To Make You Smile

Chapter 17

To Make You Smile

It's been three months since Alisa's transfer. And i haven't felt as lonely as I am feeling today.

I sat on the chair I used to sit on during my visits. The room was still the way it was, including the creases on the sheets and the curtains on the windows. Dust was visible through the sunlight as it settled on the pristine bed. Today was May 14, Alisa's birthday. I expected that she would spam me endlessly to greet her a happy birthday like she always does day and night, but she didn't. I'm sure I sent her a greeting card with my message, but she didn't give me a reply. That was weird because she spammed me during Japan's Obon Festival, chatted with me endlessly during Valentine's Day, sent me a thousand smileys during the time lapse between March and the beginning of May and was extremely hyper on the internet. But seriously, she isn't even online today.

I took out my iPad and rechecked the website we use. 'Alisa is currently offline.' I sighed, locked my iPad and set it down on the table as I ran my fingers through the preserved creases on the sheets. This disturbed the dust greatly that I could almost see it form a tsunami in the air. "I wonder how she is now..."

Maybe she's okay. Maybe she enchanted the people there through her words. Maybe she's singing right now. Maybe... just, maybe.

Maybe she's gone.

I scratched my head and mumbled, "No, that can't happen. That just can't happen."

I was about to stand up when I felt warm arms wrap around me from behind. It felt new because they were warm and a little bigger than Alisa's. But I was sure they belonged to a girl. I looked down to the fingers entwined on top of my torso. They were a little unfamiliar, too.

"Um, excuse me?" I asked. One of the hands detached from the other and went up to poke my cheek five times. I had no idea what it meant. Maybe it was some sort of creepy morse code or one of the patients here went nuts and took me for somebody else. Maybe a nurse snapped and thought I was her boyfriend or something.

I felt the person behind me bury her face in my back. I could almost feel her pout as she whined. "Who the hell asks me who I am on my birthday?" she whined. "I thought you were smart..."

My face immediately heated up at the familiar voice. "Really, Louis! I can't believe that you didn't recognize me!"

I pried her hands off me and turned to her. "Alisa?"

She gave me a huge pout. "So now you know my name."

"Sorry, I thought you were a crazy patient."

I let my eyes examine her. The gold hues of her hair turned into ash blonde, and it was as wavy as ever. Is that what they call chemo curls? Nevermind. She grew a little healthier and her cheeks were a little chubbier. Alisa's color was restored, unlike her usual death porcelain skin. "You're fat," I teased.

"Eh?!" She felt her cheeks with her hands. "I'm not!"

I gave her a faint smile as I patted her head. "Okay, whatever you say, Alisa."

She grinned at me. "So... where's my birthday gift?"

"Huh?" I asked, perplexed. "Y-you should've told me a few days before you came back."

She stared at me in a deadpan manner, waving her hand up and down like those gold cats they sell as a luck magnet. "How useless can your head be?"

"W-wha-" I was cut off when she pulled me down and kissed me. It was quick and short because after a few seconds, she broke away and exploded in laughter at how red I am. "L-louis! Y-your face...! Ahaha! You... you can rival a tomato! Haha!"

Seriously, Alisa. Technically speaking, anyone will blush at things like that. "S-so that was..."

"Yeah, my birthday gift!"

I then realized that when she pulled me down, she was standing on her toes. "Shorty."

"Short girls are the cutest!" she defended, poking my forehead. "You know, I think I have a lifelong mission now."

"Wow, that sounds grand," I said flatly. "What is it?"

She put her hands on her hips and raised her chin confidently. "Since I'm fully okay now and I'm a normal, living person without any cancer, I will do-"

"Stop acting like a swearing knight. Get to it."

She sighed and pulled my cheeks before giving me a huge and cheerful smile. This was perfect. She was okay now. She had no more problems. "A smile is a curve that can set everything straight."

"So?"

Alisa reached out and cupped my cheeks. It was amusing because she was standing on her toes again. "I think I really need to accomplish this mission."

"Stop it. Just say it, Alisa."

"A mission to make you smile. I'll make you smile, everyday."