H brought me to the medical room to get the cut on my arm treated. I plopped myself down on the sick bed, all energy drained from me. H quickly grab the first-aid kit and sat down on a chair near the bed. He took me arm in his hands and carefully wiped away the blood stains with a piece of tissue paper.
While attending to my wound, H said, " You. When will you start learning to take care of yourself? Do you have any idea how dangerous it was back there? If I have not been there to pull you away, are you gonna just stand there dumbly? I really cannot imagine what will happen if I didn't..." H trailed off, his voice sounding worried.
I heaved a sigh of relief. I was still unnerved from just now but I managed to speak. "Thankfully, you were there." I looked at H and the way he carefully addressed my wound. I was touched. At the same time, H looked up. Our eyes met. Once again, I saw his soft and gentle gaze, with a hint of unease. I wonder what he saw in mine. My heart skipped a beat and my cheeks flushed. I immediately looked away. I sensed that H was nervous too. His eyes darted around and he cleared his throat, " I'll apply the antiseptic cream now. It will hurt a bit, so bear with it okay."
"Ahhh!" I moaned, trying hard to compose myself. The tingling feeling on my wound hurt and I flinched slightly. Noticing my discomfort, H apologised and blew on my wound as he applied the antiseptic cream in an attempt to lessen the pain. After which he put a plaster on the wound.
All was done and we prepared to return back to the classroom for lessons. Before we leave, H stood up and put his big hand on my head lightly. "Next time, don't get yourself hurt again. I'll be worried." Then he patted my head and ran off. "Henry, you messed up my hair!" I exclaimed as I chased after him back to the classroom. We were like five-year-old innocent kids, only the reality was that we were already not young.
Since then, I would occasionally see H waving to me along the hallways in school or when we pass by in the canteen. Sometimes, I would find peanut butter cookies or energy drinks on my desk. And sometimes I would place some snacks and sticky notes on H's table as well.
The time in our youth was the simplest and the most beautiful. We may be ignorant, but we are daring and unafraid to show love and concern. Many times I wished that I could always stay in those moments. Such simple acts of caring and gestures, they become harder to find as we grew older. Nonetheless, I am grateful that I spent my youth with so much care and love from H, my friends and people around me. They have taught me to be mindful to take care of myself and be unselfish with my love for the people I care about. Whatever we may have become, I will hold these people and memories close to my heart.