Swallowing the lump in her throat, Mimi suppressed her turbulent emotions and took a deep breath.
"Which hospital?"
"Mimi—"
"Which hospital?" Mimi repeated once more, her voice colder.
"Um...Sun Ville Hospital," Jean sniffed.
Without a second thought, Mimi grabbed the car keys while placing on her suit jacket.
"Let's go."
After a moment of shock, Jean nodded her head.
…
In the car, the three were silent. Jean steered the car, her hands clutching tightly onto the wheel. Sitting in the back, Mimi was propping her chin and looking out of the window with rapidly changing scenery pass by. She bore no expression on her face.
If one wasn't looking close enough, they would have missed the hand by her side, turning white from her extreme grip.
Suddenly, a soft, warm hand landed on hers. Glancing beside her, she met Emilia's teary, reassuring gaze. A small smile curved up on Mimi's lips, but that didn't stop the depths of her eyes from darkening.
Arriving at the hospital, Mimi immediately rushed to the front desk. However, on her way there she paused. She turned and look towards the waiting room to see a familiar figure hunched in a chair.
The man had a chilly expression on his face. With narrowed eyes and deep gaze, it was hard to tell what he was thinking about. When looking carefully, he seemed to have two dark smudges under his eyes.
He suddenly sensed a familiar gaze on him. The moment he raised his head to look, he met with Mimi's burning eyes.
Tobias's eyebrows instantly furrowed and a flash of pain appeared within his eyes when he looked at her.
Unknowingly, Mimi's steps underneath her quickened. Tobias stood up from his seat.
"Mimi, I'm…" A hoarse, gruff voice came from Tobias, but he quickly lost his words as a pair of small arms wrap around his waist.
Mimi could feel his firm torso and the rapidness of his pounding heart. Hugging Tobias tightly, she gradually eases her racing heart. She hadn't realized she was holding her breath the whole drive there until she felt Tobias's warmth.
Her heart seriously ached. Mimi closed her eyes and buried her head in his throat.
"It's okay," She whispered, her voice trembling near the end. "You're okay."
Feeling slightly shaken, Tobias let his muscles become loose, and his arms wrapped tightly around the girl's small, soft body. He buries his face into the crook of Mimi's neck, dragging a deep, steadying breath into his burning lungs.
Inhaling her fresh scent, he tightens his hold around her waist. Although his grip was bruising, Mimi didn't mind.
Right now, nothing seemed to matter.
They stood there like that for a while, Mimi holds him, her heart clenching. Emilia and Jean stood quietly behind the two.
After what felt like forever, Mimi slowly steps back, however, her hands clutch tightly to his arms. There was no color in his face, other than the bruises on his cheek that stood out dramatically against his paleness.
Mimi could see a large bandage on his forehead, a small patch of blood seeping through the cloth.
For the first time, she found her hard to control the welling emotions in her chest, her stomach tensed.
"How's Alec?" Mimi asked.
At the mention of Alec's name, Tobias's body tenses up, his muscles hardening. He took in a deep breath and suppressed the emotions within himself. Then, he turned his eyes away coldly.
"He's…" Tobias gritted through clenched teeth. "He's in surgery right now."
Mimi sighed in relief. At least the idiot wasn't dead.
"What's he getting surgery for?" Emilia's voice trembled.
Tobias's eyes darkened and his eyebrows furrowed even further.
"A few broken bones and ribs," Tobias sighed, stepping out of Mimi's grip. "I don't know they won't tell me much."
Mimi nodded her head in understanding. She guided Tobias toward a chair upon seeing his pale complexion. Sitting beside him, she watched as he stared in a daze at the floor, dodging her gaze from the beginning.
The four of them waited for the doctor to inform them of Alec's condition. Mimi's eyes wandered around the area. She had been so lost in thought while rushing over she hadn't realized where she was for a moment.
The air had an aromatic scent, and the seats were plush. Every surface was dustless. The nurses were calm and moved with a serene purposefulness from room to room on their rounds.
There were vases of flowers and stunning framed artworks on the white walls, a water dispenser in the corridor.
Mimi hated hospitals.
Everything about them made her uneasy. What she hated the most was the empty isolation of waiting. Just sitting there waiting for them to tell you something life-changing.
It was funny, the situation she was in right now almost felt as she did all those years ago. A small child sitting alone in the dark hospital, waiting for the news that would change her life forever.
The moment she heard of Tobias and Alec's accident, she couldn't help but think back to Emily. Emily was also in a car accident.
Mimi narrowed her eyes. The light in her normally clear, bright eyes instantly dimmed.
By the late afternoon, after what felt like hours of waiting, a doctor finally came over. Mimi stood up while Tobias sat still in his chair, spaced out.
"How is he?" Mimi asked, her voice calm.
The doctor was mildly startled by the young girl's cold voice but cleared his throat to respond to her.
"Mr. Hirogori is in stable condition so far," The doctor starts. "However, because of the impact of the other car, many damages were created on his body. He may require specific treatments to heal. These hours after the surgery will be unpredictable, which is why we recommend him staying the night. I suggest you all head home and get some rest. We'll contact you if there are any changes."
Mimi sighed with relief and a little uneasiness. However, what she understood from his words was Alec was going to be fine - but the recovery would be difficult.
Mimi thanked the doctor before grabbing turning to leave, however, Tobias's gruff voice stopped her movements.
"I'll stay here. You three can head home."
"You're joking right?" A rare trace of anger emerged within Mimi's voice as she said, "You were just in a car accident. What you need is rest, not staying up all night in a hospital alone."
"I'm fine," There was also a bone-chilling quality within his voice when he spoke.
"You heard the doctor, he said he'll tell us if anything happens. Now let's—"
"Mimi." Tobias bit out coldly. "I'm fine. Go home."
Mimi was taken aback by Tobias's harsh tone. Never had he spoken to her so firmly. Both Emilia and Jean were also surprised by Tobias's tone as well.
They both know how much he spoiled Mimi and regarded her kindly, to hear him speaking so coldly towards her startled them. They could easily sense the change in the atmosphere between the two.
Mimi frowned and gave him a complicated look. She didn't say anything else, then turned around and left without looking back.
Emilia and Jean glanced at Mimi's departing figure before looking back at Tobias. He remained completely motionless as he leaned forward in his chair with his hands resting in front of him.
Sighing, the two walked towards the exit to follow Mimi.
Tobias stared after Mimi's slender, delicate back until she was no longer in sight. His formerly cold and handsome face instantly turned dark.
With clenched his fists, he closed his eyes and suppressed the turmoil of emotions building within his heart.
...
In the car, Mimi slammed the door and crossed her hands in front of her chest.
She was seriously frustrated right now.
Then, she looked towards the wide horizon of the clear blue sky, her expression blank. Jean and Emilia sat in silence. Emilia's heart twisted in knots staring at her friend appearing who looked so vulnerable.
"Mimi…" Emilia softly spoke to console the girl.
After a long moment of silence, a laugh suddenly sounded within the car. A broad smile spread on Mimi's lips, tears of laughter formed on the corner of her eyes.
She turned her head towards Emilia with a grin. Leaning forward, she lands a quick peck on her cheek before hopping out of the car.
"You guys can head home, I'm staying here for the night." Mimi waved with a smile.
The two women stare at the girl's departing back. One with a shocked face and crimson cheeks, the other one on holding a pair of car keys with wide eyes.
What a strange girl...