Map of your head (chapter 17)
Title: Map of your head
Fandom: U-KISS
Characters & Pairings: Elvin, Xander, OFC, other possible episodic characters
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Fluff, Humor, Drama
Summary: "Because the language confuses, like computers refuse to understand how I'm feeling today."
Eli is new to this world. Kevin makes him feel like home.
Disclaimer: The title belongs to English rock-band Muse, as well as the lyrics, extracted from their 2002 album entitled ”Hullabaloo”. I am in no way, shape or form affiliated with the named group, or any characters presented in this writing. No copyright infringement intended.
Read: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16
Month three. Day three.
Eli realized what he had been missing all those years and the reason behind his feeling of incompletion most of the time. Sure he had messed around with girls and even brought home some of them for ‘fun’ (he still remembered one particular case, where one of them was endowed with the princess syndrome and made a disgusted face at the sight of his small bedroom), but those relationships never lasted and were never meant to be serious. Girls found his American accent fascinating and kept asking him to speak in English for them. Eli never knew what to say, but he soon found out that by quoting movies and reciting passages from his medical books he could keep them entertained for hours. He was pretty sure they never understood a word, but felt influenced by a foreigner’s ability to pronounce with such accuracy and viewed him as some sort of high-class, influential business man.
And sure he had gone to quite a few parties during college, not to mention during high-school and always went home after doing one of the two things: get stoned or stay all night in a corner by himself. He never enjoyed the company of all those jocks and teenage girls that would view themselves above everyone else, so he promised himself to stop attending after a few rounds, but still accepted all invitations, for lack of a better occupation.
He had been surrounded his entire life by people, but not once had he been capable of confirming he felt accomplished, in any way. He never hated his life, but always thought a better one could’ve been given to him and wondered what would the outcome be, after a few years.
And now that he had found Kevin he could finally accredit he had been missing a partner. Obviously their relationship wasn’t perfect and Eli knew that from a stranger’s point of view, it would probably look like a complete wreck, impossible to sustain or develop. But he knew how appearances could never be trusted and them being together, despite all odds, was a proof of it. Kevin wasn’t so marshmallow-like, similar to the females Eli had encountered, but he wasn’t exactly tough, or mainly either. He had his own view on the world and conveyed strong opinions, like someone who had gone through life several times, but at the same time was occasionally childish at heart and sought affection and comfort. He liked being hold, but also liked leading and seemed to enjoy both receiving, as well as giving.
Sometimes Eli thought he needed his own reserved, specially-selected place in the world, because his heart was far less contaminated than that of people he had met along the way.
Alexander had finally accepted their relationship, though with a heavy heart, but Kevin still refused talking to him. He had been cold towards him ever since their arrival back the hospital and held back from addressing to him. When he and Eli were talking about Alexander, the younger would speak about him in short, distant sentences and only used his full name. If they absolutely had to communicate, then Kevin stood stiff the entire time and avoided looking him in the eye, like he was in front of a military general. That always had the desired effect, as the older would begin feeling uneasy and cut off the conversation before saying everything he wanted to.
Eli tried easing the situation by talking to Kevin. He quite liked the entire circumstance as it was -Alexander never came near them whenever they were together, because he was aware of how badly Kevin would react- but had to admit the tension didn’t feel right. He was getting sick of his superior constantly asking questions about Kevin’s attitude, Kevin’s arguments against him, Kevin’s everything and Eli had begun taking the role of a messenger.
To put an end to all of this, he attempted explaining to Kevin that Alexander didn’t mean any harm, that he was actually looking after both of them and wanted what was best for his patients, simply because it was in his nature as a nurse to do so. Before continuing, Kevin shut him off by saying that he should stop taking his side and another word would mean locking himself in the library until forever and a day. Eli didn’t dare uttering any more sounds.
Things were far more pink for others, though, as Kyung Hee agreed to permanently keep her mouth shut about their secret relationship, in exchange of an overwhelming amount of candy. She seemed to have understood the importance of remaining silent this time around, after both Eli and Kevin talked to her privately. The younger succeeded at a higher level than Eli in convincing her and that was because -as he stated- his ‘capability of understanding the patients here better than any of you’. Alexander went nuts after finding out the reason behind her sudden silence treatment and accused Eli of prematurely corroding her teeth. From that point on, he took on the role of a ‘goodies-offerer’ for the girl, bribing her with other, non-chemical, non-damaging products and Eli was glad he had gotten rid of all the expenses. Of course he knew Alexander’s hidden motive was to probably be in Kevin’s good books again, but didn’t say anything and gladly accepted the trade.
As the last month of fall had just begun and the weather was getting chillier by the day, it was more hard for them to keep being affectionate in the garden, since the leaves had already left most trees and the pathways and benches were visible from all windows that had a view of the backyard. This also meant limiting their actions to Kevin’s room - Eli once spotted Kyung Hee watching them with interest from her window pane, which made him feel uncomfortable. This proved to be hard for the more and more needy Kevin, who has started demanding kisses and touches far oftener than before.
Kevin’s room didn’t even feel a regular patient’s hostel anymore, but more like their secret hiding spot, in which they could express all of their desires and tenderness without fear of being watched. Eli hoped that by being intimate in a sexual way now, he could help Kevin recover faster. After all, the first -and hardest- step had already been made, now all it took was a few more baby strides until the finish line. He felt optimistic, especially after seeing Kevin talking to the janitor one evening, to whom he had never spoken before because of fear. He was also beginning to react more receptively during his programs with the other patients and asked Eli about him home and other places he had visited very often, which meant he was starting to take interest in the world outside on a greater deal.
When Kevin pleaded him to take them to Eli’s apartment again, or at least in the park, Eli had to deny, regardless of how much he wanted to. Shortly after their return at the asylum a month before, the day his parents visited, Nurse Bess had found out about their little escapade and now the older was under strict observation. She scolded him for not following direct orders and disobeying the rules and kept going, over and over again, about how it hadn’t been a good idea to take Kevin directly to his house and not the asylum. She still agreed that the gesture was nice and told him it was the first time in the hospital’s history that an employee took such good care of a resident, but then spoiled the fun by underlining that it could have gotten much worse. ‘I won’t tell the director about it, only if you promise to never make a slip like that again, understand?’ she threatened him with a finger, at which Eli couldn’t do anything but nod.
Fortunately, he was still in charge of taking care of Kevin (he had even been named his main supervisor, at the younger’s personal request, as a punishment for Alexander) and all that was left to do now was to take advantage of their time together as much as possible.
**
As he was exiting Kevin’s room one late evening -it was way beyond his leaving hour, but they had somewhat agreed to ‘play’ every night, before his shifts ended- Eli walked past Alexander’s office, as he usually did on his way to the screechy elevator. He heard the older’s voice inside going on and on about obligations and trust (which was not surprising, in Eli’s opinion, since Alexander was the type to make a fuss out of everything) and thought he was talking on the phone. Deciding not to pay much attention, he made a few more steps towards the exit, until he heard Kevin’s name.
Eli immediately stopped in his tracks and got closer to the door, lighthearted that the corridor was empty. He gently pressed his ear to the doorframe and remained completely still. This time, a young, male voice was heard.
‘But I need help.’ The man said. ‘I’m not here because of him, I’m here because of me.’
‘There are plenty other institutions. Listen, I’ve always liked you and I’m not trying to kick you out, you know that. But if you’ll come back, you’ll make Kevin suffer all over again.’
Eli’s heart froze. He wished he had been there from the beginning, because he wasn’t getting much out of their midway-dialog now.
‘Xander, put yourself in my shoes. I’ve been here before, I’m familiar with the place, this is where I should be. Other hospitals are not as good as this one, I’ll recover faster, this time once and for all. Besides, I won’t make him suffer, because after I’m out I’ll take him with me.’ The voice said fast. It was like he was trying to refrain Alexander from giving him a counterargument.
Eli quivered involuntarily and his palms turned sweaty. Thoughts began running through his mind, each more dreary than the other. It was the first time someone called his superior ‘Xander’, beside Kevin, which scared him, although he wasn’t sure why. Not to mention that this man, whoever he was, wanted to take Kevin out of there, as far as he understood. There was silence in the office for a few seconds (Eli could almost see Alexander watching the man carefully), before another reply came.
‘As noble as your intentions are, I’m afraid Kevin won’t be leaving this place anytime soon. His parents also tried taking him away a month ago, but didn’t succeed.’
‘Why?’ asked the confused voice.
‘Because I stopped them, along with his partner.’
Another short silence. Eli was growing more and more tense.
‘Partner? You mean Kevin is with someone now?’
‘That’s correct. And I also dare to add they care about each other very much. I’m sorry to say this, but I won’t permit you to ruin their relationship. He is happy. Happier like I haven’t seen him before. And I want to make sure he stays that way.’
Eli underwent a sudden rush of gratitude towards the older, albeit he still felt small and useless, as he was listening like a coward from behind the door. He took advantage of the pause in their conversation and knocked two times. Alexander replied immediately and Eli entered.
Right after opening the door he was greeted by the sight of a boy around Kevin’s age, who turned to look at him with curious eyes from his chair. As soon as they made eye contact, Eli felt like gasping for air, because the shock he took in impeded him from moving. He immediately recognized him from the picture he had found when he stole a file from the archives. He couldn’t not to, since his face haunted his dreams many nights after that. There were a few differences from the boyish photo, though - his cheekbones and jaw line were now more prominent, his hair was shorter and he seemed, overall, more mature. But Eli could recognize those piercing eyes anywhere.
It was Kiseop.
Kiseop, who was staring back at him with a puzzled expression. Kiseop, who had come back after hell-knows how many years and claimed he wanted Kevin back. Kiseop, who emerged from his chair and bowed to Eli politely, noticing his white nurse apparel.
Eli didn’t bow, he didn’t even take his hand off the doorknob. He just watched him in amazement, not daring -more like not wanting- to believe what he was witnessing. He looked at Alexander, who seemed trapped worse than a rat in a cage.
‘Eli.’ The older finally said. ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked on a strangled tone.
He didn’t know how to answer. Indeed, what was he doing there? He gazed at Kiseop, then at Alexander and at Kiseop again, who seemed completely lost.
‘I…’ he finally stuttered. ‘Are you Kiseop?’
The boy was visibly taken aback by his question, but didn’t hesitate in replying.
‘Yes, Sir.’ He said. ‘I am. But how do you know that?’
‘I, um…’ he mumbled, unable to stop looking at him. ‘I’m a nurse here. I’ve seen your file.’ He managed to blurt out after a while.
‘Oh.’ Kiseop nodded, smiling. ‘I understand.’
Actually seeing him smile freaked out Eli even more, despite not knowing why. It was like with every gesture he did, he was turning into an alien more and more, or growing another head. He seemed like a sincere and humble person, but Eli felt like he was concealing some sort of demonic entity within him. Kiseop probably noticed his continuous leer, because he became quickly uncomfortable and started shifting awkwardly. Alexander also noticed, hence he asked Eli if he needed anything. Eli turned to look at him in awe, forgetting he was in the room.
‘Yeah, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.’
‘Well then.’ The older sighed, apparently relieved. ‘Kiseop, I’m afraid you’ll have to come back tomorrow. We’ll continue then.’
The younger looked at both of them, before grabbing his coat and some papers lying on the desk.
‘Alright.’ He said on his way out. ‘But promise me you’ll think about it, okay?’ he asked Alexander with pleading eyes, before turning to Eli, spreading his hand.
‘It was nice meeting you.’ he hovered his hand in the air, waiting for Eli to grab and shake it in return. Of course Eli just stood there, looking at his arm and then back at his face, until he muttered a fainted ‘You too’ and turned away. He didn’t get to see Kiseop’s facial expression, because he remained with his back turned until he heard the door opening and closing again.
He looked up at Alexander, who raised his palm in front of his eyes.
‘Not now. I need to drink something.’ He let out a deep breath, running his fingers through his hair. He crashed in his leather chair and let his head fall backwards, then closed his eyes and remained still for a few moments. Getting up, he told Eli to wait and left the office, before returning after a minute with two cans of beer.
‘Now.’ He said, after closing the door and reoccupying his seat. ‘Before you say anything, I didn’t know he was going to arrive here. He didn’t announce. He only came in about half an hour ago.’
‘What does he want?’ Eli promptly asked.
‘To restart his rehabilitation program. He told me he has been fine for these past three years, even began continuing his studies. But recently, out of unknown reasons, he started having nightmares and then, next thing you know, it was hard for him to go out again. He said he wants to make sure he takes care of things now, before it gets too serious again.’
‘He wants to come back here?’
‘Yes.’
‘No way.’ Eli shook his head. ‘We both know the reason behind his choice. He picked this place again because Kevin is here. You heard him, he wants to take him away.’ He said fast, almost panicked.
‘Eli, you have no reason to fear.’ Alexander said calmly. ‘I’m not happy he’s here, either, but Kevin won’t leave you to chase after him. As for his reasons… I don’t know. Maybe he wants to return here because of Kevin, maybe because of medical reasons, as he said. Thing is, Kiseop doesn’t represent a threat anymore. It’s been three years.’
Eli felt like he was about to crack down like glass.
‘So what, you’re going to welcome him back?’ he asked wary.
‘This doesn’t depend on me. He is free to submit an application letter any time and, if the board accepts it, he’ll be relocated into a room and begin treatment right away. Our policy tries to give everybody a chance and, as much as I wouldn’t like him back, I’m invisible in front of the directors.’
Eli felt like punching someone.
‘Let’s not tell Kevin, for now.’ Alexander said in a small voice. ‘I don’t even know why I’m asking for that, because last time we agreed to keep something from him it ended up… well, it didn’t.’ He smiled bitterly. ‘But maybe I can convince Kiseop tomorrow to leave for another hospital, before Kevin finds out he was here.’
Eli nodded, overly-glad that for the first time in many weeks, Alexander was on his side and understood how he felt.
‘I wasn’t planning on doing it, anyway.’ Eli said. ‘I’m going to keep Kevin as busy as possible tomorrow. Meanwhile, please try to get rid of him. I really can’t stand his presence.’
‘I noticed.’ Alexander laughed. ‘It’s like you’re the only one who sees him contaminated with germs.’
‘More like a deadly virus.’ Eli mumbled.
---------------
Note: Yeah, it took me a lot to update. I've been busy with college admission papers and stuff. Not to mention that the heat here is unbearable this time of the year. >_> But yeah. I missed writing. And writing this felt really good, although I'm not completely satisfied with it. But we'll see. I promise a better/longer chapter next time around, which will be -hopefully- very soon. Thanks for sticking with me for so long, I truly appreciate every comment I receive.
Fandom: U-KISS
Characters & Pairings: Elvin, Xander, OFC, other possible episodic characters
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Fluff, Humor, Drama
Summary: "Because the language confuses, like computers refuse to understand how I'm feeling today."
Eli is new to this world. Kevin makes him feel like home.
Disclaimer: The title belongs to English rock-band Muse, as well as the lyrics, extracted from their 2002 album entitled ”Hullabaloo”. I am in no way, shape or form affiliated with the named group, or any characters presented in this writing. No copyright infringement intended.
Read: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16
Month three. Day three.
Eli realized what he had been missing all those years and the reason behind his feeling of incompletion most of the time. Sure he had messed around with girls and even brought home some of them for ‘fun’ (he still remembered one particular case, where one of them was endowed with the princess syndrome and made a disgusted face at the sight of his small bedroom), but those relationships never lasted and were never meant to be serious. Girls found his American accent fascinating and kept asking him to speak in English for them. Eli never knew what to say, but he soon found out that by quoting movies and reciting passages from his medical books he could keep them entertained for hours. He was pretty sure they never understood a word, but felt influenced by a foreigner’s ability to pronounce with such accuracy and viewed him as some sort of high-class, influential business man.
And sure he had gone to quite a few parties during college, not to mention during high-school and always went home after doing one of the two things: get stoned or stay all night in a corner by himself. He never enjoyed the company of all those jocks and teenage girls that would view themselves above everyone else, so he promised himself to stop attending after a few rounds, but still accepted all invitations, for lack of a better occupation.
He had been surrounded his entire life by people, but not once had he been capable of confirming he felt accomplished, in any way. He never hated his life, but always thought a better one could’ve been given to him and wondered what would the outcome be, after a few years.
And now that he had found Kevin he could finally accredit he had been missing a partner. Obviously their relationship wasn’t perfect and Eli knew that from a stranger’s point of view, it would probably look like a complete wreck, impossible to sustain or develop. But he knew how appearances could never be trusted and them being together, despite all odds, was a proof of it. Kevin wasn’t so marshmallow-like, similar to the females Eli had encountered, but he wasn’t exactly tough, or mainly either. He had his own view on the world and conveyed strong opinions, like someone who had gone through life several times, but at the same time was occasionally childish at heart and sought affection and comfort. He liked being hold, but also liked leading and seemed to enjoy both receiving, as well as giving.
Sometimes Eli thought he needed his own reserved, specially-selected place in the world, because his heart was far less contaminated than that of people he had met along the way.
Alexander had finally accepted their relationship, though with a heavy heart, but Kevin still refused talking to him. He had been cold towards him ever since their arrival back the hospital and held back from addressing to him. When he and Eli were talking about Alexander, the younger would speak about him in short, distant sentences and only used his full name. If they absolutely had to communicate, then Kevin stood stiff the entire time and avoided looking him in the eye, like he was in front of a military general. That always had the desired effect, as the older would begin feeling uneasy and cut off the conversation before saying everything he wanted to.
Eli tried easing the situation by talking to Kevin. He quite liked the entire circumstance as it was -Alexander never came near them whenever they were together, because he was aware of how badly Kevin would react- but had to admit the tension didn’t feel right. He was getting sick of his superior constantly asking questions about Kevin’s attitude, Kevin’s arguments against him, Kevin’s everything and Eli had begun taking the role of a messenger.
To put an end to all of this, he attempted explaining to Kevin that Alexander didn’t mean any harm, that he was actually looking after both of them and wanted what was best for his patients, simply because it was in his nature as a nurse to do so. Before continuing, Kevin shut him off by saying that he should stop taking his side and another word would mean locking himself in the library until forever and a day. Eli didn’t dare uttering any more sounds.
Things were far more pink for others, though, as Kyung Hee agreed to permanently keep her mouth shut about their secret relationship, in exchange of an overwhelming amount of candy. She seemed to have understood the importance of remaining silent this time around, after both Eli and Kevin talked to her privately. The younger succeeded at a higher level than Eli in convincing her and that was because -as he stated- his ‘capability of understanding the patients here better than any of you’. Alexander went nuts after finding out the reason behind her sudden silence treatment and accused Eli of prematurely corroding her teeth. From that point on, he took on the role of a ‘goodies-offerer’ for the girl, bribing her with other, non-chemical, non-damaging products and Eli was glad he had gotten rid of all the expenses. Of course he knew Alexander’s hidden motive was to probably be in Kevin’s good books again, but didn’t say anything and gladly accepted the trade.
As the last month of fall had just begun and the weather was getting chillier by the day, it was more hard for them to keep being affectionate in the garden, since the leaves had already left most trees and the pathways and benches were visible from all windows that had a view of the backyard. This also meant limiting their actions to Kevin’s room - Eli once spotted Kyung Hee watching them with interest from her window pane, which made him feel uncomfortable. This proved to be hard for the more and more needy Kevin, who has started demanding kisses and touches far oftener than before.
Kevin’s room didn’t even feel a regular patient’s hostel anymore, but more like their secret hiding spot, in which they could express all of their desires and tenderness without fear of being watched. Eli hoped that by being intimate in a sexual way now, he could help Kevin recover faster. After all, the first -and hardest- step had already been made, now all it took was a few more baby strides until the finish line. He felt optimistic, especially after seeing Kevin talking to the janitor one evening, to whom he had never spoken before because of fear. He was also beginning to react more receptively during his programs with the other patients and asked Eli about him home and other places he had visited very often, which meant he was starting to take interest in the world outside on a greater deal.
When Kevin pleaded him to take them to Eli’s apartment again, or at least in the park, Eli had to deny, regardless of how much he wanted to. Shortly after their return at the asylum a month before, the day his parents visited, Nurse Bess had found out about their little escapade and now the older was under strict observation. She scolded him for not following direct orders and disobeying the rules and kept going, over and over again, about how it hadn’t been a good idea to take Kevin directly to his house and not the asylum. She still agreed that the gesture was nice and told him it was the first time in the hospital’s history that an employee took such good care of a resident, but then spoiled the fun by underlining that it could have gotten much worse. ‘I won’t tell the director about it, only if you promise to never make a slip like that again, understand?’ she threatened him with a finger, at which Eli couldn’t do anything but nod.
Fortunately, he was still in charge of taking care of Kevin (he had even been named his main supervisor, at the younger’s personal request, as a punishment for Alexander) and all that was left to do now was to take advantage of their time together as much as possible.
**
As he was exiting Kevin’s room one late evening -it was way beyond his leaving hour, but they had somewhat agreed to ‘play’ every night, before his shifts ended- Eli walked past Alexander’s office, as he usually did on his way to the screechy elevator. He heard the older’s voice inside going on and on about obligations and trust (which was not surprising, in Eli’s opinion, since Alexander was the type to make a fuss out of everything) and thought he was talking on the phone. Deciding not to pay much attention, he made a few more steps towards the exit, until he heard Kevin’s name.
Eli immediately stopped in his tracks and got closer to the door, lighthearted that the corridor was empty. He gently pressed his ear to the doorframe and remained completely still. This time, a young, male voice was heard.
‘But I need help.’ The man said. ‘I’m not here because of him, I’m here because of me.’
‘There are plenty other institutions. Listen, I’ve always liked you and I’m not trying to kick you out, you know that. But if you’ll come back, you’ll make Kevin suffer all over again.’
Eli’s heart froze. He wished he had been there from the beginning, because he wasn’t getting much out of their midway-dialog now.
‘Xander, put yourself in my shoes. I’ve been here before, I’m familiar with the place, this is where I should be. Other hospitals are not as good as this one, I’ll recover faster, this time once and for all. Besides, I won’t make him suffer, because after I’m out I’ll take him with me.’ The voice said fast. It was like he was trying to refrain Alexander from giving him a counterargument.
Eli quivered involuntarily and his palms turned sweaty. Thoughts began running through his mind, each more dreary than the other. It was the first time someone called his superior ‘Xander’, beside Kevin, which scared him, although he wasn’t sure why. Not to mention that this man, whoever he was, wanted to take Kevin out of there, as far as he understood. There was silence in the office for a few seconds (Eli could almost see Alexander watching the man carefully), before another reply came.
‘As noble as your intentions are, I’m afraid Kevin won’t be leaving this place anytime soon. His parents also tried taking him away a month ago, but didn’t succeed.’
‘Why?’ asked the confused voice.
‘Because I stopped them, along with his partner.’
Another short silence. Eli was growing more and more tense.
‘Partner? You mean Kevin is with someone now?’
‘That’s correct. And I also dare to add they care about each other very much. I’m sorry to say this, but I won’t permit you to ruin their relationship. He is happy. Happier like I haven’t seen him before. And I want to make sure he stays that way.’
Eli underwent a sudden rush of gratitude towards the older, albeit he still felt small and useless, as he was listening like a coward from behind the door. He took advantage of the pause in their conversation and knocked two times. Alexander replied immediately and Eli entered.
Right after opening the door he was greeted by the sight of a boy around Kevin’s age, who turned to look at him with curious eyes from his chair. As soon as they made eye contact, Eli felt like gasping for air, because the shock he took in impeded him from moving. He immediately recognized him from the picture he had found when he stole a file from the archives. He couldn’t not to, since his face haunted his dreams many nights after that. There were a few differences from the boyish photo, though - his cheekbones and jaw line were now more prominent, his hair was shorter and he seemed, overall, more mature. But Eli could recognize those piercing eyes anywhere.
It was Kiseop.
Kiseop, who was staring back at him with a puzzled expression. Kiseop, who had come back after hell-knows how many years and claimed he wanted Kevin back. Kiseop, who emerged from his chair and bowed to Eli politely, noticing his white nurse apparel.
Eli didn’t bow, he didn’t even take his hand off the doorknob. He just watched him in amazement, not daring -more like not wanting- to believe what he was witnessing. He looked at Alexander, who seemed trapped worse than a rat in a cage.
‘Eli.’ The older finally said. ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked on a strangled tone.
He didn’t know how to answer. Indeed, what was he doing there? He gazed at Kiseop, then at Alexander and at Kiseop again, who seemed completely lost.
‘I…’ he finally stuttered. ‘Are you Kiseop?’
The boy was visibly taken aback by his question, but didn’t hesitate in replying.
‘Yes, Sir.’ He said. ‘I am. But how do you know that?’
‘I, um…’ he mumbled, unable to stop looking at him. ‘I’m a nurse here. I’ve seen your file.’ He managed to blurt out after a while.
‘Oh.’ Kiseop nodded, smiling. ‘I understand.’
Actually seeing him smile freaked out Eli even more, despite not knowing why. It was like with every gesture he did, he was turning into an alien more and more, or growing another head. He seemed like a sincere and humble person, but Eli felt like he was concealing some sort of demonic entity within him. Kiseop probably noticed his continuous leer, because he became quickly uncomfortable and started shifting awkwardly. Alexander also noticed, hence he asked Eli if he needed anything. Eli turned to look at him in awe, forgetting he was in the room.
‘Yeah, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.’
‘Well then.’ The older sighed, apparently relieved. ‘Kiseop, I’m afraid you’ll have to come back tomorrow. We’ll continue then.’
The younger looked at both of them, before grabbing his coat and some papers lying on the desk.
‘Alright.’ He said on his way out. ‘But promise me you’ll think about it, okay?’ he asked Alexander with pleading eyes, before turning to Eli, spreading his hand.
‘It was nice meeting you.’ he hovered his hand in the air, waiting for Eli to grab and shake it in return. Of course Eli just stood there, looking at his arm and then back at his face, until he muttered a fainted ‘You too’ and turned away. He didn’t get to see Kiseop’s facial expression, because he remained with his back turned until he heard the door opening and closing again.
He looked up at Alexander, who raised his palm in front of his eyes.
‘Not now. I need to drink something.’ He let out a deep breath, running his fingers through his hair. He crashed in his leather chair and let his head fall backwards, then closed his eyes and remained still for a few moments. Getting up, he told Eli to wait and left the office, before returning after a minute with two cans of beer.
‘Now.’ He said, after closing the door and reoccupying his seat. ‘Before you say anything, I didn’t know he was going to arrive here. He didn’t announce. He only came in about half an hour ago.’
‘What does he want?’ Eli promptly asked.
‘To restart his rehabilitation program. He told me he has been fine for these past three years, even began continuing his studies. But recently, out of unknown reasons, he started having nightmares and then, next thing you know, it was hard for him to go out again. He said he wants to make sure he takes care of things now, before it gets too serious again.’
‘He wants to come back here?’
‘Yes.’
‘No way.’ Eli shook his head. ‘We both know the reason behind his choice. He picked this place again because Kevin is here. You heard him, he wants to take him away.’ He said fast, almost panicked.
‘Eli, you have no reason to fear.’ Alexander said calmly. ‘I’m not happy he’s here, either, but Kevin won’t leave you to chase after him. As for his reasons… I don’t know. Maybe he wants to return here because of Kevin, maybe because of medical reasons, as he said. Thing is, Kiseop doesn’t represent a threat anymore. It’s been three years.’
Eli felt like he was about to crack down like glass.
‘So what, you’re going to welcome him back?’ he asked wary.
‘This doesn’t depend on me. He is free to submit an application letter any time and, if the board accepts it, he’ll be relocated into a room and begin treatment right away. Our policy tries to give everybody a chance and, as much as I wouldn’t like him back, I’m invisible in front of the directors.’
Eli felt like punching someone.
‘Let’s not tell Kevin, for now.’ Alexander said in a small voice. ‘I don’t even know why I’m asking for that, because last time we agreed to keep something from him it ended up… well, it didn’t.’ He smiled bitterly. ‘But maybe I can convince Kiseop tomorrow to leave for another hospital, before Kevin finds out he was here.’
Eli nodded, overly-glad that for the first time in many weeks, Alexander was on his side and understood how he felt.
‘I wasn’t planning on doing it, anyway.’ Eli said. ‘I’m going to keep Kevin as busy as possible tomorrow. Meanwhile, please try to get rid of him. I really can’t stand his presence.’
‘I noticed.’ Alexander laughed. ‘It’s like you’re the only one who sees him contaminated with germs.’
‘More like a deadly virus.’ Eli mumbled.
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Note: Yeah, it took me a lot to update. I've been busy with college admission papers and stuff. Not to mention that the heat here is unbearable this time of the year. >_> But yeah. I missed writing. And writing this felt really good, although I'm not completely satisfied with it. But we'll see. I promise a better/longer chapter next time around, which will be -hopefully- very soon. Thanks for sticking with me for so long, I truly appreciate every comment I receive.