Sycamore lay in the hospital bed, her thoughts swirling like a hurricane. The kindness of the stranger who had brought her here felt alien. It had been such a rare event in her life that someone did something for her without expecting anything in return. The weight of his unexpected generosity lingered heavily on her mind.
Her memories drifted back to high school, a period she preferred to bury in the darkest corners of her mind. She remembered how a girl had befriended her under the guise of companionship, only to exploit her for homework and assignments. When Sycamore had finally stood her ground, refusing to continue being used, she paid a heavy price.
She could still vividly recall the event, as though it had happened yesterday. The girl and her clique cornered her in the school's restroom. First came the slaps—sharp, stinging echoes to all parts of her body , her breast and buttock especially that rang in her ears, they were determined to cause her the worst pain possible. Then the humiliation followed. They forced toilet water down her throat and, in their cruelest act, made her lick menstrual blood smeared on a tissue. Her stomach churned violently at the memory. She closed her eyes, trying to push it away, but the nausea was unbearable.
Sycamore tried to move, to sit up and steady herself, but her body was too weak. Suddenly, a bowl appeared before her, and she felt a hand gently supporting her back. Without hesitation, she retched, the contents of her stomach spilling into the bowl.
"There you go," a calm, reassuring voice said as she finished.
A glass of water was handed to her, and she rinsed her mouth, spitting into the same bowl. She leaned back, exhausted but somewhat relieved. She looked up at the man standing before her, the same stranger who had brought her to the hospital.
The questions in her head began to pile up, one on top of the other. Who was this man? Why was he doing all this? What did he want from her? She studied him, trying to make sense of his features. His heterochromatic eyes were even more striking up close—one brown, one blue. His jawline was sharp, his expression gentle, and his presence oddly calming. But she couldn't let her guard down.
"Who are you?" she asked groggily, her voice hoarse.
The question seemed to open a floodgate of others. "What do you want with me? Why help me? You don't even know me. I have nothing to offer you. I told you to take me to a cheaper hospital! How do I even pay you back?"
Levi smiled at her, the corners of his lips lifting in a way that didn't mock but reassured. "I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier," he began, his tone calm and measured, "but the situation didn't exactly allow for pleasantries. I'm Levi—Dako Levi. It's nice to meet you, Sycamore. And thank you for the directions earlier. A lot of people ignored me, but you didn't."
Sycamore blinked at him, her tired mind piecing things together. She vaguely remembered him asking her for directions earlier. But instead of following them, he'd ended up here—with her. Guilt gnawed at her insides as she realized she'd likely derailed his plans.
"Were you able to meet your appointment?" she asked, her voice small. Before he could answer, she rushed to apologize. "I'm so sorry for distracting you. I didn't mean to take up your time or money. I'm really, really sorry."
Her voice cracked as she spoke, the guilt practically spilling out of her. She felt like an insignificant speck that had somehow robbed this clearly busy man of his precious time and resources.
Levi raised a hand, his expression softening further. "Hey, calm down," he said. "I made it to my appointment, no problem. And you don't need to beat yourself up about this. I'm glad I was there to help. Just focus on getting better, okay?"
Sycamore nodded, though her mind wasn't entirely convinced. Suspicion crept in, her thoughts taking a darker turn. What if he wasn't as kind as he seemed? What if this was all a front? What if he was some sort of organ harvester, and she was about to wake up missing a kidney?
Her face scrunched up as the thoughts spiraled further, her expression betraying her inner turmoil. Levi, watching her intently, couldn't help but chuckle.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked, amused by the look of pure concentration—and maybe a little horror—on her face.
Sycamore snapped out of her thoughts, suddenly self-conscious. "Nothing," she muttered, though her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Levi didn't press her, but the faint smile playing on his lips made her even more suspicious. She decided to probe further, her curiosity winning over her caution.
"So... what do you do?" she asked, trying to keep her tone casual.
Levi raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason," she said quickly, though her mind screamed otherwise. She needed to know. Was he a doctor? A philanthropist? Or something more sinister? Her thoughts raced again, each theory wilder than the last.
Levi leaned back in his chair, studying her with a mix of amusement and curiosity. "You're really trying to figure me out, huh?"
Sycamore shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "It's not every day a stranger does something like this for me. I'm just... curious."
"Well," he began, "I run a tech company. We specialize in developing AI systems for healthcare and security. It's not as glamorous as it sounds, but it keeps me busy."
Sycamore blinked. That wasn't what she'd expected. Not at all. "A tech company?" she echoed, her tone skeptical.
"Yes," Levi replied, clearly entertained by her reaction.
For a moment, Sycamore didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to believe him, but another part—the part conditioned by years of disappointment and betrayal—wasn't so sure.
Levi noticed her hesitation and leaned forward slightly. "Sycamore," he said, his tone serious now. "Not everyone has an ulterior motive. Sometimes, people just want to help."
His words hung in the air, and for the first time, Sycamore felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he was one of the good ones.
She sighed, letting her guard down just a little. "If I wake up without a kidney, I'm coming for you," she said, half-joking.
Levi laughed, a rich, genuine sound that made her lips twitch into a small smile. "Deal," he said.
As the conversation faded into a comfortable silence, Sycamore found herself relaxing for the first time in what felt like forever. Maybe miracles weren't so far-fetched after all.