Deep asleep, I stirred slightly when I hear someone coming into my ward and hushed voices discussing something unintelligible. I continued sleeping as I figured it was just one of the night nurses who had come to check up on me.
My eyes snapped open when I felt pain sparking on my right arm and I looked up to see a masked woman injecting a clear concoction into my bloodstream.
My flight and fight instinct switched on upon seeing that unknown sight.
Cursing, I yanked my arm back from the woman and struggled wildly as an extra pair of arms went to keep me down. Yelling in frustration, I kicked both of the intruders hard in their abdomen – disabling them immediately.
Shit, I kicked with my right leg without thinking.
Panting with exertion and burning with pain, I forced myself up from the bed and tried to pull the syringe from my arm before the concoction worked its magic in my bloodstream.
Knowing that my motor functions will be hindered soon, I flailed around the room trying to locate my handphone in the darkness before I limped my way out of the ward.
I dialled a number as I headed to the fire exit staircase – knowing that backup will arrive any minute from now, when they realise that the front guard was down.
And I can't fight against them all.
My vision started to get blurry, my body felt a ton heavier than normal and I could barely move my left leg as I desperately willed for the caller to pick up the call.
He picked up on the third dial.
"Amelia?"
"There's danger ... in the h-hospital," I spoke, even my mouth was getting numb. "Th-they injected me ... I can't – I can't stay awake for long. Please send... h-help."
"We'd be right there! Give me a minute!"
I dropped my phone in the process of propping myself against the hospital wall and I couldn't bring myself to pick it up. Sighing, I continued my walk to the exit staircase, muttering curses under my breath as I fought to stay awake but it was threatening to take me down.
My arm hurt and trembled with fatigue as I pushed open the door, I went to the nearest wall so I could keep standing up but my legs couldn't hold my weight up anymore.
Is this where I'm going to die?
Alone and scared?
In some goddamn stairwell?
I squeezed my eyes shut – breathing hard as I fought to stay awake but within seconds, the magical abilities of the mystery concoction overtook my senses and I finally succumbed to the darkness.
.
I woke up with the worst pain that I could ever describe. It was a damn rude awakening. My eyes shot open as the unbearable pain enveloped my entire body – attacking all at once.
"Oh fuck!"
Screaming in pain, I cannot stop the fear as I realised that my body couldn't move as I wanted to because my muscles has locked up. The nurses who were nearby leaped to action. Soon enough, the pain disappeared and I sighed in relief, sinking down on the bed with a tired groan.
The nurses began to wipe down my body with a cloth, leaving my skin feeling refreshed and lightly massaged my aching joints and muscles.
"Amelia, how do you feel?"
It was Kirishima. His face was right next to me and his brows were creased with worry as he looked at me.
"Fantastic." I was not. In fact, I felt like my body had been slammed repeatedly by a lorry and crushed over by a compactor. My legs taken out and shoved back. My arms cut off and reattached.
"We managed to pull you out from there thanks to Jack."
"Who the fuck is that?"
"The stalker."
"Oh."
"I told him to keep an eye on you while you're in the hospital," he explained gently. "He was actually outside having a smoke break when it happened."
"This is why I always say smoking is bad."
He stroke my sweat-streaked hair and the emotions on his face changed from anger, to regret then to apologetic before it returned to the usual stoic expression.
He didn't want me to find out, I realised. He wanted to settle the problem without letting me worry about my life.
"Your life is in danger."
"What're you going to do?"
"First, I'd have to bring your sister here," he said and pressed a kiss on my temple. "Then we'll discuss on what will happen. I'll be right back."
I watched him leave and noticed that I was in a largish room, lying down on a hospital bed surrounded by a team of doctors and nurses. They were busy setting up the medical devices around me, and putting me on a drip.
A stoic man stood by the corner of all the mess whom I assumed would be the stalker – Jack. He looked like the typical soldier – buzz cut with broad shoulders and impeccable posture.
He came over when I beckoned him.
"Thanks for saving my life," I said.
He nodded. "It's what I'm paid to do," he replied. "I'm just lucky I got there in time and brought you out before they came."
"This yakuza business is really life-threatening, isn't it?"
He nods. "You should be mentally prepared for the shit storm that's about to come."
"That's fantastic." It was not.
An hour later, I could hear Amalina yelling in the distance and I knew she had found out what had happened to me. I braced for her to come into the room, and sure enough the door slammed open, to reveal her angry petite frame standing there.
"Amelia!"
I waved at her weakly, my arm was still sore and weak from the exertion that I did earlier. Her eyes widened as she rushed over to me – checking on my wellbeing as she nagged at Kirishima who was following behind her.
They began to argue and I had to stop them or I'd be listening to them all day. Both were equally riled up and I didn't want to listen to them quarrel any longer.
"Can I get something to eat?" I pleaded. "And some water please."
While it was being settled, Amalina sat next to me while holding my hand in hers. Her hands were warm against mine and I felt comforted by that fact.
"Where are we?"
"At my place."
"It's a big mansion," Amalina pointed out flatly. "And he lives alone."
I knew Amalina was lashing out because she was pissed at what was happening to me, and now that she's been roped in with the mess, she's not all that happy either.
"Why is this happening to my sister?" she asked flatly. "Why did you allow it to happen?"
At the time, one of his men happened to enter the room and heard her talk. He reacted angrily because he felt that Amalina was talking to his boss with disrespect. However, with a single glare from Kirishima, he stepped back and looked extremely confused.
"I didn't think this problem will grow and include you," he explained. "I thought I could handle it quickly but they are as powerful as we are and it's taking me some time to deal with it."
"You didn't tell Amelia anything, did you?" she accused. "You kept this under wraps, hoping that this will blow over without her knowing."
"I didn't want her to worry."
She laughed. "Hey, this is Amelia we're talking about here!" she cried out in anger. "Her life is always on the line! Why should you be worried about it? You just don't trust her."
I glanced over at the younger girl, seeing her anger. She was always very protective of me, but only show it whenever she felt necessary.
Kirishima showed no emotion at her accusation and his man was taken aback by her. No one said a single word, a three second silence as we waited for him to answer.
"I'm frightened that she'd run away if she ever finds out who I really am," he said. His eyes had gone dark – the golden hue was gone. "What I really am."
"She can match your crazy, okay?" Amalina pointed out flatly. "She just doesn't show it."
"Amalina!" I exclaimed in embarrassment as I tried to hide under the covers but failing miserably. "This isn't confession session!"
"You should place your trust in her," she continued on as if nothing embarrassing has happened. "I would if I were you."
Kirishima stared hard at her. "So you are okay with your sister dating a yakuza?"
I groaned.
"I'm good as long as she's happy with you," she said. "I don't want history repeating itself. I don't ever want to see her like that again."
He nodded. "Since we're on that topic, we need to discuss about what's going to happen within these few weeks," he explained.
"We'd be staying in your estate until the heat blows over," Amalina stated. "While I go to school, I'd probably have a stalker following me."
"We watch a lot of movies, we know what's going to happen."
Kirishima sighed in defeat and kneaded his nose bridge – muttering something unintelligible under his breath as he finally realised just how annoying we sisters were.
After the conversation fizzled out, Kirishima and his man left the room and we were left alone.
Amalina took the opportunity to lie down beside me – resting her arm over my waist as she snuggled, staying clear of the shoulder brace that I had on.
"This is such a mess," she said with a sigh.
"I can't believe you said all those things to a yakuza."
"I'm talking to your boyfriend, first and foremost."
"He's not."
"What?"
"He's not my boyfriend," I said. "He haven't asked."
She got up immediately and stared at me in surprise, her eyes bugging out. "What do you mean by that?" she demanded. "I thought you two are already a couple!"
I avoided her gaze.
"You're both hopeless!"
.
What my sister said made me think, and even though that I had no answer for it yet, I couldn't sit still not knowing what I wanted. Do I want to be with him? Or do I still want things to remain the same? I was holding myself back for a reason and I knew that things needed to change between us before I'm ready to take the plunge.
One half of me was weary in stepping into another relationship after all the drama and heartache that had happened. And I was all the more hesitant when the future potential partner is a yakuza with many secrets. I felt that I know nothing about him, and I was terrified not knowing.
However, there was the other half of me that didn't bothered about the tiny details. The crazy, adrenaline-driven side of me that only appears whenever I am in danger. This side of me was brusque, and simply wanted to fall into the new relationship head in.
It was hard battling with yourself.
I needed fresh air. Since I was off the IV drip, I got up from the bed and grabbed the crutch by the side of the dressing table before I left the room.
It has been four days ever since I was in this room, and I was bored of staring at four walls all day. Taking a random left turn, I walked down the corridor which eventually led me to a set of spiralling staircase. The mansion was too quiet as I climbed down to the ground floor to find myself standing at the front lobby.
There were a few suited men standing guard – probably armed with a machine gun and they turned when they noticed someone was watching them.
"Err... is there a garden here?" I asked hesitantly as I eyed the two men who had their hands in their suit jacket – probably arming themselves and I raised my hand up – to show them that I meant no harm. "Please don't shoot. Kirishima brought me here."
"Oh, you must be Amelia-sama."
I stared at them in disbelief.
"Come, I'll show you the way."
Words can't describe the beauty of the garden. I can't quite capture the delightful smells that waft through the cold air, the sound of birds cawing in the distance. A stroll through here leaves me feeling very peaceful and at one with the splendours of nature.
I took a deep breath – a delightful mix of fragrance is brought alive by the sounds of nature and enhanced by the colours only mother nature herself could create. It was an array of heady, floral scents that changes as often as the wind does.
The smell of honeysuckles – heavy, overpowering at this time of the season – conquers all other scents in the garden.
Up ahead, roses abound the garden – each one a different scent as if it was a deliberate choice. Some smell like pure old fashion roses, some citrus notes, some are not scented at all and sweet briar roses has apple scents leaves that adds its own dimension of fragrance to the garden.
Truly, I was lost in the garden.
I took a seat at a bench to rest my legs – I love the sound of tinkling wind chimes, birds, burbling waterfalls and plants that gently rustled against the wind. When these sounds combined, it's really amazing. Sometimes, a chirping sound come from a tree – a chipmunk or a squirrel must've made a home there.
There is colour everywhere – bright colour, subtle colour – pinks, reds, yellows, oranges, purples, greens – you name it. There were contrasting colours and harmonizing colours side by side. It was a riot of colours, and the colours change on a regular basis as different-coloured flowers burst into bloom.
The peace was interrupted as a jacket was placed on my shoulders and a presence entered my line of vision – a handsome man by the name of Ishikawa Kirishima.
"How long have you been sitting outside?" he asked as he knelt in front of me, taking my hand in his – a worried look on his face. "Aren't you cold?"
"Your garden is beautiful," I said. "I was lost in it."
"Come on, let's head back inside," he suggested. "Dinner should be ready by now."
Together, we headed back inside and he led me to the dining room where his staff were busy preparing for dinner. The oak table was large enough to fit a party of eight people or more and I wonder if he holds dinner sessions with his business partners.
He directed me to the seat that was closest to the edge – where the food was being laid out and took the crutch from me before he sat down at the head.
"You came back early, didn't you?" I asked.
"Yes, so you won't eat dinner alone."
I smiled. "That's very sweet of you."
"I also wanted to check up on you," he pointed out. "I hope my men didn't scare you."
"Oh, they didn't. They were rather nice actually. They brought me to the garden."
"I'm glad you liked the garden."
"It's very beautiful."
"My mother was the one who designed it," he explained as he began to cut the food into bite sizes. "I'm relieved that I can finally tell her that someone likes her designs." And exchanged the plates.
I was amazed at his thoughtfulness.
"Did you fall deeper in love with me?" he asked teasingly as he began to eat.
My left hand shook at his cheeky statement and I almost dropped the fork that I was holding onto. To think I would hear that sentence aloud in real life made me stunned for a few seconds and I couldn't find my voice.
His hand went to my chin, propping it up with his finger – igniting all sorts of flames before he gave a peck on the lips and resumed with his eating, as if nothing else had happened.
He just kissed me, and went back to dinner like the cool guy he is.
I tried my hardest to start eating and not do anything stupid at this moment but I couldn't stop the smile from creeping up my lips.
Concentrate!
.