Saturday Morning

Renir woke up to the knocking of doors.

He opened his eyes and saw that Imee already entered.

Feeling more energetic than before, Renir rubbed his eyes and sat up to stretch.

Imee sat beside him, "You look more lively now. But, you're still skinny."

Renir still felt weak but fresh, nonetheless. After having a good sleep in this cozy environment, on top of that, a bed! It was inevitable for him to have a good rest which was forsaken to him, in his dream, at least.

When he became fully awake, his thoughts began to process and said, "It's still morning...", he puzzly looked at Imee since he thought she only comes after school.

"Today is Saturday.", Imee replied while looking around, "It's kind of dark here. Did you close the curtain?"

"Yep", Renir inwardly spoke to himself, 'I couldn't bear the moon looking at me in this world.', that was why he got back to sleep immediately after he closed the curtain.

But soon, he stared at Imee in her casual wear, 'Am I going blind? This is such a wonderful moment for me, being alone with this pretty girl... even yesterday, I was a bit cold to her.'

Imee wore skinny jeans reaching her navel that undoubtedly accentuating her curves beneath while wearing a sleeveless blouse with frills on her chest. It showed her shoulder having smooth white skin.

Instead of a school bag like yesterday, she brought a small sky blue shoulder bag.

Imee always comes here with the curtain open for two weeks straight that she felt a little weird. So she stood up and opened the curtain to reveal the sun above the neighborhood.

When sunlight reached his eyes, Renir was engrossed by it, almost forgetting about Imee. He stood up by her and opened the window to feel the cold breeze.

"So fresh~ you didn't even open the air conditioner.", Imee cheerfully complained as she rolled her eyes to him.

Renir looked like a child that saw Disneyland for the first time. The dawn showered them with soft sunlight that kept Renir's eyes fine even after directly watching the sun.

"The sun...", Renir whispered.

While immersed in the sight of sunrise, Imee was immersed in the sight of Renir.

Renir gave a smile full of satisfaction and joy. Escaping despair with hope, his mind was filled with ecstasy.

He felt he could overcome any challenge with a brand new day.

"Did you dream about something?", Imee could only come up with that question, yet, hit a bullseye.

"No, it was a nightmare.", Renir failed to see Imee's eyes stuck to him while he just gazed at the rising sun with fascination, "But it wasn't a bad nightmare."

"A good nightmare?", Imee was confused, it was kind of a paradox, 'Is this a riddle?', she thought.

"Oh", Renir remembered something and turned to Imee. Imee in turn panicked and abruptly avoid his gaze and stared at the sun as if that was where she was staring at the whole time, "Even though it's Saturday, it still didn't justify why came here so early."

And it just came back to him, 'Oh, why am I asking for a reason? She helped me by a lot, I should let her for a while, so not to be rude...'

But he cannot take his question back.

"Ahh-- that...", Imee felt embarrassed earlier since her panic was obvious and now, it was more embarrassing to say the reason so her face turned slightly red, "I come here during my free time."

"Every... free time?", Renir tilted his head.

Imee nodded.

'Is this girl in love with me?', just this thought put butterflies in his stomach but shrugged it off, 'But I can't see her falling in love me. I'm not dense, just insecure.'

Renir said to that to his past self. Even if he doesn't have the looks, he can still stand confident as he is. Even if Gantlet was just a dream, he did change.

He wanted to ask why but kept it to himself. If he kept pushing the question, it will definitely come up as rude.

Imee was suddenly in a hotspot in the fresh air so she changed the subject, "How's the check-up last night? Are you ready to leave now?"

"The check-up was moved this day. They said it was this morning but didn't tell me what exact time.", although the sight of the landscape was beautiful to behold, Renir felt cold and closed the window.

The wind was becoming scary because Renir just remembered he had no underwear right that moment and just wearing a patient's gown.

'So this is what it felt like for girls who wore a skirt.', Renir sat down and blushed like a damsel.

"It's already 8:46, maybe they will inform you sooner.", Imee sat down beside Renir. Not on the chair near the bed, but on that exact bed.

'No! There is no way she likes me! We are mostly just childhood friends!', Renir inwardly nodded, 'Right, a childhood friend.'

He was so stubborn to himself since he had experienced being heartbroken many times and having hope for love which was immediately crushed!

Renir was seventeen already and had passed that phase of puberty. He had long decided he will never assume love until he was someone who was capable of earning it.

That was when another knock on the door which the young male nurse entered and saw the romantic scene, a couple watching the sunrise that even made him skip a beat, 'Oh darn, young love. I wish I had that and I wish I didn't interrupt.', an awkward smile was forced into him.

"Sir Ennure, it's time for your check-up.", the young nurse walked to Renir, lending a hand to support him. He also wanted to see if Renir would need a cane or he needed a wheelchair.

Renir shook his head and stood by himself. He didn't even need a cane. After being in a coma for two weeks, any person should've been weakened. This is true for Renir, he was still weak. However, back in Gantlet, even if he had no energy to use, he had to protect himself. This much is nothing that Renir didn't even give it a thought.

Because of this, it was hard for Renir to deny that nightmare as being a reality, but couldn't prove it either way.

The nurse just stood confused but Renir looked lively enough so he must not really need assistance so the nurse led them to the doctor who Renir thought was just a nurse at first.

Imee waited in the waiting area as Renir entered the doctor's office.

Renir saw the lady "nurse" from last night wore a white coat and had a stethoscope on her neck while wearing glasses.

'So she really is a doctor...', Renir was being sarcastic to humor himself but failed. He wasn't a thick-headed stereotypical person. But if he saw a masked person holding a knife on the left hand then a gun on the right, he would run away without a second thought.

An hour and a half passed for the thorough check-up but for Renir, he felt like a suspect being investigated and interviewed.

The doctor was more confused as he was since they couldn't determine the exact cause of the coma and why Renir was healthier than expected. But since there wasn't any threat to Renir's health, he was let go.

He was advised to rest and eat a lot for the next whole week to be sure.

But before Renir could leave the office, the lady doctor asked, "But wait a minute, although this seemed irrelevant, we may find a clue here. Why are you only in your underwear in the abandoned church?"

This was just her question but in the doctor's mind, it was different, 'This is definitely bullying. I'll make him confess and bring this to the authorities. This is too much! They bullied him until he was put in a coma?!'

Renir froze, 'In my underwear...', his heart racing as he asked, "Am I wearing a white jacket?", what he had in mind was completely out of the doctor's imagination.

"White jacket...", the doctor frowned, "No, you were brought here in your underwear. I don't believe our staff would undress you before bring you in here."

"Oh", Renir's thoughts pop like bubbles. When he thought that the bullies removed his clothes and humiliated him after leaving him unconscious, he was bridled in fury.

However, that immediately vanished since he had no proof and revenge was something he didn't want to be bothered with, at the moment.

"Do you know why?", the doctor pushed the subject. She wasn't a generous person to help anybody in need but she was just a person in favor of justice. Unless Renir will open up to her, she will not help him.

"No", Renir shrugged. He truly didn't know this time.

The doctor sighed as she nodded and let Renir leave. He was discharged from the hospital and could leave today.

But when he left, he inwardly sighed, 'Where am I going to sleep tonight if I left?'

He went back and met Imee who was waiting in the hallway. He told her that he could leave now and talked to her about the results until they came back to the room.

When they came back to Renir's hospital room, Imee took out some clothes wrapped in plastic. Renir failed to notice she brought something other than her bag when she entered earlier.

Renir wondered why she was showing off her brand new clothes to him. But much to his surprise, Imee said;

"No, it's not mine, it's yours!", she handed it to him.

Renir was conflicted. If he denies it, it was turning down goodwill to him and in turn, make Imee dejected, but if he accepted, it will become too much!

But soon, he decided to take it and said, "I will definitely repay you in the future.", Imee was about to laugh and tell him he doesn't need to, but in the next moment, she just froze and gazed upon Renir's smile towards her as he said in an affectionate tone, "Thank you."

It was too unexpected...

The memory from 5th grade when Imee first met Renir flashed in front of her eyes. The sweet smile with pure intentions she didn't know she needed, but now, she knew she wanted it.

"O-oh", she combed her hair and turned her head around and said, "Goodluck on that. That's expensive...", her eyes rolled to him and saw him happily looking at the clothes gifted to him and when he noticed the gaze, Imee turned around and left, saying, "You changed into that first. I'll wait outside."

"Sure", Renir nodded and changed. When he looked beneath the clothes given to him, he stared baffled, 'Even shoes?!'

Renir never felt so indebted to someone.

He changed into it while his face blushed that he let a girl buy his underwear, 'Do her parents know about this?', he just realized he almost knew nothing about her.

Renir finished and looked at the mirror in the bathroom. It wasn't large enough to show his entire attire but just being comfy in it was enough for him. Although a little big for him, he remembered he became skinny now.

But he didn't worry, he will put back his weight.

When he got outside, Imee felt proud of her fashion sense.

Renir wore a marine blue checkered polo that was short-sleeved. Black jean beneath that was supposed to be skinny but Imee underestimated Renir's size so it looked like normal jeans. And the shoes were a perfect fit, pairing the color to his polo.

Renir looked younger in style.

"I got the sizes from your medical records, don't misunderstand, okay?", Imee widened her eyes to him.

"Well, of course. I wouldn't think you measured me yourself.", Renir joked.

"Yes"