You shuddered when you heard a groan. You immediately looked around and kept your guard up in case it was a kidnapper. But no, it sounded like one of pain. Stopping your tracks and pulling over your feet, you looked around the alley. Your eyes expectantly scanned until your eyes found the source of the grumbling noise. There he was, slumped against the wall.

I knew it, you thought. It was a man. How cliché. His head was bowed down so he couldn't see you. Let me guess, a high school boy was mobbed and injured somewhere and now is left to die in a dark alley to be found lifeless once the sun rises?

You scoffed. If only you had all the time in the world to be a delinquent, that will most likely be where you're meant for. These high school boys are wasting their lives when they unknowingly have the time to choose to be a better person. You discreetly envied how these kinds of people can still choose how they'll live their lives, regardless of presence of sense for separating actions between good and bad.

And so you walked past the alley.

Your steps slowed down as the man groaned again, this time followed by a rustle. A slight pang of guilt forming in the pit of your stomach. Damn it, this wasn't—

You reluctantly looked back to where the man sat. You've always sworn your life you wouldn't meddle in anything that wasn't your business. But for some reason, the guilt of having the ability to help but refusing to, drowned your fixed principle.

Just as you were having an inner banter with yourself, your feet made the decision for you instead and took you to him. You pushed the button on your umbrella to automatically close it, pointing the sharp end to the stranger. You weren't even sure if he's still alive because he suddenly quieted down after that last groan. Only the light from the nearest post gave you an unclear sight of the man and the fluff of his fiery red hair.

One of his hands fell limp on the floor while the other was covering his wound. It seemed like he's been in the same spot for minutes yet the distinct bright colour of fresh blood told you the injury happened not very a while ago. You weren't sure of how to approach him properly, so you lightly kicked his leg once, but he didn't respond. So you kicked him for the second time, this time, harder. Finally, he responded by quietly groaning in pain once again.

“Who… the hell… are you…?” he weakly questioned as looked up to squint and take in your face, but your figure was against the light from the lamp post, so your silhouette was the only thing he's capable of registering. Even when in pain, his voice still sounded atrocious. Like he's someone used to speaking to people harshly. Luckily, you weren't intimidated for a single bit. It'll take a lot more than harsh tones to drive you away. You've been there.

You fumbled inside your tote bag to search for your phone, “Who are you to ask?” When you got ahold of your phone, you turned the flashlight on and you got a clearer view of the blood oozing out of this stranger's side, staining his hand in the process. It looked like a stab wound, judging from the volume of the blood oozing out from the wound.

“As expected.” You raised your hand to point the sharp end of your umbrella to him once again. “I will help you. But if you attempt to do anything funny, I'll stab you on your other side, too.”

Your first option as was to call immediate professional help. As you tried to dial the hospital hotline to call an ambulance, your phone kept indicating there was no service. The signal's jammed. You almost threw your phone to the nearest wall out of frustration as you hit the side of it with your palm. You side-eyed the man behind you.

Shit. Now what? This kind of stab wound is fatal, especially because he already lost plenty of blood beforehand. It wouldn't bleed that much if the penetration wasn't deep. It might have even hit a vital spot. Calling for help now will be difficult because of this deserted alley and the continuous pour of the rain didn't help either, plus, your phone has no service.

“I don't need… your help!” He glared at your silhouette and cursed himself as he shut his eyes tightly while attempting to sit upright, enduring the excruciating pain on his side.

“You're quite obnoxious for a dying man.” You looked around to search for more resources. This is a closed alley, if you leave him here for another minute to find help, he might completely lose his consciousness and that would put his life at more risk, adding the fact that he was already limp in the first place. You were left with no choice. Your hand hesitantly reached to fumble around your bag once again until you got an OS, gauze pads and sterilized medical stitching needles.

Your mother would be furious if ever she finds out you stitched a stranger's wounds. You can only imagine her yelling, "Patients are not your playthings and the Medical field is not your playground! Who are you to perform Medical procedures? You're not even a Doctor yet!" Yeah, for sure the high and mighty Dra. Jo wouldn't be so pleased to find out her daughter's attempt to fix someone up. You kneeled and looked at the stranger. You needed to gain his trust as professionally as possible.

“I won't ask your name since you're clearly hard to talk to. Save your remaining energy. I'm [Y/N]. I'm no Guardian angel of yours. I do light voluntary work in hospitals and I have current trainings on how to attend to emergency patients. But I'm still a high school student so I'm not yet licensed. Anyway, going to a hospital will always be our safest option, but I have knowledge about stitching wounds—at least. I'm going to temporarily stitch you up so you don't lose more blood, then we'll get you to a hospital once I find phone service.”

You surveyed his overall state, he looked very pale, although it's easy to tell that he's naturally pale, by losing a lot of blood, he's getting even paler each passing second. You were running out of time.

“Do you consent to this?” You asked him calmly through your glasses.

He breathed out heavily. You knew he was wary and reluctant. Which is understandable. But if it's not you, who else will do it? You heaved a sympathetic sigh. As you unemotionally tell him about the circumstances of his skepticality, that you well acknowledge.

“Hey, you might have a family member waiting for you at home. They would be devastated to just hear from the news that you were found dispatched and lifeless out here in the morning.” you looked around, left and right. Right now, you're the best chance he has if he wants to live. “I won't force your consent out. I haven't touched you anywhere yet and I wouldn't if you don't want me to, so I can just leave you here without me being a potential suspect of your murder. But you should probably think about the ones that didn't know their last sight of you alive was the last they'll get, ever.”

He looks at you for a few seconds while he grits his teeth, before he slowly, lightly nods. Shutting his eyes and removing his hand from covering the wound, implying that he had put his trust in you.

You checked his carotid pulse first. Just as you thought. Erratic and weakened. And then looked over to watch the shallow rise and fall of his shoulders. Shallow breathing. He definitely lost a high volume of blood already. You hastily started disinfecting everything—your hands, the tools, even the gloves. You checked his expression. You gave him a heads-up before lifting the side of his shirt to attend to the wound properly. You began working up and stitching the wound on his right side. You looked at his face once again that's being covered by the shade of the unfinished constructions caging the alley, while going through your first stitch.

“I'm sorry, this is the only option, for now. I'll find more professional help after this.”

He had no more energy left to open his mouth and reply. He grunts in pain while you were busy ushing the needle through-and-through. You asked him to bite down on a cloth while enduring the pain, since you didn't have anesthesia and he can feel every poke of the needle on his skin. You stitched him with precision with your skilled hands. Your hands were painted crimson red during the process.

This wouldn't be your first time stitching. You've done this a couple of times, but only to a simulator. You pulled yourself together as you kept in mind that a person's life is in your hands this time.

While you were focusing on the stitches, all the stranger can muster are croaky groans, as the pain of the wound and the stitches stung, so you tried to do it faster. When you were done, while wiping your blood-stained hands, you noticed how his chest was rising and falling rapidly as he was wincing in pain. He tried to look up at you again, but his sight of you was blurry.

“Don't worry, that'll be removed at once when you're taken to the hospital. What I did is only first aid, and you already lost a lot of blood so we still need to get you to the hospital as soon as possible.”

You pushed your knees to stand up and find phone signal, but before you can, his hand rose and reached for yours.

“No.” He clutched your hand to stop you. His hand was rough—and also large. You have large hands for a female, but his hand almost completely enveloped yours.

The side of your lips shifted downward while looking down at him. “When I said 'trust me', I only meant temporarily so I can temporarily close your wound. I didn't mean with all your life."

“Just no hospital.”

“You must really want to die.”

He gripped your hand tightly from the severe pain he's enduring. You know how much pain he's going through right now and he didn't mean to do so, so you let him squeeze your hand.

“I would rather die, than pay a hospital bill.” he weakly held on to you, falling completely unconscious as his head fell on your lap. You furrowed your brows and put his head into a more comfortable position.

Oh, so he was serious on dying?

You coming to his rescue definitely doesn't just end with a few stitches.

***

disclaimer: always remember to put seeking professional help as top priority if ever you encounter this kinda scenario irl. separate reality from fiction. you can get arrested for performing medical procedures like stitching wounds (suturing) without professional medical license in real life.

“Oh, it's true you and Vinny do know each other beforehand?” Yuna wondered, completely oblivious to the fact that you shouldn’t know you and Vinny were being talked about behind your backs. You snickered. As you thought then, they would already be gossiping about you and Vinny. Whatever. You expected it, anyway.

You looked for an alibi to hide it. You got this, you’re a pro at lying, especially to your parents. But Vinny beat you to it.

“No.” Vinny quickly handed you your glasses, turned his back and went back to his bike. He gave a short answer, but you were glad nonetheless because he read the room how speculations about you two make you uncomfortable. You’re sure he feels the same way. 

Well, this is awkward.

“Sister-in-law, you’ll be going to school to pass your resignation letter as the Vice, right? Can you accompany Vinny to pass this waiver to the Principal too?” Shelly inquired.

“What?!” Vinny’s face crumpled when he heard what she said. Perhaps he wasn’t briefed about his task prior too.

“What?” Shelly snarkily raised her brows and clapped back to him as if asking if he had any problem with what she had just said, standing up to him.

“Pick someone else to do it. I’ll be late for my part time job.” Vinny scowled at her.

“We all have tasks. June is taking Dom and I to Heri to get all of our bikes for gear double-checks and adjustments, Shelly and Jay are in charge of turning in Hummingbird’s registration paper to the League of Street application booth.” Minu joined the conversation from behind to second Shelly.

Vinny eyed them both, “My bike doesn’t need adjustments.”

“Besides, you two are going in the same direction, so why not let her accompany you? The guard doesn’t let outsiders in, but if you come in with her, they’ll let you in for sure.”

You were about to object too, when Jay interjected, “I’ll go with [Y/N]. Shelly and Vinny can go together to pass the registration form to the booth.”

Out of your line of vision, Vinny suspectingly squinted his eyes slightly at you and Jay after what he heard. Meanwhile, Shelly quietly called your name from the side and closed the distance. She holds your elbow, her lips inches from your ear while making sure no one else hears whatever she has to say.

“Please, go with Vinny. I want to spend time alone with Jay. Would you do me this favor, my great sister-in-law? I promise I’ll let him go home early and take care of him, I’d even walk him home to your house myself.” 

You really have mixed feelings about this girl. From how he clings to Jay, you don't know if she's just fooling around or she's genuine. You were fine around her, because she’s a lot of things but at the very least, she’s not fake. Still, you only speak to her when she speaks to you.

You sighed. “I need to know if Jay’s comfortable with that first–”

“Great! She said she’s fine going with Vinny!” Shelly chimed, turned to them, and once again found her place beside Jay, totally telling them the opposite of your answer. Wait, what? “Let’s go! Better hurry up! It’s getting late, the sun is already setting, the League of Street booth might close!”

When Shelly realized you and Vinny weren’t moving, she lightly pushed you two forward, away from them. Vinny avoided her hands, so he was forcefully kept away from his bike to avoid her touch. “I’ll bring your bike over to June and the others, Vinny. So don’t worry. Be safe, you two. Watch over each other!”

You stopped functioning for a while and stared at Shelly’s back from afar. You gave up and walked, you really need to pass this resignation letter today, or else your pending resignation would be discarded. Vinny stopped because of annoyance for a bit, too, so he caught up to your steps a bit later because he was contemplating whether to comply or not, but he was forced to follow and walk behind you, still keeping distance.

“Hey,” Out of your awareness, Minu nudged Jay, when they were out of your earshot, as multiple pairs of eyes including theirs, followed your and Vinny’s figures that were going further away. “My intuition keeps telling me those two already do know each other before. I mean, she lost her glasses and nobody guessed it was because Vinny has it the whole time.”

“Yeah! Just what activity did they do together that required her to take off her glasses? They’ve never even talked to each other—at least based on what we know. What do you think, Jay?” Dom also observed Jay’s reaction and was eager to know what your brother had to say about what they had just witnessed. “Did we make the right decision to make them go together? Shelly should’ve went with Vinny instead.”

Shelly rolled her eyes at Dom. While Jay didn’t reply and didn’t care. Well, truth be told, he does care. Because he too, was curious about you and Vinny’s unknown affiliation. He was being cautious because he knows any reaction from him could be held against you. He looked somewhere else like it’s trivial. After all, it’s none of their business if you two do know each other prior, so he has nothing to say. Even if he does, he wouldn’t expose anything about your personal life without permission.

He ignored them and got back to minding his own business, while Minu and the others could not believe he didn't have anything to say about it. Well, obviously, you weren’t one to disclose everything, and that’s something to keep in mind. So they assumed Jay just wasn’t informed and that’s why he wouldn’t say anything.

—

Meanwhile with you and Vinny, you can feel his stare on your back. You side-eyed him behind you, initiating a conversation. “Do you want to tell me something?” you asked him with a straight face.

Vinny got confused for a few seconds, his expression implicitly asking “what are you talking about?” and so he spouted the first thing that came to mind. “That text wasn’t me. That was–”

“I know.” There it is again, your cold treatment. Split personality? Vinny already expected this treatment from you, but at least you were passive about the text. Vinny shut his mouth and thought that was the end of the conversation. 

You looked around and ensured no one you knew was around before stopping your tracks until he catches up to your footsteps. You looked back at him. 

“You're walking too slow. Walk beside me.” 

Vinny’s shoulder slightly hunched up and his upper body backed away a little from your direction, but his frown was still there, only getting bigger because your suddenness startled him. He didn't comply.

“You decided to join Hummingbird. Good for you.” you raised one side of your lip to grin when he caught up to where you stopped walking, you started walking beside him instead of leading in front.

He’s tall. You didn’t have to be reminded but you still were. You measured him with your eyes. This is the first time you walked alongside him. You were already averagely tall yourself, but he was tall-tall.

“You’re moody.” he side-eyed you, acknowledging the sudden change in your demeanor.

“I’m self aware. How’s your experience with the crew?”

His brows furrowed, refusing to answer you. But you had more to say.

“They’re noisy aren’t they? I’d know. It irritates me too, I don’t like loud noises. But they’re not so bad as teammates. Some of them are bearable, at the very least.”

“Really. Like Jay?”

There was something underlying in the tone of his question, you couldn’t put a finger to what it was but it doesn’t matter. It’s true indeed that Jay is the most bearable because he’s actually sensitive enough to know when to shut up.

“Yeah, Jay’s indeed the most sufferable out of them. How’d you know?”

“Whatever.”

“I wanted to kill you when I found out you’re the one that got him suspended. Be thankful I didn’t.”

Oh. He thought. It’s only natural you do if his conclusion about you and Jay’s relationship were right. Who wouldn’t be protective over a lover?

“Touché.”

“As I was saying, they’re good teammates without all the noisiness and nosiness. But teammates don’t always have to be friends. So it’s your choice whether you want them to stay as teammates or you want them to be friends. Don’t feel pressured.”

“Alright, I get it, okay?” He puts both his hands inside his pocket.

It was as if you were a different person. Gone was the reserved stance and cold tone. Now you're the sarcastic, snarky girl with somewhat a little bit of anger issues, again.

“My turn. Do you have another personality that magically switches off?” his lips twisted as he questioned. He was a little relieved even so, at least this proves once again that the one he spoke to in the emergency room wasn’t your evil twin.

“I might.” you sarcastically replied with a shrug. “Hey, walk faster, grouch. I need to pass this stupid resignation letter within today.”

Vinny looked somewhere else, completely ignoring you. Grouch. You looked at his face but your eyes went higher because his hair caught your attention more. It’s brushed up and disheveled, completely showing his forehead. You contained a laugh. He looks like he's been electrocuted. Vinny tried not to show how conscious he’s getting because of your stares and kept his eyes on the road, which is why he couldn’t avoid your hand unexpectedly flying on his hair.

“Why do you brush your hair up? You look like a thug even more than when it’s down. It looks good but only in certain looks.” 

You brushed his hair down with your fingers. It’s still soft. When you touched it, you noticed how it wasn’t even pushed back with gel or pomade. It just sits like that. That’s cool.

Vinny’s eyes widened like saucers and jolted from your touch, “Quit it!” swatting your hand away yet not in a force that would hurt your hand for real. His mouth scrunched, God, help me.

“Brush it down. It makes you look a lot better.” you put your hand down, leaving his own hands fixing his hair. “We’re here.” you entered the gates of Sunny High.

You spoke to the guard about your unauthorized company. Vinny waited outside and watched you talk to the guard, which thankfully didn’t take long because you gestured him to come inside not long after. The guard’s only condition was you should leave with him as you entered with him.

“Go, make it fast. The Principal’s office is down that hall. You go do what you need to do, introduce yourself to him before anything. After I pass my resignation letter downstairs, I’ll meet you back at the gate.”

Vinny wordlessly went to the hall you pointed and you went downstairs to the council office. The council adviser was nowhere to be found, so you just left the letter on his desk. You made your way outside the building and waited for Vinny, who you assume was done doing what he has to do, too. You crossed your arms while waiting.

“Who’s the young man you’re with, Miss Jo?” one of the guards queried from his spot. “Your friend?”

“Nope, a friend of Minu’s. They all had tasks and his’ was something to be done here. He’s unfamiliar with the school so I accompanied him. Everything is fine. You don’t have to tell my mom.” you answered without turning your head to him.

Now, where’s Vinny? You need to leave now before the guard assumes anything more and exposes you to your mother. She asked the guards here to keep a close eye on you. Besides, you still have to grab takeout to eat for dinner. When you got a glimpse of red hair you waited until he was near you before bidding the nosy guard goodbye.

“Where ‘you going after?” You asked him while looking at the side of his face.

“My part time job.” he has his hands in his pockets while walking.

“What about your bike?” 

“They texted me and told me they’ll bring it back to my house tomorrow morning.”

“Okay.”

Vinny avoided looking at you but his own head betrayed him when he turned to you. “Are you following me?”

“Excuse you, thick-skull? I’m not following you, I’m going to find something to eat for dinner.” You scanned the streets. It’s really getting dark now a little more before the night sky. “Let’s take this shortcut over here.”

“You really like putting your life at risk in ominous alleys, don’t you?”

“Come on, let’s go through there.”

“No.” He continued walking in the common direction. “I don’t trust the decisions of that of someone with split-personalities.”

You gaped your mouth in disbelief. “Are you insulting me? Come on, let’s fight here right now, I can take you–” You almost bumped on his back when he stopped. You were about to kick the back of his leg to make him continue walking but a man’s voice interrupted you.

“Well, well, look who we have here. Want a rematch for the last time?” The man caught a glimpse of someone else behind Vinny so he tilted his head to look at you better. “And he’s brought reinforcement too!”

Agh. Not again.

“Who's the chick, Vinny? Someone you picked up from the streets?” Another man from behind you and Vinny approached you, he raised his hand to touch your face with his filthy hand.

You swatted his hand away before it could come in contact anywhere. “Get your hand off of me, moron.”

“Feisty.” he chuckled. “Hey, you look familiar.” he squinted to recall who you were, meanwhile Vinny who’s now beside you looked clueless. “You, you’re–!”

Before he can say anything, you palmed his chin with force, so he accidentally bit his own tongue. And then you heard a thud. Vinny also took down one of the guys, taking the way you snapped as a signal for him to act too. Before the guy in front of you can recover from how you palmed his face, you punched his nose. 

“Let’s go!” You and Vinny ran together in the same direction. They all ran to follow you, there were like five or six in number right now and they’re all after you and Vinny.

“Vinny! Vinny Hong!” You heard their rushed footsteps chasing after you and Vinny. 

“Why do I always end up in trouble whenever we meet? ‘You some kind of trouble magnet?!” your voice trembled talking while running.

“You’re one to talk!” Vinny retorted.

Until you realized you were doomed when you ran into a closed corner. Shit, dead end!

“Get them!” 

When he heard, Vinny instinctively put himself in front of you. 

“Move! I can handle myself!” you held his arm. When the men dashed toward you two to attack, you pushed his arm away and ran toward the men too.

You both faced the men heads-on instead of trying to find an escape. In the corner of your eye, a man with a knife spawned behind Vinny with so you kicked him with force to lurch him away to the nearest wall to prevent him from being stabbed again.

“Didn’t mean to do that, he was about to stab you!” You cannot stitch him again if he gets stabbed again. Hell, you’d end up in jail if you do it the second time.

When you were done with the men, leaving some knocked unconscious and some running away for their lives, you and Vinny panted together. You had scratches and a long slit by the knife on your arm, but it’ll be easy to hide with a jacket. Vinny got a busted lip and scratches on his face. His bruises weren't showing yet but you were sure later on it will.

“Hope you didn’t get stabbed this time. I don’t have suturing tools with me.”

Vinny leered at you in the middle of panting and shook his head in disbelief. You looked at your bleeding arm. People on streets would stare at you if you and Vinny walked the streets looking like this.

“Do you have a first aid kit at your house?” You held your bleeding arm. Your legs were sore, damn did these guys go hard on your legs. 

Vinny got shook once again. “No. We’re not going to my house.”

“Okay.” as expected. You kicked one of your attackers one last time to see if they’re really unconscious, before you turned your back to Vinny and started limping your way toward the opening of the closed alley.

“Where are you going?” he followed your limping figure with his eyes. 

“I’m going home.” 

“With your arm bleeding like that?”

“Well, yeah. It’s just a scratch.”

Vinny didn’t talk for a few seconds, like he was thinking deeply about something. Then he also went out the opening of the alley and walked past you. You thought he was going to leave you like that but once again he opened his mouth.

“Come on. My mom has a first aid kit.”

Vinny cannot believe what he would just allow to happen. But he knows he can't just leave you be. Not like this.

You immediately got what he meant. When he started walking, you followed behind him, letting him lead the way to his house.

***

“I swear I’m gonna wring your neck–”

Sung released himself from Vinny’s hold on the back of his shirt’s collar by force, and once again saw it as an opportunity to escape and dash outside in the hallway. Now they’ve caught other students’ attention because of the commotion they’re making.

“You little shit, come back here, motherfucker!” Vinny chased his friend down the hall paying no mind to the stares they got and people they bumped into.

After a while, the two eventually got tired from all the running. Panting and sweaty, Sung slid down the wall near the classroom window. Vinny held his knees and fell beside him. When Sung turned to his friend he let out another breathy laugh.

“Not a word.” Vinny hissed to warn him to shut his up. His nose was almost fuming smoke from anger, and at the same time exhaustion. 

The reason for their little immature chasedown? Well… Vinny went out to get some fresh air for a while near the end of the class. And Sung, being Sung, suddenly decided it was a good idea to get ahold of his friend’s phone that was left unattended on his table to suggestively text you by the number he got from Minu’s phone.

“What? I did you a favor y’know. You can just deny you sent the text and she’ll believe you, obviously nobody would believe you’d text like that! You’ll have your first conversation through text.” Sung bowed his head while still catching his breath.

“You fucking—” Vinny cursed under his breath and decided to leave it. He was already tired from their little chasedown, he can’t hide Sung’s body if he murders him now. “I’m not interested in her. And I told you, she’s not one to fool around with.”

“I know that, but really? Nobody will settle with just friends after all that. I mean a girl-friend, as in a female friend is always cool, but I just wish you’d have a girlfriend-girlfriend. It’s enough already that I don’t have one, I’m saving you from the same fate.”

“Friends your face.” Vinny was the first to stand up and reach for his backpack, hanging it around one of his shoulders. “Who do you think you are, playing cupid? If you want to fool around you go talk to her yourself. I’m practicing with the crew tomorrow, and I’m giving back her glasses. If everyone else finds out about your little prank, I swear I will drag you all the way from wherever you are and slaughter you in front of everyone.” 

“We’ll see about that,” Once again Sung made it a laughing stock, “I'm still consistent with my prayer so you can finally get a girlfriend. Preferably a medical rookie.” he maliciously mumbled his last words and patted Vinny’s shoulder, prompting Vinny to threaten to hit him again, which Sung dodged before he picked his own bag up and exited the classroom first, his maniacal laughter echoing even outside the door.

—

“What’s that?”

“Calculus.”

Dom, who couldn’t find anyone to talk to, because the others were busy and won’t pay attention to him, squatted in front of you to watch you while you were sitting on the bench, doing your homework.

“Really? Studying? I thought you were here for us?” Dom pouted, you stifled a grin as you realized, Sometimes, Dom really does resemble his pet canine, Jordan. You were here as a bystander to their practice this afternoon.

“I can prioritize both at the same time.” You got back to solving the equation at hand. You need to finish this thing off so you can start writing your resignation letter and the two, or three remaining notes Jay lent you after you skipped school for a week because of your 'flu'.

Dom kept watching you with doe eyes, amazed at how quickly you were jumping from one equation to another, his eyes can’t even catch up and follow your hand movements anymore.

You closed your notebook, startling Dom.

“All done.”

“What? That fast?!” Dom looked at you and then your notebook while you stretched your torso. “Can you teach me? Pretty please?”

“Another time. Not in the mood. Just copy mine.” You flung your homework to him, which he caught, great reflexes.

“Sweet! Thanks.” Dom took pictures of your homework. “By the way, have you completed your notes? I think I have the notes you missed during your absence, I can lend them to you as a token of thanks.”

“I'm done with them already. Thanks.” 

After being bedridden for weeks because of the stitches on your back, you were so bored so you copied Jay’s notes, which he sent without you having to ask him to. You cannot help your bedriddenness, though. Not when your wound stings and travels from the wound to the back of your legs whenever you stand up even only to go to the bathroom.

“Okay, suit yourself!” 

Dom happily wiggled sitting on the floor and taking pictures of your homework placed flat at the seat of the bench. You left the bench to him and walked towards Jay, who seemed to be zoning out.

“Hey, how’s home these past few days? Is Kay eating well?” 

If there’s something you were worried about back at home, it’s him. You weren't worried much about Jay, you were more worried about Kay. Unlike you and Jay, he’s more vulnerable because he doesn’t know how to operate the stove to cook for himself. So looking out for his health is one of your concerns especially since he’s prone to starving himself to watch cat shows without interruption and forgetting to eat while doing his homework.

“Yeah. He started eating vegetables when you told him cats are attracted to the smell of vegetarians.” You laughed, he really believed that. Regardless, you were glad that you made him eat healthy. “He’s starting to overwork himself, though.”

Worry etched on your face, “Why?” 

“Mom keeps telling him she’ll throw Jack out of the house if he slacks off. You know how much he loves Jack.”

You thought hard. You can’t suggest Kay to live with you in the apartment instead. And besides, it’ll be a miracle if your mother ever agrees to that. She’ll see that as you recruiting Kay to rebel against her, too.

“Speaking of mom, is she trying to… patch things up with you?” Jay hesitantly asked. He knows what’s up. Even if he doesn’t show, he’s observant. You know he does.

You didn’t have to ask him what he meant. You knew exactly what he was referring to. You thought hard if you’d tell him the thing about the arranged marriage. The cause of your anger on the night you got stabbed and Vinny found you. You chose not to, come what may. Maybe another time.

“Yeah. Small talks.”

“Oh.” Jay chose not to ask further. He knows you’re not ready to talk about it even after all the years that have passed. He knows you’ll talk about it when you’re ready.

Discomfort etched on your face as you remembered that feeling, but you shook your head and shrugged the thought off. You and Jay talked about some other things like snacks and light school stuff, until Mia called Jay to teach her how to bike. Jay excused himself and you got back to your seat on the bench a while ago.

“Okay, time to work on this.”

You began composing your resignation letter, as your Student Body adviser told you to pass your resignation letter within this day for the void to be effective the next day. What a pain. Instead of resting you’ll head back to the school after. You wouldn’t come here if you didn't need to get your glasses back from Vinny.

Speaking of him though, where the hell is he?

You vividly remember this morning, while you were getting ready for school, he texted you unexpectedly while you were drying your hair with a towel.

—

“Damn it, I still have to write my resignation letter later. I guess I won’t be able to come to Hummingbird’s practice.” you mumbled to yourself. You messaged your Student Council adviser in advance and that's his reply.

Having that new knucklehead President as a replacement for Jay was impactful. Not a good impactful. A bad impactful. You were doing the important paperworks alone because he’s always missing in action, and council work became hectic. Your undereyes were darkening.

You pulled out of your drawer to use some concealer, but you were distracted when your phone beeped.

Angry tomato head: come by later at practice.

Angry tomato head: your glasses.

Well, guess the universe is telling you to come to their practice, after all. You can’t tell him to just hand it to anyone, even Jay. They’re already suspecting something between you and Vinny.

—

“There he is! Over here!” Yuna announced while waving at the redhead.

While dragging his bike, he accidentally laid eyes on you for a second but averted his eyes. He looked mad about something… as usual. He always looks like that. It’s obvious that’s his default face. He looks like a rottweiler practicing his scary face.

Minu immediately called the crew members to practice, so you didn’t get the chance to ask him for what you needed from him, and he was blocked by the others from your sight so he wouldn’t be able to pass through. You can’t interrupt their practice, looks like you’re going to have to stay for a while. Nevermind, you needed a place outside school to write the letter, anyway. You continued writing your resignation letter. 

A few corrections, crumpled paper, scribble, toss. Corrections, crumpled paper, scribble, toss, repeat. Corrections, crumpled paper, scribble, toss, repeat.

Finally, you raised the paper containing your final output, also hearing Minu’s voice in the background yelling, “good work, guys!”. You guess they finished their practice at the same time. You took that long to compose a resignation letter? You folded the paper loosely and sneakily looked for an opportunity to initiate a subtle close proximity as the others including Yuna and Mia. 

You were going to leave to pass your resignation letter, so you must approach Vinny now.

While everyone was busy yapping, you sneaked up behind Vinny—who seemed uninterested in what the crew were talking about, and stood almost beside him. Almost, because although close, not close-close. You lightly nudged Vinny, who didn’t notice you at first. He immediately got the signal and fished out from his jacket’s pocket. 

His hand was so close to discreetly handing over your glasses without a case, not until Dom creeped on the both of you from behind, peeking at the object on your hand. “Hey, why does he have your eyeglasses?! Are you not telling us anything?!”

Now all eyes were at you two. Even Minu, who was talking about random shit, stopped to look at you two, and Jay. You can tell from their looks that your not so secret transaction raised their suspicions even more than the first time they sensed something going on between you and Vinny.

Now you want to kill Dom.

***

You were just here a while ago, now you're here again.

But for you, it somehow grew to be comforting over time. You wonder why. Maybe it's because of the fact that this is the only place you can help you parents without your mother following you around and yelling at you. Besides, there is also beauty in hospitals—In contrast to the bad things, hearty laughs still fill hospital walls whenever a couple finds out they're having a baby, when an oncologist finally clinically pronounces a patient cancer-free, a warm moment of a family hugging after a mother gives birth to a newborn—and many more.

“How is he?” you asked upon entering the hospital room after paying for all expenses and settling the hospital bill, and you were welcomed by the sight of the doctor checking on the unconscious redhead.

“He'll be fine. You did well on the temporary stitches, [Y/N]. He was fortunate enough to be helped by you. Luckily we still have a bag left of the same blood type as his, so the blood transfusion was done immediately and fortunately didn't become a problem for us. Now, we're just monitoring him. A little rest while the stitches heal and he'll be fine.” Dra. Kwon, a family friend of your family of doctors. You thanked her in response. You had already told her everything that happened beforehand.

“Dr. Kwon, Please don't tell my parents. Especially my mother.”

“Of course, [Y/N]. Dr. Jo would never hear of this.” She put her hand on your shoulder as she briefly mentions your mother. “It's frustrating how much she forces you to submit yourself to the Medical field, but she refuses to see your potential. If only she would see you as Jay's equal…”

Her remark caught you off-guard and made your shoulders perk up. You couldn't counter her, because it was true.

She excuses herself and leaves you inside the hospital room with the fiery haired, delinquent-looking stranger, and you finally got a clear view of his face under the cool-toned flourescent hospital lights. You sat down beside the bed and rested your chin on your palm.

You stared at him intently and studied his features. He somehow looks about your age. He's really pale. And he looks like he's been through a whole lot. From the other fading bruises and scratches on his face that tells you he got them a while ago, and the ones all over his limbs. Not to mention the stab wound that he recently got. You leaned down almost to his head's level. It's the first time you looked at someone so wild-looking… yet also serene.

You've only ever looked at your family members this up close, but their faces weren't this atypical in your eyes. You've only ever prolongly stared at Jay, after a relative of yours in a family reunion told you you looked like a carbon copy of him, you wanted to pinpoint how they say. You needed to. Although Jay was weirded out by you that time—whatever.

This red hair's pale, chapped lips and overall pale skin contrasted his wild, disheveled vivid red hair. And he has two beauty marks under his left eye. Fascinating, indeed.

Jay's beauty was irrefutable, but it seemed like the kind of level you can see anywhere in any day. And you weren't even sure if it came from pure genuineness, or only out of admiration because you already know him well as his sister, so it's certainly not a one-look-and-I-immediately-knew-he's-beautiful type of beauty. 

But this one... he's so seemingly flawful yet also flawless. You don't get to see this kind of face everyday. You suddenly felt the urge to paint a portrait of the unique beauty of the stranger lying unconscious on this hospital bed. But wouldn't that be weird?

You were snapped out of your thoughts when Dra. Kwon went back to the hospital room for more patient assessments. As the doorknob clicks, the red haired man softly groans. He furrows his brows as he possibly starts to regain consciousness. You figured that was your cue to leave, so you excused yourself from Dra. Kwon and rushed out of the room before he woke up completely. With a last "If he wreaks havoc inside this hospital room or yells at you, please tase him.".

“How are you feeling? What's your name?” You faintly hear Dr. Kwon while you stand outside of the door to eavesdrop as she interviews the red-haired patient.

“...Where am I?” You heard not only the audible baritone annoyance, but also utter confusion in his voice.

“You were taken to the hospital. Do you have any legal guardians? Do you want to make a call?”

“No. No guardians.” That was the last you heard of him before you saw yourself out of the corridor. You left the hospital after making sure all the expenses were covered.

The next day before class, you heard from Dr. Kwon that the red-haired stranger left immediately after, even if he hasn't yet fully regained his strength.

—

It had been months marked since that accident occured. He had almost never crossed your mind after that.

After the bell rang in class and the teacher left, you were supposed to stay in your seat to wait for Jay to gather his things, as the both of you agreed on going home together today.

Jay sat from all the way to the other side of the room. You don't usually talk to each other to gossip in class like what your classmates expect of you two. You two are too pre-occupied to even cross that short distance for an idle chat but you get along very well as Student Body Leaders. Like you, studying is the only thing he only ever did in his whole life—or in both of your cases—forced to do your whole lives. 

You felt someone's finger tap your shoulder to call your attention. You looked behind to be greeted by the sight of Yuna's friendly smile and Mia's shy, awkward tight-lipped grin, both whom you've only ever talked to maybe twice or thrice?

“Hello, Student Body Vice-President! I'm Yuna, this is Mia.” Yuna flashed you a smile and gestured toward the shy girl. Your wide-eyed gaze shifted from Yuna to Mia.

“H-Hello.” Mia waved shyly as she was mesmerised from how much you and Jay looked alike close-up, star-struck by finally having a closer look at your face, since almost no one in the classroom ever had the guts to approach you. She figured how you and Jay were alike, even the uninterested look and the glasses. It's just that Jay's glasses' frame were horn-rimmed while yours were silver and thinner-framed than his.

“I know who you two are.” You also flashed a civil smile. They were also members of the Student Council.

You were never really open to friendships, you sometimes speak to your classmates, only to answer their queries and help mid-school year transferees to catch up with your lessons when your teacher asks you to help them. But to actually have friendly chats in class about everyday, usual things? Never.

“Leave my sister-in-law be! She's having her alone time!” Shelly, the annoying frolic blonde girl also waddled to your seat and joined your conversation. Ah, this girl you knew well.

You once helped Shelly adjust to the lessons and the class in general when she transferred to Sunny High. When you tutored her, most of the time you'll either get your ears assaulted by multiple questions about Jay all at once, or find her zoning out and staring dreamily at your face instead, with her chin leaning her palm—claiming, quote, that you "might have made her gay for making her catch feelings for you" because of your uncanny resemblance to Jay, her crush.

You wondered why she liked him so much, he's a walking flag of mood-swings. You think of your brother, he's not a bad guy but sometimes he's just like... a rock. You almost groaned in annoyance as you braced yourself for the next scenario that'd be most likely to happen.

Shelly loomed over your desk. “Hey, if it's okay to ask, what is Jay like to you on family dates? Does Jay open your car door for you? Does he pull your chair for you? Does he help you slice your steak?” There it is.

You almost winced at the thought of Jay doing all those cringy stuff. He was always more of a quiet yet caring type. Besides, you can do all of those things by yourself. You won't need Jay or anyone's help for those things. He slices Kay's steak for him only because Kay can't do it himself, but it's only because Jay insists and claims Kay is still a child and he might accidentally nick his hands.

“Wait, do you even go on family dates?”

You tried to recall, your family dates were never the usual burst of energy. You weren't exactly an energy outburst type of family either, if they haven't already gotten the clue. In the Jo household, everything needs to be planned beforehand and put in place—organized, and most of all, perfect.

Mia, who was confused by Shelly's interrogation, interjected, “And why are you asking her those silly questions?”

“I heard from an article that how a man treats his sisters is how he'll treat his girlfriend. I just want to know how he'll treat me when we're finally officially dating.” Shelly confidently crossed her arms to her chest.

“Shelly, aren't you getting too ahead of yourself?” Yuna's face almost crumpled as she pursed her lips and cringed at the blonde girl's words.

“[Y/N].” Jay calls from behind the three girls. Shelly immediately squeals and fawns over him when she turns around to face him.

“Hello, ladies!” Minu and Dom who were behind Jay, also stopped by your seat to hear what the commotion is all about.

From Jay's slightly annoyed expression and the two other's close proximity to Jay, you figured they might have had approached him in his seat too and bothered him already before they went to yours. With them crowding around your seat, from your other classmates' point of view, you almost look like long time friends having a chat after class. But the truth is, all of you were all still in the meeting stage so everyone is still getting to know each other.

“Hey, [Y/N]. You and Jay going home together?” Minu offers a boyish smile as he and Dom approaches you, wrapping arms around each other's shoulders.

“Yeah.” Jay answers for you as he ignores Shelly's doting gushes. The poor girl.

Minu pushed his way to get to you. “So, we're forming a biking crew, but our members are lacking. Jay told us you were also into cycling.”

“Only because she's interested in everything sport.” Jay once again answers for you.

“I'm not asking you, man!” Dom sputters to the side of Jay's face as he swats him back with an open hand and turns back to look at you. “So now, we're inviting you. You in? You'll be the only woman in the crew–”

“Hey! Didn't I say I'll join? There'll be two women in the crew if she joins. Sister-in-law, please join us.” Shelly finally let go of Jay's arm and sandwiched your hands with both of hers.

Mia threw Shelly a concerned look and averted her gaze from the blonde girl to Jay, probably to see his reaction, but Jay didn't seem to care about Shelly's delusions and only minded the urge to just get out of there as soon as possible. As right now, he would go as far as cutting off his ear to block the noise around him.

Dom leaned over your shoulder and whispered, making sure no one hears except you, as he's also seeing what you're seeing. “So, [Y/N], which of Shelly and Mia do you think will actually be your sister-in-law?” Dom lightly nudges you twice, earning a protesting “Quit it!” from Yuna, who heard him because of your close proximity.

You tried thinking about it. You already have a lot of things in your to-do list. For today, this week, probably even the whole year. And you can't possibly just skip your extra-curriculars when cycling tournaments occur. You're also not a cyclist, and you already have Women's Basketball. Your mother even claimed basketball was a distraction from your studies. Joining the basketball team was a choice you made on your own, without agreement from your parents.

You've urged Jay to do the same and pay no mind to what you mother wants, but he didn't know what he wanted... yet. 

“Sorry, but I already have too much on my plate right now. You already have Shelly, surely her skills would make up for the both of us.” You turned your back to them to fix your things, uncaring if it seemed rude to turn your back from them.

“But, even if we have Shelly, we're still missing a member.” Minu crumpled one side of his lips.

You zipped your bag up. “Then I guess you'll have to find someone else.” You straightened the straps of your bag and wore it on your back before you followed behind Jay outside the classroom. They took your declination and didn't push you anymore when you rejected the offer.

“Now what? Shall we go and blackmail someone who wronged us in the past so we can punish them?” You stepped to make your way outside the door completely but Dom's words made you remember something.

You halted your steps and looked back at them as you remembered something. Speaking of wronging. Everyone was looking at you now and waiting for you to tell them what you have to say. You composed yourself before you opened your mouth.

“That grouch from Gunn High.”

“What grouch from Gunn High?” Minu tilted his head slightly in confusion, leaving his mouth open as his forehead creases.

“I remember you blabbering about how you got beaten up by a "Gunn High-fucker" just recently. Someone who also used to be in Minu's old crew. I don't remember his name. But you should probably recruit him, whoever the hell he is.”

You got flashbacks of covering for Jay to hide his suspension from your mother, with them attending private trainings with the principal after that fight with students from the all-boys school, Gunn High.

That was also the first time you heard Jay engaging in a physical fight. Had you not seen Jay's busted face with your own eyes, you wouldn't have believed it. That fight happened just recent and the root was the Gunn High Schoolers kidnapping Yuna, resulting to Dom—with his boldly declared strong feelings for Yuna, acted on his impulse and came to her rescue. You weren't sure how Jay and Minu got involved because you weren't there. They brawled and the next thing you knew was that Jay, Dom and Minu got suspended and Jay got stripped off of his title as the Student Body President.

After what you said to your forth and mentioning that accident again, they all looked baffled, until Minu and Dom slowly looked at each other. It took them a few seconds to reply,

“Vinny? Vinny Hong? Why him?”

Vinny Hong? Now, that name sounds quite... familiar. Just where did you pick up that name again?

You shrugged. “Sure, whoever that is, as if i know. It's his fault why you all got into trouble last time, so tell him at least to compromise for what he did and join your crew or just blackmail him, whatever works.”

Dom immediately protested, as if the simple bring up of this Vinny Hong's name triggered his stress lines and made him age forty years older.

“Screw him, you'll be a much more valuable option than him!” Dom's mouth elongates vertically as he basically spits his words.

“Yeah, sure.” You picked up the rest of your things to hand-carry. While Jay waited for you outside the door. “We're going. See you Monday.”

—

“I don't like your noisy friends,” you told Jay after you exit the school gate.

The sun was already setting, creating a orange hue of the sky, as students from Sunny High scattered around the sidewalks, also making their way home after class.

“They're not my friends.” Jay looked ahead and to the trees at the side of the road, while dragging the wheels of his fixie through the sidewalk and matching your footsteps. He promised to treat you orange chocolate flavoured bungeoppangs today.

While getting some in a bungeoppang stall with Jay and jesting about how his taste buds might fancy a wasabi-flavoured one, your phone vibrated, indicating a text notification, but you have something nore important to search for. You were holding the small brown bag containing freshly cooked and still hot orange-chocolate stuffed bungeoppangs on one hand and your phone on the other. Jay munched on his pastries while you were busy fiddling with your phone. He had probably already noticed how you were so focused on what you're looking for.

Upon skimming your unnattended notifications, while scrolling to find older text messages, you finally caught a glimpse of a message from sender 'Dra. Kwon'. Your index finger stops mid-air. You hesitated to click before viewing it.

It was the text from months ago after that accident, that night when you stitched a red-haired stranger.

Now it made sense. How could you have missed that?

You re-read her text with a straight face. 

Dra. Kwon: Thank you for your effort, [Y/N]. I forgot to tell you earlier, but the patient's name is Vinny Hong. He refused to tell us his name, but when his friend came to the hospital to fetch him, he asked the room number of a bright red-haired patient called "Vinny Hong". He's the only patient we have with bright red hair, and this friend is the one he left along with after he got discharged. In case you're interested in the identity of the man whose life you saved.

Gotcha.

You shoved your phone inside your pocket.

***