Love like Pandora's box

Chapter 15.

Zhan had never really talked to his brother much, only some 'hi', and 'hello.' At the hospital, nothing else.

But once Zhan got living with his brother, he felt that his brother was the one who was a spoilt brat.

"It must be so nice to go to school, to make friends, and to meet new people; unlike me, I am stuck in the hospital."  Zane said he was able to walk for now, but sometimes he would get too sick to even walk to sit up in bed.

Zhan, however, didn't like his brother much; it was because of this child that he had to suffer so much. Zane got all the attention and love from his parents.

While Zane thought that it was Zhan who was lucky, he wasn't bed-bound, he could walk freely, eat freely, do whatever he wanted, and go wherever he wanted, not like him.

Zane felt rather jealous, but he was still glad that someone of his age was around to play with him. "Come on, let's play." He spoke.

"I don't want to; I have homework to do," Zhan replied.

"Please, just for a few minutes, please. I won't bother you, I swear. Please... please. I am older, right? Come on, play with me." Zane begged; a child like him who has only seen the white walls of the hospitals someone who has never really played to his heart's content with any child of his age was eager to spend time with Zhan.

But Zhan wanted nothing to do with Zane, so he harshly shoved him away and said, "Go away! I don't want to play with you!" His voice boomed with anger.

Zane stumbled back, and his weak body fell to the ground. "Zhan!"

His mother yelled as he came ahead and slapped Zhan harshly, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Zane felt scared after seeing his mother like that, and when he saw Zhan falling on the ground, while his mother came to comfort him Zhan's dad slapped him again.

Zhan cried as he said, "I was just doing my homework; he was the one who-"

Before Zhan could complete what he was saying, his father grabbed his homework and tore it into pieces, "Today you are going to be locked in your room, and you are not getting any food today."

He said that as he grabbed Zane and walked out, Zane just stared at Zhan, feeling horrible for his brother.

That day, Zhan was sitting in his room crying when he heard a soft knock, his brother slowly opened the room and sneaked in, "Here, have some food." He said as he slid some snacks in, "I am sorry for bothering you; I just wanted to play with you, I was so excited to meet my younger brother. I am sorry if you don't want to play with me." Zane said as he closed the door and walked away.

~~

Days passed, and Zhan was allowed to return to his grandmother's side. He loved spending time with her more than anything.

However, one day his grandmother fell and was taken to the hospital, and she never came back home.

Zhan used to spend most of his time with his grandmother in the hospital or in the school. He could see his grandmother becoming weaker and weaker and slowly dying.

"Zhan..."

"Yes, granny," Zhan answered with a smile, even though he was hurting.

"Here, take this." His granny gave him a ring and said, "This belonged to your great-grandfather and then your grandfather, and after he passed away, I used to wear it because I missed him; now it's yours."

Zhan took the beautiful ring that his grandmother always wore on her ring and said, "Thanks, Granny."

His grandmother smiled before she went back to sleep.

Zhan wanted to stay with his granny till her last breath but fate had other plans as he was once again dragged by his parents, no matter how much he resisted and argued his parents didn't budge.

"Granny is sick let me stay with her please"! Zhan begged.

"Your grandmother is old, she is going to die anyway, but your brother needs you right now"! his father said.

"Please!"

"Enough Zhan! If you dared to argue more then you won't be allowed to see her anymore!" his father yelled.

"It's going to take some time; it won't be long." His mother said.

However, that was a lie because when he came back after giving his blood, his grandmother had already passed away.

He wasn't able to say goodbye, he wasn't able to see her last time, and all because his brother got sick.