Can You Look My Way?

C-3

"Leo, you have developed early signs of chronic pancreatitis," doctor Kamiya informed him casually. 

They have known each other for years now making them comfortable to talk to each other like they're just the same age. Leo had found a best friend in his doctor. There were no secrets between them.

"Ah, it has now upgraded, huh? All those staying in this hospital for weeks with a tube in my hand... that means I'm getting more and more pills to take, yeah?" Leo asked.

Doctor Kamiya looks at him and realized the young man didn't really care much about his serious condition. Leo has been the same from when they first met up to now. Such a calm kid. 

"Yes. Supplements and things you really need to seriously avoid, Leo."

"Okay."

Agreeing to it simply, doctor Kamiya could already read what's up with Leo.

"It's the last academic year of high school. What's wrong?"

"Nothing much," Leo replied, sitting up. "I just thought I was going to get better. I hoped too much, huh?"

Leo had a smile but doctor Kamiya could see through him and he sighed heavily. He is a doctor and he himself doesn't quite get why medications had not worked for Leo. Why his disease would keep coming back. All he can do is prescribe more pills, give blockers to inject when the pain is unbearable, and do some surgeries. What a failure he is. 

"I am sorry, Leo. I guess people were wrong when they said I was a great doctor."

"You are a great doctor. You can't blame yourself for my condition. Doing everything you can and listening to me since and before I started going to a real school. I'm grateful to you."

After Leo's doctor's appointment, he went straight to school. It has been days since his 12th grade has started and he isn't liking it. Lately, Merida has been mumbling about her encounter with Jacob. So, he had become interested in her, huh?

It's not bad for Jacob to get interested in Merida, it's just that he feels jealous. The aching he feels in his chest whenever he wants to approach and talk to Merida but can't. It's unfair. 

As he walk towards the senior high school building, Leo heard people talking about Candice and the ugly duckling creating a scene in the hallway. There's no one they call ugly but Merida. So, Leo rushed there. Just this once, he'll help her again.

When Leo got there, it was too late. Jacob was already there standing up for Merida. It pinched his heart to see Jacob holding Merida. It breaks his heart to realize where he went wrong. He didn't approach her. He could've been the one to do that. His mistake was to watch her suffer and hold back.

That day, Leo did not come to class. The next few days, he spent sulking at doctor Kamiya's office, telling the doctor everything that had happened. 

"You could be selfish sometimes, you know." Doctor Kamiya just came in from an operation. "You realize you are scaring some of my patients, right? With you and your head covered with your hood."

"I'm a coward! I can't even go to my sister for what happened years ago with Jacob and Elise. I couldn't convince that witch to help Merida either! I'm useless!" Leo dramatically told doctor Kamiya which made the doctor roll his eyes as he sits down.

"Go to school and talk to that girl you call ugly. But you don't really find her ugly, do you?"

"Of course not!" Leo exclaimed, finally undoing the ribbon he made with his hoodie's drawstring, showing his face. "She's just not confident and that's what is ugly."