Ken sat patiently on his bed, relieved that the needles that
kept prodding his body had been temporarily removed as he
waited for the nurse to return with his crutches. He then
directed his gaze at his bandaged knee trying to visualize the
extent of its injury, running his fingertips delicately over
the wound a million questions raced through his clouded mind .
. . Who was he? What was his past? Did he have a family out
there? Were they looking for him? His last trail of thought
left a pessimistic atmosphere to settle within him, deep down
he highly doubted he had a family. Dr. Akira's countless
research for his identity and even Ran's various contacts
couldn't trace a clue, proof enough that questioned their
existence.
Ken's thoughts were interrupted as the nurse, a woman in her
mid thirties; returned crutches in hand. Slowly with her help
Ken winced as he felt the force pressuring his chest and
broken knee, weighing his injured leg against the crutch to
ease the pain he let go of the nurses' supportive hold to grab
the other crutch, slightly losing his balance in the process.
"Easy there Ken-san, we don't want to apply too much pressure
on that knee as it is."
Ken merely nodded his head, "Hai . . ." he responded over a
whisper still shaken from his thoughts and the rush of pain
from his injuries.
"Alright, we'll run a few rounds and don't worry you'll get
the hang of them soon"
++++++++
Exhausted, in pain, yet satisfied that he can now move around
with the help of his crutches. The nurse had long decided to
leave Ken to venture on his own by the hospital park while she
headed off to attend for another patient. Leaning against the
back rest of the wooden bench, Ken found himself admiring the
setting sun breathing in the fresh air. Minutes past by and
Ken's thoughts wheeled back to where he had left off, plunging
and prodding deeper eyebrows furrowing in deep thought.
"Penny for your thoughts . . ."
Cut off again from his pool of thoughts, Ken directed a
startled gaze at the red head who had seated himself beside
him. " . . wha-?"
"You looked pretty dazed out a minute ago"
"Sorry . . . I didn't see you coming . . ."
"Hn . . . I'm not surprised."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing . . ."
Ken hefted a sigh, shrugging off the last comment and
readjusted his seating position slightly upright to wear off
the accumulating numbness. Driving his attention back to his
newly arrived friend, he noticed a small box lying neatly on
Ran's lap thus decided to change the course of their previous
conversation.
"What's that?"
"What do you think it is?" Ran replied with a hint of sarcasm.
"I can obviously see that it's a box"
"Then why question?"
"Just wanted to know what was in it" Ken simply answered
hardly affected by Ran's cynical mood.
"Chocolate"
" . . .oh . . "
"I figured that you have grown tired of hospital food by now
and needed a change"
Ken was touched by that random act of kindness, barely able to
hold down the rush of blood before it tainted his cheeks.
"Thank you . . ." Ken said averting his gaze at his fidgeting
hands that rested on his lap.
"You've been doing that a lot lately"
" . . . "
" . . . thanking me that is . . "
" . .oh . .sorry . . ."
Sighing, Ran lightly shook his head then uncovered the lid of
the box revealing a set of neatly arranged mouth watering
chocolate, "Go ahead" he ushered. Ken's face lit up at the
sight and eagerly reached out for a piece, smiling contentedly
at the feel of smooth creamy chocolate melting its way into
his stomach. Staring amusedly at Ken's expression, Ran
temptedly reached for a piece.
"This is good . . ."
"Hn"
"Don't you get tired?"
"Of ?"
"Nothing . . ." Ken replied then continued gaze pointing
towards the crutches leaning on the side of the bench. "I
learnt how to use them today . . ."
"About time"
"Yeah I was getting tired of being cooped up in that room"
"Hn"
A calming stillness took over once again, but was shortly
interrupted as Ken decided to break the silence a glazed look
surfacing in his eyes.
"Ano . . . Ran . . .?"
"Hai?"
"How is your family like?"
"Why the sudden question?" Ran replied, slightly shocked but
made sure not a trace of it appeared in his answer.
"I . . Just wanted to know" Ken responded over a whisper, "but
you don't have to if you want, I'm just in one of those weird
moods" he dismissed adding the last part reluctantly yet with
a small smile plastered on his young face though it was
clearly evident that the smile was forced as it did not reach
his eyes.
A discomforting tension settled as Ran digested in Ken's
question.
"My family . . ." He began finding it difficult to phrase his
answer, yet he continued "My parents I guess are normal, my
mom is a bit overprotective, as for my father is more strict
and organized."
"I have a younger sister, Aya-chan. She's stubborn and
persistent but kind and caring."
Ken allowed a genuine smile, as he noted the fond look in
Ran's eyes when he mentioned his sister, grateful for Ran's
contribution.
"Thanks"
Ran chose to simply nod and leaned further against the bench.
Feeling that the conversation needed no further continuance,
Ken opted for comfortable silence as they enjoyed the rest of
the dimming sun whilst the night sky began to emerge
dominantly.
kept prodding his body had been temporarily removed as he
waited for the nurse to return with his crutches. He then
directed his gaze at his bandaged knee trying to visualize the
extent of its injury, running his fingertips delicately over
the wound a million questions raced through his clouded mind .
. . Who was he? What was his past? Did he have a family out
there? Were they looking for him? His last trail of thought
left a pessimistic atmosphere to settle within him, deep down
he highly doubted he had a family. Dr. Akira's countless
research for his identity and even Ran's various contacts
couldn't trace a clue, proof enough that questioned their
existence.
Ken's thoughts were interrupted as the nurse, a woman in her
mid thirties; returned crutches in hand. Slowly with her help
Ken winced as he felt the force pressuring his chest and
broken knee, weighing his injured leg against the crutch to
ease the pain he let go of the nurses' supportive hold to grab
the other crutch, slightly losing his balance in the process.
"Easy there Ken-san, we don't want to apply too much pressure
on that knee as it is."
Ken merely nodded his head, "Hai . . ." he responded over a
whisper still shaken from his thoughts and the rush of pain
from his injuries.
"Alright, we'll run a few rounds and don't worry you'll get
the hang of them soon"
++++++++
Exhausted, in pain, yet satisfied that he can now move around
with the help of his crutches. The nurse had long decided to
leave Ken to venture on his own by the hospital park while she
headed off to attend for another patient. Leaning against the
back rest of the wooden bench, Ken found himself admiring the
setting sun breathing in the fresh air. Minutes past by and
Ken's thoughts wheeled back to where he had left off, plunging
and prodding deeper eyebrows furrowing in deep thought.
"Penny for your thoughts . . ."
Cut off again from his pool of thoughts, Ken directed a
startled gaze at the red head who had seated himself beside
him. " . . wha-?"
"You looked pretty dazed out a minute ago"
"Sorry . . . I didn't see you coming . . ."
"Hn . . . I'm not surprised."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing . . ."
Ken hefted a sigh, shrugging off the last comment and
readjusted his seating position slightly upright to wear off
the accumulating numbness. Driving his attention back to his
newly arrived friend, he noticed a small box lying neatly on
Ran's lap thus decided to change the course of their previous
conversation.
"What's that?"
"What do you think it is?" Ran replied with a hint of sarcasm.
"I can obviously see that it's a box"
"Then why question?"
"Just wanted to know what was in it" Ken simply answered
hardly affected by Ran's cynical mood.
"Chocolate"
" . . .oh . . "
"I figured that you have grown tired of hospital food by now
and needed a change"
Ken was touched by that random act of kindness, barely able to
hold down the rush of blood before it tainted his cheeks.
"Thank you . . ." Ken said averting his gaze at his fidgeting
hands that rested on his lap.
"You've been doing that a lot lately"
" . . . "
" . . . thanking me that is . . "
" . .oh . .sorry . . ."
Sighing, Ran lightly shook his head then uncovered the lid of
the box revealing a set of neatly arranged mouth watering
chocolate, "Go ahead" he ushered. Ken's face lit up at the
sight and eagerly reached out for a piece, smiling contentedly
at the feel of smooth creamy chocolate melting its way into
his stomach. Staring amusedly at Ken's expression, Ran
temptedly reached for a piece.
"This is good . . ."
"Hn"
"Don't you get tired?"
"Of ?"
"Nothing . . ." Ken replied then continued gaze pointing
towards the crutches leaning on the side of the bench. "I
learnt how to use them today . . ."
"About time"
"Yeah I was getting tired of being cooped up in that room"
"Hn"
A calming stillness took over once again, but was shortly
interrupted as Ken decided to break the silence a glazed look
surfacing in his eyes.
"Ano . . . Ran . . .?"
"Hai?"
"How is your family like?"
"Why the sudden question?" Ran replied, slightly shocked but
made sure not a trace of it appeared in his answer.
"I . . Just wanted to know" Ken responded over a whisper, "but
you don't have to if you want, I'm just in one of those weird
moods" he dismissed adding the last part reluctantly yet with
a small smile plastered on his young face though it was
clearly evident that the smile was forced as it did not reach
his eyes.
A discomforting tension settled as Ran digested in Ken's
question.
"My family . . ." He began finding it difficult to phrase his
answer, yet he continued "My parents I guess are normal, my
mom is a bit overprotective, as for my father is more strict
and organized."
"I have a younger sister, Aya-chan. She's stubborn and
persistent but kind and caring."
Ken allowed a genuine smile, as he noted the fond look in
Ran's eyes when he mentioned his sister, grateful for Ran's
contribution.
"Thanks"
Ran chose to simply nod and leaned further against the bench.
Feeling that the conversation needed no further continuance,
Ken opted for comfortable silence as they enjoyed the rest of
the dimming sun whilst the night sky began to emerge
dominantly.