“Any progress?” Kris asked. “What happened to her has a huge effect on her. Your patience is what she needs right now.” The doctor answered. “You can’t do anything about it?” He asked again, still referring to her condition. “The institution is doing everything in our power to her speedy recovery. All you can do for now is wait, Sir.” Kris sighed in disappointment. It has been weeks since she was instituted, still no improvement.

He walked towards her. She was sitting at her usual spot, near the window. She was looking blankly at the sky. She seemed to be thinking about something but no one knew what it was. And Kris always felt that no one will ever know, and she will be lost in her own thoughts forever.

He always hugged her tight everyday he visited her, still no response, not even a smile, not even her ever-beautiful smile. He missed that so badly. “I will always be sorry. I hope you are listening to what I am saying to you right now. I am sorry that I told the truth. It added up to your problems. It burdened you even more. Because I know, you deserve to know it, to know the truth about who I am. I can’t lie to you forever. I love you that much.” He spoke. She just sat there with no reaction at all. Every day that will be their typical scenario – Kris, hugging her, talking to her, and she will be blankly looking at him, as if she didn’t know him.  

“We have known each other for the longest time. We are always there for each other.  And you know I will always love you. Hope one day, you’ll find the heart to forgive me. Please forgive for breaking your heart. I know what I did totally change everything between us. What you saw that day, what you knew, caused all this. Again, I’m sorry.” He begged, kissing her forehead, and bade goodbye.

“Gege, how are you?” Lay spoke, with a smile on his face. “Thank you.” He always told his brother. “For saving my life that night, but I am sorry as well because me she died. I am sorry. Please forgive me.” His brother didn’t say a word. “I know you love her so much. And you are like this simply because I can’t accept the fact that I was confused all my life, and I thought drinking will solve my problem.” He pleaded for any reaction coming from his brother.

His brother just looked from afar, as if he wasn’t there. His brother seemed to be lost. Lost forever, he hoped not. Lay can see that. And he blamed himself for the current state of his brother. They already went through a lot. The death of their parents, the troubles Lay got into since we were kids, and his brother was always there to save his sorry just for the fact that Lay can’t accept that he was confused of what he was, that he felt scared that his brother won’t accept him for who he is. His brother will always be the stronger one between the two them. And he will be the weakest. But now, it seemed this time that it was the other way around.

For every single day he would visit him, and stayed there till the visiting hours were over. He played the piano for him. He let his brother hold the violin, hoping that he would give any reaction, any response.  Everyone was telling him, it was a lost cause. That he needed to forgive himself to what happen to his older brother, and find the heart to move one. But he couldn’t, he told everyone, he couldn’t and he wouldn’t.

Kris kept on looking for someone. He smiled instantly as he saw him. “Ready to go?” Kris asked.  “How is she?” Lay asked. Kris kept silent and bowed his head. “Hang in there.” Lay comforted him, squeezed Kris’s hand. And Kris smiled at him again. “How’s your brother? Any improvement in his condition?” Kris asked, full of concern in his voice, as their hands intertwined. “None at the moment. Hope one day, there is a slight improvement.” He replied. “Don’t worry. They will be okay, soon enough. We will always visit them. I promise.” Kris comforted Lay. “Come on, we’ll be late for school. We are missing so much school work already.” He tried to lighten up their heavy mood. “Goodbye, Gege.” Lay spoke. And again, his brother had no reaction. At the moment as well, Kris turned his head towards her, as she was dragged outside as her usual routine. He sighed at the site of the girl once so lively and always has a bright smile on her face.

The nurse would always drag her wheelchair outside, as for the doctor’s instructions. She was too weak to walk, so it seemed. She badly needed some fresh air and a change of scenery.

She was already wheeled inside, as the other patiently was passing though beside her. There was a sudden change in reaction as she heard the other patient suddenly hummed a familiar tune. She from the looks of it, she was tapping her foot. And the nurse noticed their reactions and immediately reported it to the doctor.

The next few days the doctor watched over the two said patients, and definitely noticed the small progress in their condition. The girl seemed to always tap her foot to the beat of the song that the boy was humming since the day they have passed each other. The boy always started to hum a specific tune when the girl was around.  They decided to transfer them in one room since they seemed to be an unusual connection between these two.

That day that they got transferred in one room, he suddenly started playing the piano that was left by his brother. It seemed that he never wanted to stop playing. Like she always did first thing in the morning to look out the window beside her bed, knees to her chest. But that morning was different. When she heard him play, she recognized the song he was playing, and started singing, but still looking out the window. And from the looks of it, he played even more when he heard her sing. The doctors were astonished by the scene of these two patients who do not even know each other, could have this kind of connection and influence on each other’s behavior.  And they never did look at each other. They just simply felt each other’s presence.

As the days passed, their progress were as clear as day. She was seen walking again. There was no need for her to be dragged anywhere in a wheelchair. She’s been smiling a lot lately with no apparent reason. He as well was always in a good mood.  He was also doing well, never been better. He started to play the violin again. And everyone in the institution just watched him play as they passed their room. She was seen always swaying her head to the tune of his violin. And every time he sat in front of the piano and played one specific song, they could always see her singing with him. And everyone enjoyed the scene between the two patients, though they are sitting in both ends of their room, again, not looking at each other.

She woke up one day and noticed he wasn’t in his bed, and just saw a nurse placing a tray on her bed side. She tapped the nurse’s shoulder and pointed to his bed with a sad expression on her face. “Oh, you’re looking for him. Don’t worry he is just outside with his brother” The nurse assured her while pointing at them through the window. Her gaze followed to where the nurse was pointing, and smiled as she saw him. “There is the smile, I was looking for.” Kris entered the room, and bowed at the nurse, and looked at the window as well. “I have heard you are fond of your roommate lately.” He ruffled her hair. She didn’t even budge, and kept on staring at the other patient. “I think I need to thank him. Come on, let us go outside.” He spoke, but apparently she was already walking towards the door. For the first time, she wanted to go outside immediately, and didn’t want to just stay indoors for so long and watch the sky from her window.

“Kris!” Lay greeted as he saw Kris with her, walking towards their direction. His brother looked at the lady walking towards them. And Lay noticed the sudden change of reaction of his brother after seeing her, and chuckled. Kris saw Lay’s brother moved to give space for her to sit beside him. “They’re roommates, right? So I’ve been told.” Lay spoke. “Yes. They are.” Kris affirmed. “From the looks of it, they are helping each other though they haven’t officially met.” Lay realized a very amusing fact.

“Excuse me. The doctor wants to talk to the two of you.” The nurse spoke. “Okay.” They spoke in unison. The two patients were left sitting next to each other. He turned his head towards her. She as well did the same.  They both looked at each other. “I’m Henry, by the way.” He smiled at her. She chuckled and spoke, “I’m Amber.”  He moved closer to her, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

The doctor was distracted with his train of thought as he noticed something outside. “Are they talking to each other?” Lay and Kris looked at Amber and Henry’s direction. Lay just cried, and Kris hugged him tight. “They are finally okay, Lay. They are finally going to be okay.” He spoke almost choking up, as he kissed Lay.