Day felt more tired than ever.
He had a good sleep, so why was he so tired? He wondered.
He couldn’t write like he did the day before. His whole body shivered, and he could feel his body temperature rising. He tried to ignore the obvious discomfort he felt.
Instead, he thought it was better to order another cake and get motivated to write more.
He phoned the familiar bakery and ordered the same cake. He figured that it was not Mhok who answered his call today.
He awaited for the delivery with a growing anxiety. For some reason, his whole body was acting up. He found it rather difficult to move a muscle.
Was it not enough that he was blind? Did he need to go through physical pain as well? He thought bitterly.
After what felt like eternity, he heard the doorbell ring. He couldn’t move his face muscles to smile. Biting down the pain, he dragged his feet towards the door.
He struggled to keep his eyes open the entire time. He used all of his strength and opened the door. That was all he could do before he hit the floor with a thud.
Mhok was beyond shocked to witness the sight before him. He sprinted towards Day, not bothering to pick up the cake that had fallen from his hand.
Day had gone limp on the floor. Kneeling by his side, Mhok gently shook Day by his shoulder. He didn’t budge. He hesitantly grabbed Day’s wrist and checked his pulse. He hesitated because he was scared of the outcome.
Mhok let out a ragged breath when he made sure that Day was indeed alive.
He ran to the bakery and pleaded with his boss to lend him his car. Noticing Mhok’s desperation, the man agreed and let him take his car.
Mhok muttered a quick thanks before running out of the bakery. He hopped on the car and pulled up at Day’s house. Mhok’s heart sunk again, seeing Day lay on the floor that way.
He quickly picked up Day and placed him gingerly in the backseat.
Mhok stepped on the accelerator again and did not slow down until the hospital was in line of sight.
Throughout the way, Mhok could not get rid of all the worst-case scenarios that popped up in his mind. He tried to ignore them all.
He knew that he wanted Day to be safe and normal again. He didn’t feel the need to explain why he felt so. Maybe it was just basic humanity.
Yes. Humanity it is. Mhok decided.
The car halted harshly in front of the hospital. Mhok rapidly went to Day’s side and picked him up again.
They were soon approached by hospital staff that mirrored the same expression that Mhok wore – worry.
They asked him some questions that he answered to the best of his knowledge. Soon enough, Day was put on a bed, and they ran some tests on him.
They asked Mhok to step outside, and he obliged half-heartedly.
He kept walking back and forth in the waiting room. He could not sit idly and be at peace.
He was showing a lot of humanity today.
He didn’t answer any weird questions that rose in his mind. His top priority now was to make sure that Day was alright. He can take his sweet time and answer these questions later.
He looked outside through the window and realized that it was night. He had been trudging on the floor for hours now.
He shook his head.
What was wrong with him? He thought.
He didn’t stop his walking. Not until the nurse came up to him and announced that Day was awake and that he could visit him if he wanted.
That was all he needed to hear. He sprung towards the room Day was in and noticed that Day was sitting up on the bed. That sight alone washed away most of Mhok’s worries.
“Day.” He trailed as he stood by him.
Day turned towards the source of sound, “Mhok?”
Mhok felt his heart flutter ever so lightly when Day recognized his voice.
“Are you okay now?” Mhok asked as he resisted the urge to keep his hand on Day’s forehead and check his temperature.
Day nodded, and Mhok figured that he was still tired.
“I’ll step out now. You can take rest- ”
“No!”
Mhok’s eyes widened as Day raised his voice.
“I want to get out here.” Day lowered his voice.
“What did the doctor say?” Mhok wanted to know what was the cause of Day’s passing out.
Day lowered his head and fiddled with his fingers.
Mhok’s eyebrows creased.
That moment, the nurse made her entry, “The patient can leave now. The glucose bag is finished. Just make sure to eat proper meals from now on and take rest. Alright?”
Day didn’t answer, so Mhok answered her instead, “Got it. Thank you.” The nurse left after that.
“You skip your meals?” Mhok asked even though it sounded like a statement more than a question.
Day visibly gulped, “Yes.”
Mhok sighed, “You order food, right?” He concluded that because he figured Day might not cook since he’s blind.
“Yes.”
“Don’t do it anymore.” Mhok said sternly, “That’s what makes you so comfortable to skip meals.”
Day cowered under Mhok’s gaze. Day wondered whether it was normal for a person to speak to him that way even though they barely knew each other.
“Then how else- “
“I’ll cook for you.” Mhok said it in one go.
It sounded odd to his own ears as he voiced it out, and now he can only imagine how weirdly Day took it.
“What?” Day looked confused.” “Why? You don’t need to.”
Mhok shook his head and realized that Day can’t see him, “I want to.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.” Day realized that he had said that aloud.
“I do odd jobs all the time. Just hire me then.” Mhok tried a new strategy.
Day remained silent, and Mhok silently hoped that he would agree.
Day opened his mouth to say something, and Mhok looked at him expectantly.
“Do you- ” He fiddled with his hands again, “Do you pity me?”
Mhok’s face fell at that.
Out of all the things, Mhok didn’t think that pity was even in the list.
He simply hadn’t considered it.
Even when he noticed that Day was not sighted, he didn’t feel like Day was any different from any other people.
Mhok had taken too long to answer that. Day’s eyes watered much to his dislike.
“I knew it.”
Mhok shook out of his trance and stepped towards Day but still maintained a good distance, “Don’t say that, Day. I don’t pity you.”
Day didn’t buy it, “Then why else would you help me when we’re still strangers?”
Mhok was utterly helpless. Day had asked him the question that he was asking himself.
What could he possibly answer to that?
“Please Day, just let me help you.” He restrained his hand back from holding Day’s. That would be inappropriate.
“I don’t see any reason to pity you. You have a home, money to live on even without doing a job, you can walk around perfectly using the walking stick and you’re- “
He stopped himself from saying that Day was pretty as well.
“See? You have a lot of things I don’t, so please don’t misunderstand my actions as pity.” Mhok’s voice cracked.
Day looked like he was fighting an inner battle. Mhok sounded genuine with his words, so Day decided to trust him after thinking about it for some time.
“I’m sorry.” Day hung his head low, “I’m not used to receiving services that aren’t out of sympathy.”
Mhok gazed at Day tenderly, “I understand, don’t apologize.”
Day just smiled a little.
“How much salary are you expecting as a cook?”
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