"I can't believe what your grandfather said about you being suicidal is true." she can't explain her fury as she spoke. She worked to save a life even to the point of sacrificing her own welfare [food, well enough about that] but he's just trying to die? She scoffed. Did we just work for nothing?
"We've sacrificed a lot to save your life and you wish you were dead? Hah! Can I just kill you instead?" You wasted my energy and hunger.
"Well, I did not have plans of dying when that accident happened."
"You did not have plans? Are you hearing yourself? And now you have plans? And so what changed?" she huffed. He remained quiet.
"It was her, wasn't it?" Huh, she scoffed. For the love of smoked fish! She hit him lightly and shook her head.
Her disappointment clouded her as she stood away from him. Grabbing her phone, she dialed her brother's number. His warm voice greeted her.
"Mayu?" she let out a sob.
"What happened? I'm coming over!" his voice full of worry.
"No," she managed to say. "I just called to tell you that I'll go on vacation for a bit. Your patient does not need a nurse. He needs a psychiatrist. Don't contact me for now, I'll call."
She hung up the phone before he could even speak. Then, she went back and faced him again.
"Does she know?" he's still as a statue. I need to wake him up. I can't let him die like this.
Mayu still remembered the time when one of her colleagues took her own life. She called her as she's getting ready to go home. She heard her sobbing over the phone.
"My son, he's calling my name. He's saying mama." Mayu raised her eyebrows. Is she having a bad dream? She recalled that this colleague has a son who she's given birth just a few months ago. Her son stays in the province with her parents while she and her husband work as nurses at their hospital.
"Don't you think it's a good sign. When you go visit him, he may really be speaking already." she tried to be cheerful. She was just able to get a few days off work the next week so she can visit her son, Mayu knows as she kept on talking about it all throughout the week.
"Mayu, my son. He's gone." she heard her wail over the other line.
"What? What happened?" did she just hear her wrong?
"We we're so busy last week and he's running a fever. I'm not even there. I did not even get to kiss him. My baby." Tears dropped when she heard her colleague.
"My baby, mama's coming. Don't be sad anymore. We'll play a lot." she heard her say again.
"No!" she screamed as she also heard her colleague's name being called upon on the background.
There was an outbreak of a locally known disease in their place. Patients have flocked the hospital and the management asked the health workers if they can lend their time which they all agreed on. No one knew her own child had suffered the same disease and died from it without seeing his parents.
Her husband came running soon after, his wife in his arms. She walked onto oncoming traffic in a daze. Mayu dropped her bag and followed her to the emergency room. She heard one of the doctors say, "time of death"
"No!" she screamed again and wade through the crowd of doctors and nurses. She pushed her husband that was crying on her body and started pounding on her chest.
"One. Two. Three. No!" she screamed when they pulled her away as she tried to pump onto her even chest. It did not raise, nor will it ever move again. Her husband looked at her and nodded silently, tears still flowing from his eyes.
She broke down and slumped on the floor, tears and sweat all drenching her body. She passed her resignation letter the next day.
"Stop butting in," his voice woke her up from her daze. His tone getting dangerous as he speak. She pushed the house intercom and spoke.
"Who has Ellaine's number?"
"Yumi, stop it!" he roared.
"Why? Don't you wanna die? I'm helping you."
"Stop it," she won't listen now.
"Oh, you want it painful? Here, I'll give you some." She started attacking him again. This time, the blows are harder.
"Stop! Stop it! That's too m- Aw! I don't deal with kids but- Aw!"
"So what now? You want to die because of a misunderstanding?" she hit him in the head this time. "If you've dedicated your life to save others and that 'others' is just trying to kill himself, what do you think would you feel? Here's to my hunger! I'll really kill you now!"
"Shut it will you!" he bellowed when he finally caught her fists. He pinned her down on the sofa as they both catch their breath.
"Did you know that time is very crucial when you're on that table. We're running against time to keep your stupid heart beating. And you'll just punch yourself in agony when you lose a life. And here you are, you're willing to die just after escaping death? After what they've done? Don't you think we deserve a little bit of respect for trying to save your life?"
"I'm not-. I don't need to explain to you. You won't understand."
"I don't have to understand. By trying to kill yourself, you're already disregarding what we've done for you. You're disregarding what your love ones would feel if you did. You're just a selfish guy who does not care about what others feel." that seemed to have struck a nerve and he roared.
"Get out!" Mayu was shocked. His voice showing the peak of his outrage. She stiffled her growing tears and shouted back.
"No! Someone needs to tell you what you're doing wrong! I will not get out!"
"I said get out." he grabbed her hands as if she's just a piece of clothing that he will throw. Their escalating trade of words had the people of the mansion rush to stop them. She felt her body hit the wall but she endured it.
"Oh my God! Yumi! Call an ambulance!" old Naning screeched, her face full of worry.
"What happ-?" She blinked and felt a hot liquid drip from her temple.
She felt her surroundings twirl but she can't feel any pain. The upper part of her shirt is now soaking with warm, fresh blood and the footsteps are getting louder as they approach her.
Anytime sooner, she knows that she'll be fainting so she just let them reach out to help her. Glenn carried her like a child and rushed towards the car.
She still caught glimpse of Chryxso, who's shaking from his outburst. She never saw regret on his eyes, the fiery gaze of anger is still there though. His eyes blazing with emotion and his hands clenched to a fist. That's the extent of the memory she remembered before her eyes were clouded in pitch-black darkness.