AM I CONSCIOUS OR NOT. Just another moment of me seeing some familiar ceilings for the nth time already.

My body is sore even I’m currently lying on bed. That's weird. In my opinion, every time you feel sore anywhere you have to just throw yourself on a bed, couch, or anything bouncy, then you’ll feel a certain great comfortable sensation.

Now that I’m doing it but still feeling unwell, that’s not cool.

The door of my room opens,

“Hey?” I greet her, as she pulls a chair beside me and sits on it.

“You’re not sleeping or anything?”

“Yea, clearly...?”

She sighs.

“What is it? Aren’t you happy that I’m breathing and talking?” I smile to her. Although I don't feel comfortable right now, I’m happy--that I’m able to open my eyes.

“This is a huge thing, jie. Why are you so happy about it.”

“Huh?”

“Also him, why did he have to leave so soon? If he did care about you, he should at least wait until you wake up.”

“Eh? Xiao Gui was here?”

“I wish. But no, jie. Yanjun brought you here.”

“Really?? That’s refreshing!” Also nearly hard to believe. I chuckle. “I mean, how did you call Yanjun, instead of him?”

“I tried, a lot of times, but his phone was off.” She folds her arms on my bed then rests her chin on them. “I planned to call the one with the most call logs in your phone, whom I thought was Xiao Gui, but then.... I changed my plan.” She sighs.

“Just why did you have so many calls from that guy?"

“Chill, we’re all in a good term. Yanjun’s been trying to figure out things in The Sims, so, that’s why we’ve been talking a lot.”

“Could you not accept too many calls from him, and start having some with Xiao Gui instead?”

I chuckle.

“Come on, people today connect through various ways. I don’t think I want to think too much about it."

"Let's not stress ourselves with this, ok? Life is annoying already."

“Sorry, jie.”

I caress her head. This is ridiculous, Yuxi.

“I just wish you’ll find the best guy ever to stand by your side.” She mumbles

“I’m currently not looking for one. Let me enjoy my second chance in life, by being single. I think I’m happy already, and that’s enough.”

She takes a deep breath then starts pressing her lips. She starts looking at me with puppy eyes and pressed lips; I’m debating whether she’s pitying or adoring me.

---

"Wait, what time is it?" I ask her.

"Umm... probably 2 AM."

I try reaching out for my bag on a table beside me, and thus it's about to fall because I should've straighten my back first, but thankfully, Yuxi grabs it and puts it on her lap, instead. "Do you need something? Just tell me, jie."

"Ah, yes. Can you give me my phone? I need to text Xiao Gui."

She grins.

"Hey, I only do this because we have a certain appointment on 7, in the morning. For History class."

She randomly nods, but still grinning.

I shake my head, slightly that I think she doesn't notice that, then focus to my phone to text him, with one hand.

Me: Can't leave on 7, sorry. Something's up.

I lock my phone, I'm about to hand it back to Yuxi, but suddenly, the screen turns on. So I take it back.

He's just replied my text.

Him: Alright.

Me: Why are you not sleeping??

Him: Haha, pushing rank.

I roll my eyes.

Him: So, 7 PM?

I turn to Yuxi, asking, "Do you think I'll get discharged before 7 PM?"

She purses her lips. "Umm... maybe—"

Me: Ok.

"Jie, don't tell him that yet!"

"It's sent..."

She sighs. "Wait, I'll ask someone here."

---

"Bad news."

I turn to her.

"The doctor said that you can leave tonight."

That's a good news.

"But you have to sign a certain paper, which implies that the hospital isn't responsible for anything that may happen to you. It also implies that you can't sue them, at all." She sighs.

"Yuxi, even if something happens to me later, I'm aware that it's caused by my own decision. So I'll never sue anyone. Come on."

"But this is really important, jie. You don't understand. I initially planned to sue the nurse that left you in the infirmary but didn't, because I couldn't."

"What??!"

"I know, right. How annoying. It turned out, what she did was still ok for an intruder. The doctor even praised her wrap right in front of my face."

"Yuxi. Listen. You should stop mulling over this suing stuff, ok?"

"I can't, jie. Please forgive me that this time I have to disagree with you."-

 

---

"After I cornered the doctor with some weird talks, he said there's a possibility of you being fine, as long as you don't overwork your body."

"I actually have to type things on the computer today. Is it ok?" I ask her.

"He said use your usual medicine for your hand."

"In my interpretation, you can still do daily stuff but if you're being too much, the injuries will take a longer time to heal."

"The one you should pay extra attention to is your abdomen; your stomach."

I sigh, in relief.

"But still, if anything really happens to you, you can only deal it by yourself, because no suing—"

"Oh wait, you can deal it with me, Xiao Gui and maybe Lin Yanjun. So it'll not be yourself only." She murmurs.

I chuckle.

"But the people here will still accept me if I want to get a cure, right? I don't intend to sue anyone."

"Well you certainly have to sue the nurse in the infirmary."

"Hey, stop that already."

"Jie, the one's working today was a guy. A friggin' guy. Besides, every nurse's checked out before your session even started."

I let out a heavy sigh.

"Yuxi, next time you want to swear, swear properly. Say . You're not a five year old."

"Also, there's a lot of possible occurences that can explain that. Maybe she's a nurse from another infirmary, and she wanted to check out the first infirmary, ok?"

---

Yuxi ordered a taxi and accompanied me to go back to my apartment. She's basically spending her whole day with me, and it's Saturday.

I feel bad for her.

She even walked me to my room.

"I don't know how I should express my gratitude for you, Yuxi."

She's helping me to lay on my bed.

"I'm beyond thankful that you're willing to be my great friend."

She sits on the edge of my bed and squeezes my hand.

"I'm the one who's more thankful, jie. You're my other half, you know."

"Ah yes, you're not only a friend but my other half. Thank you so much...."

She smiles, then stands up.

"By the way, what do you need to bring for the History thing? You want to bring that bag?" She grabs a backpack and puts my laptop into it. "I know you need this. Then what else? I'll find them for you."

"Hey, you need to go home now. I can do that myself, ok? I'm going to get that huge backpack instead."

I straighten my back and support myself to stand up.

"Ouch...." Can't lie, it hurts a little.

She grabs the backpack I'm talking about and puts the laptop into it.

"Ok, so you're staying with him. For one day? Two days?"

I blink many times. "I know your brains move very quickly but I always can't help feeling shocked that it's as this quick."

She chuckles. "Come on, jie, one day or two days?"

"I don't know, maybe we'll return on Sunday night or Monday morning." We both have class on 10 AM, I recall.

"Do you think a library opens on Sunday?"

"Yeah, of course. Lots of people actually read on weekend." She opens my wardrobe then starts scanning it. "You need undergarments and casual clothes for three days two nights, this jeans will look good on you. then this skirt.... oh, and these pajamas for—"

"Hold on, I only need two undergarments and two tracksuits. I'll also sleep in them."

"What? No, jie. You have to—"

"I don't have the mood, Yuxi. Besides, despite my hand and my stomach, I'm just a simple person, for real, in terms of dressing up and some other things."

"No, you're not just simple. You're the most awesome person I've ever encountered in life." She presses her lips. "Wait, being simple is also cool. Ah, sorry that I was being too much with that."

Too much with the description? No, girl, please continue. Haha.

"I should've known that you're not in the proper condition for skirt and jeans. Stupid me."

---

"Alright, jie. If you start to feel anything, just cry that out to Xiao Gui—I mean, me. You have to just tell him right away—although I'll also be on stand by...." She wets her lips. "Anywho, see you! Have a lovely trip!!"

It's not necessarily a trip, Yuxi.

---

Xiao Gui gets out of his car and helps me to put my luggage into his baggage. "You only bring this much? It's really light." He asks.

"Why? You don't?"

"Of course I do. But I'm a guy." He walks to the front left door.

I press my lips. "Well, I take that as a compliment. Thank you." I open the front right door and slowly gets into the car. It'll hurt more if I flex it too harsh.

"You're mad? Already?"

So I've been twitching my face to endure the slight pain.

"No."

"Girls. Always saying they're not something when they clearly are."

"Whatever."

---

"So, when will we arrive there?"

"Probably 4 or 5 hours. There are so many red lines on the maps, meaning we're going to see some traffic jams."

I yawn.

"Sleepy? I thought you're an owl too like me. You pulled an all-nighter, last night."

"That's because of an urgent something. I'm a human, by the way." I squint. "Besides, staying up all night is not good for your skin."

"So you really are a girl."

"Of course, what the !" I crinkle my nose then roll my eyes. "Behaving like a girl or a guy is totally fine. Stop treating it like it's a weird thing." I let out a heavy sigh.

"Alright, chill ugly."

"Sorry. I got too worked up. The thing is, I was made fun by literally the whole school for being what you called an owl."

 

"You're kidding me."

​​​​​"It's true. There's even a website for gossip updates, run by someone who apparently "liked" me, deep inside, I know that." I snicker—at myself, because that really was shameless. "I'm talking about the same girl I told you in your apartment."

"Uh, you remember everything?"

"Yeah... but what do you mean with that? Is there something I shouldn't remember??" I glare at him.

"N-no, it's just a question. A regular question. Chill." He sighs while puffing his cheeks. Cute, by the way. Coughs. "I think I've said a lot of chill today."

"Alright. Sorry."

"So, what's with the girl?"

"Fine." I scoff.

"I mean, continue your story?"

"She...." I take a deep breath. "She made a fuss about I looked tired everyday because I loved the night life even though I was underaged... and there were also a lot of more s other than that."

"People actually bought that?"

"Yeah, I guess." I bite my bottom lip. "Wait, so you didn't?" I turn to look at him.

"Clearly. I know you're not that kind of person." You've suddenly become more alluring. I'm terrified...

"You're lazy for like seriously everything. You don't write in class, you don't work out, you don't look for scholarships. It's impossible that you're actually willing to walk your to night clubs or even parties!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

you.

 

"AAAARGH AAARGH!!!"

I grab his right earring away—just a little bit, I'm still a good person.

But he actually has to drive his car to the corner and stop it there. He grabs my hand and release it from the ing earring. I feel bad, a bit.

"I'm sorry, okay? No physical assault." He's rubbing his earlobe with his index finger, then drives the car back to the street.

"I'm also sorry..." I murmur.

He sighs. "Chill. I also went overboard." He smiles, while still looking at the road ahead.

---

After few minutes of silence,

"So, don't you miss high school?" He blurts.

"I don't know."

"There must be some things you're thankful about high school, though."

The fact that I've become stronger than before, also Yuxi..... and him—

"You're right."

"How about you? Every time people say that they miss high school, I'm not sure if I can relate or not."

"Haha." He giggles. "I wasn't really friends with everybody in school, too."

"Really? Look, you don't have to create stories just to make me feel better."

"No, it's true."

"You're rich, you're cool and everything."

"Whoa, you really think I'm cool?"

I furrow my eyebrows. "Forget it. Just tell me your story."

I'm sure you had a lot of fans in school.

Maybe that's why you said you're not friends with them. It's probably hard to be friends with those who crazily wanted you to be their boyfriend.....

Wait, it's going to be hard for him to be friends with me, then.

Oh .

 

"I used to snuck out a lot, to learn hiphop."

"What? You can learn that after class."

"You see? I was that kid who's only inside the class to sleep."

Not shocking.

 

"My dad didn't really approve my passion before."

"So now he does?"

"I don't know." He wets his lips. "I haven't visited home for a long time."

"But didn't you call him sometimes?"

"Not really. I only texted to congratulate him on his birthday. No reply, though."

Despite the smiley face, you're actually hiding something too. Cool that you're able to manage that positivity, though.

 

"But, it's fine. Haha." He chuckles—uneasily, I think.

"Of course. He'll open his heart to you, someday. I know that."

He flinches.

"T-thanks."