Reaching out my hand to grip the door knob of my apartment door, I felt Frank's enthusiastic gaze from behind me.
"You're going to drill holes into my back with how hard you're staring at me."
Joking a little to lighten the atmosphere, I turned the knob and pushed open the door.
Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, sitting on the dining chair sipping from a cup was a familiar face.
"Oliver!"
Gasping from behind me, I could feel the restlessness radiating off Frank. However, instead of moving towards Oliver, I felt a sweaty hand bunch up the back of my shirt.
"Frank?"
Hearing Linel's questioning voice from behind, I gave a small sigh and walked forward, dragging Frank along with me.
"Good afternoon, Oliver."
Putting his cup down, Oliver stood up from his chair and walked towards us. He waved his hand as his eyes darted to my friends.
"Good afternoon Dan. Good afternoon...Linel."
Immediately zoning in on Linel, Oliver gave his fake smile and raised a hand.
"Good afternoon, Oliver. Pleasure to meet you."
Smiling, Linel grasped Oliver's hand with his own and greeted with the most formal and fake tone I had ever heard.
Raising my eyebrows at the subtle tension between the two of them, I tilted my head slightly to look at Frank from the corner of my eye.
Despite his initial enthusiasm, Frank was currently huddling behind my back, observing Olive from a distance like he was some sort of mythical creature.
Shaking my head at his actions, I sandwiched him between me and the door until he was forced to come out from behind me, and grabbed his hands so he could not hide anymore. I then gave him a look.
Giving an uncomfortable smile, Frank shuffled a little before introducing himself.
"Good afternoon. I am Frank."
Hearing his greeting, Oliver immediately broke eye contact with Linel in favor of coming over to greet Frank.
"Good afternoon Frank. You don't have to act so nervous around me. I don't bite."
Noticing Linel's raised eyebrow from the side, the four of us finished greeting each other and headed towards the dining table.
"Why are you here today?"
Immediately dropping his previous formal pretense, Linel dragged a chair out for Frank and me before taking a seat of his own. Sitting down at his previously vacated seat, Oliver took the cup into his hands again and took a sip.
"Is there a problem with me visiting my new apartment?"
Staring at each other, I could feel the silent tension in the air thicken. For some reason, even though it was clear that Linel didn't know Oliver before today, they seemed like childhood arch rivals.
"You use the word 'visiting' in the same sentence as 'my apartment'?"
Raising his eyebrow, Linel gave Oliver a challenging look, before something seemed to solidify between the two of them.
"Oh! You brought your friends over!"
Taking a step out of the kitchen, my mother saw the small group of boys gathered around the dining table and showed a happy but shocked face. Then, I saw her immediately u-turn to take several glasses of water.
"Thank you."
Standing up to take the cup from my mother, Frank bowed his head. Giving her a bright smile, Linel stood up to take over the job of bringing the cups to the table.
"You boys can go to the room if you want. I know sitting on the hard dining chairs is uncomfortable for a long time. If any of you need anything, feel free to tell me."
Nodding our heads at my mother, we all shared a glance and headed into my room.
Squeezing into the room, Frank took a seat on the far end of the bed while Linel grabbed my chair and flipped it around to straddle it. Sitting further on the bed than Frank, I forced him to move in a little, and Oliver dealt the final blow by sitting right beside him.
"I noticed that you wanted to ask me something just now."
Once the four of us got somewhat settled into a comfortable position, Oliver tilted his body slightly and let the top of his knees touch Frank's knees. Recoiling in shock but not having any space to move, Frank's entire body turned red as he slightly nodded his head.
"Don't worry. Like I said, I don't bite."
Oliver leaned closer to Frank, and I could see the slight mean streak in his eyes as he teased the poor boy. Meanwhile, sitting on the chair, Linel smirked at Frank's skin color.
"Well..."
Looking away, Frank lifted his head to meet my eyes. With wide pupils basically screaming at me to help him, I gave a soft sigh and spoke to Oliver.
"Frank said earlier that he wanted to know more about MDVA."
Tilting his gaze to look at me, I saw the playful atmosphere surrounding Oliver die as the words MDVA were mentioned. Straightening his back, Oliver put away his smile and immediately became serious.
"What do you want to know?"
Seeing this drastic change in atmosphere, everyone else also straightened their back, and Frank took a quiet breath.
"What was it like living with someone with MDVA?"
With a complicated mix of hope, desperation and resistance in his eyes, Frank leaned towards Oliver and asked earnestly.
Showing a bittersweet smile, I noticed Oliver's eyes glaze over as he spoke about his days living with his sister.
"It was very normal. Before Andrew picked us up, Alex worked hard to afford our living expenses. After we left our house in Bottom street, we lived on the streets for a couple days before we were picked up by a volunteer group offering free health checkups."
Oliver suddenly broke out of his reminiscing to give Frank a tired smile.
"Although that's not what you want to know. Well, after we got picked up, Alex was diagnosed with MDVA, and Andrew rescued us from the Euthanasia center."
Hanging his head as if there was an incredibly heavy weight on his shoulders, Oliver focused on his clasped hands as he talked.
"Surprisingly, or unsurprising, living with my sister after she was diagnosed with MDVA wasn't too much a difference for me. Although I can't say whether she felt the same. Not much changed. She wasn't allowed to work so Andrew was the one who funded everything, but other than that Alex didn't change. She still cooked meals for me at home, smiled at me whenever I came back from school, and tried her best to be the best sister she could be."
Oliver shook his head suddenly after that sentence.
"I don't know if the reason why I felt nothing changed was because I was already used to her 'MDVA symptoms' even before she was diagnosed, but those extra years I had together with her were the best."
Speaking up to here, Oliver stopped talking and the room descended into a solemn silence. His words ringing in my ears, I could feel a sort of bittersweet feeling burning its way up from my heart.
It turns out that life after MDVA wasn't as terrible as it was thought to be. There were no daily reminders that your careless words could end someone's life. No violence, no despair. It sounded so happy. So peaceful. So hopeful.
But after that hope was a deep endless void filled with cries and wails of a future that I could have had with Leo. Fantasies that could never come true no matter how much I cried or screamed.
"But."
Pulling me out of the darkness, Oliver continued.
"I had always been careful around Alex. Since we grew up in Bottom street, especially as a single family with essentially no parents and with Alex being the only breadwinner and parental figure, I knew from young that Alex had a lot on her plate. So I was always very aware of her, trying to make sure that she didn't suffer from too much physical or mental stress. This might be a reason why I didn't experience much change after her diagnosis. Just to tell the two of you."
Listening to Oliver pour cold water all over me, I felt the burning rage cool down and solidify, sinking back down to the bottom of my heart.
Glancing at Frank, whose face clearly showed how much Oliver's explanation had affected him, I slipped a hand into his and squeezed to comfort him.
Reaching out a hand, Oliver patted Frank and the shoulder, a sad and apologetic smile on his face.
Tilting his head to give me an appreciative smile, Frank nodded his head towards Oliver to show his thanks. Lifting his hand to wipe the small amount of tears that had formed at the corner of his eyes, Frank closed his eyes to take several deep breaths.
While waiting for Frank to calm down, I glanced to the side. Sitting on the chair staring at us with eyes as black as the void, I could feel a sense of loneliness but warmth in that gaze. Noticing my gaze, Linel's pupils flickered to focus on my face. Meeting my gaze, I saw him quietly hiding the emotions shown in his eyes. As I watched those feelings fade, I saw his lips turn up slightly to give me a small reassuring smile. He then gestured for me to focus on Frank. His look indicated that Frank needed it more.
Turning my head back, Frank finally opened his clear eyes to face Oliver. Feeling him squeeze my hand, Frank then let go and straightened his back.
"I'm alright. Thank you."
His eyes were tinted slightly red, but the fire within them was clear for the three of us to see. Seeing that look in his eyes, Oliver smiled and let go of Frank's shoulder.
"However, even though the lack of change I felt could be due to my special life circumstances, this does not mean that living with MDVA is unattainable. I believe that with enough help, MDVA wouldn't be as frightening of a nightmare as it currently feels like."
With shining eyes, Oliver declared in a confident and loud voice. Being touched by those words, I couldn't help but smile. Looking over at Frank, I saw the admiration in his eyes soar.
Tilting my head slightly, I observed Linel from the corner of my eyes. Unlike his slouching posture before, Linel had straightened up at Oliver's words, his expression serious but unreadable.
"But the MDVA prevention act is hindering the process."
Flicking my eyes back to Oliver, I saw the previous heroic atmosphere deflate into a gloomy one.
Sneaking a look back to Linel, I saw his brows furrowed and eyes narrow at Oliver's words. However, he didn't say a word and just chose to glare at Oliver. As if warning him to not continue further.
Turning my attention back to Oliver, I saw his pupils shift slightly towards Linel. Then, rolling his eyes in a flash, Oliver moved his pupils back to Frank and I.
"I hope that answers your question.'
Showing a smile that clearly signaled he would not elaborate on his last sentence, I saw Frank's mouth tremble a little in curiosity before he decided to not pursue.
"Yes. Thank you."
Politely thanking Oliver, Frank reached his hand behind and held my hand. Then, he squeezed my hand twice. Sighing, I accepted his signal to step in.
"Oliver, I also have a question for you."
Smiling at him, I saw Oliver give me a smile that had a little bit of laughter in it.
He definitely saw Frank's call for help!
"You too? What do you want to know?"