Chapter 66

Even with his child's mental state, he's very good at defusing the situation…

"Yes, yes. Remember when I told you guys about Knife Agency?"

"Ohhh. Why didn't you recognize them earlier?"

"Ah, I did recognize them but I didn't know if I should call Blake: Sir, Blake, Mentor, or Teacher. He just wasn't showing any emotion."

Blake's stoic expression cracked and his face turned shamed and friendly.

"Charlie, are you feeling discomfort anywhere?"

"No, I'm happy."

"You're… happy?"

"You're happy in the hospital?"

Blake whispered to John,

"Didn't you say hospitals were the worst?"

"Yea, they're the worst. I don't understand why he's happy. The food is horrible."

I sweat-dropped. It's not even that bad… It's just bland.

"It's because Mimi is here."

Isn't he being a little too cheesy now? Is this how children talk?

Oh wait, it is how children talk.

He still wasn't letting go of the hug but no way I'm complaining.

The black-haired man coughed.

"Charlie, are you two dating?"

He tilted his head.

"Dating…"

"No. We're not."

Yet.

He nodded.

"We're not dating."

We nodded at each other.

"Not dating."

"Not dating."

They both looked at each other.

"You don't need to lie, it's not as if dating is bad. Rather, I think Natsumi, you would become a fine addition to our list of partners. You've got a very interesting personality and your foreign beauty would be very attractive and charming. With training similar to what Charlie goes through, you'd be the perfect couple in no time."

I frowned.

"Excuse me? Knife Agency?"

"Ye—"

"Not interested."

He was slightly taken aback. They both looked at me confused.

"Alright."

They nodded.

They both slightly bowed,

"If you have a change of mind, please contact us."

I bowed back.

Standard Eastern Asian customs. I'm surprised they respect the traditions.

"Thank you."

"So, Charlie. At what time did you wake up?"

"Uhhhh…"

"It was a few hours ago. He's ate and done his homework now."

They nodded and smiled in gratitude.

"Do you have any idea what's going on with Charlie? He seems… a little… interesting to say the least."

I beamed at Charlie while reclining on his body.

Hehe, I'm feeling butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

"I don't want to make any dangerous or important assumptions, but what I've seen so far he's… regressed in mental age?"

They both began coughing and slapping each other's backs.

"Blake, what'd you do to him, dude?"

I stood up with anger in my heart. What sort of training did they do to put him in a two-day coma?

"Hey, what'd you do to Charlie?!"

I yelled.

The young black-haired man frowned at me.

Staring back, I frowned even harder at their lack of an answer.

"All of what we've done has been in accordance with Charlie's capabilities and talents. Rather, he's jumped leaps and bounds with his outstanding capacity. To not push Charlie to his staggering limits would be an insult to my work ethic, creed, humanity, nature, the heavens, and the gods."

He looked back at John.

"We were going through one of our lessons when I explained to him my mantra of life. Charlie blanked out and fell on the floor right after. He showed no signs of lethargy or infirmity for weeks on weeks. I am fully aware of the difficulty of our sessions, and therefore I verify and take notes throughout our every minute together on his health. To me, Charlie is more than just someone I am taking care of. He is my good friend. I wish the best for him."

My anger dissipated.

"I apologize,"

He waved his hand,

"No need. We need to figure out what's wrong and how to get Charlie back. With his absolute talent, we'd still have time to get him back to International level even with all his progress gone; but I'd rather avoid that situation.."

He looked tenderly at Charlie's situation, probably blaming himself for what's happened.

"What was the mantra that was so drastic..?"

"I am unable to say. If Charlie reacts like he did last time I don't want to see what would happen this time in his current debilitated and tender condition."

We nodded.

"Talent without hard work is nothing; you become the greatest version of yourself when in humility!"

Charlie from behind me yelled and tightened his hold on my body.

I looked back at Charlie and saw his innocent eyes looking at Blake, begging for praise.

Blake's eyes widened and he rushed towards Charlie.

"He's… not fainting?"

That's his mantra?

I nodded.

Pretty good way of life.

"I'm okay, Blake. My brain just feels a little tingly." He gave a thumbs up.

We all looked towards each other.

"Your brain feels tingly?"

"Yeah, just a little. Like there's—"

His mouth stopped moving and he blanked out.

"Wait, wait wait. Don't move. It seems like his senses are being overloaded."

Blake whispered.

"What do you mean overloaded?"

"I don't know, just look at him."

"It happened last time. I asked him about his memories and I was scared to death when he did this exact same thing."

"Every time we mention something related to what happened he completely stops."

Charlie's eyes returned to normal and he stared at us happily.

"Hi!"

What just happened?

"Hi, Charlie."

"Mimi, you should call me Chuchu."

"Chuchu?"

"Yes, yes. I liked the nickname."

He gave us a gummy smile and grabbed my hands. I— Why are you looking at me like your older sister? Have I been sister-zoned already?

From the corner of my eye, I saw John and Blake smile at each other.

"Stop smiling or I'll kill you."

They were spooked out of their teasing smiles and turned serious.

"Mimi?"

"It's nothing Chuchu. By the way, do you feel anything else in your body apart from the tingly feeling?"

He giggled the moment I mentioned the word 'tingly'.

He's so cute. I want to put him in my pocket and keep him there forever.

"No, no."

"What about your legs? Can you still walk?"

"Charlie hasn't walked this whole time…"

"Could it be possible the brain damage also damaged something connecting to his spinal cord in turn severing his leg connection?"

"No way. I think he just doesn't want to stand up."

He got out of bed and stood up next to me.

Aw, I can't pat his head that easily now…

He pointed at himself with a tilt of a head. There it is again. That motion looks way too practiced; too perfect to be natural.

"You mean me?"

"Yes, you Charlie."

"I can walk."

"Oooh, okay."

"Walking will help you recover quicker."

"Hmm."

Charlie began walking around in a motion you wouldn't expect from a guy who's age has reverted to a little kid's.

If I wasn't used to Charlie's constant exuding charm by now, I'd probably have a quickly beating heart just by watching him strut around.

Why does it only come like this? It's like something's controlling and switching on and off his manliness or whatever thing it is that attracts people.

So confusing.

"Can I go to the gym with Mimi?"

"No, Charlie. You have to rest."

He looked down.

"Mmm, okay. It's getting late now Mimi, you should go."

I pat his back,

"I'll be back tomorrow."

He looked up at me and smiled.

…

…

…

"Annyeonghaseyo, Konnichiwa, Ni hao, Kumusta, Namaste, Halo, Salaam, Mimi!"

"Hullo, Chuchu."

He grabbed my hands and looked at me with those sister-zoning eyes.

"What'd you do today?"

"Classes again… nothing much after, though. The others are coming soon, they're getting some coffee first though."

In truth, they did want to get some coffee but did it as a way to tease me about having my own alone time with Charlie.

I left my backpack on the floor next to his bed.

"What was the first class?" He tilted his head.

Ah, so interested in my classes?

"Literature."

"And then?"

So curious…

"Physics."

He clapped.

"And then?"

…

"Yes, yes. Those were the classes I had today. How'd you wake up today? Are you still feeling fine?"

"Mhm!" He nodded very furiously as if his life depended on it. "I woke up and the sky was blue and cold, and then I waited for you to come!"

I raised my eyebrows.

He waited the entire morning up till now for me?

"I'm sorry for not coming earlier in the morning."

I'll wake up early in the morning just to see you before school…

"It's okay!" He gave me a thumbs up. "The nurse gave me something to watch! She's nice."

I scrunched my eyebrows. A nurse? She gave you something to watch?

"What'd she give you?"

"Mmm… Well she gave me my phone. The doctors said not to use the phone yesterday since my brain might be sensitive but since I showed no reactions it was fine for me to use it."

I nodded at him and looked down at his hands still holding mine.

I released one hand and grabbed his phone on the desk.

Opening the phone, I immediately went to the contact section and deleted the Nurse's number.

"Ah… she told me she put the phone number if anything happens."

"Why's her name 'Wifey' with hearts?"

He widened his eyes.

"It's like that?"

"Mm, she was trying to trick you. Don't listen to tricksters, okay? Chuchu."

She probably watched that one rom-com show where the female lead nurse gets with a handsome ill flower boy heir of a conglomerate.

As if I'll let you, witch.

He grabbed my hand tighter.

Idiot looking at me with those sisterzoning eyes…

Sigh.

"Sit."

He scooted and gave me space to sit next to him on the bed.

"By the way, you've got lots of notifications on your phone. You should answer them."

I handed him his phone and pulled the blanket over our legs.

"Un, okay."

We looked over at his most recent notifications.

(KazPiano: Hey Charlie. I heard about your accident dude. I hope you recover quickly!)

(Arlo has sent a post.)

(blacklily: get well soon Charlie!!!!)

(Rykun: Charlie, please get well soon.)

(Reed: charlie do u have ur phone)

(Abel, sent 3 attachments, : here r the answers for todays homework)

(Nat: chuchu get well soon)

Hehe. I forgot I changed my contact on his phone to be Nat.

I sent him the message for no reason at all knowing he wouldn't see it but it was just courtesy.

Yep.

That's all.

There were other messages from his family, our friend group, his streamer friends, and others. Weirdly, I recognized almost every single one of the contacts.

Am I stalker now?

Heh.

Instead of scrolling down to the other messages, he immediately clicked on mine once he saw it.

Eh?

So eager to see my message?

He typed: (Thank you.)

And turned back to me and waved with a cutie smile.

I smiled back at him.

"Cough."

"Gasp."

"Cough."

"Ahem."

"Don't mind us."

"Yep, yep."

"Keep going."

"Ah, why won't you guys shut up?"

"Why'd you have to talk? We were about to reach the good part."

"Idiots."

"Heh~ Already in the bed together."

"There's a weird smell coming from here."

"Smells kind of… adult like."

"Almost as if things older people did took place here."

"Ew, you guys are disgusting."

"We're talking about the smell of a hospital. What were you thinking, Elle?"

"Yeah, smells kind of adult like because mostly adults get hospitalized."

"Yeah, what were you thinking Elle?"

"What about 'things older people do?'"

"Aren't doctors older people? Are the patients older people? Aren't kids accompanied by older people?"

"Your mind is rotten, Tori."

"Shut the hell up."

"Either way, it looked like they were about to kiss. Why'd you guys have to talk?"

"I forgot girls at this age are obsessed with romance. Hais…"

"Stop acting like an old man. You're the youngest here."

"The shortest too."

"...I'm taller than average. It's not my fault you guys are giraffes."

"Don't worry. Shorter guys are sexier."

"Thanks man."

"Hey by the way, can Charlie drink coffee?"

"No way. He's like a little kid right now."

"How does that matter?"

"Yeah, how does it?"

"Just give him his coffee."

"Would you offer coffee to a small kid? No. You offer them milk."

"..."

"..."

"...Just because he suffered a little trauma and is recovering doesn't mean his physical body has gotten younger as well…"

"..."

"You're a menace to society. What if he starts jumping all around the room and runs like a little kid? How would you take responsibility? Trust me, I once gave coffee to my 6 years old and he wouldn't stop running around."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"I don't know. He looks even older than before."

"Ridiculous. Look at him he's so innocent and cute."

"Nah, he looks older or manlier or something I dunno what it is."

"That's because he's way sexier now."

"..."

"..."

"I have my doubts about you dudes being straight now."

"Don't worry, it's how the guys talk."

"...'It's how the guys talk', you talk as if we're the ones that spank each other's butts and touch each other."

"So you admit you watch us doing that?"

"No comment."

"You guys are too obvious and go around doing it as if you're not at school... Wait, wait, Irene, wait. I was joking, I was joking. Don't hit me."

"Are we giving Charlie his coffee or not?"

"It's not as if he won't taste coffee. Just give it to him?"

"Coffee? How's he going to taste coffee unless we give it to him?"

"Cuz Natsumi's also going to drink coffee."

"Ohhh. Good thinking."

"What's it mean?"

"..."

"Kiss."

"Ohhh…. Ohhhh!"

"See, girls are smarter in this aspect."

"You girls just think about them kissing and making out and romance show things."

"It's better than playing video games the whole day."

"Hey! Reed does that for a living."

"Actors get money for acting in shows too."

"..."

"...She's got a good point."

"Reed, you asshole. We all knew you were streaming but you'd never admit it."

"Wait, you guys did?"

"Yeah. I even gave you donations hinting that it was me."

"Me too, dude."

"Asshole."

"Prick."

"Forreal?! I never realized."

"Dumb in school, dumb in stream."

"Yeah man, you were getting all that bank and would always ask us to buy you your coffee."

"Ah… I was just trying to seem more lowkey…"

"..."

"I always gave you guys your money back too."

"True…"

"Yeah, true."

"Yea, sorry."

"Look, they're not even making out. This rom-com is getting boring."

"She even got out of the bed and sat on the stool. The actors are great though. Very realistic."

"This is real lif—"

"Don't talk. Just watch."

I awkwardly shifted in my seat at all of their combined stares.