My Love, My Stepbrother.

Photo

"Fuck"
Tin said while running along the hospital's corridor not caring if he was being asked to slow down by the nurses.

"Damn. I'm so sorry but my nerves are breaking in. I'm really worried about Can's condition. You can scold me later.".
He said but only in his mind.

He reached Can's room and immediately opened the door.
He saw his lover sleeping soundly.

"Oh. I didn't know someone was here.."
Said the nurse who came out of nowhere.

Tin turned around to look at her..

The nurse seemed to be mesmerized by the good looking guy in front of him..

Tin unsmiling at the nurse raised his brow..
"How is he?"
He asked the girl in white.

The nurse a little embarrassed of her fangirling spoke,
"He's fine now. We were able to inject him with strong antihistamines. He may sleep for hours as it's one of the side effects."

Tin turned around to approach Can, He sat on the bed then gently brushed his hair..

"Hmmm. They said his brother will come for him. Are you his?"
The nurse was cut off by Tin before she can finish.

"I'm his lover."
Tin said in a snappy manner.

The nurse stunned but composed herself.
"Guess, I should leave. Please press the emergency button if you need any assistance."

Tin said a short thanks while the nurse turned around to leave.

After closing the door, the other nurses were waiting for her.

"Who's he??!"
Curiously asked by the others outside.

"Oh quit it girls.."
She asked ignoring her co-workers.

"Wait.... Why? what's his name?"
Asked by the other.

"I didn't ask him and be quiet."
"We don't want to disturb other patients just because of one guy." She said slowly becoming irritated.
"Besides he is unavailable. He is taken.. and.."

"And what?"
Asked the three girls in chorus..

"He's the cute patient's boyfriend.."
She said sighing.

"Whaaaaaattttt???!!!"
They said then sighed..

"Let's go."
Sadly said by the other..

"Why do hot handsome men always end up gays?!"
The one on the back blurted out uncaringly.

Some people passed by and looked at them curiously.

"Shhhhh... Move.. Let's work."
Said the other then paved their ways to continue their rounds for the day.

Tin went out to get some water on the vending machine when he saw Clay standing outside the hallway focused on his phone.

"Yes."
"I already submitted a request to check everything."
Clay sounded impatient.
"No, I don't want a week period for the investigation to be finished. We have our health clinic to assist you with that."
Clay sounded authoritative and irritated at the same time.
"Every students has a declaration of illnesses or allergies, you should be mindful of all those details before you prepare any food. That is the reason why we have a badge for every individual students for their lunches."

"We are not just pertaining to one student here."
"What if other students accidentally ingested food their allergic to?! Give me a result tomorrow!"
"I don't care if you go on overtime."
Clay sighed after finishing the phone call.

"Looks like this situation is giving you a hard time."
Tin said after the other finished his phone call.

"Tin."
Clay turned around..
"How's Can?"
He asked.

Tin smiled,
"He's doing fine.. He's fast asleep."
"Still needs to get rid of those rashes but he'll be okay.."

"That's good."
Clay said then sat down the bench outside the hospital room.

"Mind if I ask.."
Tin sitting down with him, he was not sure how to start without sounding like he was meddling with the faculty affairs..

"I know what you're gonna ask."
Clay said.. "And I understand why you wanted to know."

"I'm not sure if Can has told you but our grandfather owns half of this school Tin."
Clay said timidly then sighed.
"And that's the reason why I'm working here too."
"Aside from teaching, I also overlook everything in behalf of him."

"I care a lot for Can..."
Clay said, looked at Tin with his unfinished sentence.

Tim's brows furrowed.

Clay chuckled..
"Like a brother.."
He continued then looked at the wallpaper on his phone.

Tin took a glimpse and saw an image of two boys but couldn't see their faces.

"You, Can, Sandy and the other students safety are my top priority. This is negligence, not just on preparing the food but also a misuse of the school property."

Clay looked at Tin's chest where his school ID rests.
"Those badges contains alerts, so when you tap them whenever you buy a meal at the cafeteria, they will be notified on what you are not allowed to eat."

"During our time, those were not invented yet."
"We just pay our meal thru cash and there isn't that advanced technology yet."

Clay's face became blank..
"Years ago, those badges."

"If those badges exists, maybe I wouldn't have been burdened by this guilt. " Clay sighed..
"This guy." He tapped on his phone.
"Half of the school is owned by his family."

Clay showed Tin the picture on his screen saver.
"It's funny enough that Tan,"
Clay pertaining to the person with him on the photo.
"Has the same allergy as Can."

"Everytime I look at Can.. And you.."
"I can't help but feel nostalgic."

Tin felt the sadness on Clay's voice as he was saying that.

Clay continued.
"He ate something he was allergic to and was rushed over to the hospital.. Mind you, the school doesn't have its own hospital then.. so we really had to go out to take him there.."

"And..."
Clay vowed his head.
"I didn't know he was allergic to nuts.."
"I was the cause.."
"I brought him that food from the cafeteria.."

Tin felt the sadness and self loathe on Clay's voice.
"I.. I think it wasn't your fault."

"Yeah he also told me that."
Clay said in agreement.
"He even decided to keep it a secret from his parents."
"Our grandfather then started the badge system for meals sold inside the school."
"They are not just like debit or credit cards you can use, they actually contain more information about you."

Clay kept quiet for a few minutes.
"He almost died then Tin.."

Tin didn't know how to respond..

"Ohhh. Enough of the past."
Clay then said smiling
"And don't get me wrong."
"There are a lot of battles we've won and lost."
"Like other people, these unforseen and uncontrollable things happens like thunder."

"So... you and Can shouldn't be shaken by anything."
"Promise m...."
Clay wasn't able to finish as his attention was caught by something else..

"Paging Dr. Tan Lee. Dr. Tan Lee.. please proceed to the surgery room on the West Wing.."