Sweet Devil [BL]

Chapter 85. Mary

As Misha entered the hospital room, the pungent smell of disinfectant assaulted his nose, making him grimace. Even if he was coming to the hospital quite often as of late, he couldn't get used to that smell no matter what. It always made him feel a little ill at ease, even more so when the stench was confined to a cramped place such as a small palliative care room.

After taking in his surroundings, Misha couldn't help but let out a small sigh. How many times had he come to the hospital this past few months? Well, he didn't know, but following his transmigration, it felt like he passed most of his time here, whether as a patient or a visitor.

It started with his unusual fever that sent his mother into a panic, and Misha was hospitalized for around two weeks. A month later, Gabriel fell off the slope with him, putting the teenager in a coma. At the time, Misha and his family visited him almost every day. Afterward, a drunkard ran over his sister and his mother on Christmas Eve, and again, someone else was hospitalized.

Even after Masha was discharged from the hospital, they still had to come frequently so that the doctors could monitor her health.

A few weeks ago, they removed the plasters on her legs, and Masha could finally begin the rehabilitation program, meaning that she had to visit the hospital once to twice a week. Yuki helped her with the basics, but the nurse couldn't help the teenage girl with more specific exercises, nor could she provide an adapted program for Masha. They needed an expert's help as they didn't want to worsen her state because of inadequate methods.

'Seriously, I'm sick of those white walls,' Misha silently snorted as his eyes landed on the bed where his grandmother lay.

For a second, he was unable to recognize her. She appeared to have aged many years since they had last seen each other, a few months ago. Her wrinkled skin was sickly pale, having taken on grayish and bluish hues, while her gray hair was messy, looking very much like a bird's nest. She would usually tie in her hair in a neat bun, so it was a somewhat shocking sight. Her eyes were dull, and her cheeks sunken; her wrist bones, knuckles, jawlines, and finger joints were overly apparent, as if her skin was directly glued to her bones. Honestly, she looked more like a living skeleton than a human being.

But when she noticed the group of four composed of Gabriel, Masha, Misha, and Alexey, she nevertheless smiled, the corner of her cracked lips curling up high. She weakly taped her husband's hand, telling him, "Be polite, dear! Get them something to drink, ok? And buy some cakes if there are some! You know they're quite good, right?"

The old man helplessly shook his head, stood up, and kissed his wife's forehead before leaving for the canteen. He told everyone not to be shy and make themselves at home.

"Come on! Take a seat, take a seat!"

Taken aback by his grandmother's blatant show of happiness at seeing them, Misha froze in place. Guilt seemed to surge in the pit of his stomach, making him feel a little uncomfortable. Lately, he had been scolding his grandparents in his head every night before going to bed, and after such a warm welcome from the very ones he was inwardly cussing out, he suddenly didn't know what to do.

With jumbled thoughts swirling about in his head, Misha moved further inside after Gabriel called his name, asking if something was wrong, to which he responded that everything was fine.

Sitting next to his sister's wheelchair, Misha fidgeted a little in his chair. His grandmother had terminal cancer and didn't have long left to live. Yet, it didn't seem to affect her in the slightest. In fact, she seemed to have accepted her incoming death quite well, maybe because she wasn't young anymore. At 78 years old, Mary thought she was already quite fortunate. Her life had been long enough. If she had a regret, though, it was that she would leave before her husband.