I grabbed my phone right away, hoping the two guys beside me were not able to read the message.
"That would be the last time we'll see each other," Rex copied my voice.
I hit his arm really hard. "Shut up!"
I opened my messenger and replied to Kurt's message:
We're done with consultations but I'm still at 4th street health center, waiting for our resident doctor's instruction.
I decided to write cases on my notebook since Andrei was also writing on his. This man has always been a good influence to me. I would not have survived the first three years of medical school if not for him. We may not study out together, but he's beside me before exams and quizzes to review with my friends. He's a stellar student; not to mention, a talented dancer. He has led our college in dance contents against other medical schools. He was also the star basketball player of the college and had brought the team to championships. When I found out we were going to be groupmates in the internship, I was the happiest girl alive.
Dr. Calasanz appeared on the doorway and clapped her hands twice, "Alright, good job today. You were so efficient. For that, you have the afternoon free."
Everyone silently celebrated. "Thank you, Ma'am," I said. The others also thanked her and appreciated each other's effort. We fixed our stuff and started walking out of the health center one by one. I waited for Andrei to finish checking everything before going out since it's his task as our group leader.
As I stepped out the door, my messenger rang.
KDG_1220 calling
"Oh, sorry," Andrei bumped into my back. "Why did you suddenly stop walking?"
I looked at him and laugh, then I moved from the doorway so he could pass through.
I answered the call, "What's up?"
"Hey, I'm parked in front of the health center. Come on," Kurt said.
True enough, when I looked at the front, a black heavily tinted Strada is parked. I ended the call.
"Hey, Raya, Andrei! Come on let's grab some street food with the others," Rex shouted from outside the gate.
I looked at Andrei and said, "Go ahead. I'll pass today."
Andrei looked at me with narrowed eyes and then smiled. I walked towards the car as he walked towards Rex.
I opened the car door and hopped in. I smiled at Kurt and noticed he's wearing a mask.
"Sorry I'm wearing a mask. I have to be extra careful now," he explained.
"Are you even still allowed to see me?" I asked as I wore the seatbelt and he started driving.
"Uhh, I'm allowed to visit my family every now and then and that's what I'm doing now," he said.
He turned the music player on and some hiphop song started playing.
"Oops sorry, just change the song if you don't like it," Kurt blurted out.
I laughed, "No it's fine. Do I look like someone who doesn't listen to hiphop?"
He looked at me and smiled. "I just.. I just thought you don't like loud music."
"Dude, you have not seen my entire playlist."
His car is freezing cold and I noticed the air condition settings is at max.
"Sorry, can we turn the aircon down?" I asked him.
"Oh sorry, do you feel cold?" He asked as he adjusted the settings.
"Thank you," I replied. "So... your sister wants to meet me?"
"Yes, yes. She's on her second year and she wants some advice on med," he said.
I laughed, "Oh no, she tapped the wrong person for help. I'm just an average med student barely surviving it."
"I'm pretty sure you all are excellent in med school," he said with a smile while driving.
I looked around the familiar street. Most of the students from my university and the doctors and staff in our hospital live in this area. Wait, why is Kurt driving around this area? Her sister must be studying in one of the universities around here. I wonder which one is it.
Kurt entered the carpark of a residential building.
"I have some schoolmates who also live in this building. My building's just a walking distance from here," I shared.
"Yeah. Kaye said this is the residential hotspot of New Citi," he said then looked at me. "Kaye is my sister."
He continued driving until he pulled into a spot. Kurt looked around and then said, "Alright, let's go."
We went out of the car and into the elevator area. Kurt clicked the "up" button and the elevator was quick to fetch us. Once inside, he clicked the 26th button.
Kurt ushered me into his sister's studio type unit. Once you enter, you will pass by the kitchen and a small dining table that could accomodate around 4 people. Then there's a green sofa and a television, DVD player and speaker across it. In front of the sofa is a cute glass table. Beside the sofa is her bed covered with white sheet. Across the bed is a closet with drawers. Next to her bed is a study table facing a big window overlooking the city. It's a pretty simple, neat yet sophisticated unit.
"Your sister quite has a taste," I told Kurt.
"I thought so too," he smiled at me. "I guess she's not here yet."
Oh right, we entered a personal space without its owner. "Is it alright that we're here?"
"She can't hold grudges. I bought this unit for her," he said while rummaging through the refrigerator. "Look at that kid. The refrigerator's no good."
He then closed the door and poured water on two glasses.
"It's understandble. We barely have time to cook our own food. It's more convenient to just buy cooked food at the mall or have it delivered."
"Oh god, you sound like Kaye," he looked at me with his brows furrowed. "Don't tell me you've been eating crappy fastfood meals too."
"What?! If I had all the time in the world, I'd prepare my own food. Especially when we became junior interns at the hospital, we hardly have time to order food. Sometimes a duty goes by without a meal," I shrugged my shoulders.
"So that's why you lost weight?" He said while looking through her cabinets. "Don't you need to eat to carry out your tasks well?"
"Our body just got used to it. Surprisingly, we can still function even without regular meals. Besides, it's embarrassing to eat knowing your senior has not eaten either."
"Still," he stopped looking and faced me, then he crosses his arms in front his chest. He sighed heavily and said, "What am I going to do with you doctors?"
He settled with a slice bread and cheese spread and started walking to the living room area.
"Come here," he called me as he sat on the sofa and put the food on the table. He turned the television on and netflix flashed. "Go pick a movie."
"Hey, don't you have anything else to do today?"
"It's my day off," he said as he hurriedly spread cheese on the bread.
I shrugged my shoulders and started browsing through the movies with the remote control. His sister must be a strong, willed woman. I don't even have the guts to install netflix in my laptop since I don't need any more distraction in life.
Kurt gave the bread with spread to me. "Eat." He gave it like I do not have the right to say no. So I grabbed it and took a bite.
"Hhmmm, what should we watch?" I continued browsing until I came across a movie called Best Part with Kurt's and Lexi's faces on the screen. Aha! This was his blockbuster movie. I slowly looked at Kurt with a funny smile just as he was turning his eyes towards the television.
"Nope. Not that one," he tried to snatch the remote from me but I was quick to dodge his hand.
"Hey, I thought I can choose whatever I like? I haven't watched this movie," I said as I clicked play.
We watched his movie in silence. I wanted to blurt out it's too mainstream but I didn't want to hurt Kurt's feelings. It's your typical romantic movie with the plot where rich boy meets poor girl, they fall in love, but his family had arranged his wedding with a rich girl already, so he gave up the rich life and ran away with her. I would predict what happens next in every scene, and I was never wrong.
We're near the ending and I'm pretty sure they're going to kiss. They have to kiss. It would not be a blockbuster movie after all without a kiss.
"Oh no, you're going to kiss. You're going to kiss right?" I said out loud while laughing with my eyes glued to the screen. "Ohhh you're kissing."
Movie credits started playing.
"What? Come on say all you want to say." Kurt told me. "Come on I want to hear it. It could help me improve."
"That would be the lamest and awkward movie kissing scene I have seen by far," I did not manage to stop myself from saying this.
"Wait what?" Kurt was shocked. "That's your comment? I don't even think it's lame. It looked good!"
"Dude, do you even know how to kiss?"
"Hey, hey, hey. That's how the director wanted it to look. Don't you dare judge my abilities based on an acting," he said standing up in front of me.
"Well, I'm sorry that's how I found it. I can't believe your fans bought that. Is that even a kiss?" I said. Now I'm just exaggerating my comment. I found his reaction to my statement amusing. I just want to tease him now.
"Raya, don't challenge me," he said with a smirk. He put his hands on his hips.
"What do you mean challenge you? I was just saying the kissing scene could have looked better.... if you knew how to do it," I answered him. I could not contain the laughter anymore so I laughed towards the end of my statement.
"You don't want to provoke me, Hiraya."
I was still laughing hard. I can't believe he's buying my joke.
"What?" I said as he took a step closer to me.
"Do you want me to show you the real deal?" He said while hovering over me.
I sat as far as I could into the sofa when he lowered his face to mine. "What, are you going to kiss me?" I said with a laugh.
"Maybe you want me to prove you I know how to do it."
"Hey I never said that," I said still laughing. He moved his face closer to mine. "Alright, go on tease me all you want. I don't believe you're going to do -"
I went to a halt when he moved his face even closer, with just an inch between us. Then, he put his hands on the sofa on either side of my head. I could feel his heavy breath with that distance. His eyes were looking intensely on mine. The smile on my face was replaced by tension. I tried moving back but there's just no space anymore. He moved closer and when I felt the slightest touch of his lips on mine, he withdrew and stood straight. He walked towards the door while brushing his hands on his hair. The door flew open and a girl on a white uniform appeared.
I realized I was still tense on my seat, pushing my body against the sofa so hard. I instantly stood and smiled at the girl.
"Hey bro!" She greeted Kurt while looking at me. Then, she looked at Kurt and looked at me again. She appeared a little surprised by our presence, or should I say by the tension in the air.
Kurt pointed to his cheek twice with his finger. Kaye approached him and gave her a peck on the cheek. He proceeded to hug her, and I noticed Kaye mouthed "Oh" with her mouth. He let her go and she smiled at him.
"Hi Raya. I'm Kaye, Kurt's sister," she approached me and gave me a peck on the cheek as well. When she went near me I can't help but noticed that she's wearing my university's medical school uniform. I checked her name plate and confirmed she's going to the same medical school as me.
"Hey, you go to New City med school to?" I asked suprised.
"Yup. I'm on my second year," she smiled at me as she lowered her bag to the floor.
I looked at Kurt and said, "Why didn't you tell me?!"
"You never asked," he shrugged his shoulders.
"Anyway, you might have seen me before. I joined your organization last year," she looked at me with expectant eyes. But I could not just recognize her. "Well, it's okay if you don't remember me." She pulled me into the sofa to sit with her. Kurt sat on the dining area while he listened to us.
I felt really bad. "Wait, so you knew me even before?"
"Yes. We have a pretty small community, you know?" She said while grabbing a bread. She ate it without bothering to put a spread. "I'm really glad to be friends with a senior now," she said while hugging me.
Kaye is a cute girl. She's someone who can easily connect with other people.
"Raya, I hope we can be friends. Sometimes I just need someone who can understand what I'm going through," she said the last sentence with a higher volume, probably sending a message across the dining area.
"Sure, sure. I'm just a message away if you need help, okay?"
"But are you not busy in the hospital?"
"I can make time if you really need help. Besides, the school is just beside the hospital. I can go to you or you can go to me."
She squealed and said, "Really?! I'm so lucky." She poceeded to finish her bread. "Hey, since you're here, I want to show off my talented brother."
"Kaye, stop it," Kurt said without looking at us.
Kaye typed something on her phone and clicked play on a video. It's Kurt rapping and dancing. Kaye was laughing while I was watching intently. I can't help but smile on how Kaye was mocking her brother. My eyes are glued however on the screen as I don't get why she's laughing at her brother when he's not bad at it. He actually looked good.. and hot dancing. I turned my gaze to Kurt and he was covering his face with his hands.
When the video finished, I clapped my hands. "Not bad, Kurt, not bad." I gave him two thumbs up.
"Shut up, you girls," he replied as he walked towards us and sat beside me.
"I'm sorry, I can't take his performances seriously. Growing up together, I never expected him to do these things," Kaye said while laughing and clutching her stomach.
Kurt proceeded to spreading cheese on another slice of bread angrily. His sister sure knows how to annoy him.
He offered the bread to me. I hesitated to take it.
"Eat."
Once again, I was left with no choice but to eat the bread.
"Hey, have I mentioned I have a youtube channel?" Kaye asked me.
"Wow, you're into vlogging?" I responded. She has netflix and she vlogs - all while studying medicine.
"Yes," she excitedly said, then her face turned into a frown. "But lately I've gone out of ideas for my content."
"Last time she asked me to join her vlog," Kurt told me then took a bite from his bread. "She asked me 50 personal questions. The whole time felt like hell."
"What can I do?! You're the most requested content in my vlog."
"What can I do? I can't say no to this little sister of mine," Kurt said as he grabbed Kaye's face towards him and showered her face with kisses in front of me.
Kaye pushed him away and said, "Hey, hey, hey. I have an idea." She looked at me and held my hand. "Can you be my guest? We could do the 50 questions medical student version."
I pointed my pointer finger to my face. "Me?" I shook my head.
"Pleassssee?" Kaye pleaded me.
I looked at Kurt for help.
"Kaye, she can't. What would people think if they see her on my sister's vlog?" Kurt replied. Thank God. That's a good reason.
"Well, they'll think I'm featuring a medical student from my own school," Kaye explained.
"You know that's not what they will get from it. The issues's too recent," Kurt answered on a serious mode. I was just looking at the two of them alternately.
"It's not like we're doing it now or I'm posting it right away," Kaye crossed her arms on her chest. "Hey, I'm asking Raya here. Why are you the one answering?! Raya... pleeeasee?"
"I, uh, I-" I stuttered. My reason a while ago was that I was just too shy to face a camera. But after what Kurt said, it made sense that we cannot show the public that we have connections. Appearing on a vlog with his sister could stir speculations.
"We'll think about it," Kurt said dismissing the topic.