Boyfriend Privilege (Sam YU AU FF)

Late

"It's so quiet here. So peaceful."

Sam frowned and lifted a brow at Ray's somewhat skewed observation. They were standing, having coffee by the vending machine, right beside the emergency room. Quiet and peaceful were the two things Sam would least expect to hear about the place.

"You're crazy."

"Hahah, YOU are crazy. You've been staying in the hospital for longer nowadays. You used to leave whenever you get the chance to before. That new nurse caught your attention or what?"

"Orrr, are you getting cozy in that new office of yours?"

"Cozy my ass! The old guys are giving me weird looks everytime I join in their important meetings."

"That happens when you become the youngest head of neurological department in one of the most prestigious hospital in the country."

"Yet, they void me of every important surgery there is."

"At least they pay you good. Make me the head too when you become the director." Sam scoffed, the chances of him becoming the director would be the same as a survival rate for a patient with a stage 4 sarcoma.

"Oops, gotta go. Send my regards to the coma guy!" Ray waved his beeping pager and placed his empty cup in Sam's hand before running off to his duty call.

It was already 4 in the afternoon. Sam had been increasingly annoyed having to ride the lift to the second top level of the hospital building just to get his 10 minutes rest so he usually spent his time in the emergency room helping the staffs when he had nothing else to do. He would rather work his ass off doing things he love than to be sited and shoved with paperwork in his office. The sounds of monitors beeping and distressed breathing filled the entire room which smells of antiseptics, sweat and dusty air conditioners all in one, just how he like it.

"Not going home yet Sam?" Mrs. Tan, the head nurse of the emergency room asked as Sam was helping the nurses remove a bloody sheet of the bed.

"I have a surgery scheduled at 6."

"Those old guys should give you a break." Sam laughed, he guessed everyone already knew he was just a head of the department by title. He was put there to handle all the works, and receive all the criticisms whenever problems rise, even if he wasn't the one making the decisions. He grimaced over the files after files he had to sign regardless of what his opinions were.

Sam finished helping around and headed towards the patients rooms on the 10th floor. The hallway was far quieter than the ones below. He slid the door opened, watching the sleeping guy on one of the two beds in there. He nodded to the visitor of the other patient before pulling the curtains around the bed for privacy.

He took out a wet wipes he had kept in the cupboard and started wiping the body of the young man. He squinted his eyes to see as little as possible as he changed the man's clothes to a new fresh ones. He didn't know what's wrong with him but he couldn't bear to watch the man naked without having his heart raced like a starstruck child meeting a real live giant mecha gundam. He dropped eye lubricants into the pitch black pupils and moved the man's limbs, imitating an exercise. He drew in a long breath as he managed to position the sleeping man on his side, making sure there's no rash on his back.

He had been doing this for six months. With every passing day, he knew that the chances of the man to wake up out of his coma would drastically be lowered. He sat on the chair staring on the undisturbed face, thinking of the past few months. He couldn't help but pity the fact that not one person had come to look for this man. He had no visitors to bring him flowers or to tell him stories. Sam at least hoped that there are people out there praying for his wellbeing.

Sam lifted the long bangs obstructing his face and tucked them behind his ear. The bandages had been removed, the cuts and scratches were long gone. Sam's mouth turned up at the mole under the man's eye. He couldn't believe he didn't notice it first thing during his surgery back then. He remembered the most beautiful smile he had ever witnessed coming from the young man, a smile he thought was too precious to be given up on. He wanted to see that smile again.

~

"I'm going to the conference in Malaysia." Sam was standing in Ray's office while the man was lying on his couch eating chips.

"Yeah, so? I'm not going there in your place. Your job sucks." Sam rolled his eyes.

"With your brain, I doubt you can understand anything anyway."

"Blablablaa, at least I don't have to kiss some big people's ass for the sake of the hospital."

"Ughh, will you help me or not? Or else, I'll just ask Chih Tian."

"No! Leave him alone. What do you need help for?" Sam smirked, he just knew the name of the new resident would turn the table around.

"That man in Room 1001, look after him for me."

"Huh? He's still alive?"

"Seriously Ray."

"Plead me."

Sam rolled his eyes again, bringing his palms together. "Pretty please."

It took a minute of fake deliberating before Ray agreed.

"But why? Who is he to you? You know the nurses can take care of him right?"

"Just do it will you? And maybe I'll help you ask Chih Tian out. He's under my supervision in case you don't know."

"What!? You couldn't have told me sooner? I'll help you! Go and come back safe!" Sam heard Ray yelled out as he made his way out of the office, feeling relieved that he doesn't need to rely on just the nurses.

~

Even though he reluctantly agreed to attend the 4-days conference on behalf of the hospital, he found himself enjoying the tropical country more than he thought he would. On the last day of the conference, he managed to buy some titbits that he had especially enjoyed as a thank you for Ray.

Arriving at the hospital the next day, he went straight to Ray's office to drop of his souvenirs but he couldn't seem to find him anywhere. Ray hadn't been answering his phone the past few days too.

"Chih Tian, have you seen Dr. Ray anywhere?" Sam stopped the cute looking young man who was walking pass the offices with documents in his hands.

"Oh, I saw him in one of the patients' rooms just now. He had been going there often lately." Sam said his thanks and headed straight to level 10.

He frowned at the empty room. The two beds arranged opposite of each other was no longer with patients on them. He turned his body to look for a nurse but was met with Ray's eyes instead. Ray was standing at the door, his hands in his white coat with a solemn expression.

"He's dead."