They reached the ICU's lobby in the fourth floor of the hospital building and sat at the seats in the hallway outside the room. Cassandra went straight to the glass wall and saw her friend lying on the bed behind it.
"How was he?" Dave asked as he sat on the chair near Cass. He placed his basket beside his leg and leaned back on the wall looking at Cassandra's face with worry.
"Still fast asleep." Cassandra turned around and reclined on the glass, embracing her basket. "I wonder when he'll ever wake up. All those wires and tubes are still on him. I wonder if he's getting better or something." she reclined to the glass and sighed.
"He'll be fine," Dave said as he forced a smile. "You actually argued with me just a while ago because I'm a pessimist and now you're acting like one."
The four fell silent as if they were shunned by the sound of the air con at the lobby. A cold air ran past them and Ken tried his best to break the silence.
"Can't we come inside and see him?" Ken asked. He brought his basket on his lap and looked at Cass with hope. "I mean, do they accept visitors?"
"Only if aunt Charlie is here," Dave responded with a smirk.
Brent and Ken crossed their brows.
"And why is that?" Brent couldn't help but ask.
"The nurses never let anyone enter unless aunt Charlie frowned at them and forcefully drag us inside." Dave continued. He looked around to see if the nurses ever heard what he said. "She nags at them if what she wants is not followed."
"Sounds like her." Brent giggled.
"But I can't believe she can argue with the nurses and doctors here. Thye is known to be stern and strict in terms of their rules and all." Ken said. "This is Azraelle! The hospital with world-class facilities and great doctors where people around the world covet. And they follow aunt Charlie's demands. I really can't believe it."
"Mr. Ginsei Reiko is a benefactor and a major stockholder of the Azraelle Hospital. He talked to the management and gave aunt Charlie the authority regarding her son." Cassandra explained.
"I know that Mr. Ginsei is very influential and almost everything in Aurum City is his, but I didn't think it'll span even here," Brent muttered.
"We never would have thought that Markus is his son either," Dave smirked.
"Yeah, that was a shocker. I mean, that Markus is a Ginsei. I never would have thought." Ken sighed.
"So, have you been inside the ICU?" Brent asked.
"Just once," Cassandra replied. She pushed Dave aside and took his seat. Her friend unwillingly gave up his seat and frowned but he's got no guts to oppose the lioness. "The rest of the visits were quite complicated."
"What do you mean?" Ken felt a pin on his spine. "Why complicated?"
Dave looked down and pressed his thighs with his fists. Cassandra felt his dread so she placed her hand on top of his right fist.
"Auntie said that he's been having convulsions every hour after a week that he's confined. And that, the doctors would constantly inject him with IVs and other stuff to stabilize him." She forced her eyes to look at Ken and Brent and continued saying, "At those times we came to visit, we saw him in that state and we were terrified."
The two regretted what they've asked. Now, they can't even look straight into her eyes.
"He was convulsing and the nurses with aunt Charlie and Sir Reiko would have to shield him from falling from the bed and hitting his head on the wall. Not to mention they have to make it safe so that the machines attached to him were not damaged during the seizures."
"Isn't he in coma? Why would he have the strength to move like he's awake?" Ken asked.
"Sir Reiko said that his treatment involves the release of the body's limiters in order for him to reset. It's quite complicated to understand so I know he just explained it that way." Cassandra continued.
"Releasing the limiters, huh.." Brent muttered.
"And the truth is, " Dave added. "We were afraid to ask." he looked at Cassandra and turned towards Ken and Brent. "We're afraid to ask if he's gonna stay that way and die after all the struggle."
"Don't jinx that, Dave!" Cassandra tightened her grip on Dave's fist. "He's stronger than what you think."
"I know." Dave tried to complain. "I don't want him to die, too, you know. I still want us to go to school together, to have lunch together, and go to our favorite shop and talk about nonsense. I would like those times to come immediately, Cass. How I wish it would be NOW. I hate seeing him behind that glass wall all gloomy and lifeless. It's not like him. Markus is...." He looked at her eyes and realized his tears were flooding.
Cassandra brought his head on her shoulders and wrapped her arm around his head.
"I just don't want to see him that way, Cass," Dave whined.
"I don't want it either," Cassandra whispered.
"How I wish we 5 can go to school together," Ken said to change the mood.
"Yeah!" Brent jumped on the boat to clear the ambiance. "We'll be the Strongest team that no one can ever compete. I mean, we did survive the Android invasion, right?" he faked a laugh. "If a bully would ever come our way, we'll just bust their asses like those Androids on the train."
"That can be true." Cassandra sighed and forced smile. "I'm sure he'll like that idea. but we don't have to pick up fights."
"So the question now is..." Ken looked up and stared at the light bulb. "Where are we gonna enroll for high school? You see, my mom is already pestering me to take entrance exams and study for some practical tests to apply at certain schools. High school, as she said, is a battlefield we need to overcome if we would like to go to College. Summer vacation is almost over and we need to decide where we should go to study. The exams will start next month and I need to pass at least one of those to enter high school."
"Whooooo. Wait a sec." Dave pushed Cass away in a reflex. "What did you just say, Ken?" he slowly turned around and faced the two.
"Where are we gonna enroll for high school?" Ken casually replied.
"No no.. Not that one." Dave crossed his brows and asked again, "The one you mentioned before the last sentence."
"Ohh.. Summer vacation is almost over and ---"
"THAT'S IT!!!!" Dave stood up and took a step away from his friends.
"What's wrong with that, Dave?" Cassandra asked.
"Don't kid me, Cass. Summer vacation is almost over and we are already in high school." Dave complained.
"Yeah, that's a given, you idiot." Cassandra rolled her eyes. "If we passed the test on their entrance exam."
"High School. More struggles, more subjects, no more time to mess around and most importantly--" Dave brought his fingers under his hair and made a sour face.
"What now?" Cassandra crossed her arms and scowled.
"My sister is coming home," Dave said with a dead face.
"Isn't that great tho?" Ken smirked.
"No that's not great. It's a disaster. More than what the hacker brought. She's the most annoying sister I ever had!"
"Aren't you being rude to Camilla?" Cassandra rolled her eyes. "She's your only sister tho and is one of the most lovable sisters in the whole world, you know. You're just being a spoiled brat throwing tantrums, Dave."
"Anymoreso, my life will be in hell at home. Kyaaaaaa..." He buried himself on the corner of the chair and the wall.
"Why is he so afraid of his sister?" Ken asked.
"They grew up together and Camilla is so clingy. One that tries to annoy her brother the whole time. They love each other but they complain about one another. Camilla is very smart and is now working at a huge company abroad. She's been teaching him school works these years until she flew for her job away from here." Cassandra explained.
"His sister is smarter than him, huh?" Ken muttered.
"A lot smarter." Cassandra rolled her eyes.
"That's why he's so afraid." Brent shook his head. "Now that his sister will come back and now he's in high school, Camilla will tutor him like they used to."
"That's how it will look like." Cassandra chuckled. "And it was not a good experience for him."
Ken and Brent exchanged looks and laughed under their breath.
"Good luck with that, Dave!" Ken ironically said and patted his head.
"Don't jinx it, you tweprs!" Dave complained like a kid.
They all laughed and they all felt that the fog has lifted.
"Hhhhh. That's a relief." Brent sighed and wiped his tears of joy. "I can't wait for us to enroll in high school."
Dave frowned and they started to laugh again.
"Then why don't you enroll in my High School?"
The kids exchanged looks and slowly turned towards the voice they've heard, drawing their faces with confusion.
"What's with those faces, kids?" Reiko said. He came from the other side of the lobby and was standing in front of the glass wall of the ICUs room. He was holding a few boxes of pizza. "How long have you been waiting here outside?"
"Not that long, Sir Reiko," Cassandra replied. "Besides, Marky will just get annoyed if we play like this inside. Not to mention those nurses' faces will become if we are caught inside. te-he."
"I see." Reiko took a seat beside the kids and placed the boxes beside him. "And you've got more friends with you today. You're Brent and Ken, right? Sorry for the late introduction, kids. I'm Ginsei Reiko, Marky's dad. Nice to meet you." He extended his arm for greeting.
"It is our pleasure to meet you, Sir Reiko. I never thought I'll get the chance to meet Orion's President." Ken reached Reiko's hand to shake it. "I'm Brent Balmes, sir. It's my pleasure to meet you." He reached his bag and offered it to Reiko. "My mom prepared this stuff as an apology gift for visiting so late and a token of gratitude for everything Markus has done."
"You didn't have to bother, Brent," Reiko said.
"I know it's nothing fancy but my mom insisted. She can't come with us because of the busy schedule at their company. Knowing that the building was partially damaged after the incident and some info was lost." Brent said.
"I know. This is great. Thank you." Reiko smiled. "You don't even have to apologize though. It was my fault and I'm so sorry. After that incident outside the cafe, we've been on the edge and I've got no time to check on you guys. Even Cassy and Davey here were having a hard time."
"I know sir." Ken stood up and said, "But even in that chaos, the Bureau took good care of us so you don't have to feel sorry. They brought us to our homes and assured our parents of our safety. They never even let us pay anything for the bills at the hospital and that's all thanks to you, Sir. I'm Kenneth Whisters. We are not really from the same class as Markus but we're in the same grade and have known each other since third grade. We used to play Arcades and online games after school."
"Thank you for being such good friends with Markus. I really am grateful." Reiko reached their hands and cheerfully smiled. "Thank you for taking good care of my son."
"It was him who brought us along this way. Everything won't be this way if we never had Markus, to begin with." Brent said.
"So, I've overheard you're talking about high school." He immediately changed the topic to keep his tears from falling.
"Hai?" Dave and Cass said in unison but they have different expressions.
"Yeah. Somehow.." Brent hesitantly replied. "So you've heard us, hehe."
"It's nearing since the vacation is almost over," Cassandra said. "We've had choices but things are needed to be considered."
"That is why I'm telling you to go to my high school," Reiko grinned.
"And where is that, Sir Reiko?" Ken asked.
"GoldStar Science and Technology Institute."
All of them fell silently staring at the man like he was a divine being.
"That's impossible." Dave ran away and faced the wall, trying to bury his face. "That's impossible."
Cassandra looked away biting her fingernails.
Brent and Ken walked back and forth in front of the man, bewildered. They kept on murmuring complaints.
"If you're worried about the Entry phase, fear not. I can give you my recommendation so you don't have to take the interviews and immediately take the test." Reiko smiled.
"Test?!" Dave squeaked in a weird voice.
"Yeah. Even if you have a recommendation letter, the Board will still give tests to their students to be to maintain the standard and seek potentials among the newbies." Reiko explained. "I mean, that would be an easy test, right?"
Brent and Ken exchanged looks, Cassandra stood from her seat still looking away, Dave fell on his knees with his face still on the wall.
"I don't think so."