Sweet Devil [BL]

Chapter 45. Who Are You?

But as of yet, Gabriel didn't seem to be such a scumbag in Misha's eyes. The teenager wasn't yet a twisted man!

Two weeks ago, Gabriel didn't hesitate half a second before jumping off the slope and shielding Misha's body with his own, carefully protecting him even though it would put his life at risk. Although Misha had many flaws, he wasn't shameless enough to turn a blind eye to such a courageous and selfless act. So, whether consciously or not, he tried to excuse Gabriel's past misdeeds by blaming his father.

Perhaps, Gabriel wasn't as cold-hearted as Misha had previously thought. He had been the perfect gentleman with his sister and the ideal big brother in their past life. Even now, Misha couldn't find any faults with his acting. If the teenager was indeed carrying out an act, why did he protect him so dutifully, not caring about his own safety? It didn't make sense.

Or maybe, Gabriel did indeed wear a mask, but hidden under it was still a heart of gold.

Regardless, it couldn't erase what he had said in their past life; when he coldly admitted that he had never once seen Masha as his lover. But now that Misha thought about it and that hatred didn't cloud his mind, he started to remember a few more things. Gabriel didn't say that Masha was a plaything, nor did he say that he didn't love her. He didn't mock her, didn't insult her. In the end, his face only turned cold, and his words sharp.

His memories gradually became clearer over time, and Misha felt like something was off. But he couldn't figure out what was bothering him. Ultimately, his brain turned off, and his forehead became warm, indicating the start of a fever.

But of course, Misha didn't learn his lesson, and over the past few days, he often thought about it, trying to decipher the truth from the lies, which only resulted in him becoming dizzy and worrying his family. Today, his mother had almost forbidden him to go out because he had a slight fever in the morning—though she couldn't resist his teary eyes in the end and still brought him with them.

And so, after arriving at the floor where Gabriel's room was, Misha went on with his routine, scanning the room before chasing after a nurse.

He turned a corner and finally saw a nurse he was familiar with. He then dashed toward her at lightning speed. The child stopped just before crashing into her legs, and he excitedly lifted his head to look into her eyes, making the nurse's heart turn soft.

Because Misha was now well known in the hospital, he didn't need to open his mouth, and the medical staff would answer his question before he could even ask it.

The girl softly said, "I'm sorry, no one came."

The boy's bright eyes became a little dull, but he still thanked her before going back to Gabriel's room. When he saw his sister staring at him with inquisitive eyes, he could only shake his head. She forced out a weak smile and gently ruffled his hair before walking to the teenager's bedside.

Masha stroked Gabriel's cheek, whispering to her brother, "Don't worry too much. He'll certainly wake up soon. Gabriel doesn't look like it, but he is a stubborn one. Maybe even more stubborn than me. Or you."

These words, his sister would say them every day. Then, she'd silently sit by the teenager's side, waiting for him to open his eyes. As for Misha, he wouldn't say anything; guilt made him unable to comfort her. So instead, he would also sit and silently wait. Mrs. Brown would do the same, and when Alexey didn't work, he would drop by and keep them company.

Today was no exception to their routine, but Alexey hadn't come with them since it was a weekday. The three thus sat and waited, immersed in their own thoughts and guilt.

Whenever Misha laid his eyes on the teenager's current appearance, his stomach would twist into knots.

Because Gabriel had a nasal fracture, a splint realigned his nose and kept it in place while it healed. It had looked terrifying at first, but the swelling had diminished by quite a lot since the teenager's arrival at the hospital. Stitches joined the edges of the deep cut near his right eyelid, which passed through the middle of his eyebrow; it'd surely leave a scar. His busted lips and the scratches were almost healed, at least.

His hands were also a sorry sight to behold, especially the left one. It had three broken fingers that needed to be immobilized with splints and bandages. They had been damaged to the point where his ring finger even had to go through surgery. The bones had shattered, and the small, sharp pieces had made their way into the middle joint.

When Misha looked at the injuries on Gabriel's hands, he felt guilty, of course, but also grateful from the bottom of his heart. They had protected his head dutifully, and he hadn't been severely hurt; a miracle, one could say. If the teenager hadn't used himself as a meat shield, Misha would be the one lying in the hospital bed, and considering his weak body....

Misha shook his head, deciding to stop thinking. All he could do was wait.

***

About an hour later, the teenager's eyelids suddenly twitched. Misha was the first to realize it, and he immediately leaped to his feet, bolting to the bed.

When Gabriel opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the excited face of a child. The bright blue eyes were deep yet seemed as pure as spring water. They were crystal clear and held no malice, softening the heart.

Before the teenager could say anything, Misha climbed onto the bed and hugged his waist tightly, stunning Gabriel. "You're a big idiot! You slept for so long! Who do you think you are? Sleeping Beauty?!"

"..."

"I was starting to fear you wouldn't wake up," Masha added to her brother's words, gently hitting the teenager's shoulder. "You scared me good this time!"

"..."

While her children were busy hugging and bothering Gabriel, Gulnas called the doctor over. A smile made her way on her tired face as she stepped out of the room. The teenager was finally awake, making everything right again.

However, their happiness was short-lived.

Gabriel curiously sized up the child hugging his waist, then tilted his head as if pondering something. When he spoke, his voice carried a touch of hesitation. "I'm sorry, but are you my little brother?"

The moment his words fell, the entire room froze. A few seconds passed before Misha stuttered, "No, I'm... not?"

"Then, who are you?"

Misha turned silly at these words, his body stiffening. He didn't even realize it when his sister took him in her arms to put him down on the floor. He stood still in a daze, unable to process what was going on.

It was only later that reality came crashing in. The doctor took them aside, explaining that Gabriel was suffering from amnesia. The information was hard to swallow, plunging the room into a deafening silence.

Knowing her daughter needed to sort out her feelings, Gulnas let her have some private time with her boyfriend to talk and brought her son to the cafeteria for a meal.

Left alone with Gabriel, Masha calmly sat on a chair, smoothing her dress. Then, she lifted her head and asked in a deadpan tone, "Did you really lose your memory?"

The teenager's awkward smile vanished, and he glanced at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Of course not."

Mini theater

ML: Who are you?

MC: The main character of this story.

Author: Don't listen to him! He's your future sweetheart!

MC: ... I refuse!

Chapter revised on 2022-05-10

Edited by Clozed! ♥

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