" Get well soon, so we can start working on the group project as soon as possible". Alexia expressed herself excitedly.
Angelique kept staring at both of them in delusion. She was extremely confused by their behaviors. Millions of questions were forming themselves through her head but she didn't dare ask any of them.
" You're an amazing person, Angelique. It's a shame though that others don't realize your worth". Alicia said with a slight tone of sadness in her voice.
( Why have they come here and why are they so excited to collaborate with me on this project? I'm so confused!)
" You think I'm a good person, but you're both wrong". Her words left them perplexed.
At the same time outside of the ward------------------
" You've helped my daughter out so many times, young man. Thank you for that!" Mr. Tsukishima expressed his gratitude to Angel.
" I've done nothing much, sir! If I must say, I don't consider whatever I did for her as a favor. It was my pleasure to help her out all of those times. Angelique is a headstrong and amazing person, but due to an unprecedented incident in her life, she stopped glowing and shut her heart".
" That incident four years ago!" Mr. Tsukishima's expression darkened as he pronounced those words.
…
" Is there something you'd like to know, young man? I can see that you're troubled about something".
" If I may be so blunt as to ask, may I know what exactly happened four years ago?" Angel shoots out the question in a straightforward tone.
…
" I don't know exactly what happened four years ago. Angelique didn't mention anything to us". He said evasively.
Angel didn't understand what he meant by those words. Mr. Tsukishima continued by saying: " There was an accident involved".
( Oscar's younger sister)
" The one who had the accident was Elisa, Oscar's younger sister, and Angelique's best friend".
Meanwhile, at a faraway hospital, a young girl was lying unconscious on the bed. She was attached with a respiratory tube.
" She's been in a coma for four years now and her condition is still not improving". A nurse walked inside the ward to check on the young girl's state.
" Will she ever regain consciousness?" One of the nurses expressed her concern for the young girl.
" She's been through a terrible accident. It's a miracle she's still alive and breathing". The nurses took one last glance at the young girl before walking away from the ward.
As soon as the nurses left the ward, a young boy entered the ward. He was holding roses in his hand. He directed himself towards the young girl's bed and put the roses in a vase. After putting them down in a vase, he sat by her side.
" Elisa, I've brought you your favorite flowers. I've been doing so for four years now in the hopes that one day, you'd open your eyes to the freshness of the roses. Every day I have that hope that one day, you'll finally regain consciousness but it never happens. When are you going to wake up? I miss you so much". The young man talked to the girl in the coma.
" Please, come back to us, Elisa! I know you're still out there listening to my every word. You have to fight, Elisa! Many people await your return with much impatience. Come back to us, Elisa! I'll be waiting for you to come around". The young boy walked out of the ward.
Back at the hospital, Mr. Tsukishima was telling Angel all that he knew of the incident four years ago.
" Elisa got into an accident. When she was brought to the hospital, she was covered in blood. The doctor and nurses did whatever they could to save her but as her condition was extremely critical, she ended up in a coma and it's been four years now. She's still in the coma and there are no signs of recuperation. Angelique never mentioned to any of us how the accident occurred".
…
" The only thing she said that day was how everything was her fault. She cried a lot that day, but she wouldn't tell us why exactly she was blaming herself for Elisa's accident. When the doctor announced that Elisa had ended up in a coma, she broke down. It was the first time we felt so hopeless as parents. After that, she drastically changed and became a loner".
…
After listening to Mr. Tsukishima with careful attention, Angel then thought of what Angelique kept telling him.
( Angelique was blaming herself for that accident. She would repeat nonstop how it was her fault that everything went downhill. Although everything points at her, I still don't believe that she could have been involved in that accident. There's a secret and only Angelique knows of this. How did the accident occur and why was Angelique present at the site? There's a mystery behind that accident which changed everyone's lives forever).
An hour later, Alicia and Alexia left the hospital as Angel entered the ward.
" How are you doing, Angelique?" He asked very brightly.
" I'm doing fine! Thanks again for bringing me to the hospital". She tried faking a smile but failed in the process.
Angel stared at her and felt pain for some reason. He remembered Mr. Tsukishima's side of the story regarding the incident four years ago.
( How did the accident occur four years ago? Why have you blamed yourself for it all these years? Although I want to ask you those questions, I know it'll be of no use as you'll avoid the topic like every time).
" You saved me again, Angel! I'm in your debt again".
…
" I thought for sure this time---------" She stopped herself before going any further.
…
" Alicia and Alexia are so excited to work on the group project with me. They said I'm a good person without knowing the slightest thing about me. They want to get close to me ignorant that by doing so, they'll only end up hurt in the process".
…
Listening to Angelique's gibberish, Angel stood up and approached her furtively. Their proximity got her very nervous.
" What are you doing?"
" I'm trying to talk some sense into you". He answered as he put both of his palms on her cheeks.
???
" Why do you always do this? Doesn't your life matter to you at all?"
???
" You keep repeating how everything is your fault and that you should be punished. You keep saying that those who get close to you will only end up hurt. Why should it end like that? Haven't you ever thought that things could end up differently?"
???
" If by differently, you're referring to my relationship with Oscar, there's nothing that can be done. We can't go back in time and change things. What happened cannot be undone and I have to live with it. This is my punishment!"
Staring at her, Angel could see nothing but emptiness in her eyes as he listened to her words. She was expressionless and it ached him even more.