Chapter 5 the hospital

Chapter 5

"Sai, Big Brother is here. Don't give up."

"Brother... Thank you... Even if I'm lost today, thank you, and I saw you in my last moment. Thank you..."

"Why did you do that?"

"I should have done it earlier, Brother... I should have done it earlier..." And I could feel my breathing getting heavier until I heard that we were in the hospital.

"Help, my cousin. Treat him!!"

'Mom, youngest, we will be together...'

And I closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I knew it was no longer the world that had once been so violent to me. I saw the man I was riding with.

'M-Mask Rider Black...'

"Miss, fight! Miss... Help yourself... Miss.."

"Sai!!! Sai! Fight back, Sai!!!"

'Thank you... Thank you for the life that was once given to me. Finally, you have heard my long-standing request... I'm sorry, My Primo, I'll just watch over you...'

When I opened my eyes, I knew I was just a soul. I see Brother Pepe talking to the people in white.

"i will request a medicolegal. do it now," he replied, tears streaming down his face. he will probably investigate my death.

"brother..." the voice that came out of me broke. i stood up and felt pain in my body.

'wait a minute, i shouldn't feel pain. i am alive?!'

"sai, thank you. you're awake," i felt him holding me. my eyes widened, and i looked at my body. many tubes and wires were attached to me.

"w-what--" my throat hurt as i tried to speak, and the pain intensified when i swallowed.

after a while, someone knocked on the door. "good evening, we only have vital signs," said two men who entered simultaneously, each carrying something. one of them was obscured by the other. "i'm monitoring blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiratory rate. just temperature and iv monitor," one of them mentioned.

i closed my eyes for a moment. "how are you feeling?" i heard a voice that startled me. when i looked, i was surprised to see mask rider.

"mike, there's an emergency in room 406; get there first," another man called out, and one of mask rider's companions rushed out.

i couldn't believe it. i had thought primo was everything, including his voice. it seemed impossible for him to be here. smart people were here. it couldn't be!

"it's okay, miss. hang in there. i thought you were going to disappear earlier. your cousin is very worried about you."

"i-i hope so," i replied, my voice weak.

"don't talk like that. keep fighting. life is tough, but there's also joy hidden in it. we'll find it, just hang in there," he encouraged me. maybe this is what i needed.

"they were instructed to do what i hope you don't give up on the challenge of life. there is still a reason to fight; we'll just find it..." i looked at him and felt something different from what he had said before. i fought back every emotion i could feel and remained unresponsive.

"can i expect you to fight?"

i simply closed my eyes again, and when i reopened them, i was surprised to see tears in his eyes.

"alright, you're going to fight, aren't you?" i was taken aback, but i just nodded.

"thank you, then. because of you, i have even more reason to fight..." he wiped away his tears, took some buds, applied ointment, and placed them on my face. "the wounds on your face will heal, and you'll be beautiful again. let your hair grow back, okay? you'll also find a reason to keep on living." after saying that, my eyes welled up, and tears began to fall immediately. "i know you're beautiful... just keep fighting, miss ha."

"the doctor said your airway was hit. you also have a broken rib. i'm sorry, sai... i'm sorry," he helped me lie down while his tears continued. i wanted to say something, but no voice came out.

"sssshh! you're not allowed to speak. just rest," he held my hand. "we'll put them in jail. even if she's my mother, i won't side with them!"

"thank you, brother," i said without a voice.

he wiped his tears. "i'll just go out for a while. i'll buy you your medicines." and i just nodded, then he left.

after that, we turned to enter, and it was my brother.

"here's the other medicine you're buying," he said.

"thank you, i'll just come back for his other medicine," i replied.

we exchanged glances, and then he left.

i had been away for a few days, and i was surprised that someone had answered my bill. i didn't want to introduce myself, so i just let it go. i told the cashier to give me my gift as a thank you. it was a new handkerchief embroidered with my name, sai.

my brother took me to his small rented room. it was messy and crowded, but the people there seemed kind. i continued to pursue a case against brother pepe's family, but justice continued to elude me. they won the case and were acquitted. the pain i felt increased even more when brother pepe died. it turned out he was involved in drug trafficking. with the magnitude of this failure, they had to hide tiya because they were the ones being pursued.

what i initially thought would be a happy beginning has taken a different turn.

"hey... this scar nickname (given to me because of the marks on my face), it's tasty, right? solvent is the opposite of our hunger..."

"yes, you're right, bebang... it's different... thank you, my friend..." we continued chatting as we went back to inhaling the solvent from the plastic bag.

i found myself living on the streets. we often resorted to theft for food or to get more solvent, just to survive longer. i knew my life was heading in the wrong direction, but i couldn't find a way out.

eventually, when we couldn't bear it any longer, i followed brother's example and began selling drugs.

"i've been dealing for a while now, but i've never tried it myself," i admitted to bebang.

"that's crazy, my friend. hahaha. we're stuck in the middle of nowhere," he responded, taking another hit of his solvent.

"yes..."

"parak!!! run scar!!!! speed!!!!" i continued to look at him while running.

"you stay here, i'll go!" he instructed me.

"but beb-"

"alright, we'll regroup if we don't get separated!!"

however, with numerous people chasing us, i was apprehended.

"sir, i don't know him!" bebang pointed at me, and i redirected my attention to the police. "look, i have nothing!"

they searched us. i believed no one could catch me because i threw the drugs on the road while running. but i was equally shocked when they discovered something in my pocket. a sachet! bebang! you shameless woman!

"see, he's really the one in charge of this! not me! let me go!" he pleaded.

"shameless!!!" i was about to approach him, but the police already had me in custody. they released bebang and swiftly took me to the police station.

seeing me, the officer who handled my case remarked, "huh, you again?"

"sir, it's not..." i began to say

"this lady is making up a story again!! lock her up!"

at the same time, a woman approached us, "wait a minute, why didn't you pass that to me, that's a woman?"

"eh, this scar looks like a man!"

"sister, help me," i said.

"how old are you? you're as silly as young people these days!"

"seventeen."

"look, you're getting younger!"

"it's true."

"alright, we'll get to know each other."

and they checked me, and it was proven that i was telling the truth. but they sent me to the department of social welfare and development (dswd), and when it was full, they turned me over to the orphanage. when we got close, the vehicle we were riding broke down, and my companions started talking, so i sped away. maybe i will experience another hell again. so i'll just run away. i was in the middle of... [the passage cuts off here]

i was running when i accidentally collided with someone. the man and i exchanged glances, but then i heard footsteps approaching, so i swiftly got back on my feet and resumed running.

i darted into an alley and concealed myself between two houses, my heart pounding in my chest. just as i was about to peek out, someone grabbed me and covered my mouth.

"don't make a sound if you want to live!" he whispered, biting my hand in the process, causing him to release me.

"just so you know, i've been wanting to meet him for a long time!" he added.

i attempted to strike him, but he managed to evade my blows. frustrated, i abandoned my wrestling plan and made a dash for it.

"impressive speed!" he shouted, pursuing me. "you won't get away, you fool!"

thinking he was still behind me, i was taken aback when he suddenly appeared right in front of me.

"really? you're agile, but you can't be my friend..." at the same time, a cloth was placed from my nose to my mouth. "sleep well...." and i lost consciousness.

when i woke up, i was sitting tied up. fear gripped me once again. but what else is new in such situations for me? i decided to let fate take its course.

"let me out of here!!!" i screamed. maybe they'll let me go, even though i knew it was unlikely.

"boss, that's not a good idea of yours!" the girl i had beaten earlier yelled. she seemed different, not like a bad person. but appearances can be deceiving.

"rd, let's give him some hope!"

"i've reviewed her case, and she doesn't tell truthful stories. it was proven in court, especially the one about her being raped. her medical records showed it was consensual intercourse! you're getting involved in something you don't understand, boss!"

"i studied him, before you got him! rd! stop disobeying me! just do what i tell you! do you understand?"

i felt that the woman was embarrassed, and she replied, "yes boss."

after they talked, they turned their eyes to me. little by little, they were getting closer, and i was trying to get out of my tie.

"i've found out everything about you. we've sent everyone with you to hell," the man said elegantly. "thank you, and i'll be keeping an eye on you. otherwise, you'd be partying with them downstairs right now. leave at once."

"i wish you'd done me a favor. i wish you'd delivered me!" i dared to say.

"you will agree? you are the only one there, and the people who did you wrong are still alive and happily enjoying the money you did?" those words are sharper.

"h-how did you know me?" i asked curiously.

"hm! a kid!" he beckoned to the woman. "rd, take care of him." then he left, that handsome man. aged but seems to be used to all battles.

the woman turned to me and untied my restraints. "red dragon!" she exclaimed, shaking my hand firmly. "welcome to your second hell!" she started to walk away, but i called out to her.

"wait a minute!" i implored. she halted and looked at me, her gaze intense. "w-why did you help me?" i asked, genuinely curious.

"help is different from obligation," she explained. "get ready. your training starts tomorrow. if you want to hold the people you claim are responsible for all of this accountable, you'll need to be strong. although i still don't entirely buy your story."

"i'm not trying to sell anything," i retorted.

"i'm not here to impress anyone," she responded with bravery. "really? then, prove it! convince yourself first, maybe then you'll believe." she patted my shoulder as she spoke. "rest well. your training won't be any different from the others, so get some good rest."

"red dragon," i said one more time before she left. "thank you. i know it's going to be tough, but i also feel like i'm in a safe place now."

"being safe has a different meaning in your perception. some may prefer not to be safe just to be free. and being part of this organization will take away your freedom to choose and even your conscience."

"i'd rather choose it then, than to live with nothing to lose. i preferred this house as my home. this will be my home.." he looked around at the same time. right, i need to be strong!

"think of your code, color of your choice plus any kind of animal. goodnight."

"thanks friend..."

"friendship is strictly prohibited." he raised his eyebrows at me.

"oh really?" i bowed down at the same time.

"just be discreet.." he whispered in my ear.

"thank you!" i hugged him tightly.

"ouch! i-i can't breathe!" and i let him go. "i will not die in battle, in a hug, son of a germ!" i laughed at the reaction on his face. "hell, there are other people who understand me when i speak english. and last.." and he smiled slightly.

"shut up! i've been pretending to be here for a while now! i want to keep up with your smartness! that's the last one! i'm out of pocket! pest!" we both laughed together. he looked around while coming to my ear.

"don't believe what i say sometimes. sometimes i just have to fight boss because i want to make him angry. also, i want to challenge him intellectually." he joked, and i laughed. he looked at me meaningfully. "we will fight your case again. i am ready to kill to give you justice. there is only one thing i want you to promise me."

"what?"

"you will help yourself. the greatest revenge is success, you will remember that." he told me with a serious face.

"rd, where are you?" the man shouted earlier.

"alright, grandpa alp will call me." i looked at him in surprise.

"huh? i've heard that, huh. wait," he thought of that show at the same time. "and you're heidi?"

his face fell, "you want to be joseph?"

"stupid, that's a dog!" then he left in front of me shaking his head. i was left laughing.

'hopefully, this would be my home. this is the answer i've been asking for for so long.'

i was lost in that thought when i retrieved something from my pocket.

"my primo... i will be strong... we will meet again..."

simultaneously, i inserted the small box in my hand that held the contact lenses they had made me use before.

'i will meet you; we will be together again...'

To Be Continued...