Chapter 19: "Twenty-Two Stan" (I).

Kai

"Just what exactly happens?" Amber asked as she follows me through the crowd of people in the hospital. I told her to just go back home after she sent me here, but she was being meddlesome to why I came here and insisted that she came along. Me, being the worse colleague ever, I didn't answer her question and make my way towards the counter where a nurse sat there with her eyes glued to the monitor screen.

When we got to the hospital, I ran as fast as I could towards the entrance door regardless of where Amber parked her car. In my mind, all I could think of was I needed to see Stan and needed to know if he was okay. I can't risk him being this way if I didn't know the current situation of his present self. So when I arrived at the counter, I asked the nurse immediately about Stan.

"Hello, um, is there a Stan Malik?" The nurse turns to me with the slowest turn she could ever give, and I almost burst out of anger for when she was being that way. Aren't these people supposed to work fast?

"Stan... Malik... oh yeah. He's in level three, room 113," The nurse replied, and as soon as I heard enough information. I went to sprint off to the specific room with Amber following me behind. "Sir! I need to know your relationship with the-," Before I even heard the full sentence from the same nurse, I had entered the lift with Amber beside me and pressed the button to the third floor.

My feet were shuffling by itself and my fingers were fiddling with each other that I hadn't realized that I was doing so. I wasn't realizing it, but my whole my body was shaken up by this sudden turn of events, and now I understand why Amber wanted to follow me. Because she was holding me by the shoulder and stare at me as if I was the one with the disease.

"Are you okay? I don't know what happened, but I hope you can tell me. If it helps then I'll be here waiting," She spoke, letting me know that she was going to be by my side when things didn't go the way that I wanted.

I look at her with a nod, taking deep breaths at that moment. "My... I don't know what I'm supposed to label him anymore," I chuckled sadly, covering my face by how stupid this was. "-but he got into a small accident when he was on his way to pick me up... and I'm worried shit about him. Even when it's been told that it was a minor scratch...,"

Amber wrapped her arms around me. The warm feeling of it made me calm down in a way I felt that someone cared. I hug her back - feeling the need to feel something that was reassuring and one that would make the worry go away partially and temporarily.

Just as the lift arrived at the third floor, we went out, and I rushed straight ahead to find room 113. That was when I saw some nurse and doctors bringing out a patient from a room and my mind immediately pictures the patient as Stan which I then slap it out of my head - Stan wasn't going to be like that. It wasn't that bad of an accident. So why was I acting like a drama queen?

In the search of the room like I was a mouse in a maze, I finally found my out when I reach the room that plastered the number '113' so clear in front of me that it became really hard for me to concentrate. I glance towards Amber, and she nudges to go in, while she stays outside.

"Go... I'll wait here if you need anything," The woman said as she sat down on the bench that had been set beside the door. With a nod, I went inside the room to see him laying with his head turned towards the window. The sound of the door opening had him turns his head to me and I froze when I saw his face with patches of plasters and his wrist being put in the needle and all.

"Kai? What are you doing here?" He asked tiredly in a way that he had just been awoken from a night of sleep. I went to stand by his side, taking his hand in mine - my heart just aches more when I saw him like this. "Are you okay? What did the doctor say? Did anything happen?" I asked, checking his pulse to see that it was steady as a horse.

He chuckles at me, closing his eyes. "I felt like I was just woken up from sleep. Last night was fun... but why are you wearing work clothes? And...," He pauses, looking around to see himself and his wrist that had the needle sinking into him.

"... why am I here...? Aren't we in the bed last night?" He asked, his eyes furrowed, and he goes again to eye around the white boring room.

"Where am I actually?" He asked, getting up from the bed, and I was surprised to see that he didn't felt any hurt.

Huh?

"What are you talking about? You got into a small accident when you're on your way getting me from work," I explained. He turns to me with a frown, a disoriented look covered his facade.

"There's no way... we were at the restaurant last night for the reunion... how come...?" My mouth gape open, thinking that it can not be. Wait... it happened again? So... wait, wait! Did I miss something?

Suddenly, I remember the time I saw the Polaroid picture of him and saw that the clothes he wore change in colour. That can't be, right? But it must be... because he was mentioning something that had happened two years after. If he was twenty-two, then how did his twenty self went back home? Did he go back in the midst of the accident?

"What's with the look?" He chuckled, his hand went forward to caress my face. I blink rapidly from my thoughts, then goes to take a seat on the hospital bed.

"Did you remember anything about what happened rather than last night at the restaurant?" I asked, holding his hand with both of mine. He thought about my question then let out a click. "Well... we were outside... talking... and then you know... I started kissing you and we did that... at my home," He answered whilst I was trying not to redden from what happened that night.

I murmured something inaudible - letting out how confused I was with all of this. What happened really? All of this happens when I was away from him, and he would go outside. The last time it happened was the same thing as well... I was at work and he went outside. What exactly did he do?

"Look... I know this sounds crazy... but you're twenty-two,"

"Yeah... I am twenty-two," He smiles awkwardly.

I squeeze his hand. "But I'm twenty-five. And this is not the year which you think it is," I added, having the man widen his eyes slowly. "What? You're twenty-five... Is this a dream?" He said while he brings his other hand to pinch himself.

"No, no... it's not a dream. You're in 2026," He furrowed his brows at me. His eyes squinting as he tried to take it all in that he wasn't in 2023. I continued to tell him all of the important stuff that happened since the start of the show. With how he had just woken up, it was hard for him to understand the things that I said to him, and it took me several times to repeat what I had just explained to him to have him grasp it better.

But this time, I didn't even show any irritation or frustration or even anger to the new situation. Considering his state - with the twenty stitches that were on his whole body, the groggy feeling of him waking up without even knowing he got into an accident became just difficult for me to even be that way. I can't be mad anymore at him. Why should I even feel mad?

Liara said that all of this happens for a reason. Before this, I was scared to even figure out what was the reason was, but I think it's time that I should think about all of this. About what really is going on? What all of this meant?

Why?

Because seeing him hurt without even feeling it felt cruel of me.

"I'll go get the doctor to see if you can go home. I'm really glad you're safe... I just don't know if I could even handle if you were...," I stopped, not wanting to end that sentence that would soon become a prayer. He pulled me in, embracing me into a warm hug. "I'm alright... it didn't hurt at all," He comforted, his hand went through my hair - gently stroking it.

Pulling away from his embrace, I went to get the doctor to see if I could bring him home. The doctor said that he only just had minor damages and needed to rest more. With that, I was allowed to bring him home after another few hours. I even asked Amber if she could bring us home and the woman gladly said yes. To be honest, I didn't want to burden anyone with this but there was nothing else I can do.

The day went on with Amber sending us home, and I tried my best to help Stan get inside the house. He didn't even need help to walk since he doesn't even feel any hurt, but I couldn't just pretend like nothing happened when he looked like that.

"Why are you even helping me... it's not that bad, really,"

I grit my teeth. "Just let me help you. I just feel bad, that's all,"

As we step closer to the door, he stopped me from opening the door and turns me to him. His hands squeezing my face out of nowhere, and I was forced to look at his handsome face. "Stop being so worried about me. It's not we're going to be apart from each other... you know that,"

Why does he keep saying things like that?! Can't he see?! Why am I being kept reminded by how we were still together and expect that I should be okay with? I can't even try to be still and accept that same constant message when it kept saying that 'we broke up' 'we broke up' 'we broke up'

"Why are you even so laid back?! Can't you feel any worry?" I asked, my hands clenching in and out.

"Woah, Woah. Why are you suddenly angry?" He asked, his hands to go down to hold my shoulder.

I pull myself away from him roughly, going back to the front door to unlock it. "Because it's gonna be over between us as soon as you get back," I let out, without having no care at all towards his feelings because I was angry. Angry because he was so calm about this!

"H-hey! Why are you saying things like that?!" He yelled. Once the door opens, I strut inside in hopes of getting away from this. I hated that it had to be this way, and I had no control of it. "Forget it. I don't have anything else to say to a man who doesn't know anything," My tone just changes from being caring to being ignorant and it causes him to shout back at me.

"What don't I know?! Hey!! Stop going away from me!!" He followed after me, but I was quick to get into the bedroom and slammed the door ferociously which produce a loud bang. "Who cares?!" I screamed back.

"Kai Everest!!" The raven-haired man called, following me in front of the bedroom and started banging on the door. "Hey! Kai!!"

I pretend I didn't hear his voice while I try to calm myself down. I can't believe I just told that in front of him. That was because I know if he leaves, it would just be over. And he didn't even felt the hurt that I was feeling.

What about me?

The knocking continues but I slide down the door - covering my face with much sadness and painful stabbing that was thrown to my heart. If he's going to leave me shaken up like this... how am I supposed to get by on my own? I haven't even started with moving on when he came since that day. I can't even try to move on when he's around. If he's gone... how would I even move on if I was reminded by the things we did together?

"I'm so pathetic..." I muttered to myself, gazing towards the air just because... there wasn't to feel happy anymore if that day comes.

- - -

I changed the covers for the S.K. series, do you like them?