Friendship

After being interrogated like that by her brother, Catherine didn't feel less heartened nor offended. On the contrary, she answered her brother's question in a gleeful tone.

"I've been to the tea shop, in the usual spot. I meet someone that became my friend. It was a fun experience."

Seeing his sister's mood escalated to the highest while talking about her newly found friend, Hendrix just sighed and muttered indescribable words. After calming down, he asked her a question in a lazy and laid back manner.

"How's my condition?"

"You didn't ask for a Doctor?"

"I've woken up a minute before you opened the door."

"Oh… I see." Catherine put down the food on the table at the corner of the room and grabbed the stethoscope and her coat which she left on the sofa before heading out.

She went to check her brother's vitals and after confirming that everything was alright, she gave her brother a brief report on his health. Hendrix just nodded in understanding before closing his eyes once more. Catherine, seeing her brother's closed eyes and eyebrows wrinkled in dissatisfaction, walked out of the room with a sigh and went to the information desk to update them of her brother's statistics.

She went back to the room and saw Hendrix in the same position when she left him. She silently walked to the table to prepare the food she brought and arranged the table for Hendrix.

"Brother… Have some food first." Catherine lightly wakes up her brother and help him sit comfortably before pushing the table towards his bed. Hendrix, still half awake, just nodded and accepted the spoon Catherine handed to him. Catherine carefully guided him, giving him water to drink first after being awake.

"Did you cook?" Hendrix asked as soon as he started eating.

"No. I don't have the time to cook, Maybe next time. It's just a takeout from the tea shop I've been to earlier." Catherine handed him a napkin.

"You don't seem very busy to me. You even have time to go out and drink tea. Not to mention you've said you made friends." Hendrix rebutted.

Hearing her brother's words, Catherine just rolled her eyes and didn't answer. Hendrix, who didn't hear a response, did not mind at all and continued to eat in silence.

Catherine, having remembered something asked in a curious tone. "What happened with you, Brother? How come you've got stab wounds?"

Hendrix, who was just about to drink some water stopped for a moment before continuing silently. It was only when he finished eating the food did he looked at Catherine seriously and replied.

"I was ambushed."

Catherine, who was shocked, stood up from her seat. "Huh? You were what?"

"Someone wanted to assassinate me. I was ambushed during my journey from York to Grandshire." Hendrix rubbed his temples when recalling that scene.

"Who would do this to you? Do father knows about this? Has the culprit been identified?" Catherine inquired with concern printed all over her face. Hendrix felt a headache hearing his sister's endless question. He signalled her to stop talking and Catherine suppressed her curiosity with difficulty.

"Even if I suppress the news, it would still reach Father's. the social circle must be talking about it now. I don't know who would have done it. It must be those who are jealous of me. Worry not, sister." Hendrix appeared to be nonchalant, but Catherine could see his knuckles turning white from grasping the blanket hard. Anger burned in his eyes.

Catherine just sigh and held up his hands, Hendrix turned to him after looking at the white jade hands holding his own.

"Everything's gonna be fine, Brother."

Having calmed down from Catherine's words, Hendrix hastily grabbed his hands while rolling his eyes while looking away. It was maybe from the embarrassment that he could not look directly in her eyes, or maybe it was his pride as a man that did not allow him to accept the feeling of being comforted by a woman, his sister nonetheless.

"Don't you have work to do?" Hendrix changed off the topic.

Catherine, having her hands yanked off by her brother, didn't answer right away, she cleaned up the disposable box container before replying.

"I've taken half a day off. You should call the butler or someone to take care of you. I can't just take consecutive days off to take care of you."

"Nah... I rather not. If you're inconvenient during the day, why don't you take me to your place and let me rest there." Catherine looked at him with an indescribable expression.

"Do you really hate being seen as a weak girl so much? Wouldn't it matter? your incident is all over the newspaper, it'll be fine since they know what happened to you." Catherine sigh. In turn, Hendrix only cussed in an annoyed tone.

"It's not that I don't like to be seen weak. I just don't like how Mother reacts and act like I've been incapacitated. Having maids follow me all the time, I wouldn't be at peace."

Catherine fell into silence for a moment and only she replied when she thinks things through. "Fine. But just this once. There will be no next time."

"Hmm."

After a long talk about countless topics, the two went to sleep. Before the rays of the sunrise, Catherine wakes up. She first checks her brother and after making sure he was fine, she went to take a bath and brushed her teeth. Having forgotten to go back home for a change of clothes, she just uses her spare clothes. As she walked out of the bathroom, she saw Hendrix sitting on the bed half-awake.

"pttf…" hearing a burst of muffled laughter, Hendrix turn to his side to see his sister looking at him while her hand covering her mouth and laughing too hard, her face went red.

"What are you laughing at?" Hendrix asked curiously.

"If those socialites who are very infatuated with you, saw you in this state, they would be scared to death." Catherine commented with laughter.

Hendrix glared at Catherine for a few seconds before he rolled his eyes.

"Are you awake now? Shall I help you go to the bathroom?" Catherine asks changing the topic while holding Hendrix's arms. Hendrix, in turn just shakes his head in annoyance, indicating "no" for an answer.

Catherine nodded in understanding the intention. "By the way, there is breakfast to be delivered for patients. Just eat that for today, I'll take it out for dinner later. Any particulars?"

"Any meat dishes will do." Hendrix answered before walking to the bathroom.

"Take care." After saying those words, she didn't wait for her brother's reply before Catherine then went up to the employee's room to get ready for the day.

The atmosphere when she entered was a complete contrast to the usual atmosphere she was used to. The nurses' gaze was different too, some were envious, admiration, while others, it was jealous. She just sighed and went up to her locker when some of the nurses started to group around her and asked many questions.

"Hey, Cathy, Can you introduce me to your brother?"

"How old is he? Is he married?"

"What kind of girls does he likes? A smart one? Pretty one?"

Catherine smiled awkwardly at the question. "Ah, please. Everyone, Let's leave my brother alone. His marriage is not that simple."

"Why not?"

"You're so lucky to have a brother like him."

Catherine just sighed and gave everyone an excuse about her brother. "You guys, My brother's engaged. He's not available."

"Ahhh.. how sad."

"The girl must be a noble too, right?"

"How lucky. Nobles really had it simple, right?"

Catherine listened to the woes with a heavy heart. She has no choice but to say a lie that her brother is engaged, or else, they'll be swooning over her for information. Worse, she becomes a bridge for them. Catherine shakes her to straighten her thoughts and went back to work.

The day at the hospital is always tiresome, but satisfying. Especially when a patient fully recovers and got to go out, at least for Catherine. Some of the nurses are complaining about the long working hours. After a long day, Catherine went to the information desk, checked some details regarding Hendrix's records. After a while, she went to the room. There, she saw Hendrix holding a book, reading, wearing eyeglasses in a sitting position in the bed. Hendrix raised his head after hearing the opening of the door.

"Your shift is done?"

"Yes."

Catherine looked at him for a while before saying. "Pack up. Earlier, I went to the desk to inquire about your status and the records show you can opt for release."

"I see. That's good news then." Hendrix put down the book and went to the bathroom to change. After a few minutes, Hendrix emerges from the bathroom in clean clothes. Catherine contemplated for a moment before asking.

"Do you really want to stay with me?"

Hendrix looked at her pensively "But, of course. Didn't I already told you I'll be staying with you for a while."

"Fine. But don't complain about the place." Catherine warned.

"I won't. Really." Hendrix chuckled as a response. He went towards where Catherine is standing to help her pack. After making sure nothing is left, the two exited the room and walked towards the exit. During the walk, a few nurses glanced at them then sighed and leave, Hendrix didn't mind them as he was so long used to it.

On the other hand, Catherine, who suddenly remembered what she said a while ago about her brother being engaged, blushed and looked away in embarrassment. Hendrix noticed her weird actions and asked in a curious tone.

"What are you thinking? Why are you blushing like a ripen tomato?"

Catherine denied immediately "It's nothing."

"Really?" Hendrix raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Really."Catherine nodded repeatedly as an exaggerated expression. Hendrix, not getting the answer he wanted, ignored her and walked faster towards the door. It was only seeing her brother reached the pathway outside did she breathe in relief. Seeing yet again another weird action on Catherine, Hendrix just rolled his eyes and ignored her. Catherine smiled sheepishly for her actions and said.

"Maybe later when we get home, I'll tell you about it."

"Suit yourself" and another silence. Catherine then hailed a cab for them. It took almost thirty minutes before they got one. It was understandable, it was 5'oclock in the evening, the streets are bustling with people getting off from work and planning for things to do for the rest of the night. As for Catherine, it was to take care of her Injured brother. Yes, an injured one.

Inside the cab, after settling her brother comfortably and saying the address to the driver, she asked him about something.

"Brother, what would you want for dinner? Should I go and order take out?"

Hendrix looked at her before replying. "You cook. I feel nauseous after eating take-outs for consecutive days."

Catherine thought deeply for a moment about her place being empty of food before responding to him. "Okay. But we'll have to go to the market first. I only have limited repertoire in the apartment."

"I never knew you've learned how to buy foods from the market itself, I'm impressed. You've really grown up." Hendrix complimented.

"I just learned it from the landlady of the building I'm staying with. I went once with her to the market and picked up ways of how to." Catherine replied while writing something in a small notebook in her hands.

Curiously, Hendrix took a glance and asked. "What are you doing?"

Catherine replied. "Listing things. Are Beef Stew and Roasted Cauliflower okay for you?"

"It's alright." Hendrix glanced at the outside once more.

The ride was fine. It only took half an hour to reach the apartment from the hospital. Mrs Lin, who saw Catherine with another guy, questioned her about it and Catherine hastily replied that it was only temporary and introduced the man as her brother. Having figured out the situation, Mrs Lin agreed and left them. The two went upstairs and walked to the door at the end of the hallway. Catherine opened it and told Hendrix to enter first as she would go and get the luggage downstairs.

Hendrix, who was left alone, walked inside slowly and looked around. Nodding to no one in particular, he went to the sofa and sat down. Seeing Catherine was back with two big bags in hand, he commented.

"This place of yours, It's not bad. Although it looks shabby, it is still habitable."

Catherine was speechless to her brother's words. She only rolled her eyes in a dismissal manner and ignored him. After arranging the bags in the bedroom, she walked to the living room and faced Hendrix.

"I'm going to the market to buy some food and necessities for you. Help yourself." Catherine then walked off and left.

Hendrix, being left alone to fend himself, stands up and went to a bookshelf near the bedroom door. He scanned the book lying on it and realize it was all the book he sent to Catherine after she runoff. It was her medical books and such. Grabbing a random book, he went back to the chair he sat on earlier and started reading, passing time.