The silence stretched for several minutes as Alex stood frozen in place. Estadey finished drinking the herbal medicine and placed it on the chair beside the bed.
A faint clanking sound broke the quiet, snapping Alex from his thoughts. "Uhm, I think I know you, sir. We met earlier today, right?" she asked.
Alex remained by the doorway, his back facing Estadey, letting his silence answer her.
"I'm not trying to pry, but you shouldn't treat your friend badly," she added.
At the spite of her words, the sorrow on Alex's face twisted into burning anger. His brows furrowed and his shoulders rigidified, burying his neck. Memories of the look shared between Jin and
Estadey flashed vividly in his mind.
Turning suddenly, he strode across the room and retrieved a small, booklet-sized metallic case. He packed the cup back into his herbal kit, then sat silently on the chair facing her.
He clicked the case open to reveal an array of tiny, sharpened blades. Selecting one, he forcefully grabbed her hand and pressed his thumb firmly against her wrist.
"Hey, what are you do—"
Before she could finish, Alex swiftly slit her wrist, collected a few drops of blood onto a tiny round plate, and immediately bandaged the wound.
Instead of pain, shock consumed her. She watched as the doctor casually began packing his kit to leave.
Annoyance flared within her. "Wait right there, sir!" she demanded.
He ignored her. "You can't be this careless, especially with a patient. Didn't you listen to your friend's warning?"
Alex froze. A heavy, suffocating silence filled the room.
He turned slowly, his face flushed a dark shade of pink. His expression was entirely blank, yet he exuded a dangerous aura.
"Listen, brat," he said, his voice dangerously low.
"It is best you shut your mouth on matters that do not concern your shallow mindset."
"But I was just advising you," she stammered.
"Here is a word for you, rat," he hissed, gripping her jaw so tightly she could feel her teeth press against her cheeks. "Meddle in your own life and not my death, or I will switch our positions."
A spine-chilling dread enveloped Estadey. She tried to speak, but her throat locked in terror. Before she could react, Alex withdrew a white pill from his pocket and forcefully shoved it into her mouth. The sheer speed forced her to swallow instantly.
"We shall meet again, rat," he muttered bitterly, shutting the door behind him. Panic set in. Estadey tried to gag out that unknown pill, but the pill had already vanished down her throat.
Within an hour, a heavy, inexplicable fatigue weighed down her limbs, and she drifted into a deep sleep.
Alex left the house after informing Granny Mina that Estadey would stay the night.
Hurrying home, a familiar guilt hung heavy in his chest reminding him of what he did to Jin.
At the sound of a knock, Jin opened the door to find Alex standing there,eyes puffy, nose pink, yet wearing a completely blank mask.
They froze for a few long seconds, Alex staring into space while Jin studied his face.Driven by an unspoken instinct, Jin reached out and gently caressed Alex's cheek.
Alex didn't pull away,but simply lingered in the moment.
After some seconds, he then, snapped back to reality and realized how close they were to each other.
Alex abruptly slapped Jin's hand away and brushed past him into the house. Jin remained on the threshold, smiling slightly, filled with a sudden warmth from the brief, close touch.