The Experience Buddy [Completed]

Chapter 38

"Hey."

I was woken up by a gentle voice the next morning. Hero looked at me while lying down, I smiled slightly as he stroked my head lightly with the back of his fingers.

After a couple of days, the doctor said that there was no internal injury and so he is free to discharge from the hospital. His parents updated him partially on his condition so as to explain the need to continue taking the medicine even after leaving the hospital. The news of having cancer didn't sit with him well, so I supposed it was a good thing that we didn't tell him the whole truth?

I couldn't really tell exactly what was going through in his head at that time, but it looked like he was getting flooded by a whole bunch of emotions. He was angry at first, not sure at who or what, as he kicked his foot into the wall and slammed his fist onto the bedside table. Then his anger dissipated and he suddenly became quiet, but a frown continued to remain on his face. Holding onto his arm, I assured him that it won't be for forever, and that he will get better. Not sure how convincing I sounded though, when I was really just trying to convince myself.

Since nationals were over, he requested time off from club activities. After his collapse, I heard the team played harder during the remaining minutes for his sake, and managed to win by a close call with a one point difference.

I moved in from the dormitory to his place so that I can be with him more and also adjusted my schedule to make time to accompany Hero to his subsequent doctor appointments. While Hero was in the shower, I made a quick call back home to let my parents know of his condition and update them on the current situation so that they could understand why I am not returning home for the upcoming summer holidays.

Hero's family flew back to Washington D.C. the same day that Hero got discharged. As Heath had already graduated from Harvard, he had to get back to work while his father turned out to be an ambassador from the UK stationed here in America and couldn't be gone from his position for too long either. His mother wanted to stay but Heath thought it would be better for none of them to be near Hero for now.

So while the Tiffin family are still estranged from their son, they mainly get updates about him through me. I would send text messages to Heath who would then relay the updates to his parents. Honestly, Heath is such a great guy and seemed to be quite an understanding brother, so I wasn't sure exactly what went wrong between the two brothers if they used to be close. I really hope that they clear whatever misunderstandings they had someday.

One day, I thought I should really ask Hero to teach me how to cook. So while he was watching the replay of the matches during nationals, I crawled up beside him on the couch.

"Hey Hero?"

"Yeah?" He answered without looking away from the screen.

"How about teaching me how to cook?" I smiled sheepishly.

"Why are you suddenly trying to learn how to cook?" Hero asked.

"I need to make sure I tick everything off the perfect wife list." I blurted, then let out a small gasp when I realized what I had just said and turned away to hide my embarrassment. In an attempt to correct myself, I cleared my throat and said, "I mean, girlfriend.".

Hero chuckled and then he turned me around to face him. "I like that you are thinking ahead." Shortly after, he added. "But I thought you were going to be the breadwinner of our family and I will be the stay-home house husband."

"Our family." I thought as I gushed at those words.

"Huh? My aspiration is to become a wife. Mind you, not a housewife but a wife. Which means you have to earn enough for us to hire a maid." I snorted.

"Guess I can't quit modelling yet then." He whined.

"Since when..."

"Because you don't read fashion magazines..."

"You never told me." I pouted.

"You never asked. How did you think I paid for our dates and trips?" He looked at me with an arched eyebrow.

"I assume you get pocket money from your parents?" I shrugged.

"Not wrong, but I don't touch what they give me. Well, other than this house, the car and university tuition." He said, pursing his lips. "And assuming, makes an ass out of you and me, get it?" Then he laughed at his own joke. And I laughed because he laughed.

"I love you even if you're an ass, and your ass." I muttered.

"Emily Lee! Since when did you utter such words!" He exclaimed. Then he pinched both my cheeks with his hands and lowered himself until our faces were only less than an inch apart. "I love you and your ass too."

After a quick trip to the supermarket to buy groceries and a great battle with the ingredients in the kitchen, I let out a long sigh.

"Uh, deep fried fish and chips?" I laughed weakly.

"Are you sure it's edible? Half the fish is burnt." Hero narrowed his eyes at me.

"Dude, it's the shadow." I brushed him off as he shot me a doubtful look.