chapter 10

Unexpected Visitor

Jay-jay's POV

Should I go? Maybe I shouldn't! Should I just head straight to school? But I need to see him.

Ugh, this sucks!

"Jay-jay…" Ci-N called out to me. "Keifer's going to get mad at me!"

"I don't care!" I snapped at her. She's the one who's going to get scolded, not me. Damn them all! They didn't even have pity for Kiko and just did what they wanted.

I already talked to Ci-N and she explained what I saw in the video. Apparently, it was revenge for what Kiko did to me. But I couldn't hide my anger at her. Yes, he did something bad to me, but what they did in return was way too much.

Wasn't it enough that they beat him up the same night they "saved" me from him?

"Don't go… Keifer might look for you and ask me. I won't know what to say," she pleaded.

"Just tell him I overslept."

"I can't!"

I raised a brow. "What do you mean, you can't?!"

"Keifer knows when I'm lying," she said while scratching her head in frustration.

"Then lie better…"

"It's not that simple!" she snapped.

"Tsk! Just go away already!" I told her, giving a high kick in the air.

I've been trying to learn that move for a while now. Nearly broke my leg practicing it, but still can't do it properly!

"Jay-jay, seriously!"

I quickly flagged down a taxi that was approaching. As soon as it stopped, I got in. I glared at the annoying kid who looked like she was about to cry.

"Kuya… Take me to Benedict Hospital," I told the driver. He nodded and started driving. That annoying kid can figure out how to explain things to Keifer on her own.

Benedict Hospital is a bit far. Good thing Ci-N finally told me where Kiko was taken. I thought I'd have to beat it out of her.

I just stared out the window. Traffic wasn't heavy today, and the weather was nice. It was a beautiful day for—wait, why do I sound like a news reporter?

The trip took about 20 minutes. I was practically broke after paying the fare. Damn it! I should've asked Ci-N for money, since this is their fault anyway.

The hospital was smaller than I expected—just four floors. Not many cars in the parking lot either. Few people were going in and out through the main entrance.

The surroundings were nice. It looked like a park with lots of trees. They had cottages and tables in the middle. There was even a small playground and a pathway on the side.

Is this really a hospital?!

I headed straight to the main entrance. A security guard greeted me and checked my bag before letting me in. I walked up to their information counter—yes, it literally said "Information" on the front.

"Good morning… Do you have a patient named Kiko Evans?" I asked the woman at the counter.

She looked at me and smiled. "Yes… Are you a classmate of his?"

She probably noticed my school uniform. I just smiled and nodded.

"May I see your ID?" she asked.

I took out my ID and handed it to her. While she typed on her keyboard, I kept looking around. The hospital looked high-end and there really weren't many people.

"One of your classmates just left earlier. You didn't catch each other," she said, still typing.

"Oh… They didn't tell me," I said, trying to make an excuse.

She handed my ID back. "I see. He's in Room C9."

"Thank you," I said and turned to leave, but realized—I had no idea where Room C9 was. "Uhm, where exactly is C9?"

"Third floor. The elevator and stairs are just over there," she said, pointing across the counter.

"Thanks…" I said and ran toward the elevator. Just in time—it opened, and I got in. I pressed the button for the third floor.

Unlike regular hospitals, this one smelled really good. Not like medicine, blood, or disinfectant.

When the elevator opened, I felt like I wasn't in a hospital anymore. More like a hotel. The hallway was beautiful, with plants lining the sides.

I looked for Kiko's room.

C5… C6… C7… C8… C9!

I stopped in front of it and took a deep breath. I was nervous. I knew this was a long shot.

I knocked a few times. No answer. I knocked again. Still nothing. I gathered my courage and slowly opened the door. The loud TV greeted me. No wonder he didn't hear me.

The room was big. There was a sofa set near the bed, a kitchen sink, a small fridge, a dining table, and another door that was probably the bathroom. The bed was in the corner, facing a big window and a flat-screen TV.

"I'll eat later… I don't have an appetite," Kiko said, still facing the TV.

I didn't know how long he had been here. But looking at him…

His left leg was in a cast, from foot to thigh. That must've been where Keifer kicked him in the video. His other ankle was bandaged. His right arm was in a cast too—only his left hand was usable, which was currently holding the remote. He had a neck brace and cuts and bruises on his face.

I bit my lower lip. I couldn't believe those bastards could hurt someone like this. Sure, they fought people—but only those who fought back. I couldn't accept that they ganged up on someone who couldn't fight back.

"K-Kiko…" I called out.

He turned to look at me. When he recognized me, he stared and turned off the TV using the remote. He didn't speak. He didn't show any emotion. I couldn't tell if he was mad at me.

"H-how are you?" I asked as I walked closer.

That question sounded so awkward.

"I-I just found out what… really happened to you," I began, taking a deep breath. "…I-I want to apolo—"

"Don't," he cut me off.

"Huh?"

"Don't apologize. I deserve this," he said, which confused me.

"But—"

"What I did was unacceptable. I deserve this." He forced a smile. "I'm the one who should apologize to you."

I couldn't speak. I just looked at him. For a moment, it felt like I saw the Kiko I used to have a crush on.

"Please… accept my apology. I wasn't myself back then. I was heartbroken after you rejected me, and my mind went to dark places. I'm really sorry, Jay," he explained.

I approached him and held his hand. What he did was really wrong—but he already paid for it. In fact, he paid too much. And I could see that he was truly sorry.

"Apology accepted," I said with a smile.

He smiled back. "Thank you." He looked behind me as if searching for someone. "You're alone?"

I nodded. I walked to the other side of the bed and noticed a stool. I sat there and opened my bag. I took out the container I brought and placed it on the bedside table.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Sopas… I didn't know what to bring you. Good thing Manang made some for my brother Angelo who's sick," I explained.

"Thanks… I'll eat it later."

I let him be. He really didn't look like he had an appetite. I observed his face and body. He had lost weight and his hair had grown longer.

We both went quiet. It felt awkward. I didn't know what to say next.

This is so awkward!

Suddenly, my phone rang. I quickly took it from my bag.

King Ulupong Calling…

I silenced it without answering. I didn't want to talk to him. Whatever.

"Looks like your classmates are looking for you," Kiko said with a smile.

"Uhm… N-not really."

Let them be…

Ugh! I couldn't even bring them up in front of him. They were the ones who did this to him. It felt wrong to even mention them.

"You're very lucky, Jay… Your classmates and friends love you so much. They're willing to fight for you," he said seriously, making me look at him. "They weren't like that with Ella before."

What he said confused me. They weren't like this with Ella? Why? What kind of people were they with Ella, the supposed goddess? Harsh!

"Maybe…" I muttered. I cleared my throat. "S-so how are you doing here? Any idea when you'll be discharged?"

"It'll take a while. Approximately 6 to 8 months for full recovery. Plus I'll need therapy."

I swallowed hard. Damn! What happened to him was way too much.

"I've been here for over a month. So I've got about 5 to 7 months more," he added, chuckling lightly.

I looked down, ashamed. The time he should've spent studying is now spent lying in a hospital bed.

"W-what about school?" I asked, thinking it might be the wrong question.

"Home schooling… My teacher comes here before 10 a.m. We get to decide how long we'll study," he explained.

Wow, fancy! He's got home school? I kinda want that too.

"What did Freya say, by the way?"

Might as well ask some tea.

"Nothing… We broke up," he replied quickly and looked out the window. "She said she didn't want a crippled boyfriend. So we just broke up."

Wow!

Seriously? First with Grace—she laughed at her friend who got pregnant instead of helping. Now with Freya—dumped her injured boyfriend instead of sticking by him?

Very nice!

"She's really something else."

"That's just how she is… When someone's no longer useful to her, she doesn't care anymore."

"Tss… Yeah, that checks out," I said, and he chuckled a bit.

"But she wasn't always like that. She changed because she got hurt."

I looked at him. Freya? Got hurt? Impossible! She doesn't look like someone who'd ever feel pain.

"She doesn't look like someone who gets hurt."

He suddenly laughed. "You're so mean to Freya… Seriously, she wasn't always like this. Back in grade school and summer class, Mykel and I used to crush on her. But when we got to high school, she changed."

I suddenly remembered the picture Edrix showed me. She really did look like a fantasy girl in it. Beautiful and simple.

"What could've happened to her?" I asked. Kiko didn't answer. He went quiet and thought for a moment.

"Ask Keifer and Yuri," he said almost in a whisper.

I looked at him, puzzled. Then I remembered—Freya was Keifer's first girlfriend.

But why Yuri, too?

"What do you mean by that?"

He looked down. "It's not my story to tell… But from what I remember, Freya's boyfriend died. And then Keifer, Yuri, and Aries took turns with her."

Holy sh*t.

I couldn't handle it! I really couldn't! It felt like my brain worms started doing somersaults. I just sat there, mouth wide open, shocked by what I'd just heard.

F-Freya… Argh!