Hospital

Galant's lips thinned behind his layered mask. He was a little dizzy smelling the dense smell of medicine filling the hallway of the hospital that was already deserted, added with himself who felt squeezed with a monotonous white solid wall that was around him now.

Galant had promised that he would not come back here with Arghi after the cruel verdict on his best friend that quickly destroyed Arghi's life until he became like this to come back to the hospital. The white color of the exposed wall paint seemed to make Galant suffocate with the air thinning in his lung cavity, he let his eyes just stare at the end of the shoe from time to time. Waiting every second for a calmness that Galant hoped to come to him in his arms so he could get in there.

Galant's hand gripped the chair tightly, afraid that his anxiety would make him break into Arghi's treatment room and do things that made Arghi stay away from him. Galant should have been in the inpatient room by now to be by Arghi's side, clasping his hands and making him stronger, but he was a coward who couldn't get through the problem properly. Galant couldn't do any of that, he was no stronger than Arghi who still survived at this stage. Galant had never seen Arghi cry once after he was declared blind. He was stronger and Galant couldn't be as Arghi as he had always admired since childhood.

Galant took a rough breath to calm himself from the many problems that were increasingly squeezed, and his cowardice that was so domineering even to just enter the space where Arghi was, Galant felt unable. However, in the end, also Galant had to do it because no one would go in there. Galant no longer has a family, all of whom have left him along with Arghi. Likewise, Arghi no longer had anyone in his life when he was very small.

As Galant's courage began to gather little by little, Galant moved to the side of the door, taking a few drops of instant cleaning liquid on the bottle attached to the wall and rubbing it on the entire palm and back of his hand. He took his breath and exhaled violently.

Galant opened the door with the tip of his foot, then began to step in along with Galant's heartbeat which was increasingly spurring fast until Galant had to blink several times to normalize it again so that he could speak properly to Arghi later. Galant's eyes found Arghi staring straight at him making Galant's shoulders stiffen even more with that gaze. However, he regained his limp when he realized that Arghi wasn't looking at him and recalled the fact that Arghi hadn't seen Galant.

Galant silently let his eyes wander and stood in the same place and did not budge to immediately approach Arghi there, Galant's lips tightly locked not letting out a word to Arghi. His heart rumbled as Galant increasingly wanted to break the silence between them.

Galant observed Arghi losing weight, his cheeks worn with thick eye bags. The white bandage that tied Arghi's head sank behind his slightly elongated hair. Galant blames himself for his inattention, he's busy with himself without knowing what his own best friend's condition is.

"Arghi?" Galant didn't know his voice would sound rough like this because his throat was dry, whereas Galant didn't mean it at all. He just wants existence to let Arghi know that what's coming is Galant, not someone else.

Arghi did not seem surprised by Galant's presence in the room, making Galant feel a sense of relief and it also seemed that Arghi had learned that he was the one who came from the beginning instead of the doctor. Galant almost faltered as he stepped to Arghi's side and stood stiffly. Doubts flashed as he wanted to open his voice back, but Arghi remained silent with his lips drawn straight. No, it's not like the Arghi that Galant knew who always with a smile adorned those lips and also Arghi lost the hue on his face that was now pale like a lack of sunlight in his life for some time.

Galant promised himself not to bring up the incident of Arghi falling down the stairs again, he knew that Arghi would not forget it easily. However, Galant must know himself that there are times when such things still have to be stored inside.

"What does Arghi want to eat? I'll order it later." Everything gets awkward. Galant was just mincing words, he didn't know what to say let alone about Arghi now. This seems to have strained their relationship and Galant doesn't want that to happen. Galant wants the old Arghi with his warm nature.

However, Arghi did not answer his head just straight ahead with a blank glance that Galant hoped the black eye saw Galant with a sparkle as usual, but in fact, it was just wishful thinking that was inside Galant's head now. Galant pulls the chair for him to sit on creating a squeak that fills every corner of the space to quite pull Arghi's attention back.

Galant would accept with all Arghi's anger at him, but not something like this. Not the silence he wants. He wanted Arghi who shouted, babbling like he used to scold Galant every day. Even Galant was willing to make many mistakes for Arghi to get mad at him, but this mistake he didn't make at all, Galant didn't want it at all.

"I can now see the light," Arghi said almost inaudibly. Galant was only able to blink a few times processing Arghi's words and making a choking sound at the back of his throat. Because Galant didn't know if this was good or bad news for Arghi, he didn't want to misspeak.

"This is good news." Arghi's curled lips formed a smile that instantly made Galant silently stare at him as if there was a pause between them thus creating Galant's stomach as if wrapped around just seeing the smile perched there. It was as if for years Galant hadn't seen that smile much longer and he didn't know that he missed this moment so much for both of them.

Galant felt the atmosphere of the room become lighter than before despite everything that happened to them, at least Galant could put away for a moment that burden on his shoulders for his world just focusing on Arghi now. Hesitantly Galant smiled more sincerely than anywhere else, although Arghi could not see it which made Galant sad.

"Galant is more reserved now." Arghi's voice again filled Galant's sense of hearing until Galant's eyes rolled from those red lips to look back at Arghi's face properly. Galant coughed a little with his reaction which inexplicably felt very strange to himself.

He only realized with the words Arghi said to him until he just responded with Galant's mouth gaping in disbelief, Arghi is now like his best friend again. Until Galant is hard to say. "No, I don't."

Stupid.

Galant told himself, he misbehaved with his reaction. He looked everywhere away from Arghi's gaze and in the end, Galant's eyes returned to this friend that Galant could see the annular lip of Arghi's thinly curved lips. Is God answering Galant's prayer now?

He felt extremely nervous now and unknowingly grabbed Arghi's hand to be brought into his grasp. Galant's eyes widened when he realized what he had done now as Arghi's other hand wrapped their hands in another warmth. Galant didn't want to lose this warmth and he could only silently feel this moment.

"Why?" asked Arghi. Galant was convinced there must have been something that caused Arghi to come up with this attitude now. However, this should be something Galant can be grateful for compared to him complaining all the time.

Galant was about to answer by opening his mouth only for him to close again. He hesitated to say it, but Galant didn't want their awkward conversation to just stop at Galant who didn't say a word in response to Arghi.

Arghi.

"Mmm..., Arghi's head still hurts?" asked Galant who finally asked about it after a long time that he should have asked first. He saw Arghi blinking and the arch that was on Arghi's lips did not escape Galant's observation that returning straight lost his expression. It seems that Arghi recalled the incident again which made them arrive at this hospital and it made Galant feel guilty. He reused Arghi's hand even tighter, Galant shouldn't have said this again.

"Yes, a little," Arghi replied as if his voice was being dragged out of his throat.

Silence wraps up again. It's awkward in an atmosphere like this. However, Galant secretly enjoyed it with Arghi's hand that he was holding, wanting it to feel like Galant transferred all his strength and spirit to Arghi like this for him to rise again.

"Arghi, do I want to call the doctor?" asked Galant worried about Arghi's condition, which was feeling pain in his head. He knew the distance of the stairs from the second floor to the first floor was very long and high, it must have been very painful in addition to his head hitting the shards of the urn.

"Just call uncle, let uncle check. I'm going to get better," Arghi said suddenly to Galant's surprise. Galant's eyes instantly widened, his throat becoming dry with Arghi's spontaneous reply.

"Arghi," Galant whispered in his barely audible voice.

Likewise, Arghi who seemed aware of what he had said just now as if uncovering old wounds back to be present interrupted Galant's thoughts and feelings that were increasingly destroyed in a matter of seconds.

Arghi was about to open his mouth, but Galant couldn't bear to be here much longer. Galant rose to his feet, without a word leaving Arghi alone.

***