THE CONFRONTATION

Mei held her head as a sudden wave of pain hit her. Hui closed in seeing her action, "Hey you alright?".

He met a face stained with blood and he could see a small trail of red making its way down from her forehead. Before he could act his eyes turned towards the beam of light that grew brighter.

He immediately picked her up from the ground, "I am sorry, I can explain my actions later but right now we need to get out of here." Her head was throbbing with pain leaving her no way to repulse his actions. He headed towards the parked jeep, laid her in the back seat and he sat behind the wheel. He turned on the engine and slowly drove towards the direction of the incoming vehicle. As he drove past the vehicle right around the curve, he ensured to obstruct his face view. He kept an eye through the rear-view mirror until they got farther away.

Mei slowly observed his actions. Her suspicion grew seeing his actions and she raised her guard up. He had just finished spying on the car and then he looked at her through the mirror, "Are you okay? I saw you in pain earlier."

She didn't respond and stared at him straight. Sensing her hostility, he slowly tried to talk her in, "My actions might have startled you earlier. Sorry about that, I had someone tailing me so…. it happened. I am sorry again if it made you comfortable."

He gave it a some thought and suddenly said, "Wait, don't you think I deserve an apology for my car? I am the one who almost died out there."

She glared at him and responded with a flat tone, "It should be more like your distractions pulled me into your messy business."

Was it the way she spoke or the way she glared, he looked at her for a moment more without uttering a word. It was then he saw the bandages again, he checked around the dashboard and the glove compartment for the first aid kit. As he pulled it out, he slowly pulled the car towards a safe side of the road.

He got down, opened the back door and sat inside right beside her. She turned and looked at him straight with an unreadable expression. He lifted the first aid kit to show her. He then reached out to help her dress her wounds. Mei pulled her head back as a reflex.

"I could handle it own my own. You could just hand it over to me."

He hesitated and tried convincing her, "I don't mind it-"

"I do" she cut him in straight.

"Now if you will" she held her hand out directing at the kit.

'She is quite stubborn for her condition' he thought as he handed over the kit to her.

He sat quietly as he watched her. She slowly tried to remove the bloodied bandages that stuck to her. She gritted her teeth not letting a sound out. Since her consciousness came in and out, she was having a hard time. Seeing her knit her eyebrows he intervened and helped her despite her opposition.

"I will leave as soon as I am done. So just don't struggle."

She held his hand with all her strength. He could feel the pressure she was exerting.

"I already told not to."

He got irritated and looked straight at her, "I have the upper hand despite my minor injuries here so, if I wanted to harm you, I would have done it long ago."

She felt sincerity in his words and slowly loosened her hands.

He slowly continued to assist with her dressing. The bandages were soaked in blood, he slowly removed them only to see a wound that was reopened. It seemed like a stitched wound.

He halted, "Is this a stitch wound?"

She didn't respond to his inquiry.

Seeing her silent he continued with his actions and notified in a commanding tone, "We will stop by at the nearby hospital."

Mei could feel that her body wasn't in a good condition either. As he bought it up, she had no intention of rejecting it.

He dressed her up and went back to the driver's seat. He switched on the engine and got back on the road.

It didn't take long for them to come across a clinic after descending the desolate mountain.

He parked the jeep and took her to the clinic.

*****

"Are you her guardian?", asked the nurse to Hui.

"Ye-"

"I am alone", cut in Mei not giving him even a chance to speak.