“Sickness really favors the foolish, huh?” You say, glancing at Yuk-Hei while you checked his temperature. You were at his house, on Monday, taking care of him while he mother managed the restaurant. Grandma Wong’s out playing Mahjong with her girlfriends, leaving the two of you alone.

You had him propped up with a pillow, caring for the sick patient.

“Everything aches, L/N...”

“Aren’t supposed to call me Teacher, stupid boy? Aiyah! It’s your fault--who told you stand in the rain and--” You cut yourself off, remember that day. The feeling of his soft, plush lips against yours...it was like a movie.

And now, you’re in an ending-credit scene.

You realize after getting so close to Yuk-Hei, that you’ve been in this place for too long. You’d have to leave anyways—the alternative was ‘him’ finding you—you couldn’t have that. 

Not with all the money you owned. You didn’t have nearly enough to pay him back--yes, when you had enough, you’d be able to show your face around him again.

Although, you’d have to get your funds together before his mad self would hunt you down.

You look at his temperature, feeling a bit complex that it’s 38 celsius already. 

“Ah, my big-eyed baby. Are you up to eat anything? Auntie made you something to eat before you went to the restaurant this morning.” Your hand grazes his face, in which he leans into, closing his eyes for a moment. The tip of his nose is a bit red, his face is incredibly hot.

He lethargically shook his head.

“Ah, your hands are cold, it feels so nice.”

“Mhmm. Yuk-Hei?”

Met with silence, you look at him, noticing his head drooped down. Raising his head, you watch as his eyes roll back. His movements become sluggish.

“Yuk-Hei?”

You shoot up, alarmed and dash to call Auntie Wong on the rotary phone in the living room.

“Oh, Y/N. Is everything alright? How’s Yuk-Hei?”

“Auntie, Yuk-Hei, h-he’s not waking up,”

You hear shuffled clattering but you hear the older woman hurriedly say she was coming as fast as she could.

Auntie Wong shows up no less than ten minutes later, with an older man you recognize as a worker from the restaurant.

Three of you sat in said worker’s pick up truck, as they drove by, you held Auntie Wong’s hands. A breeze goes by, your own curly hair tickles your nose. Despite the situation, the weather is nice, and Yuk-Hei who seemed to be burning up earlier began to cool down a little bit.

After squeezing your arm, the older woman breaks the silence.

“When Yuk-Hei was five, he had a fever high like this. He was so small, so red. He looked like a ripe tomato.” You both giggle, you look over the unconscious boy and your heart stings.

“Mother helped me watch him then. The restaurant was still new, and I was alone so I needed her help. She called me, his fever was so high. He’d spit the medicine she gave because it tasted ‘yucky’. I was scared, like I was now. But, I am happy you were watching over him, like Mother did.”

After a while, you’re sitting in the hospital, looking at the young man who’s hooked up to the machine. You held his hand, thinking about how this will be the last time you'll see him. 

He groggily opens his eyes, and you’re sure your worried face is he sees first.

“Y/N...” 

You give a smile that’s a bit strained and say, “Yes, Yuk-Hei.”

“I like you a lot...you’re so pretty and funny...” You watch as he falls back asleep, just as his mother comes in. 

“Thank you for looking after Yuk-Hei.”

You nod at her.

“It’s nothing Auntie. I have some urgent matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first. Take Care.”

The next day you pack your small amount of items, something you kept in mind being there. You went through the process of cancelling your lease, and packing your luggage, you take one last look back at your former home.

You leave for a new place.

Perhaps, you’ll visit Kowloon City in the future.

Until then, you set your sights for Shanghai.