What's Best for You

Chapter 3

"Do you want me come in with you, N'Mark?"

Mark has been staring at Vee's door for a while now, trying to mentally himself for what awaits on the other side. Seeing his nong struggling, Nuea offered to accompany him.

"Thank you, phee. But I'd rather see him alone, if that's okay?"

"Of course, nong. We'll be here outside of you need anything. I offered to keep P'Yoo company for the mean time, while we wait for their parents to arrive."

Mark nodded towards his senior with a small grateful smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Then with a deep breath, he turned the knob and stepped inside the room.

Even though he knew fully well what happened, nothing could have prepared Mark to see Vee in this state. The Vee he knew is always smiling and cheeky, especially when it comes to Mark. But right now he looked almost, well—dead. Only the steady beat of the heart monitor proved otherwise.

Mark forgot to breathe for a good second. It took him a while to find it in himself to actually move and get closer, almost as if he refused to believe that it was actually his beloved senior lying on the bed. He stared at the unconscious young man hard enough for him to make sure that he was still breathing before taking a seat.

Far from his usual confident self, Vee lay unconscious in the middle of the bed with all these machines and wires connected to him. Bandage wrapped tightly around his head, a few splotches of black and blue littered his arms with some around his jaw, evidence of the match he fought days ago. Mark knew more bruises probably littered his body under the hospital gown.

"P'Vee, I'm here."

With a shuddering breathe, he slowly held his senior's hand. Encasing it on his own as he tried to return some warmth on the unusually freezing hand.

"You said you're going to properly apologize and prove yourself to me, phee. How can you just disappear like that, then appear looking like this infront of me..."

Mark paused as his voice wavered. The tears he had been trying to suppress since a while ago finally fell as he cried silently.

Swallowing the lump on his throat, the young man didn't want to sound  depressed and weak infront of his phee.

"You fought really hard last time, phee. This time you have to fight to get better and recover quickly. Get up and show me how much you really want to be with me, P'Vee. So I can give you your second chance already..."

"Come back quickly okay? If you... if you don't get up and recover soon... I really won't forgive you..."

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Vee drifted in and out on consciousness. He felt so incredibly tired; like every part of his body was covered in lead. He heard voices speaking around him some he can't quite recognize, but he also heard his family, his friends and more importantly, Mark. He heard his nong crying.

Why was he crying? What's happening?

But he was too tired, before anything else he slipped back into unconsciousness again.

It wasn't until the next morning that Vee was barely able to wake up. He felt a warm and gentle hand caressing him.

With great effort, Vee opened his eyes slowly, the brightness of the room not helping at all.

"Hi Vee, you're finally awake. How are you feeling, my son?"

"I'll go call the doctors," Yoo said as he ran out the room.