Knew Each Other

Val thought, scrunching up his eyes.

"It is located on top of a mountain, quite far from the coast. I remember only small cars could go up there, that was before, I don't know now. Maybe local officials have fixed the road. It's so cold there, sometimes at night because it is too cold, our beds become wet with dew. And in the end, no one could sleep. The matron would light a fire in the fireplace, but because the hole was closed in the summer, sometimes the smoke would fly back into the house. Hey, I remember, because the wind kept blowing in the charcoal flew out of the fireplace and caused our faces to be black. But, those kids, just laughed because we all looked so funny. Hehe, we all look like ghosts"

Jason looked at Val, for a quite long time. He remembered the first time saw the sweet child, wearing a light blue beanie with a strawberry pattern, standing in the corner of the room. The beanie was the present given to each kid by his family's foundation.

Jason used to visit the orphanage. This kid, maybe doesn't remember any of it, but he does. He will never forget the pair of beautiful eyes with a little mole under his eye. Sweet plumpy rose lips and light brown curly hair sticking out from the beanie. Those very beautiful eyes. Captivating his heart since the first time he saw it. The kid standing in the corner with the sunlight that glows behind his ears. He was so gorgeous.

Jason turned his eyes quickly when Val turned at him.

"Yeah, it's a very hard place to reach," said Jason.

Jason remembers that he protested at his grandfather because the old man forced him to help his workers transport the donation boxes containing warm clothes and food for the children. It was quite a long way from where they parked their car, they had to walk there because the vehicle couldn't go up.

Val lowered his head and looked at his boss's face looking up to the sky, for a long time, until his boss looked back at him. His boss's smile was so beautiful, he didn't just know him for a short time. It turned out that he was a little boss who came to the orphanage and provided donations of food and money. He may have forgotten about it, or not because his boss acted as if he knew him very well. But he didn't show it, perhaps, knowing a child from an orphanage like him, wasn't something to be proud of. Val smiled, at first he didn't recognize him either, but his nanny sent some photo from the orphanage a few days ago, he remembered him they had known each other for a long time, he almost missed it.

"Boss, thank you,"

Jason lowered his head, Val's face looked very serious,

"Hey, thanks for what?" he asked.

Val smiled. The wind that passed from Jason's body was warm. He could smell the faint imported perfume which he really loved. Not just the perfume, but also his sweat mixed with one, that can make his nerves calm. Does he have the privilege to enjoy that? Even just from afar.

"Well, for everything, the job, the room in the apartment, and this"

Jason smiled. He shifted his hand and touched Val's hand on the bench. Looked at the young man's face for a long time.

"Hey, that's nothing, I said it, as my employee, all your needs are my responsibility too, so, calm down and just enjoy it"

Val smiled. He nodded. Yeah, sure, that's right, he is the employee, his boss' responsibility. Not more than that.

"Yeah, anyway, thank you, boss"

Jason nodded. He raised his hand to pat Val's shoulder.

"Of course, um, come on, let's go home, do you want me to carry you?" Jason asked holding out his hand in front of Val. Val smiled.

"No need boss, I can walk by myself, why do you like to carry me? Do I look that weak?"

Jason's laughter could be heard at the end of the street which was starting to become empty of pedestrians, it was ten o'clock in the evening.

"Hahaha, why? Are you embarrassed?"

"Boss"

Val smiled broadly, his eyes were filled with tears because he was touched, or because there was something else in his heart.

Yesterday afternoon. The Center hospital outpatient waiting room.

Val sits silently, with eyes staring blankly to the front. He held on to the chair to keep his body from falling. Second ago his knees felt limp and barely able to move as if his feet didn't seem to touch the floor. Slowly, so as not to fall, Val sat for a moment. As if all the strength he had was sucked up and gone without a trace. As he walked out of the Doctor's room, the room looked like spinning with his body floating lightly uncontrollably. His chest was tight with the air that kept hard and heavy to breathe on. All sounds buzzed outside his ears, separating him from the reality around him, even when the pharmacist kept calling his name repeatedly.

"Valiant Arcady!" and he didn't hear it, the waiting room was quite busy at that time.

What Dr. Rio Lewis' words say to him was like a lightning strike on a bright day, leaving him stunned.

"Th-this, could be wrong, right?" Val was speechless, the words hardly came out from his lips. His facial muscles seemed to be pulled, and unable to continue his words. 

Doctor Rio Lewis sighed heavily. The kid must be so shocked by the results of his diagnosis. The general ward handed him the kid's results for him to pass on, this never gets easier, no matter how he carefully explained it. The young man in front of him was no exception. He was still so young, and nobody could accept this easily. 

"We have to make it sure by biopsy. You can seek a second opinion at another hospital. Nothing is certain, but you have to be able to accept the worst because anything can happen."

"But, I always be healthy, often exercise, eat, heh" Val's lips were dry.

Once again the sound of the pharmacist's call awakened his thoughts.

"Valiant Arcady!"

"Y-yes" the young man raised his head. All the voices of the crowd came back at him. The young man slowly rose from his seat and approached the pharmacist.

The cold night wind blew quite strongly. You can hear its roar passed through the ears by walking against the wind. Val and Jason walked leisurely to their apartment.

"Boss"

Jason nod.

"Yeah"

Val looked at Jason's hand which was at his side.

"Um, can I hold your hand?" he asked.

Jason looked at Val to make sure it was just a joke or not, Jason nodded quickly.

"Of course, here," said Jason stretching out his hand.

Val grabbed that big hand. His boss didn't know that, he really needed a hand from someone to calm his chest. At least to ease the worry in his heart. Val held the big hand gently with the tip of his fingers, but Jason grasped it tightly.

"Come on, hold on tight, in case you fall because you're full."

Val didn't expect that Jason's grip on him was so tight and strong, so strong that it even seemed like it could withstand a passing hurricane.

"Uh, boss"

Jason didn't understand what it was, he just thought that Val was a bit strange, and his hands were also very cold. Jason smiled at the young man who looked unenthusiastic. He didn't know that holding his hand, which he thought was trivial, could make Val exhale his breath which had been very heavy and pressing on his chest. Val lowered his head, unable to hold the tears that finally fell from his eyes to his smooth cheek. He wiped them away quickly before Jason saw them. Although, he probably did. Jason pulled the kid's hand gently and wrapped it to his arm. Let the kid lean his weight on him.

"Heh, the air tonight is cold, I can't wait to take a shower, then I'll soak until midnight, it'll be fun," Jason exclaimed, he wouldn't look at Val because he knew that he didn't want him to see his sad face.

"Yes, boss, it will be very fun," answered Val, trying to suppress his shaking voice.