He was a surge of hurling winds that only passed by and yet she was swept away, unable to find her way back. After coming back to her room, she laid in bed for the rest of the day. The unforgiving rainy weather with thunders and lightning striking every now and then reflected her mood: gloomy and inconsolable. She pretended to sleep though her senses were very much alive the entire time.
Arnaldo went back to the room moments later, finding Care on bed with her back facing him. He worried upon noticing her face tomato red and responses too brief. Hence, instead of discharging her from the hospital, he decided to let them stay for the night. He and Ena slept in the adjoined room, a part of the VVIP room features. It was actually more like a hotel suite than a hospital room because it has its own living area, spacious bathroom with built-in bathtub and resting room for the patient's guardians.
For the nth time, she faced the other side of bed but finally had enough! She rose unexpectedly, enlivened by a rush of energy seeping to her veins.
"He was such a bastard with his usual mocking remarks in the past so why didn't he stay in character all the way?" she grumbled before walking towards the bathroom.
A pang of fear enveloped her being before she turned on the lights and saw her reflection on the mirror. It was exactly the same as when she woke up. Her face was flawless without a little scratch so she wonders why a memory of her bloody face butchered across is haunting her mind. She speculated it might probably be a result from the traumatic experience, however her heart remembered her feelings of dread as if it really did occur.
"We'll meet when it's time for me to recollect what you owed." These words rang to her ears once more.
The unexplainable mysteries on repeat in her head suffocated her with greater force each second.
After what recently happened, she knows well it was unwise to leave her safe zone without somebody accompanying her to wherever else she wants to wander. Nevertheless, she left the room like a thief escaping stealthily while the bodyguards on watch had their heads ducked, possibly because they dozed off to sleep.
Vera's CareMed is the most prominent hospital in the entire metropolis where Care's medical needs have been attended ever since she was little. In fact, she was born here like every socialite in the upper crust. Thus, she memorized her way around the building. She reached the top floor in no time where a botanical garden resides purposely made to bring solace to patients and their families.
The still on-going gentle downpour disrupted the solemnity of the surrounding but it was music to her ears and consolation to her troubled heart. And far better compared to the weather's violent fall minutes ago, she thought.
She hid behind a lamppost shedding light enough to see things: the rustling of descending waters on the fountain at the midst and the green potted plants placed everywhere. After being certain that the area was hers alone, she came out of view headed to the railings where she could admire the alive, flickering streets of downtown streets.
"You were truly a sweetheart like other girls said. You were gentle when you held me and talked to me. Then, why were you always rude and cold before? What changed now, Eli? Was it just pity that compelled you to be soft?" she ranted out loud, letting the wind carry her sentiment.
"If it was a pity, does it make a difference to what you felt at that time? What do you really want to assert, his feelings or yours?" a male voice grunted.
Feeling frustrated, she pulled her hair again and again till she felt idiot for acting that way so she stopped eventually. She leaned her head on the railings, exhausted from tormenting herself with the million possibilities.
"I'm... I don't know! Thinking he truly cares about me, as in me, it brings me joy. But, what if it's merely compassion for another person regardless of whoever he or she is? If that's the case, I feel dejected... restless even!"
"Why dwell too hard on it, anyway? You girls think too much."
"Because boys' actions are vague! There are layers of motives in your gestures that it is hard to... WAIT! Shi, who are you?" she exclaimed.
Care automatically turned to the person she was conversing with absentmindedly. She paled, finding him at the exact spot she stood earlier, in the dark. His presence sent her body extreme chills. As much as she wanted to regret her decision of sneaking out late at night, it would be futile because there was no chance of escaping him.