38 Vindictive

[Adrian's POV]

12:23 AM

It was lunch break, and Adrian sat beside Johan at the pantry, waiting for an update from his mother, and waiting for Rhia before he travelled north.

He's been given a time-off for today's schedule and a paid vacation leave until Friday. Surprisingly, despite the tension between him and Diego, their department head regarded him with professionalism and offered sympathy for his brother's condition.

"You need to eat." Johan pushed his lunch box towards him. Its contents were still intact, but Adrian grimaced upon seeing the crack in the lid.

Shaking his head, Adrian pushed it back to its owner. "I don't really have an appetite right now, Han."

"Please?" Johan insisted, removing the cracked lid and handing him the utensils. "If you're planning to travel to Alaminos, you need strength. So eat before I shove it down your throat, Adrian."

The threat brought a slight smile to his face. Adrian had witnessed Johan express different emotions for the past few weeks. And it's refreshing to see the face he'd pull when he's threatening a biometric door lock.

Taking the offered spoon, Adrian asked, "What about you?"

"I have snacks." Johan lifted a store-bought cheese bread to his mouth, smiling as he chewed. He adjusted the chair closer, bumping his knee against him, and the skip of Adrian's legs stopped at the subtle gesture.

"Okay, Han." Adrian forced himself to eat. "Thanks."

Johan's cooking was tasty as always, but Adrian still found it hard to swallow. He should be with his family right now. If it's up to him, he'd travel right away after his mother's call. But she begged him repeatedly not to rush, fearing he might also get into an accident with his reckless driving.

Adrian lifted the spoon to his mouth, but paused upon seeing familiar faces from the smoking area, giving them stares two tables away. He feared the attention would drive Johan off. Call him selfish, but he needed Johan's presence by his side more than ever.

Thankfully, it didn't.

Chancing a glance to his side, Johan continued chewing. He had an unreadable face, guarded. But his eyes were narrowed, meeting the stares head on.

"Han." Adrian jostled his knee. "Stop that."

"Don't mind me." Johan opened a bottle of iced tea. "Focus on yourself. This is my battle."

"You know I'll be gone for a while, right? Please don't give me something to be worried about."

Johan turned his head to face him, and his expression softened into a smile. "It's sweet of you to be worried, Adrian. But you're worrying yourself needlessly thinking I'm something you need to protect." His eyes lasered back in front. "But I am not. I've told you before. I can take care of myself."

After Johan picked a fight earlier, it came to his understanding how grievous it would be if they were found out. Not only because they're both guys, but also because he's still in a relationship with Rhia.

Their world became smaller.

"Babe?"

Adrian looked up from his chair as Rhia approached him, damp hair hung loosely at her back.

"I've read your message about Aaron," Rhia said as she circled her arms around his neck, burying his face in her chest, rubbing his shoulder with comforting hands. "Sorry I wasn't able to answer your call. I was already asleep."

A hand squeezed his forearm. Johan flashed a small smile and stood. "I'll leave you both to each other."

"Thank you, Johan."

"Sure."

Adrian watched as Johan sauntered out of the pantry area, leaving a ghost of a touch on his skin.

"You should have gone straight to our house though." Rhia pulled the chair Johan vacated and sat beside him. "Given the situation, my parents would understand."

Rhia was right. But after a hysterical conversation with his mother over the phone, the first person he sought for comfort was Johan, and not her, something he couldn't understand.

Or maybe he does. It's just. The complication of making a choice at this moment was off. It's the last thing he needed to think about. Yet, it's a pressing matter he has to attend to, inevitably.

Adrian put an arm around Rhia's waist, and she shifted closer to provide the comfort she could give. She did. But a huge difference was there.

After a while, Johan walked back to the pantry. Their eyes met, and the sight of him immediately filled the gaping hole in his heart. His fingers twitched when Johan gave another encouraging smile before he looked down and disappeared into the male's restroom.

His phone vibrated on the table, and Adrian jolted. With a shaking hand, he snatched the device and answered his mother's call, apprehensive as he pulled away from Rhia. "Hello, Mom?"

There's a shaky sigh from her line, and he didn't know if it's out of relief or resignation. Adrian held his breath. "Your brother's alive," she paused. "But he's still not stable."

Back slumping to the cold metal chair, Adrian's throat constricted and tears brimmed his eyelids. Rhia huddled close to him, trying to listen to the conversation. And Johan reappeared from the bathroom, settling across from him.

"Aaron may need more blood transfusion," Adelia said.

His brother received a shot to his liver and right shoulder. While the bullet missed a major artery, he still lost a lot of blood.

"The blood bank only had one B-negative left. I'm not eligible to donate because of my hepatitis history. And neither are your younger siblings."

Adrian pushed himself up. The spoon and fork on the half-empty lunch box clattered to the table. "I'm going now. I'll take my bike, whatever you say—"

"Calm down, honey. Please listen to me."

"But, Mom—"

"Listen." Adelia's voice was stern. "Take the provincial bus like we agreed, okay? You'll still make it as long as you're here before noon. And if possible, find another donor if you can just to be sure."

The call ended with Adrian slumping back in the chair. He grabbed Rhia's waist. "Will you come with me, Babe? Your blood type is B, right?"

"B-positive, Babe." Shit. It's not compatible. Rhia looked around. "And I'm not sure if Quinn will allow a sudden leave."

"Can't you just go whether she allows it or not?" Johan suddenly asked, grabbing his lunch box. "Even if you're not donating blood, I think they could use an emotional support."

Rhia shook her head. "It's not that easy at this point in time. We have high workload volumes. We even have mandatory—"

"And that's more important?" Johan's voice had a sharp edge that made both of them jump. Adrian scowled, but he pointed behind them. "How about you ask that woman now?"

Rhia looked stunned but turned to see Quinn walking to the pantry. "I'm going to try." She waved a hand in the air. "Ma'am Quinn!"

Heels clacked as she walked, Quinn approached their table wreathing with authority. Her features were sharp. Red highlights streaked her shoulder-length black hair. "What is it, Rhia?"

"Uhm." Rhia hesitated, but Johan gave an encouraging look and grabbed the fork. "Can I take a leave from work today?"

Quinn glanced at her golden wristwatch. "What's the company rule for leave application?"

She gulped. "A week before the leave date? But—"

"And you have less than three hours before your shift." Quinn put her hands at the back of her waist. "What is your reason for the sudden leave?"

"It's Adrian's brother," Johan interjected when Rhia hesitated again, eyes cast low. "He's in a hospital in Alaminos."

"That's quite far." Quinn tilted her head down to regard Adrian. He's only worked under her supervision, but he knew how terrifying she could be. "Sorry to hear, Guevarra. But since you're an immediate family, I think Diego can take care of it, no?"

"He already let me off from work, Ma'am," Adrian said. He squeezed Rhia's waist. "It's okay if you can't go, Babe. I underst—"

"Why can't you just let her take a leave?" The sharpness in Johan's voice was back again. And Adrian didn't like where the conversation was going.

"Because she's not an immediate family." Quinn flipped her hair to the side and straightened her back, stern eyes looking down at Johan before shifting to Rhia and him. "As far as I could remember, you two are not married yet, right?"

"Doesn't mean you can't give an exception considering the situation," Johan butted again and crossed his legs in his seat.

"Why? Is the brother dying?"

Adrian's breath hitched at the same time Johan casually pointed the fork at Quinn. As if he's handing it to her. With Rhia clutching his arm, Adrian could not stop Johan's next move.

"No one's dying." Johan stood, eyes glazed like that he got mad at him in the kitchen. "But I hope you drop dead for asking my friend such an insensitive question."

Several heads turned, and the chatters at the pantry dropped. Everyone held their breath, including Adrian. He knew Quinn was the former head of their department before Diego, but he's got no clue what kind of work-relationship Johan had with her.

If Johan's rude towards Diego, he's tenfold vindictive towards Quinn.

"Excuse me?" Quinn sneered as she strode towards Johan, the click of her heels slicing through the sudden silence. "Are you referring to me?"

"No, I'm referring to the floor. Are you dumb?" was Johan's sarcastic retort before grabbing his broken lunch box, shaking his head. "Seriously, many people are pissing me off today."

"I see you still have a sharp tongue, Fernandez."

Johan spun and pointed the fork at Quinn. "How about you watch your tongue first before you comment about mine?" He gave her a stare from head to toe. "Bitch."

Adrian trailed Johan with his eyes as he pushed through the double glass door and walked out of the pantry, leaving Quinn humiliated in the middle of the crowd. Snapping out of his petrified daze, he gently peeled Rhia's hands on him and followed Johan to the locker area.

"Han?"

Johan slammed his locker, gaze sharp, but his expression softened upon seeing him.

Adrian approached and put a hand on his shoulder, his trembles seeping through his fingers. "You okay, Han?"

"If Rhia can't come with you." Johan looked up, grasping his upper arm. "I can go in her place. I'm a universal donor. I can give blood to your brother."