School Days

[14] Pain

Dr Zhang, "The current medication isn't working for you. I will have to put you in reinduction chemotherapy for now."

YuXin was in Dr Zhang's office with her parents and Yibo. Hearing the word chemotherapy, YuXin stomach lurched as she recalled the painful living hell experience that she had to go through previously, being hospitalised for months and just kept in the hospital ward gritting through the pain and discomfort. Her parents hugged her tightly in consolation," Baobei, we are here for you, you can conquer this."

.

"YuXin's parents have withdraw her from school. She will not be coming back to school for a period of time." Ms Wang announced to the class in the morning. Hearing that, Xue Er took her bag and dashed out of the class without a word and headed straight to Yibo's class and knocked on his classroom door. No, no this can't be.

"Sorry to disturb, but I need to see Yibo for an urgent matter," Xue Er's voice cracked as she tried to held in her tears. Yibo walked towards her and pulled her to the corner of the walkway.

Xue Er, "YuXin.. Is she.."

Yibo nodded his head solemnly. Xue Er started sobbing as tears ran down her face, "When?"

Yibo, "A few weeks ago. She didn't want to tell anyone."

Xue Er, "That silly little potato. I'm going to kill her, how could she keep it from me. Is it the same hospital?"

Yibo nodded, "Keep it from everyone else. She doesn't want people to know."

Xue Er wiped her tears and nodded. She ran out of school, heading straight to the hospital.

"YuXin you dare to hide such things from me? Are you courting death?" Xue Er boomed in anger as she stomped into the ward. YuXin jumped up in fright and covered herself up with the blanket. "There's no YuXin here, you got the wrong person."

Xue Er pulled the blanket away forcefully, "Stop lying, your name is written on the board. I skipped school for you, show some appreciation."

YuXin relented and came out from hiding sighing, "Hey if you fail your exams, don't put it on me."

Seeing YuXin's pale face, Xue Er couldn't help but pulled YuXin in, embracing her tightly as puddle of tears started forming, "You silly girl, why did you keep it to yourself." Xue Er knew that YuXin was just trying to look out for the people around her but she wished that YuXin would share her troubles with others instead of keeping everything to herself.

YuXin mumbled softly," I just want to experience a normal school life as long as possible."

Three years ago, YuXin had been diagnosed with acute leukemia and had to quit school for two years before she went into remission and went back to school. It was the toughest two years of her life spending her time in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy that killed her appetite, her energy and basically everything.

Now that her cancer is back, she felt helpless against the situation, not knowing if the treatment this time round would work for her again. Sighing, she smiled softly at Xue Er, "At least I had fun in school while it last." And she did, she enjoyed all the moments with her classmates, participating in different activities together, making Mr Song angry by doodling in class.. Those are precious memories that she would cherish.

Then there's Kun.. The ice prince that she initially just wanted to tease but slowly, it turned into something more. She wanted him to experience the school life with friends and started talking to him more, trying to get him to open up. She was taken aback he almost confessed during the sports meet. It wasn't that she didn't know about his feelings for her, but she simply couldn't accept it.. Not when her health is a ticking time bomb. And that's why she suppressed and ignored her own feelings for him as well, not daring to take things further. It's not like the both of us could get together anyway, she thought.

YuXin held onto Xue Er's hand and pleaded softly, "Don't let anyone else know I'm here."

Xue Er nodded her head and smoothed YuXin's hair, "Don't worry, your brother has already reminded me."

.

Kun has been trying to get the information about YuXin's whereabout from Xue Er and Yibo over the past few weeks but the two of them remained tight lipped about the whole affair. He tried calling and texting YuXin but the line wasn't available. He knew that YuXin must be in a bad situation for her to suddenly quit school without a word.

Kun, "Just tell me, is she alright?"

Xue Er glanced at Kun with a troubled look. Obviously YuXin isn't alright. She was looking more frail than ever and from the conversation with her parents, the chemotherapy doesn't seemed to be working as well.

Xue Er, "Stop asking me. I told you I don't know."

Kun sighed softly, frustrated at how he can't seemed to get an answer out of her. Yibo on the other hand just told Kun to forget about YuXin for his own good. As if he could just forget about someone whom he's been with almost daily for the past months, someone that he had fallen in love with.

When Xue Er reached the hospital, she sat on the chair and lamented, "I didn't know the ice prince can be so persistent. I had to run away and hide from him just to come here."

YuXin smiled softly at Xue Er and joked, "He's pestering you again? He must have really like me huh."

Xue Er nodded her head quickly, "I think he's really in love with you. Zhengting said he's never shown so much concern to anyone before."

Hearing that, YuXin's heart fell. She didn't expect Kun to have such an intense emotion towards her. Glancing at Xue Er, she comforted, "Well.. you can just tell him I'm in America."

Xue Er scoffed, "What a lie, you think he will believe me?"

YuXin, "I'm going there for real.. My parents decided to put me on the clinical trial treatment in America. I'll be heading over there in two days time.."

Xue Er stared at YuXin with her mouth slightly agape as she tried to digest the news, "That's fast.." she quickly composed herself and smile, "help me look out for some handsome Caucasian hunk while you are there."

YuXin flashed a smile, "As if you need one, Zhengting is enough for you isn't it."

.

On the day of departure, Jiaer and Xue Er came to the airport to send YuXin's family off.

Jiaer embraced YuXin gently, "Meimei, take care. I want to see you back safely and continue to bicker with me." He mustered a smile to encourage YuXin. Deep down, his stomach was feeling the lurch seeing the girl that he treats like his sister becoming so frail and vulnerable in front of him.

Xue Er held back her tears and handed a cloud plushie to YuXin, "I will miss you so much little potato. You better reply to my texts and calls when you are there."

YuXin nodded her head and mustered a smile on her face, "Don't worry, I will come back stronger than ever."

Yibo, "Alright, its time for us to board. Don't worry, I will update you guys about her progress."

.

Xue Er looked at Kun squarely and sigh, "YuXin is in America. Her family migrated over there together with Yibo."

Kun looked at her in disbelief.

Xue Er, "Don't believe me? You can go to Yibo's class. He isn't going to be there."

True to her words, Kun was informed by Yibo's classmates that he had also quit school and migrated to America. Just what happened to you YuXin..