Shutter

Chapter 44 - Act 8 (3)

[Act 8 - Soren Chandler - Age 18]

Soren slowly opened his eyes and his vision adjusted to the bright room.

'Did I overdo it?' He thought as he tried to move his body but the moment he did so, he winced at the painful sensation that swept up his system. He couldn't move an inch in any of his lower body but when he tried to move his head, luckily it didn't hurt... He paused when he looked on his right and saw someone sleeping on a chair.

The man's head was hung low while his legs were crossed. He was still wearing the clothes he wore to the party and no matter how awkward his position was, no one could deny he was still handsome.

Thump... Thump...

He could feel his heart quicken its pace while looking at the man.

"Hyung..." He weakly called as he tried to reach for Mikhail and just as expected, at the slightest noise, he woke up.

When he raised his head and their eyes met, Kael had a surprised look on his face and it took him approximately nine seconds to process what he was seeing before he immediately stood up from the chair he slept on and got on Soren's side.

"Soren!" He called. "Oh my god, you're awake."

He frantically started examining Soren's face and body. He touched the man's cheeks and Soren leaned into the touch even though he winced at the pain but still hid it carefully not to make Kael worry. But it seemed like his actions weren't invisible to the eyes of a doctor himself.

The young master squinted his eyes at him and Soren smiled sheepishly.

"It seems like you'll make it since you're smiling like that now." Sighing, Kael shook his head and he was about to turn his back on Soren to get the chair and sit closer to the man when the latter stopped him.

Soren held Kael's hand and the young master looked at their connected limbs before looking back at Soren.

"P-Please don't leave me..." Soren muttered weakly.

"Who said I'm leaving you? I'm just going to get the chair. You don't expect me to stand here the entire day holding hands with you, no?" Kael chuckled before removing Soren's grasp on his hand and moved to get the chair closer to Soren.

Once he finished that, Kael sat on it with a sigh before he grabbed Soren's hands and held it tightly.

This surprised Soren but he didn't complain. Not that he ever will.

There was a bandage wrapped around his head to prevent it from turning too much so his movements were limited.

"You have a few broken bones but it'll heal in a few weeks. There were no major concussions that are life-threatening. I've talked to the doctor who tended to you-" He stopped when Soren gripped his hand tightly.

"Are you okay?"

Soren shook his head.

"I'd still ask it even though I know you're in pain but are you?"

Soren nodded his head.

"Really now, why would you jump out of the second floor? Are you out of your mind?" He was starting to nag and it made the young Chandler chuckle. He liked this. He liked the feeling of holding Mikhail's hands without having anyone disturb them.

"It's my first time feeling like that..." Soren spoke in his sad voice. "All this time, I experienced love from you but the moment I tried liking someone else, I was immediately betrayed." Looking into Kael's eyes, Soren held their gazes for a long time.