Male Friend

As soon as Aila and Reese had freshen up for bed, with facial masks on their faces they started chatting again.

"So, going back to where we were a while ago… have you actually fallen for him?"

Reese faced Aila who was staring at the ceiling quietly.

"I don't know, I am not exactly sure of my feelings, but… you know, I have this desire to help him, I want to make things better for him."

Reese smiled and lay down beside Aila and raised her finger and made a heart gesture in the air.

"You love him, either as a friend or more than that… it is clear that you love him."

"I'd settle with that, I'm not sure if I can handle anything beyond friendship at this point."

Aila is a very empathetic person, she saw the dire situation Yhuan was in, she saw how much he loves his mom, and more than anything else... she saw him.

"Hmmm, my gut is telling me, that you want to do something for him… come on spill it out, tell me about it."

Reese was going against her instincts, she wants Aila to help Aila but deep inside her doubts about Yhuan are still there.

"Oh my gosh! Will you really help me?" happiness glowed inside of her, knowing how Reese is quite unimpressed with Yhuan.

"Of course, I won't let you go through it alone." Reese squeezed Aila's hand.

"You are really the bestest best friend there is!" The two girls giggled and a few minutes later they were fast asleep.

It is the weekend; Reese and Aila slept till 9AM it was the longest sleep Aila had in two weeks. Perhaps it is because finally she knows what happened to Yhuan and now all she has to worry about is how to help him.

During breakfast, Reese showed Aila a folder; it is Yhuan's file.

"No, I won't let you read it; I will just be telling you some important details that I think you should know."

Aila nodded, while looking at the file, she is really tempted to take a peek. Reese placed her phone over the folder.

"Don't even think about it." Reese was stern in her decision. She wants Aila to have a normal relationship with Yhuan and investigating someone is definitely not the normal way to get to know a person.

Aila raised both her hands up in the air as a sign of surrender to Reese.

"He is currently working two jobs to help his mom, his mom is diagnosed with cancer, and his father is missing in action since he was a kid. The only people helping them financially are his mom's family; however they are not well off either so basically there's nothing much that they can help him with."

Aila's heart was enveloped with ache, as she remembers Yhuan's mom; she was ready to die, she was worried of the bills instead of her health. Something she will never experience, the wealth she has is something she did not regard highly until she met Yhuan who works so hard for some cash, and Susan who suffers silently because she can't help her son.

"Can we do something to transfer her to a private room and cover the expenses of her hospitalization?"

Aila mumbled, knowing how it would reflect like buying someone's love or be outright rejected by Yhuan because it might hurt his pride.

Reese came up with an idea to sort the current dilemma. "We can make it appear like your charity group is the one helping him out and not you directly."

"It would be nicer if you can completely remove me from the equation, can it be just a random stranger who chose them as a beneficiary of his goodwill?"

Reese agreed, she stood up and picked up her phone. The folder was there, Aila was staring at it contemplating if it will do her good to check on it. Before she knew it Reese was back and had already made the necessary calls.

"Okay princess, everything is in place, the surgery later will be done and is already paid for…"

"Thank you so much girlfriend, what will I do without you." Aila gave her best friend a tight hug.

"Hahaha, honestly you can still do everything without me… I just want to be the one who would help you accomplish things." Reese laughed and winked at Aila.

"Aww.. I am willing to do the same for you girlfriend, just let me know how okay?"

Reese nodded in agreement, "Okay, then bring me home before lunch that is your first task." They both laughed and prepared to leave the house.

Aila dropped off Reese and bought some fresh flowers and balloons as gifts for Susan. She texted Yhuan that she will drop by the hospital and he instantly replied and patiently waited for her at the hospital lobby.

Yhuan was surprised to see Aila bringing so many things; he helped her immediately.

"You did not have to bring so many gifts Aila."

Aila smiled at Yhuan who looks better than the stressed version of himself yesterday.

"This is just some little things that might help cheer up Aunt Susan."

Yhuan's joy took hold of him; he can't believe that there is another soul that cares for his mother, he was teary eyed because of Aila's gesture. They walked towards the elevator and Yhuan started to break the silence to cut the awkwardness of his sudden tearing.

"I am sorry if I can't spend much time with you these days." He sincerely apologized to Aila.

"That's okay; I'm not asking you for your time, I want you to focus on yourself and your mom"

Aila assures Yhuan.

"I feel like I will lose you too if I don't give you time, so even though it's hard for me to see you like this I still try".

Yhuan explained to Aila while he gazed down.

"I am your friend Yhuan; you will not lose me especially in times like these".

Aila grabbed Yhuan's hands before they departed the elevator. They walked hand in hand as they went to the private room that Susan was transferred to.

This is the first time Aila walked hand in hand with a "Male" friend. It feels a little bit different, it made her face turn red, it made her breathing a little quicker, and it made her heart beat erratic.

"Do I just feel sorry for him? Or am I already falling for him?"