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I winced in pain as I shifted uncomfortably on the hospital bed. It was supposed to be just a normal routine patrol around the city but I had gotten careless and a Wanderer managed to get a hit in. I was lucky that Xavier was there with me and he managed to finish the Wanderer off before quickly rushing me to the hospital. He had refused to leave my side until the staff firmly but politely told him that he couldn’t follow me into surgery. As I drifted in and out of consciousness I remembered him reluctantly turning to leave, promising to visit tomorrow.
I fingered at the hospital band around my wrist. I hope that the staff didn’t tell Zayne about my injury. I could picture the worried look on his face as he tried to do something to speed up my healing even though his expertise was in cardiac surgery and not head injuries.
I looked up as I noticed the nurse walking in with a smile. “How are you feeling miss?” she asked as she picked up my medical record clipboard on the foot of my bed. “A little lightheaded.” I admitted. She tutted as she put the clipboard back. “That’s to be expected. You took quite the nasty hit. You’re lucky it turned out to be a flesh wound and a minor concussion.”
“That’s me. I’m a lucky one.” I joked before a wave of pain hit me as I tried to sit up on the bed.
“You shouldn’t move so much.” she scolded lightly as she moved to help me lie back on the pillows.
“Sorry.” I mumbled as allowed her to help me lie back. “You didn’t tell Dr. Zayne about me did you?” I asked as the thought occurred to me.
“The cardiac surgeon? I know he’s your primary care physician but we didn’t think it was necessary to inform him since it’s a minor head injury. Would you like us to inform him?” she asked.
“No!” I shouted and she looked startled by my vehemence. “Uh, I mean no. He doesn’t need to know. You’re right.” I added hastily in a lower tone.
“Alright.” she said accepting my words. “Don’t worry, we’ve called your point of contact. He’s on his way. He sounded quite worried.”
“What? You called him?”I asked in confusion, my point of contact is Caleb and as much as my heart hurts to admit it, he’s gone.
“Yes, I called a - Mr Rafayel.” she replied as she picked the clipboard board back up to check my medical records on the sheet before showing it to me.
I frowned as I tried to recall why I would ever put Rafayel down as my point of contact if I was ever hospitalised when the memory came to me,
After granny and Caleb died, I didn’t have a point of contact anymore. During my next visit to the Akso hospital for my heart check up, the nurse had asked if I had anyone to else I could put down and just as I was about to answer her, my phone had lit up with a call from Rafayel.
Exasperated, I said his name out loud and the nurse must have taken it as an answer before putting it down in my records. I must have been so distracted by the revelations of granny keeping secrets about my medical records from me to notice.
“He’s on his way now. So you can just relax until he gets here.” the nurse said as she put the clipboard back, shaking me out of my reverie.
“I don’t suppose you could call him and tell him that it’s a false alarm?” I asked sheepishly.
She looked confused before she shook her head. “I’m afraid not. That goes against the hospital policy. Rest well”
“Alright, then.” I said reluctantly as the nurse turned to leave.
Maybe Rafayel would be too busy to show up. After all, he should be in the middle of a new gallery exhibition opening right now. I felt bad as I thought of my brand new dress that was still hanging in my locker back in the Hunter’s Association locker room that I was supposed to wear as his undercover bodyguard. I hope he will forgive me for missing it. He could be quite clingy and demanding when it came to me being present. Honestly, what even gave him the rights to be that demanding? I was just his bodyguard after all even if there were moments of... something between us.
I scowled as I recalled the time he made me rush to the hospital causing me to worry before pretending he had forgotten me to be petty. Maybe I should show him how that feels like. I nodded, feeling quite pleased with myself as the door opens and a ruffled looking Rafayel runs in.
“Are you alright? I came as soon as I could. Stupid Thomas wouldn’t let me leave until I spoke to all VIPs. Like they even matter that much.” he said in a rush as he came forward to my bed to take my hand in his.
Alright, it’s time to show him my acting skills. I pulled back my hand and looked at him in confusion. His bluish-pink eyes widened in surprise as he stared at me.
“Who are you?” I asked as convincingly as I could. He frowned and pulled his hand back.
“I- what do you mean? Quit playing around this isn’t funny.” he said irritably. His annoyance only made me want to continue the act as I remembered all the times he annoyed me. Like calling me for an ‘emergency’ that turned out to be him forgetting to bring his wallet and needing me to help him pay for some snacks.
He liked to do things like that. Calling me and making me rush to his side before I realised that it was actually something very minor. He would always insist that since I was there I should just spend some time with him and I don’t know why but I always agreed. I always had a hard time saying no to people and when he looked at me like that I could never refuse.
“I mean it. I don’t know who you are.” I insisted. He didn’t look convinced and I decided to work with what I had to really bring it home.
“I woke up here alone without any memories of the past six months. The doctors told me I had amnesia because of my head injury.” I continued.
He stared at me hard for a moment as if trying to read me before his eyes flicked up my bandaged head.
“You really don’t remember me?” he asked as he gave me a disbelieving look.
“I’m sorry, I don’t. Were we friends?” I asked regretfully as I mustered up all my acting abilities.
“You’re not just joking around?” he asked again somewhat desperately.
I couldn’t enjoy my victory in the successful prank as I was taken aback by the way his face fall immediately as he took me at my word. I had expected him to be slightly upset but I didn’t think me forgetting him would cause the look of sheer devastation on his face.
He was quiet for a moment before he spoke, forcing a smile on his face.
“I see. Forgot me again huh?”
“What do you mean again?” I asked legitimately confounded by his words this time. He looked at me as if trying to commit me to memory before shaking his head.
“Never mind. Sorry to disturb you, must have got the wrong room.” he said with an overly casual shrug as he turned to leave. He might be trying to play it off but before he could turn I caught a glimpse of his eyes and they were filled with an immense sadness I had never seen on him before. I felt immediately guilty and grabbed his hand stopping his motions.
“Rafayel, wait! It was just a joke. You don’t have to go.” I said quickly.
Rafayel stopped in his tracks and turned to face me. “It was just a joke?” he repeated incredulously.
I took in his rumpled appearance. His suit was wrinkled and his hair was ruffled as if he had run his hand through his hair. I felt even worse as I realised he had been worried about me and I had just returned his concern with a prank that affected him more than I thought it would.
“Yes, I just wanted to play a little prank on you because I remembered how you had pretended to forget me the last time I was the one visiting you in the hospital.” I offered weakly.
“That’s different!” he said defensively. "I didn't let it go that far. I wasn't really trying to convince you I forgot you. I actually believed that you forgot me again. I mean - never mind." He frowned and crossed his arms before turning away from me.
“Rafayel, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would affect you that badly. I will never joke about forgetting you again.” I said sincerely, truly contrite. He still refused to look at me even with my apology. I must have really affected him badly.
"Rafayel? I'm really sorry. I'll make it up to you." I tried again.
"What will you do to make it up to me?" He asked as he gave me a hard look over his shoulder for a moment. I thought about it for a moment. "Anything?" I offered.
My words must have caught his attention as he turned to face me fully now. "Anything?" he asked as his lips quirked slightly as if he was thinking of the numerous ways he would get back at me. I sighed as I quickly regretted my offer but I seemed to have made him really upset and as much as he annoyed me from time to time, I couldn't bear the look of devastation on his face that I had caused.
"Yes, anything." I affirmed. He looked amused for a moment, as if he enjoyed me having to grovel for his forgiveness as he seemed to consider my words. After a few moments, he shook his head and gave me an uncharacteristically serious look. “Just- don’t do ever again. I don’t like being forgotten.”
“Right, because you were forgotten once by that girl.” I said softly as I recalled the story he had told me.
He looked down for a moment. “Exactly.” he murmured.
“Give me your hand.” I said as I held out my hand to him.
“What? Why?” he asked as he reluctantly put his hand on mine.
I closed my eyes. “I will never forget Rafayel.” I said softly before opening my eyes to meet his. He gave me a small smile.
“Making a ceremonial vow of my people?” he asked wryly.
“Exactly.” I said returning his smile as I lifted my hand from his. I looked down at my hand and waited to see that fish appear between our palms again. A symbol that my vow had the blessing of the ocean. Much to my surprise, there was no fish.
“Wait, why didn’t a fish appear? I meant my vow.” I said feeling slightly panicked. Rafayel on the other hand looked resigned.
“Don’t worry about it.” he said his tone slightly pained. “The ocean doesn’t bless every vow.”
“But I meant what I said. You believe me right?” I asked as I tried to push down my panic. He looked at our hands for a moment before he closed his.
“Of course, I do.” he said but I was still unconvinced.
He saw the look on my face and gently laid his hand on top of mine again before sitting on the hospital bed. “Don’t worry. Even if you do forget me, I’ll just make you remember again. I’ll never give up on you.” he said in an uncharacteristically serious tone.
“Rafayel.” I said quietly as I looked up at him.
He broke the slightly solemn mood as he cracked a smile. “Don’t look so worried! It’s only if you forget me and so you’ll never forget me again…”
He trailed off as he got off the bed and went to pick up a bag from the floor that I didn’t notice him bringing in to pull out a little dolphin plushie.
“Here!” he said throwing it at me. Usually with my quick reflexes that were honed from years of training to be a Hunter, I would have caught it easily but with my head still injured I missed and the plushie fell on the bed.
“Wow, you must have gotten injured really bad yeah?” he commented. I gave him an annoyed look at his comment which he blissfully ignored before I picked up the plushie to inspect it.
“Rafayel, this is the limited edition plushie that we tried and failed to catch the other day.” I said in surprise as I recognised it.
“Yeah, I could see that you really wanted it so I went back the other day and won it for you. That claw machine was no match for me.” he said proudly as he watched me turn it over in my hands.
“You say that now but spent a lot of money trying and failing to get it the last time we went to the arcade together.” I said wryly.
“That machine was rigged.” he said defensively with a pout.
I laughed at the look on his face. “Alright. Thank you.” He looked pleased at my words of gratitude. “As long as you have that plushie, you won’t forget me.”
“Even without the plushie, I could never forget you.” I said in response.
“Let’s hope that’s true this time.” he said quietly.