Caught in a tough spot, Destinee fretted, saying, âBut it seems he canât even open the durianââ
Just then, a sound interrupted her.
Crack!
In a swift motion, Kyson cleaved through the durian shell with his bare hand, deciding that a quick hand chop was the best option given the inevitable pain of the task.
His background in the Secret Investigation Department had honed his judgment and reflexes to peak sharpness.
The sound of the durian splitting caught Colby and Destineeâs attention.
Colby merely tilted his head while Destinee couldnât contain her excitement.
âYou did it! Youâre so amazing! The smellier the durian, the tastier it is!â she exclaimed, her eyes gleaming as she gazed at the fruit, her lips smacking in anticipation.
Colby, however, remained stoic and silent, internally chiding himself for underestimating Kyson.
Shortly after her initial excitement, Destinee noticed Kysonâs discomfort.
âColby, look.
Kysonâs face is so pale, and his hands are shakingââ
She caught his wrist, revealing a hand drenched in blood, his fingers twitching uncontrollably, and his veins alarmingly distended.
âKyson, youâre bleeding so much! Does it hurt? Let me help.
â
Destinee began to blow gently on the wound in an attempt to soothe him.
Kyson, touched by her concern, reassured her with a weak smile, âIâm fine.
Itâs a small price to pay for fulfilling Colbyâs challenge.
â
Meanwhile, Colby watched silently, his gaze fixed on the bleeding wound.
Colby often experienced pain due to his illness, but it was nothing compared to the visible agony Kyson endured.
âAdults always pretend,â Colby muttered to himself, seeing the obvious pain Kyson tried to hide.
With a stark frankness, Colby then voiced his deeper feelings, sparked by seeing Kyson in pain.
âYouâre the reason Iâve been on medication and treatments for years.
It usually hurts a lot when I have a flare-up.
Today, seeing you suffer somehow makes me feel better.
â
Kyson, managing a smile through the pain, said, âAs long as you are happy.
â
He carefully split the durian into two halves, donned disposable gloves to avoid contaminating the fruit with his blood, and began extracting the durian meat piece by piece onto a plate.
Despite the ordeal, his demeanor remained composed and graceful.
He cautioned, âEating too much durian isnât good for you.
Youâre still young, so donât overindulge.
Save some for tomorrow and put it in the fridge.
â
His gloves soon became soaked with blood, which made Destinee visibly uneasy.
âKyson, you really should see to that wound.
Are you going to die? It looks terrible, and Iâm quite frightenedâ¦â