Sweet Devil [BL]

Chapter 47. The Nurse

In his mind, everyone wanted him buried six feet under, no matter who they were.

After waking up, Gabriel realized he couldn't stand smiling faces anymore. His stomach started to churn every time someone smiled at him. And thus, all the smiling nurses and doctors that surrounded him looked like demons in his eyes. They were wolves in sheep's clothing that were ready to gobble him up at any time. Thinking of this, he couldn't let his guard down and was always on edge. This state of mind was slowly killing him.

In the end, only Yuki was able to tame him. Despite her cold face, her heart was warm. She was a kind person, albeit a bit awkward at times. She was observant, and she had rapidly discovered that something was off with the boy. With patience, she made her way into his heart. Although he didn't tell her everything, she could more or less guess what had happened from the limited information she had gathered here and there.

One day, Yuki had been so angry on his behalf that Gabriel finally woke up from his daze. Without an ounce of hesitation, she slapped his step-brother before everyone's eyes. The nurse didn't care about anything else, not even her job. She was too upright to turn a deaf ear to what she had heard. What her patient's step-brother had said was unacceptable, and if her colleagues didn't have enough guts to stand up, she would do it in their stead.

So what if Gabriel's father favored his mistress's sons? So what if he was wealthy enough to buy the hospital several times and had enough influence to make her life a living hell? Because of these reasons, should she turn a blind eye to the sufferings of a child? Act like she hadn't noticed his tears and silent yet desperate screams? She had become a nurse because she wanted to help others, so there was no way in hell she'd turn on her heel and walk away.

Because of a single nurse who acted with kindness, Gabriel's personality didn't end up as twisted as his stepmother's. Although he had lost a lot and could never retrieve his innocence, he didn't become a demon devoured by grief and anger. There were still good people in this world, and he shouldn't forsake himself because of hatred. The wicked adults would receive their punishment in due time, but it shouldn't be done at the cost of his humanity.

After many twists and turns, Yuki managed to keep her job despite slapping Gabriel's step-brother. Jake's words were indeed too much to swallow, even for Gabriel's cold-hearted father. Anyone would be angry to death after hearing someone say that it was a pity their brother didn't die. If he had never woken up, he could have at least kept his crazy mother company.

Moreover, Gabriel wasn't shy and threatened to make a scene if his family used its influence to force the hospital to fire the nurse. He was sure that the reporters would love such a story; a wealthy man abusing his power to torment the common folks would make their days.

A nurse wasn't worth so much trouble in his father's eyes, and so he let it be. Jake needed to learn to think twice before speaking, anyway. There were things that you couldn't say before outsiders, and maybe the slap would make a good reminder.

Afterward, Gabriel went back home and didn't have the chance to interact with Yuki anymore.

She had played a key role in his recovery, both physically and mentally. And for that, he'd forever be grateful.

Now that they met again in such circumstances, Gabriel didn't know what to think. He had always wanted to thank her properly, but at the moment, he couldn't. This time, he didn't want to get her involved, so he had to lie and keep her in the dark. Otherwise, knowing Yuki, she wouldn't remain on the sidelines, silently watching the scenes unfold before her eyes.

Gabriel smiled faintly, vaguely thinking that his close entourage was made of headstrong people. Masha, Yuki, and even Misha; the three of them were strong-willed and also honest, not to say tactless. Even when their feelings weren't said aloud, their body language still betrayed their inner thoughts.

The teenager felt at ease in their company; he didn't have to think about what kind of scheme they were hiding, nor did he have to fear they would backstab him in the most horrible ways. They were true to themselves, and that gave him peace of mind.

Gabriel shook his head, pushing aside his thoughts. Now wasn't the time to let his mind wander.

He was about to ask Yuki when the next stretching session would be when someone flung the door open. Gabriel reflexively turned his head toward the newcomers, and his smile froze. He had thought it would be Masha and her little brother, but he was wrong.

The ones he least wanted to see had finally decided to come pay him a visit.

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Chapter revised on 2022-05-11

Edited by Clozed! ♥

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