unrequited {blasnique hanahaki au}

day vii (the end)

"Oh my god."

"What?"

"I completely forgot about Alleinah's breakfast."

"What time is it?"

"I dunno. Almost nine?"

"Looks like it. And why do I feel like we should be panicking right now and not so lax about it?"

"Well, you know what they said: "it's all about finding the calm in the chaos."

Zild chuckled at Badj's statement. They aren't really "chillaxed" about it's more like jittery but stilled by a good friend's presence. It's usual that they try to come up with dumb excuses to save their asses right now, but the state of their friend with IV fluids dripping to his veins at the next room overpowered that.

Badj and Zild had their eyes to their worn out Converse, both butts aching on the stone cement of hospital seats. They stretched out their legs as they played the game of bumping their knees together like bored little children.

"I hope he's okay," blurted Badj.

The hallway around them echoed the squeaking footsteps of nurses and doctors driving a rolling bed that easily passed by the two friends.

"Yeah, he better be," answered Zild.

"I wonder though. If he wakes up, will he be a kinda different person?" Badj swayed a landing blow to Zild's knee who grunted in response. "'Cause I feel like if the disease is removed plus his feelings, then the person's influence will be too."

Zild halted his knee attack midway to Badj as memories resurfaced in his brain. "Growing up," he said, "I can see how Unique helped him so much and there's us, too."

"He's sometimes the voice of reason for the group when I'm not around."

"Pfft. You got that right."

"No wonder Blaster liked him that much."

Zild's phone buzzed on his thigh, abruptly ending their knee game. Upon seeing the caller ID, he straightened his back, planted the soles of his feet on the ground, and turned his head to Badj with furrowed brows.

Badj responded with a nod, almost saying like "we know we're getting our asses kicked, but let's still do it anyway." It's similar to the face Blaster would make when they attempted to steal alcohol from the loitering men, slipping off from their chairs with their drunken state, in front of the sari-sari store.

Zild clicked the green button.

"Hel-"

"Where's my breakfast?"

"We...were too worried about Blaster"

When he expected the other line to return Alleinah's pubescent voice, a shuffling of noises and a soft voice answered instead.

"Zild?" Zild felt his heart clutching his chest. Blaster's mom. "Where are you right now? Where is he?"

'We-"

"Is he okay? I know you're friends for so long, but you should have never gone out without my permission. Can you give the phone to Blaster please?"

The guilt is weighing down Zild, and the plea of her voice made it more heavier. He glanced over to Badj, mouthing words of help to him.

Badj blinked his eyes and crossed his arms, not daring to open his mouth. That's enough for Zild to know this situation is in his hands.

The phone started buzzing hard. Blaster's mom was nearly yelling. The multiple choice of excuses in his brain flickered and pressured him to choose which sounded more reasonable. He ducked his head as he'll just-