It's Okay If You Forget Me

Chapter 2

Boss pulled his hand gently and lifted off his helmet. Noeul watched carefully from beside, blanket pulled close. When Boss's face came to light, Noeul smiled.

Boss' heart plummeted into his stomach. How could the smile still have an after effect for him after all this time? He looked away.

"Boss," Noeul called out. Boss wanted to just go away and forget that today didn't happen. "Thank you,"

Boss didn't reply. He rushed to the fire engine and pulled out his uniform jacket harshly leaving only his inner white shirt. He leaned on the vehicle closing his eyes and counting numbers up to 100 to calm himself down.

What is this? He found himself doubting his own feelings. He's supposed to move on, he's supposed to just let it go, and don't linger around possible feelings because it's ancient history. It's been three years since their breakup in the café. He could still listen the tick-tock sound of the grandfather's clock and he hated it.

And now he's acting like he's still in the same spot when Noeul left long ago. Their breakup was clean, as their friends said. They went separate ways because of Noeul's ambition and Boss' relationship's direction. Noeul wanted to chase the limelight, becoming a star which he's one right now. Boss wanted a traditional one, up until he was away from Noeul.

"Hey," Boss turned around when he heard his friend called out. "I think you might want to check your wound out,"

"Why?"

"Your back, I think you had some burn," Boss couldn't see what's on his back and sure enough suddenly he felt a sharp burning pain. He gazed at his uniform on the engine's floor, there was some burnt mark on it. "You might want to see the paramedic, they're here already,"

"Alright," Boss nodded and his colleague left. Now that he's distracted from his mind again, he walked towards the paramedics. But not surprisingly, there was Noeul sitting on the ground with the blanket. He looked so small. He was answering some questions from the lady paramedic that came.

He contemplated again to leave just because Noeul was in his visual field. He wanted to get away, maybe he could seek treatment after today. His shift would end soon and he might get to see someone at the hospital nearby.

"Are you okay?" a voice behind him made Boss turned around. It was another paramedic, smiling at him. "It seems like you had quite a wound back there, care to let me take a look?"

"Ah..." Boss hesitated but followed the guy to an area around the ambulance. The commotion around the ground was calmer now, as the firefighters handled the incidents well. His colleagues already conveyed that they were able to put the fire out from the last blast.

"It seemed like a first-degree burn, it would heal soon before you know it," the paramedic said with a grin. "It must be hard to be a firefighter, exposing yourself to hazards like this,"

"It's worth the adrenaline rush," Boss joked as the paramedic applied some cream on his back. The cream felt cold, as cold as his hand. Boss looked up to see Noeul was watching him from afar, his eyes sharp and icy. He swallowed, wishing that he didn't just save someone so significant to him.

"Sure it did," the paramedic said and Boss took a look at the name engraved on the scrub. Peat Wasuthorn.

"Should I get more pain killer if it's still painful?"

"I'm going to prescribe you with some painkillers, you can buy them later," he said, his hands expertly put some dressing on the cream he just lathered on Boss's back. The dressing might help to reduce friction from Boss's clothes so that the cream would be more effective. "You might get some silvery skin, maybe some discolouration on your back but it would be gone soon enough,"