Can You Look My Way?

C-2

Follow-up checkup.  Eleven in the late morning is Leo's schedule but he wanted to be early and act all mighty at the hospital grounds. So, he arrived there by ten o'clock, roaming wherever he couldn't go before. 

It's not that he misses it there, he just loves seeing sick people. It thrills him how some of them have unaware eyes, some have gloomy ones and some with hopeful ones. It makes him wonder, does somebody really look into someone's eyes and notice something?

"So, how was the school? How was being in a classroom?" Doctor Kamiya asked while going through his recent findings.

"I was excited for nothing. It was still boring there," Leo replied, taking the newly put plaster off his skin. When he glanced at his doctor he saw Doctor Kamiya shake his head slightly. 

"You know that was still fresh."

"It's not bleeding anymore. You're a damn bully to my vein."

"The needle did that."

"It's you," Leo said. "Anway, something funny happened on my first day. I encountered someone."

"Someone?" Doctor Kamiya raised his brows, looking at him with his eyes squinted slightly. "I didn't know you had an ex-girlfriend."

"I'm planning to die single if that helps. And no, just some girl I kinda liked. For some reason, I can't seem to forget her and she's Mrs. Hollyn's daughter. You know the pediatrician in--"

"Yes, I remember Doctor Hollyn," Doctor Kamiya had interrupted him, waving a hand doing this snobby rolling of his eyes. "Does her daughter even know you?"

"I don't even know. I just know it's her since I went through my sister's binder. And I am seated in front of her. She doesn't seem to know."

"Imagining it. You sound creepy."

"Yo, I didn't mean it!" Leo chuckles and scoffed at his doctor. "I'm planning on trying out on the basketball team. Do you think I can do that?"

A brief silence filled the room. 

Then doctor Kamiya inhaled deeply and said, "You would still do it, Leo. I know you would because you think you still can."

"You always know. You really are my doctor." As doctor Kamiya shakes his head in disapproval, Leo only laughed. "Can I stay a little longer? You won't mind if I do, right?"

"Go ahead. You do whatever you want, young man!"

This is what Leo likes about doctor Kamiya; the doctor cares so much about him and at the same time, they could be enemies in a lot of decisions. A stranger could be a friend.

During his break time, doctor Kamiya invited Leo for a drink. While doctor Kamiya has coffee, Leo has an energy drink in his hand. He needs to be hydrated most of the time.

"So, you told me you were seated in front of this first love of yours. How does it feel that it's one-sided?" Doctor Kamiya suddenly brought the conversation up. 

Leo squinted his eyes, scoffing again. It's not that he hates doctor Kamiya for bringing it up, it's just he feels bad for that girl.

"I feel bad for her," he simply answered, looking at the people outside the window. "She cries and she has bruises so I leave instant cold packs under her desk sometimes." 

Doctor Kamiya has his eyes wide with the unexpected response Leo gave him. Leaving things like that is surely Leo's doing but him not standing up, is what puzzles doctor Kamiya.

"Why not help her?" 

"I did. One won't learn how to fight back if she keeps being saved."

"It'll cost you your conscience." But Leo remained silent, looking outside once again. When doctor Kamiya looked outside he saw two pigeons. So, that's what he kept looking at. "The next time you visit, tell me more about her and your days."

Since that day, doctor Kamiya kept hearing the excitement in Leo's voice. The young man often comes to his clinic to talk about his week. And although it started with meeting and getting along with his new friends, it ends up with Love, that ugly girl, Love. And so time flew fast.

On a Wednesday, around ten in the morning, Leo visited doctor Kamiya with a bruise in one corner of his mouth. It's school hours but the doctor knew what was up since the flow of episode in Leo's story were clearly told. Not to mention, doctor Kamiya is firsthand. 

"So, how is everything doing with your basketball team?" doctor Kamiya asked anyway.

"I'm out," Leo simply replied. "Elise has a crush on me and is using Jacob. But that dude just punched the hell out of me and since I understand where he is coming from, I let it go."

"Out of the instant cold packs that you buy for that girl, you didn't buy one for you and went here instead. What a selfless young man you are, Leo." Doctor Kamiya took a closer look at the bruise, poking it, making Leo flinch that he almost fell off the hospital bed. 

"Darn you, doctor! It hurts! Can't you see the discoloration!" Leo sneered, shoving away the doctor's hand. "How are you a doctor?"

"It's too late. Cold packs won't make it any better, you idiot!" As doctor Kamiya returned to his desk, he once again glance at Leo. He had found good use of the bed and the doctor shake his head side to side. "You're supposed to be in class."

"I know. Lately, being in class is boring and I kept hearing Love's soft cries. It gets to me. Then this stupid misunderstanding came just because of Elise.

Losing someone who I thought was my best friend is difficult. Jacob could've at least heard me out or thought twice for a second. Jacob knew me better, at least I thought so. I'm just glad I didn't introduce him to all of me."

At that moment, as doctor Kamiya watches Leo cover his eyes with his arm, he knew the young man had felt hurt again. Someone he could have shared what he's going through turning his back on him sure entered his heart a little. In the end, they all turn their backs on him before they knew how wonderful he could be. 

"Well, take your time in that bed," Doctor Kamiya said, sighing heavily as he read further some test results.

*****

AN: I would just like you guys to know that this will take a while for me to finish. And yes, this is a boring chapter. Due to my condition, I won't be able to update fast, not that I do anyway.

Also, let's connect through IG: keitotsuki 

see ya!