Sensing her dangerous glare, Y couldn't help but sigh helplessly. He was already in his late thirties though his appearance said otherwise. He was already this old and yet that brat thought that he would have designs on her?! Heh
For whom did he spend restless nights worrying for her?! Hmph
Of course, he couldn't flare out at her hence Y could only sigh very audibly and express his thoughts to Mei for the millionth time.
"J, you know I only care for your safety. In the past two years have I ever mistreated you? Hm?" At his words his gaze landed right on Mei as though waiting for her answer.
Of course, Mei knew that he didn't have designs on her nor was his worry fake. In fact, out of all the people that she knew, this man in front of her cared for her more than her own biological parents. Ironic,wasn't it?
Nonetheless she didn't appreciate the fact that he kept trying to forge himself through her barriers. Barriers that she had been building and keeping around herself since that day two years ago.
Mei lowered her eyes in guilt. She knew Y cared for her but she promised that she wouldn't get her hopes high again. She'd rather live in a cold world from the beginning than bask in warmth for a while before drowning once again. She didn't want to drown.
Not to that cold feeling ever again.
Never.
As though her body couldn't wait for her to reminisce about the memory, her whole body started shivering and trembling. In her mind a scene flashed through her eyes and she suddenly felt very breathless.
Y saw her agitated condition and suddenly wished to kick his past self out of existence. How could he make her remember that memory?! Why was he so stupid?!
When he rushed over he didn't forget to bring with him the empty trash can that was meant to be used for paper wastes. Within three seconds he had reached in front of Mei and was patting her back with one hand. The other held the trash can in front of her waiting for some sort of relief.
He was really worried for her. Seeing her breathless expression that didn't seem to ease, panic and guilt started to build within him. His eyes turned a little teary but he forced them back. He couldn't cry now. He needed to help her.
Thinking so he quickened his actions and started rubbing her back faster. "Mei! Don't give up. Mei! You can do it! Okay? You're almost there, Mei. Nothings going to happen to you, Mei. Trust me, alright?"
Mei's ears were blocked and everything was tuned out for her. Even her vision was slightly blurry as she forced her eyes to stay open. She felt Y's warm rubbing on her back. Her slightly open eyes also saw his worried gaze as he spoke to her but she heard nothing.
The coldness within Mei's body didn't stop but a lump did form in her throat. Accompanied by the rubbing on her back, Mei couldn't hold back anymore. In an unexpected fit of panic and adrenaline rush, Mei was roughly able to grab the trash can as she opened out her mouth to let out a mouthful of blood.
A strong stench of fresh blood and iron permeated the air. It wasn't the first time seeing blood nor was it his first time seeing someone spit out blood. Surely enough, it also wasn't the first time that he saw Mei spit out mouthfuls of blood. However, his heart pinched and ached as though someone had squeezed it very recklessly.
A frown etched on his lips as he wordlessly patted Mei's back in an attempt to ease her of any pain and give her some support. Mei didn't stop spitting out mouthful after mouthful of blood until a good two minutes later.
When she was done her whole body was weak and she felt exhausted. Her stomach felt as though her insides were rearranged and the stress within them made her feel pain. What bothered her more than pain within her was the chill that seemed as though it would never end along with the mix of bitterness and the taste of iron with her mouth.
The mix of both was truly one hell of a kind.
"Are you okay now? Is it done?" Y's careful voice rang through her ears as she came back to her senses.
Mei's throat burned while her taste buds struggled to rid itself of the unpleasant taste in her mouth. Hearing Y's words, Mei merely nodded her head as she let out a frown. The burning in her throat was really unpleasant. "Water."
Y nodded his head quickly before placing down the trash can on the floor a little away from Mei before rushing towards his desk. On top of the desk was a tray of room temperature drinks. Grabbing a bottle of water he rushed back to Mei's side.
From the time she came to after vomiting a vomit Mei stood a few feet in front of his office desk and a few steps away from the side couch. When Y rushed over with the water he caught her struggling to stand up hence he helped her towards the sofa. When she was seated, he rushed to open the bottle of water before passing it to her.
Mei gladly took the bottle of water from her. Both Y and her sat in silence on the couch as she calmly drank the water and stabilized herself.
Y knew that she was only good a little while before she went into another fit but he didn't know the specifics of her condition besides that she would vomit blood for the first few hours into her supposedly monthly "break." It has been a few times where he had seen Mei vomit blood but through restrictions that Mei had set around herself and the restrictions that came from his higher ups, Y didn't know what was wrong with her or what actually happens to her during her "break."
All he knew was that every month she would take a break for three days. The days were never consistent but Mei would take a leave right during the duration of three days it takes to witness the change of a full moon.
He had once suspected that perhaps, perhaps she was one of "them", but that was all in his imagination. Mei couldn't be one of them.
Sure. She was smart and very capable but she wasn't one of them. During his suspicions that he had when she first joined he had already conducted numerous situations to test if she was one of them but they always turned out negative, confirming to him that she truly wasn't one of them.
No matter what, Y admired J. He had witnessed how she changed during those two years. He witnessed how fragile she turned out to be during those three days every month despite the strong walls and the dominating aura that she seemed to give out on a daily basis.
He truly cared for Mei and seeing her suffer like this every month he didn't know what to do. He felt truly helpless at the situation.
Y looked at the half filled trash can that stood in the middle of the room where he had placed it. The stench of blood had made its way towards them.
"Mei…"
"Hm?" Mei who had gulped down half the bottle of water hummed out a response before looking at Y, waiting for him to continue his words.
"Should I get more bags?"