Best Buddies // KornWai //

26

The moment Korn heard about Wai, he felt his world crashing. If someone had told him that he would be crying for Wai before everything happened, he would have kicked that person and then asked questions.

Korn ran downstairs, his phone still hanging on his hand, switched on. He was searching for his car keys, crazily.

At that point, he, himself, didn't realise the tears that threatened to fall down from his eyes. All he knew at that time was that he had to go to Wai.

“Korn?“

Lay approached him carefully. He grabbed the boy by the shoulders, trying to calm him down.

“Korn, what are you looking for? Tell me, I'll do it for you.“

“K-keys. C…Car keys. I…I need to see Wai. Hospital…” Korn couldn't even handle his weight anymore. He fell down on his knees, crying.

“Korn! Calm down! Take a deep breath! Tell me clearly what happened.“

“Wai…H-He is in the h-hospital…”

—

In the end, Lay was too worried to let Korn drive himself in such condition. Therefore, he voluntarily drove Korn to the hospital.

The moment Lay parked the car, Korn rushed out of the car, not caring if the door could have bumped into the car beside his.

Lay didn't have an opportunity to talk to Korn. Everything happened so quickly that he was left stunned on the driver seat. However, he knew that Brinda Jitaraphol would be there as well so he couldn't let Korn face her alone. After what she did to Aou, it was difficult to believe that she wouldn't do anything anything Korn.

So he followed Korn in the same speed as the latter had while running inside the hospital. This time, the car door did indeed crash to the other car beside it.

“Wai! Wai Jitaraphol! Which room?“ Korn frantically asked the receptionist. His heart was beating so fast. Lay managed to catch up with him.

The receptionist looked at him and then at her computer, trying something. After a few seconds, she spoke up, “Second floor, room 14.“

Korn ran to the elevator while Lay muttered a 'thank you' and followed him, quietly. Korn suddenly felt a rush of regrets as he got inside the elevator. It was as if time went by slowly. Everything around him went blurred. Korn regretted that he didn't see Wai leave. He regretted that he didn't accompany Wai home. He regretted that there were promises left unfulfilled. Therefore, there was no way that he could afford losing Wai.

As the elevator opened, Korn started searching for the room. It wasn't even needed. After a few steps, Korn could see Brinda and Tao standing in the corridor. He anxiously walked towards him. He was scared.

The moment Brinda saw him, she turned his face away and took her purse with her as she left. She couldn't face Korn. She didn't know what to tell him—to go away or to wait here until Wai got better.

Korn walked towards Tao. “Wai…Is he inside the room right now? Can I see him?“

“They took him away for surgery,” Tao softly said. He thought that he had to be mindful for his tone for the child to not get scared. In Tao's eyes, Korn was still a child.

Korn started panicking. He was scared. What if Wai couldn't survive? Was his condition really that bad that he needed to get operated on?

Tao made him sit on the bench. “Korn, Wai is a fighter. You should know that. He will fight to come back.“

Korn didn't say anything. He remained silent, lost in his own thoughts, worried about Wai. He was afraid that the moment he said a word, he might break down into tears.

Lay quietly witnessed the scene in front of him without a word. He looked at Tao who was patiently talking with Korn and calming him down.

Seeing that Korn wasn't going to answer, Tao left him alone. As he stepped backwards to leave, he noticed Lay standing quietly and looking at him.

Tao sighed. He walked towards Lay and grabbed his hand as he made his way away from Korn.

Korn's mind went blank. There was only one thing that kept torturing him—Wai's safety. What if Wai didn't make it out the surgery? What if he'd never be able to talk to Wai again? What if he had picked up Wai's phone call back then?

There were a lot of 'what if's questions going on Korn's mind.

He was scared.

Korn didn't realise the time passing by. Soon, it became night. He was sitting at the same place. Alone.

RING RINGGG
His phone rang.

“P'Aou is calling…”

The ringtone broke Korn out of his trance.

“Korn, I've been calling home but nobody is picking up. Is everything okay?“

Hearing Aou's voice, Korn couldn't handle his emotions anymore. His heart felt overwhelmed. He was scared. He was alone. He wanted someone to be beside him. He wanted Wai. He needed Wai.

And so, his long-awaited tears finally found their way out. Once the tears started streaming down his cheeks, they didn't seem to stop.

“K-Korn, why are you crying? Tell Phi what happened, na? Where are you?“

“P-Phi, W-Wai…Wai is in t-the h-hospital. He…He got b-badly injured. P-Phi…I'm s-scared. I-I am r-really s-scared…”

Korn's throat was really sore. His voice nearly couldn't get out to speak. His entire body was shaking as he let out choked cries.

“Korn, calm down. Nothing will happen to him. Phi will be there soon, okay na? Till then, brace yourself.“

Korn nodded, though he knew that Aou couldn't see him. He just couldn't bring his voice out to speak. He didn't have any more courage with him. He felt helpless, unable to do anything that could ease his lover's suffering.

And so, like that the phone call got cut.