Between Living and Love || Complete ✔

//2//

I went to see Doctor Grace yesterday morning so I did miss out on Catto's history lecture. What a waste. It's like there's this magical potion that's given out the minute he enters the room. Some magical sleeping potion. You can't blame me, he might really be magic of he's just a boring lecturer.

As I entered her office, Ella's question still burns in my head. Ever since she's asked, I started to get a little curious myself. So I did ask Grace about it. 

"She needs to take this everyday before she goes to bed, and for this one, make sure that she-"

"What made me get diagnosed with KPD? Like I know it isn't passed down to me, it isn't something I can catch, like a cold. Is it my immune system? Is it really that weak?"

Grace took her glasses off and advises my mom to leave the room while we have this "private conversation". Before speaking, she took a moment to sigh in relief. Grace got up from her chair, then proceeding to lock the door before slowly running back to her seat. "How did you know? How did it happen?" she uttered as her eyes examined mine.

"How did I know what? What did I spontaneously figure out?"

Grace slouched back to her chair, looking for things in her drawer. She doesn't seem to be getting any luck by the looks of it. Giving up after a few seconds she sighs again. "Hmm. You don't seem to know what did this to you. Patients usually figure out what happened to them the day they are diagnosed. I figured you would've known by then, that's why I didn't say much. Maybe if you re-calculate the-..."

"You're dodging the question here. I asked you a simple question for a straight-forward answer. You seem to be in your own little universe. I'll ask again; Why/what caused this disease? Hm?"

With one hand fiddling with a pen, the other rubs her eyes. She looks around for possible eavesdroppers before proceeding to explain.

"Emma, dear. That is a question only you can answer. You don't have to look far either, it's rather simple. At times, extremely obvious." I cross my arms and nod, allowing her to proceed. "I've only had to deal with a handful of patients with KPD. It's very rare for a patient to ask me those questions because, they would have encountered their answer by then."

I got into more comfortable position and raised my eyebrows. Sighing, she continues. "Have you heard of the Hanahaki Disease?" she asked. "Yes, I have. It's when you cough up flower petals and shit right?"

She jumped slightly when I swore. Her hands look for more things to fiddle with, it took her a while before settling in with the highlighter. She could have chosen a red, bendy ruler instead. "A few years ago, a girl named Jenny came in to my office. She was looking frantic and I knew very little about KPD at that time, but she needed help so I tried my best."

She said Jenny. Is it the Jenny I know, the one who has a passion for music, the one who teases Falynn for her height just because she's slightly taller? I shake my head to clear it, then nodded to let Grace proceed. It was still a strange moment there.

"She was diagnosed with the Hanahaki Disease exactly a day before she was diagnosed with KPD. For her case, it was just the state she was in. If she were to be more lively and healthy, KPD would have never struck her. For you, I have a feeling it's either stress or depression from a broken heart. Have you ever had a broken heart before? Are there any upcoming exams or any losses you've to deal with? The ones that hurt the most?"

"Y-yes." I muffled. She smiles and lays back on her chair. At that moment, the nurse knocked on the door. Grace got up to answer it, we acted like nothing happened.

On the way back, I tried to figure out, which one of the reasons Grace said caused my disease to...I don't know...ignite? I have had a broken heart before, I am stressed, I have just gotten through a horrible loss. It might be all three.