"Boss Clifford. How are you? are you in the office?"
A voice from the other line asked me.
"I heard the weather is bad in our area today? It's made of volcano... Are you fine?" it added.
I just stared out the window in deep thought.
That's why I can't see anything clearly outside the window that is my counterpart.
I thought there was just too much pollution all over the place that occur.
"Don't leave your mansion too much, Sir Clifford. You might not be able to breathe in the thick smoke from—
"How's your trip to Hawaii?" I interrupted him.
"Uh..." Shawn muttered. "Good, I mean... Sheila is enjoying every day here."
"And yes, by the way. About the flower, my cousin Ken told me. He said he saw a man across from the adress of the condo unit you gave. He was currently with some staff, I think... They might fixing something? And Ken just told the staff that the flower was addressed to that unit and so they accepted it
"
"Honey? Who are you talking to? Aren't we going to the beach now?"
My senses tingled slightly.
I want to get up from the messy and hot bed I'm sitting on but I must have purposefully wasted all my energy working so now I can't get up on my own feet.
I sighed.
It's past almost five hours since she left and told me that she'll be back after an hour.
And with that hours alone, I spent it just by declining again and again over convincing me to give them my blood samples for a test.
My head was spinning, literally.
I should not be this way but what can I do? I am reacting this way cause I---
I honestly don't know.
Seeing that empty chair beside my bed, I can't focus my head on certain things. There's a lot to be fix in the bar, and in my company, and in my house since Sylvan is making a mess trying to contact my colleagues and tells them about us.
I'm so focused on her that I didn't even realise that Shawn is till on the phone.
"Sir Clifford, I'm sorry, Sheila is having a request to me," I heard him explain.
I can't stop looking at the door, hoping for someone to show up.
What on earth did her clock was set to that her one hour is five hours to me? To us?
"Sir, are you at home? Why does the surroundings sound different to you?" I heard Shawn's question.
I took a deep breath. Shawn is a good colleague. I'm sure he would be surprised and might even go back to the Philippines if he found out I was in the hospital.
I need to show up for her. I promise, I really swear that when she shows up here, I won't be stubborn anymore.
I will follow the nurse, I will eat the bland porridge. Then I will also drink the milk that doesn't taste like milk and...
Then... I won't be stubborn towards her anymore. I will talk to her nicely, I will follow her, I will never let her be far from me again.
Just show up, just show up and I'll be good.
Seriously, who am I pleading with?
Why am I begging? I never did this before.
But I'm feeling weak. I lost weight, I know. But I don't care, I won't eat if she doesn't show up here.
"Just enjoy." I muttered as I turned off my cellphone.
I have no time to explain to others. I need her, I need her to show up here right now.
I heard a knock on the door. I felt revived, as if my strength had returned, but it quickly faded away.
I leaned back again and planned to just lie down on the bed.
The nurse has come. They still don't get tired of my refusal to their requests.
"Sir... if you mind..."
"I don't want it." I quickly replied.
Scarlet, I swear I'm gonna mess everything up here if you don't show up for me tonight.
I will destroy everything, I won't leave anything good. Not even myself, I don't care.
Just show up.
"Sir, Miss Scarlet told us to take your blood. She said you agreed earlier to have blood drawn—"
"I don't want to. No. It's not allowed."
"Miss Scarlet is going to be angry with what you're doing—"
"I said I don't care! Leave!" I shouted, almost making the nurse jump.
I don't want to be forced into things I don't want to do.
But please, just show up and everything will be fixed. Even if I have to arrange everything, I won't complain.
It feels suffocating. The weakness in my body is nothing compared to the weakness I feel when she is not in my sight. Especially...
Especially since Hyun is just beside me—that's what Sca calls that guy which makes me annoyed.
That Jaehyun has a nickname from Sca rather than me? And when it comes to me, Scarlet was so cold?
Fuck! I hate it! I hate to think about it!!!
"Sir... you won't get better if you keep refusing the blood—"
"Please, nurse Love, I can handle this,"
"Ma'am, I didn't know you were here! It's a good thing that you're here—"
"Sca..."
I don't know. Despite my weakness, I managed to get up quickly and look at her as if I were not in pain at all.
It felt like I was revitalized.
No... I hope this isn't just a dream.
"Sca, Sca why are you taking so long?" I immediately asked.
I scanned her clothing. Why does it seem like she just came from a fancy restaurant?
Here I am again. Almost losing my appetite at what I see.
I might be overreacting things, but why does it have to be...
"Nurse, please," she said. Making the nurse leave.
We were left alone in the room again.
She was looking right at me and I was doing the same.
Why do her eyes seem so dim?
"Cy, if you always refuse the nurses, I can't help you anymore. If you don't want to, then don't—"
"Is it that simple for you?" I immediately asked.
I noticed the surprise and confusion in her eyes.
I was surprised too. I can't admit it.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Is that it? Don't you care about what the outcome of..."
"Cy, if you don't want to, then don't. Things go wrong when forced."
Fuck it, Sca. I hate to hear it from you.
"I'll do that anyway! I will do it! I'll do that but I just... I don't know how to deal with the pain of..." it's so exhausting!
I'm getting tired.
"Of what? Cy, just let them. They'll took care of you,"
Them? Took care of me? Who likes it? Not me!
I scoffed. I rolled my eyes in frustration.
Damn hospital.
"I just came here because Nurse Love called me in request—"
"So if they don't call you you're not gonna go here? I thought you'll come back here after an hour? It's been five hours or six! You're liar!"
"Cy!"
"Scarlet I waited! I waited here!" I let out.
"Haven't you learned to keep your word? What? Because Jaehyun is here? Is that all there is to it?"
"Clifford, what are you saying? Why are you dragging Hyun into this?"
"Because that's the problem! You don't want to visit me because your Hyun is already here in the Philippines!"
"Cy, shut—"
"No don't tell me to when should I shut the fuck up! That's it, yes? Then tell me so I shouldn't wait for you next time!"
"Cy... what are you saying? What the..."
"Yeah what the fuck." I cursed.
"leave now, I don't want to see you."
I said. Sca fell silent, she was quiet.
But I hope...
I really hope she's not going anywhere because... Fuck it Cy!
"No, don't..." I said.
Seeing her on her tracks through the door, I immediately panicked.
Whatever, if I'm going to look like a pathetic beggar begging for her attention, I'll do it just don't let her leave.
"No, don't leave. I... I,"
"Cy, I don't understand you —"
"Yeah, but don't leave me here. I won't agree of you leaving!"
I looked her in the eye and realized she was completely confused by my actions.
I don't want to, I don't want to wait for another chance.
I stepped with my stiff knee and tried to approach her.
She was looking at me, even though she was confused, Sca still managed to come up to me and hold my arm when I almost fell.
Fuck it. Even though it's just her fingers that rested on my arm, I felt the electricity in my system as if I couldn't bear it if she did this with someone else, not for Scarlet to act this way towards others. I won't allow it.
I gathered my strength and pulled her close. My hands were on her waist as I rested my chin on her shoulder.
Fuck it. Fuck it. Fuck it, Cy. Why now?
"Cy..." she mouthed.
Her hand completely rested on my arm and I closed my eyes.
My breathing deepened when I felt her heartbeat against my chest.
I had been such a fool for a long time. I am stupid really.
"Don't leave me alone, Scarlet." I whispered.
I lifted one of my arms and wrapped it around her waist, making her close and locked to my chest.
She was skipping a breath, I could feel and hear it. I barely smiled.
I'm such a fool.
"Don't leave me again."
"Cy, please, let them do the right thing..."
"Yeah... Yeah... Please don't leave me again,"