The nurse carefully helped him stretch his legs, and though it hurt like hell, Gabriel didn't wince, nor did he complain. Instead, he endured the pain in silence and distracted his mind with fleeting thoughts.
Not moving for more than two weeks had made his body grow stiff, to the point where Gabriel couldn't walk on his own. His legs weren't steady enough, and he'd often fall to his knees after only a few steps. Even if he knew it'd take some time before his body regained its nimbleness, he couldn't help but feel helpless and bitter every time he kissed the floor.
And with his broken hands, it wasn't easy to get up, making it all the more upsetting. He couldn't even eat by himself, and someone had to spoon-feed him. Misha loved to do that and refused to let the nurse do it in his stead; it had become his job and no one else's. Gabriel didn't know whether to laugh or cry whenever the kid fed him, blowing on the fork or spoon with an overly serious face before bringing it to his mouth. It was as if feeding him had become the most important task in the world.
'At least, he isn't pulling pranks on me in the meantime,' Gabriel inwardly chuckled. 'But not being able to use my hands sure is inconvenient.'
For now, all he could do was follow the rehabilitation program and hope his body would recover sooner rather than later.
"Does it hurt?" the nurse asked in a deadpan tone, slowly pushing his right leg toward his chest.
"No, it doesn't," Gabriel smiled stiffly.
Unlike what he said, however, the movement made his whole body protest with throbbing pain, and he just wanted to end the stretching session right here and then. It felt like his knees were about to snap in half while his lower back ached, giving off the feeling that thousands of needles were pricking his skin. The muscles near his spine tensed whenever his thighs got closer to his chest, not allowing him to bend his upper body more than a few inches.
"Liar," the nurse replied before gently laying back his leg on the bed. "You have to tell me if it's painful, and we will proceed at a slower pace. Don't pretend you're fine when you're not. It won't help you heal."
The teenager opened his mouth, only to shut it soon afterward. Scratching his nose with his more or less uninjured hand, he averted his eyes. "Sorry. I'll tell you next time."
The young woman didn't make things difficult for him and nodded, seeming quite satisfied with his reply. Thus, the stretching session ended, and she pulled the thin blanket over his legs. Her head tilted, and she glanced at the empty chairs beside the bed. A frown then slightly creased her delicate face.
Noticing the small change in her expression, Gabriel explained, "Apparently, they are going to be late today. According to Masha, the little boy needs to catch up on his sleep. When I was in a coma, he didn't rest properly, and he doesn't have good health, so his mother forced him to take a break today."
A smile stretched the teenager's lips. Surprisingly, it was a genuine one. If it had been any other nurse, he wouldn't have bothered to clarify things, pretending he hadn't noticed their troubled gaze, but this nurse was Yuki. In a way, she could be considered a friend. Although he made sure not to act too familiar with her because he wasn't supposed to remember they knew each other, Gabriel still paid a bit more attention to her, unable to completely treat the nurse as a stranger.
Four years ago, when he had woken up from his first coma, Yuki had been the nurse in charge of his rehabilitation. Not only did she help him recover physically, but she also took care of his mental health and emotional state, giving him the support he needed. He didn't know what he'd have become if she hadn't been there.
Surely not anything good.
His mother's death shattered his whole world, and he had lost sight of himself. He could not trust anyone, only seeing lies beneath the gentle smiles. When he met someone, he couldn't help but wonder when they would betray him and how they would do so. There was no "why". They would backstab him one day or another, and that was all.
In his mind, everyone wanted him buried six feet under, no matter who they were.
After waking up, Gabriel realized he couldn't stand smiling faces anymore. His stomach started to churn every time someone smiled at him. And thus, all the smiling nurses and doctors that surrounded him looked like demons in his eyes. They were wolves in sheep's clothing that were ready to gobble him up at any time. Thinking of this, he couldn't let his guard down and was always on edge. This state of mind was slowly killing him.
In the end, only Yuki was able to tame him. Despite her cold face, her heart was warm. She was a kind person, albeit a bit awkward at times. She was observant, and she had rapidly discovered that something was off with the boy. With patience, she made her way into his heart. Although he didn't tell her everything, she could more or less guess what had happened from the limited information she had gathered here and there.
One day, Yuki had been so angry on his behalf that Gabriel finally woke up from his daze. Without an ounce of hesitation, she slapped his step-brother before everyone's eyes. The nurse didn't care about anything else, not even her job. She was too upright to turn a deaf ear to what she had heard. What her patient's step-brother had said was unacceptable, and if her colleagues didn't have enough guts to stand up, she would do it in their stead.
So what if Gabriel's father favored his mistress's sons? So what if he was wealthy enough to buy the hospital several times and had enough influence to make her life a living hell? Because of these reasons, should she turn a blind eye to the sufferings of a child? Act like she hadn't noticed his tears and silent yet desperate screams? She had become a nurse because she wanted to help others, so there was no way in hell she'd turn on her heel and walk away.
Because of a single nurse who acted with kindness, Gabriel's personality didn't end up as twisted as his stepmother's. Although he had lost a lot and could never retrieve his innocence, he didn't become a demon devoured by grief and anger. There were still good people in this world, and he shouldn't forsake himself because of hatred. The wicked adults would receive their punishment in due time, but it shouldn't be done at the cost of his humanity.
After many twists and turns, Yuki managed to keep her job despite slapping Gabriel's step-brother. Jake's words were indeed too much to swallow, even for Gabriel's cold-hearted father. Anyone would be angry to death after hearing someone say that it was a pity their brother didn't die. If he had never woken up, he could have at least kept his crazy mother company.
Moreover, Gabriel wasn't shy and threatened to make a scene if his family used its influence to force the hospital to fire the nurse. He was sure that the reporters would love such a story; a wealthy man abusing his power to torment the common folks would make their days.
A nurse wasn't worth so much trouble in his father's eyes, and so he let it be. Jake needed to learn to think twice before speaking, anyway. There were things that you couldn't say before outsiders, and maybe the slap would make a good reminder.
Afterward, Gabriel went back home and didn't have the chance to interact with Yuki anymore.
She had played a key role in his recovery, both physically and mentally. And for that, he'd forever be grateful.
Now that they met again in such circumstances, Gabriel didn't know what to think. He had always wanted to thank her properly, but at the moment, he couldn't. This time, he didn't want to get her involved, so he had to lie and keep her in the dark. Otherwise, knowing Yuki, she wouldn't remain on the sidelines, silently watching the scenes unfold before her eyes.
Gabriel smiled faintly, vaguely thinking that his close entourage was made of headstrong people. Masha, Yuki, and even Misha; the three of them were strong-willed and also honest, not to say tactless. Even when their feelings weren't said aloud, their body language still betrayed their inner thoughts.
The teenager felt at ease in their company; he didn't have to think about what kind of scheme they were hiding, nor did he have to fear they would backstab him in the most horrible ways. They were true to themselves, and that gave him peace of mind.
Gabriel shook his head, pushing aside his thoughts. Now wasn't the time to let his mind wander.
He was about to ask Yuki when the next stretching session would be when someone flung the door open. Gabriel reflexively turned his head toward the newcomers, and his smile froze. He had thought it would be Masha and her little brother, but he was wrong.
The ones he least wanted to see had finally decided to come pay him a visit.
_____________
Chapter revised on 2022-05-11
Edited by Clozed! ♥
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