38 In the infirmary. Again.

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Mina looking over me with a very concerned face. She was sitting next to my bed.

"Are you okay?"

Mina asked as gently as humanly possible.

"Yeah… I fainted.."

"You did"

"Where am I? Did you bring me home?"

"No, we are in the infirmary"

"I see"

"Get some rest and please don't push yourself so much again"

"I'm sorry"

I felt her hand squeezing mine tightly and realized that she's been holding my hand this whole time. I flinched and tried to pull my hand out, but she held them firmer and didn't let go.

"Hey"

"Sh... relax"

"Ok.."

"Just relax and take your time. I'll be here until everything is okay"

It was the first time I was getting taken care of by her. Normally it was always the other way around.

"I'm sorry I've burdened you"

"I've been worried about you for a long time.. "

"Right.."

"Nana… can you please just let me know what you are thinking?"

Maybe I was still hazy from waking up after fainting. I felt like I let my guard down and the wall that I'd built around my heart was breaking down.

"I was hurt"

"Because of me?"

"Yes"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you.."

"You can stop saying sorry… it was just me being foolish and…"

Then I took a deep breath. I knew what was the right word, and it took all the courage I could muster to say the next word

"… Jealous"

Mina sat there and didn't say a word.

That was the hardest thing I could tell her, but she seemed to understand.

"But Nana… I think there is some misunderstanding-"

That irked me a little.

"What misunderstanding? I saw you kissing Tasha"

"What-? But on that day I didn't-"

"I saw the picture"

I. Must. Really. Stop here.

Mina seemed to be confused and I could see her eyes were searching for the answers.

"Forget it. It's none of my business now"

Mina still didn't say a word, her grip on my hand was softening and she seemed to be losing strength in her arms.

"Hey, are you ok?"

The infirmary door opened and Tasha walked into the room. She didn't throw me a glance and walked straight towards Mina.

"Mina, my Mina… let's go"

Then I saw something flash in Mina's eyes as if the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle filled the gap and everything clicked.

Mina jumped out of her seat next to my bed and dashed to Tasha with her arms stretched out, and her tiny hands grabbed Tasha's throat and pushed her all the way against the wall.

"Mina - what-. What's going on", Tasha looked confused, scared, and hurt.

"Don't you ever do that again"

"What…What do you mean?"

"Don't you EVER fucking do that again!"

Both me and Tasha were completely shocked. It was the first time I ever heard Mina swear and it seemed to be Tasha's first time too.

"Get out"

Mina let go of Tasha's throat and Tasha choked a little and stumbled. Her face was distorting as she was starting to cry.

"Mina… why…"

"Get out! And NEVER come back. I NEVER, EVER want to see you again"

"Mina, please…", now Tasha was fully crying.

"Get out! Next time you do anything to Nana I will KILL you"

"… I hate you…", Tasha forced herself to say these words and ran out of the room crying.

What just happened?

Before I could process what happened though, our situation got reversed. Now it looked like Mina was completely drained and was about to faint. I jumped out of the bed and went over to hold her. Her legs gave away and she clung to me with her hands squeezing my arms. I kneeled and picked her up, carried her to the bed I was in before, and laid her down there.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

Mina repeated this a few times and slumbered into a deep sleep.