai! Please stay, we’re leaving!” I hold the guy’s sleeve and just drag it to the door.

But, does she have enough money to go home from here? What if she’s just got robbered?

My thoughts stop me from leaving the room.

I release his sleeve, then run back to nainai. I mindlessly grab few cash from my wallet and just put it into her bag.

I also rip a paper to write my name and my number on it, and I give it to the nurse. “Please contact me if nainai needs anything or if anything happens to her. Thank you.” I turn away, start walking out of the room.

Hope it’s enough.

---

Didn’t I wonder about how my money can’t possibly get us here by taxi? Then what ride can she get with that amount I gave???

“Excuse me, miss. Are you looking for your friend?“

I turn to her but don’t say a thing; I’m busy wondering.

“He just asked me where the front desk is and left.” She adds.

I blink few times, because, wew, he could’ve just left already to his class.

“Thank you. I’ll go there too, then.” I smile at her and turn to leave.

But since I also have no idea where it is—

“Sorry, where is the front desk?” She chuckles. It’s weird if she doesn’t.

“Just turn left from here, turn right, then walk straight until you see some blue chairs. The front desk will be on your left.”

“Thank you, again!”

I start following her directions; I walk to the left, then right. And as I walk straight, I see the guy walking to my side. So I stop.

Should I switch side? But we’ll be walking on the same direction then. As if, I’m assuming he’ll offer me a ride.

I shake my head and just continue walking.

“Hey, come on.” He says.

So I stop, again.

“I....” What was I going to do? I roll my eyes upwards, looking at the ceilings, to recall.

“Ok, I have to pay the bill.” I mutter. “So see ya!“

He pulls my bag from behind, while walking to the opposite direction. I’m walking backward.

“It’s done.” He mutters.

Eh? I grab his hand and pull it away from my bag. Is it true that one can complete payments that quick?

I start going straight again, but he pulled my bag few steps backward. “I said it’s done.”

“Done like... you paid it?” I tilt my head in disbelief.

“Of course. What else?” He grumbles with furrowed eyebrows. “It’s 9.40 already, we’re running late.”

He walks to the door, with me, because he’s still holding my bag. “Dude, no dragging.” I hold his hand and just drop it away from my bag.

I’m taking out my phone now. So I let him walk first and I follow from behind. I have to create a reminder about pay back the driver guy at least an hour from now. I’ll not feel indebted for too long to him, then.

---

He opens his car’s lock and gets in. I’m still standing behind them, not sure where to sit. If I choose the passenger seat, it’ll be rude. But if I choose the seat beside his, it’ll be weird. Should I find a taxi?

Why don’t I just ask him about this.

I walk to his window, wanting to ask that, but the door beside him suddenly opens. It’s a cue, right? So I get in through that and sit.

As he starts the engine, I smell the previous apple perfume. And since he’s been quite generous today, shouldn’t I start a conversation? I think, it’s when you’ve offered someone a ride and then you’re stuck in an icy environment with that someone. He didn’t only offer me a ride, but also paid the bill and even helped nainai to walk here and there.

Should I talk about his love for red? He didn’t respond when nainai was here, though. Skip that one. Then, how about his classes for today? I can go with what’s his first class today and come up with many things from that. It’s the most not-so-out-of-nowhere topic.

“So, what’s your first class today?” That doesn’t come from me. I’m startled. A bit.

“History. History of Chinese Music.” I reply. I can throw this question back with how about you, right.

“Same goes here.” Ay?

“Did... you hear that?” I can’t seem to trust myself from differing between talking in real life and talking in my head now.

“Huh? Of course, because we’re talking?” He’s making this gesture with his finger; he’s pointing at himself then me on repeat.

“Forget it.”

But this has to continue.

“I mean, no, let’s continue talking about the class.”

“Ok....?” He ends it in a high-pitch, like there's really a question mark in the end.

“You’re taking it for the first time or you’re re-taking it?”

He chuckles.

“Why? Do I look that old?”

I should be the one asking that, but probably in the alternate universe.

“No, that’s not it.”

You’re obviously younger than me.

“So you’re really a first year?” I ask.

“That’s really it, then.” He grins and sticks a little bit of his tongue out. “I am a first year, although I actually start later than everyone.”

“Whoa. Let’s see who wins in this.”

“Huh?”

I thought, I thought that one?

“I mean.... I also start later than everyone. Including you, I bet.”

“No way, how old are you?”

“22.”

He’s startled, like very startled. He widens his eyes and turns to examine my face.

“You’re driving!” I yell.

He turns back to the street, blinking few times.

“I told you.” I sigh.

“Feel free to forget what I said.”

“I-“ He stutters.

“I really need a minute to process this.”

“Like, how are you 22?”

“Who are you to say that.” I grumble in a blank tone.

Kid.

“No, really. I thought you’re from some 2-years high school? I was about to ask you that.”

Really.

“That’s flattering.” I groan.

“I’m serious!” He squeals.

“Is this the makeup these days?”

“Or you got some work done?”

I twitch my face and turn to him, “You’re saying like 22 should look like 35 or something.”

“22 is still considered young.” I sigh. “And just an fyi, I didn’t.”

I’m now a leech in someone else’s life. How can I possibly get that? Besides, I don’t think it’s possible to grow or even age in that 3 years period of mine.

“Okay....” He says that with an overdue tone in the end.

“Then, how about you?” I ask.

“Well, I just turned 19.” He pauses. “Awkward?”

It wasn’t, actually. But since you literally said the word.

“So, what major are you in?”

“Vocal. You?”

“Hip-hop dance.”

That’s one of my premises.

“I guess, we’ll be seeing each other often, then?” He says.

Apparently we’ve just entered the campus’ gate and he’s parking his car now.

“What’s your name, by the way?” He turns the engine off and faces me. “I’m Wang Linkai. But call me Xiao Gui!”

We just met but you’re telling a nickname already?

“I’m Boxin. Liu Boxin.”

I think I smiled when I said that, because he’s now smiling at me.

Or he’s just a smiley person.