Keifer's POV
"I have to finish some business," I said over the telephone.
[ "Keigan is going crazy! I don't know what excuse to make anymore!" ]
"Just tell him it's for Keiren."
I ended the call and put down the telephone. I rubbed my face before adjusting the baseball cap I was wearing.
Holding the notebook where I wrote down everything Jay-jay and I talked about during our video call, I stood at the nurse's station, waiting for the doctor I needed.
Good thing Jay-jay and Keigan's doctor were admitted to the same hospital. I brought my brother to her before, back when he returned to us after being kidnapped by my monstrous father.
I looked at the woman in a sky-blue Sunday dress walking towards the nurse's station. She adjusted her glasses before speaking.
"Someone was looking for me?" she asked the nurse, who pointed at me.
I approached her while she stared at me deeply, as if trying to recognize me. I adjusted my baseball cap so she could see my face.
"Keifer? What brings you here?"
"I have a case to ask about."
"About your brother? He never came back here after I told him he needed a test. How is he? It's been a few months since he last visited."
I stopped and thought about what she just said. It was two years ago when I brought Keigan to her. How could it have been just a few months since his last visit?
"S-so far, so good," I said, forcing a smile.
"Come to my clinic," she said and started walking.
I followed her. Her clinic wasn't far from the nurse's station. It looked like a businesswoman's office—filled with books, a wide carpet on the floor, a long sofa, and, of course, an executive desk.
"Sit down," she said, motioning toward the sofa.
I sat, and she did the same on the opposite sofa.
"Do you want some coffee? How about juice or cola?"
"I'll get straight to the point. This is about someone else."
She looked slightly surprised but let me speak. She listened attentively to the case. I made sure not to miss any details.
From the first time she saw blood, tasted it, and how her attitude or personality changed. The things she said and did. The aftereffects and how she felt afterward. I told her everything—except Jay-jay's name.
"From the way you explained, she's more like suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder. But this is the first time I've heard of someone being attracted to blood before changing into another personality. And you mentioned that she responds when you call her name."
She rested her elbow on the armrest of the sofa.
"Maybe something happened in her past. Do you know what happened to her?"
"From what I gathered, she was abused by her mother's husbands."
"That's it. It could be Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. But it's hard to confirm unless you bring her here."
"I'm not sure I can do that. She's also afraid to face a psychiatrist."
She shook her head. "As soon as possible, Keifer. We're not sure what's on her mind. Right now, I can only give you a theory. Without proper tests and observation, it could be something bigger." She sighed. "Just like your brother."
My forehead creased. "What do you mean?"
"Based on his explanation, he could be suffering from Dissociative Identity Disorder, the same thing I mentioned before—"
I cut her off. "Multiple Personality Disorder."
Keigan came here without me knowing. And now she's telling me that Keigan could be suffering from DID.
"How can you say that?"
She looked at me, confused. "Hasn't your brother told you anything?"
I chose not to answer. I don't want her to think Keigan is keeping secrets from me, and I don't want to lie about it. But I guess I didn't need to say anything—she immediately figured it out.
"What have you observed in your brother?" she asked, leaning a bit closer to me.
I looked away and said nothing. Whether I admit it to myself or not, I can clearly see his problem. From the day he came back, I knew something was wrong.
That's why I brought him to a psychiatrist. But that only pushed him further away from me.
Since then, I chose not to force him into doing things that I knew would drive him away. I can't afford to lose him again.
But maybe I was wrong to ignore the signs. Because of that, I couldn't even pinpoint exactly what he was going through.
"I need you and your brother's cooperation. You can't be helped if you keep pushing me away."
What if she's right?
"K-Keigan does things that I can't explain."
She took a pen and paper. I started telling her everything I had noticed about my brother, including what Keiren had told me before.
As I spoke, I couldn't help but feel hurt for my brother. I doubted him. It's as if I was telling him I didn't trust him.
And that's all Keigan had ever asked from me.
To trust him.
"This could be worse than what I expected. We need to have Keigan tested. I have a friend that handles special cases like this. I recommend—."
"No. I'm sorry, but I don't want to bring my brother to another doctor and see him suffer through the same process." I stood up, and she did the same. "I want him to tell me on his own. I don't want to force him."
She stood up and forced a smile. "I understand, but you still have to try."
I nodded briefly. "Thank you, Doc."
She walked with me until we reached the clinic door. We both stopped when I was already outside, and she was standing by the door.
"If you can't bring your brother here, at least bring that girl you're helping."
"I will try."
We bid our goodbyes, and I started walking back to Ci-N's hospital room. While walking, I noticed Eren and Blaster pacing in the hallway. I adjusted my baseball cap and quickened my steps.
They're probably checking out the female nurses.
I reached Ci's room, and as expected, he was playing on his PS4. I threw myself onto the long sofa in front of his bed.
"How did it go?" he asked without looking at me.
"So far, so good." I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees. "Did Jay-jay suspect anything during the video call?"
"No. She just asked if I knew what you were doing."
"And your answer was?"
"That you were fooling around with women in London—YES! I WON!" he suddenly shouted while waving his hands.
My jaw dropped. Did he just say 'fooling around with women'?!
He told Jay-jay that I was having an affair abroad.
I can't believe him.
All this time, I thought he was helping me with Jay-jay, but now he's saying I was cheating.
I stood up and walked toward him. I grabbed the backrest of his wheelchair and slowly turned him to face me.
"You told Jay-jay that I'm having an affair?" I asked in a serious tone.
"It was just a joke." He said and did a peace sign with his fingers.
I let go of his wheelchair and returned to the sofa. I lay down and used my cap to cover my face.
I really thought he said that. That wasn't a funny joke.
"I think Jay-jay misses you." Ci-N said.
I heard the sounds from his game. He must have gone back to playing while talking to me.
"Just come back already." he added.
I didn't answer. I pretended to sleep so he wouldn't bother me. Luckily, he immediately got the hint.
I'm exhausted and pissed at the same time. I called back the jet plane after Edrix called me. The news he gave me was bad.
Jay-jay couldn't fight back against Mykel, and on top of that, his illness attacked him. Ci-N's legs almost broke because of them.
And all of that happened because I wasn't there to protect them.
And when I arrived at the hospital, I saw them in a terrible state. My sanity almost left me because of anger.
I wanted to smash Mykel Mitchell's face right in front of Jay-jay and Ci. He's lucky I can't find him.
My Jay-jay was hurt.
I badly wanted to visit her, but how could I do that when most of our classmates were around her? The only one I could approach was Ci-N since he was alone in his room.
We talked, and I learned what had happened. The moment I saw him walking like a turtle, that was already the time Mykel's group had confronted him.
If only I had waited a little longer.
He also told me that Jay-jay lost herself again.
I want to know exactly what happened. There's something about Jay-jay that I can't figure out.
Cases like that are never normal.
Seeing blood and then turning into someone who isn't her. That's why I told Ci-N to visit Jay-jay, but he barely reached her room before he returned to me. He said he forgot what he was supposed to ask.
We almost argued before we agreed on a way that Jay and I could talk to each other.
Video call.
We even borrowed a laptop from a doctor and a nurse that he knew. I walked him back to Jay-jay's room, but of course, he still managed to annoy me.
The result?
Jay-jay shouted as loud as she could because she thought Ci-N was a ghost. Turns out, she had already seen us at the door.
The video call was good. I had a chance to see her. A few scars were visible on her face, and her hands were covered in bandages.
I feel so bad thinking that I wasn't there to protect her.
I made sure to only talk about what I needed to. I didn't want our conversation to end in tears.
But it wasn't enough.
Yes, I saw her, but I never had the chance to hold her.
I sat up at the same time Ci-N turned to look at me.
"Why?" he asked innocently.
"I-I think I need fresh air."
"My fart is fresh." he said and smiled.
I grimaced. "But it's suffocating." I said before wearing my baseball cap.
I stood up and walked out. The only people I saw in the hallway were nurses. It looked like it was already late at night. I must have been lying down and thinking for quite a while.
My steps were big but unhurried. Jay's room wasn't too far from Ci-N's, so it didn't take long for me to get there.
I could already see the door when it suddenly opened, and her mother walked out. I quickly adjusted my baseball cap so she wouldn't recognize me.
I also tried to walk as normally as possible. Thankfully, she didn't suspect anything and just continued walking away. I glanced at her briefly before finally entering Jay's room.
I carefully closed the door and locked it.
I don't want anyone to disturb us.
And there's my queen.
I walked closer to Jay-jay, who was sound asleep. She looked so peaceful, but I knew she really wasn't. I gently moved her hair aside, which was covering her beautiful face.
"I'm so sorry for letting this happen." I said before kissing her forehead.
I stared at her face for a while. A few minutes are not enough for me. I want to watch her for a lifetime.
I was about to hold her hand, but I stopped when I saw the bandage wrapped around it. It made me furious, and my fist clenched automatically.
Damn you, Mykel.
You will pay for what you did to Jay-jay.
I took my secret phone from my pocket and dialed Edrix's number.
"Any update?"
["I didn't find anything, but Rory did."] He said, and I heard some rustling sounds before Rory's voice came through.
["That idiot didn't even leave the city! He's in an exclusive penthouse not far from Yuri's building."]
"Text me the exact address." I said before ending the call.
I turned back to Jay and gently caressed her cheek.
"I'll make him pay for you." I kissed her lips briefly.
The text I had been waiting for arrived, and I quickly ran out. As I closed the door, I immediately noticed Jay's mother walking back. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she looked at me.
I adjusted my baseball cap and took larger steps.
We had just passed each other when she suddenly spoke.
"Watson." she said in a calm voice.
I stopped, which I shouldn't have done.
"What were you doing in my daughter's room?"
There was a hint of threat in her voice.
I turned slightly. "I just wanted to see her before I left."
She crossed her arms over her chest. "Really?"
"I did nothing that would disrespect her."Except for kissing her while she was asleep.
"I know what kind of person you are. Just make sure of that."
"I'm telling the truth."
She raised an eyebrow. I knew from the start that Jay's mother didn't trust me. I was the only one who noticed it because she always looked at me differently since we first met. She didn't even look at Yuri that way.
She would smile whenever she caught me observing her, but I knew there was a hidden meaning behind it.
"Did Jay-jay wake up?"
I shook my head. "She's peacefully sleeping."
"That's good."
"Please don't tell Jay-jay that I came to see her." I said, almost pleading.
"Why?"
I gulped while trying to come up with a good reason. I wasn't sure if she knew what had happened to us.
"You don't have to say if you don't want to. I'm not forcing you." she said and continued walking back to Jay's room.
I breathed a sigh of relief. I just hope she really doesn't tell Jay. I'd be very grateful if she kept quiet.
I resumed walking and quickly headed for the exit. I didn't waste any time and immediately hailed a taxi. I gave the driver the address Edrix had texted me.
It wasn't long before I arrived. Rory was right—it wasn't far from Yuri's building. And that bastard didn't even try to leave.
The guard at the entrance tried to stop me, but when I showed him my ID, he almost froze.
"S-sir?"
"It's okay. I'm just visiting a friend." I said and continued walking.
Inside the elevator, I cracked my knuckles.
I'll break every bone in his body. I'll make him cry and bleed.
For my Jay-jay.