16 LATE IN THE NIGHT (2)

"Nnnn…" She gasped when she woke up in the middle of the night. It was around two in the morning. "Guangxi…"

She extended her hand and stroked his spiky hair on her side. His sleepy head was buried in his arms on her bedside. It must have been an uncomfortable position.

She untucked herself from the blanket, fetched her clothes, and changed into it.

Xue Guangxi rubbed the sleep in his eyes. He jolted upright when he saw the empty bed. Seconds after, the comfort room's sliding door revealed the patient, already in her own set of clothes.

"Sola! Lie down!! You need to sleep more!! Hey!!!" He grabbed her forearm gently. Tension rose within him.

"I've recovered. Hehehe." She flexed her arms and body to show him she wasn't lying. "Sorry to make you panic like that –"

Xue Guangxi pulled her into a tight hug. He cradled her head on his right hand while his left gently nudged her back pulling her closer to him.

"I didn't know what to do…. I felt stupid…" With utter solemnity, he whispered in her ear, stroking her head with his right hand. He closed his eyes. His heart must have jumped out of his chest and suffered some sort of arrhythmia-like state with his uneven heartbeat.

"Oops, sorry. I told you it's nothing serious, just dysmenorrhea."

"Just? You say? You were flinching in pain, pale in the face and sweating hard." He tightened his grip on her. "You didn't even have the strength to support yourself or stand up. You were curled up in pain. I didn't know what to do…" His voice came out shaky and even broke at the last note.

"G-Guangxi, can't… can't breathe." She pounded her fists on his back without enough force to make her point. Nonetheless, the young man heard her plea.

"S-Sorry." He finally released her, and some sense also came back to him. He felt his blood rush up his head in embarrassment. This specific moment was the epitome of embarrassment. "You scared the hell out of me." An apologetic smile lingered on his face.

Staring up the ceiling, he added, barely audible, "I can't lose you, too."

Kang Sola heard it, though. Her face flushed a lovely shade of pink. It was one of those times when she acted like a normal young lady who gets coyly abashed by the young man's innocent, genuine remark. She scratched her flushed cheek with an index finger not because it was itchy but was all due to awkwardness.

To brush off the stifling atmosphere, she laughed it off, "Hehehehe!!! I told you, it's just dysmenorrhea! Hahahaha!!! That's why I said it's embarrassing to go around the hospital the way you did. You caused such a ruckus, drama queen!!!"

"You calling me drama queen? That's you. No wonder you're cranky, it's that time of the month!" Xue Guangxi bantered with a teasing, mocking grin on his charming face. He hunched his body and inclined his head forward just a few inches from the lady's face.

Kang Sola frowned and pouted, but she's just as much thankful that they were back to normal again – bantering and bickering childishly. "Hey, you're the cranky master! If you're not a guy I would think it's always that time of the month for you!!! Hahaha! Your temper is terrible. Your mood swings, horrible! Drama Queen, indeed, you are!!! Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." She clicked her tongue in playful disapproval. She crossed her eyes, acting mockingly critical.

Xue Guangxi grinned from ear to ear. He tapped the top of her head and stroked her hair. Kang Sola widened her eyes and felt her back grow stiff. "Whatever you say!!! Whatever!!! Hehe. Are you sure you're okay now? Rest more." He nudged gently, almost sweetly. "It's late, why not return to sleep? I'll bring you home in the morning."

She gently swatted his hand away. "No, I am really fine now. I don't want to make a big deal out of it. If Mother and Father find out that I was rushed to the hospital, they will worry."

"I'm sure they will." He agreed.

'But they wouldn't have worried as much as I had when I saw you sprawled on the stairs.' He added to himself internally.

"Don't tell them, alright? It's a secret between us." Kang Sola's implored with her eyes. She's anxious to make her foster parents worry about her. It was a personal trait.

"It's my fault. I forgot to buy medicine at the pharmacy. Remember we were supposed to stop by before we go home." She explained, frowning again. "If you weren't being a jerk in the afternoon. Come to think of it, it's a bit of your fault too that I forgot!" The last statement came out as a friendly bicker.

But Xue Guangxi did not retaliate. He completely ignored her attack.

"So… you knew this will happen? Do you always experience pain?" Xue Guangxi probed deeper. He's more interested in her condition than their banters. He did not know Kang Sola was enduring something like this. Of course, it would be understandable if he wouldn't know. In fact, he shouldn't.

"Hehehehe. It's fine, Guangxi! It's normal. Sometimes it happens. Sometimes it doesn't. But it certainly not the first time." She smiled at him warmly.

Xue Guangxi stared at her like she's speaking in Spanish.

"What should I do to make you worry less? Should we ask for a medical certificate from the doctor?" Kang Sola released an exasperated sigh. She felt that Xue Guangxi was making a big deal out of nothing.

"Sleep here."

"Nah, not happening."

"Sola."

"Guangxi."

Both scowling at each other, another fight brewed on the onset. They were on a stubborn glaring contest. No one budged until…

"Pfttt."

"Hahahahaha!!!!"

They both burst into fits of laughter.

"You're the boss, Sola. Whatever you want."

"Okay, let's get out of here." Her lips curled up in a smile. He grinned, too. Even if it wasn't what he preferred, he obliged. He figured he couldn't force her to do what she doesn't want. He'd rather believe that Sola knows her body more and is acting out as a responsible adult who would not put herself in a much worse state.