Extra. Her life at 16 years old (part 2)

A few hours later, the three of us leave the sanctuary and head to a street ramen stand.

We had wanted to go to a nice restaurant, but I suspect we smell like shelter animals. Even Kairi, who has a good nose though not quite as good as mine, doesn't seem to have noticed or minded.

But... Liam has been acting strange.

At first, I thought his discomfort came from Kairi ruining whatever surprise he had planned for me today, but it is clearly more than that. He is talking much less than usual, and he keeps holding the lower right side of his belly. Every time I ask, he insists he is perfectly fine... Does he just need to use the restroom? No, he isn't the type to hold something like that in out of embarrassment, and we're all close friends, anyway.

He must be feeling genuinely sick.

"Liam, stop telling me you're fine. Does your stomach hurt? Do you want to go home or to the hospital?"

"What? Oh, I... I don't feel so good."

That is all he manages to say before collapsing right onto the cobblestone street.

Eh? What is happening!?

"William!" Kairi screams.

"Liam!" I drop to my knees.

We rush to pick him up, but we must have been too rough. Without even grabbing his stomach to brace himself, he starts vomiting on the pavement. What do I do!? We have to get him to the hospital. They will know what to do!

"Kairi! Help me carry him to the hospital!"

"Y-yes! Which way?"

"I don't know. We'll ask on the way. Just hurry!"

We each grab one of his arms, drape them over our shoulders, and drag him toward the nearest clinic as carefully but as quickly as we physically can.

I don't think I'll ever forget this panicked walk. His muffled moans of pain. I see his normally lively and friendly face contorted into an expression of pure agony. His skin burning up with a fierce fever.

'I hope it's nothing serious,' I keep repeating in my mind... Somehow, I feel like it isn't. We'll get to the hospital. They'll examine him, give him something, and he'll be fine.

About thirty interminable minutes later, we finally reach the hospital. The building would look like a grand manor if it weren't for the guards, nurses, and other rushing staff whose professions I don't even know. Several of them sprint toward us the moment they see us struggling at the entrance.

I wish I could say Liam looks better now, but he is clearly in more agony than before...

I want to follow him inside, but the nurses politely block my path. We have no choice but to go home with the absolute worst feeling in the world. Knowing someone you care about is going through something horrible, and all you can do is wait, go home, and hope for the best.

Should I pray? I've never been a very religious person. I suppose growing up around so many different churches has made me apathetic, especially since almost all of their messages boil down to 'just be a good person and everything will work out.'

Normally, I hate my habit of beating around the bush and overthinking things... I always feel like I'm wasting time. But right now, I appreciate it. It distracts me, even just a little bit.

But eventually, the thinking stops, and the harsh reality of Liam's suffering crashes over me with twice the force. Time seems to drag by agonizingly slowly.

"Sei. William is already in expert hands. Please don't worry about him," Kairi says softly.

"In expert hands? Um... I hope so."

She wraps her arms around me in a warm, tight hug. Leaning into her shoulder, I inhale her familiar scent to soothe my racing heart. I don't even have the energy to pretend I'm brave right now.

"I'll walk you home," she offers.

"Thank you."

After what feels like an hour, I finally arrive home. I say goodbye to Kairi at the door and drag my feet inside.

"... I'm home," I call out hollowly.

There are no signs of my siblings, but Mom and Dad are both sitting in the living room. Mom turns to look at me with a bright smile, but the moment she actually registers my face, her smile instantly morphs into an expression of deep concern. Eh... I miss her smile already. I have a terrible feeling I won't be seeing it again for a while.

"What happened? Are you okay?"

I quickly explain everything and retreat straight to my bedroom. I have absolutely no energy to do anything else. We agreed to visit Liam early tomorrow morning. The doctors should definitely know what is wrong with him by then... right?

After a completely sleepless night, my entire family, even my dad, took a highly unusual break from their daily work to accompany me to the hospital. We took a carriage to get there as quickly as possible. Yesterday, I saw a sign stating that visiting hours for all wards start promptly at eight in the morning.

For the entire carriage ride, my siblings try their best to cheer me up. But I have this heavy, awful feeling settling in my chest.

-----

Liam's parents are already waiting in his room, which he shares with another patient. Because of the limited space, the nurses only allow my parents and me to go inside. After navigating several flights of stairs and sterile, winding hallways, we finally arrive at his bed.

I was desperately hoping to see him smile. I wanted him to tell me that he was already recovering, that it was nothing serious, and that we would pick up where we left off soon. But the second I saw him, I knew he was worse than ever. Although we aren't allowed to get too close to his bed, something deep inside me is screaming that he's failing.

He is sleeping. Or rather, the instruments around his bed and snippets of conversation I overhear indicate that they have heavily sedated him.

'Something is terribly wrong.'

That bad feeling in my gut twists into a tight knot. I can't look away from his pale face. I do my best to force myself to stay calm. 'This is a hospital,' I rationalize. 'They are professionals. They must have everything under control.'

But my fragile self-control shatters completely the moment I hear the doctor speak.

"What we have here is simply pneumonia. It is very common to see minor flare-ups during the fall season," he says dismissively.

"This is not pneumonia." I interrupt him without a second thought.

To hell with manners. I don't know the medical reason, and I don't care, but I know it is not pneumonia.

"Seina!" my mother scolds sharply.

I ignore her. I refuse to take my eyes off the doctor. He is a gray-haired man in his sixties with an exhausted, deeply arrogant look in his eyes. Just one glance at that dismissive stare tells me I am never going to change his mind.

"As I was saying," he continues, completely ignoring my outburst. "He simply needs to take various medications for a few weeks, and he will be able to go home."

"You will kill him if you give him that medicine! He—"

"Stop it."

My dad's voice cuts through the room... He is a man of very few words. I know he loves all of his children dearly, but his natural coldness, combined with his tall and muscular frame, has always made me slightly afraid of him deep down.

I know he would never actually hurt me. But when he tells me to stop with that tone of voice, it is terrifyingly effective at shutting me up.

"Do not interrupt the doctor. What has gotten into you today?" Mom hisses, clearly annoyed.

"It's..." I glance sideways at Dad, praying he won't stop me again, as a single, urgent word suddenly forces its way into my mind. "Appendicitis."

"What?"

"I am entirely sure it is appendicitis, not pneumonia. If you give him the wrong medicine—"

"Ha!" the old doctor barks out a dry, condescending laugh. "Little girl, I have been practicing medicine for over forty years. Do you honestly think you can teach me my job?"

Even Dad, who had looked ready to reprimand me again, turns to stare at the doctor in surprise. 'What?'

"Are you just going to ignore what I said!?" I can't help but yell.

"And how exactly do you know it is not pneumonia?" the doctor asks. His voice is hateful, dripping with stubbornness and venom.

"I..."

Unfortunately, besides pure instinct, I have no medical proof to offer. He doesn't give me the time to explain myself, anyway.

"Nurse, escort the young lady outside while we finish our consultation."

"Yes, Director," the woman replies immediately from the far side of the room. 'Director?'

I desperately want to keep fighting. But the exhausted, confused stares of Liam's parents, the absolute disinterest of the nurse, the disdainful sneer of the old doctor, and the disappointed, angry glares from my own parents... it all forces me to swallow my words.

I'm weak to those stares...

Just a few minutes later, the old doctor steps out into the hallway alone. He doesn't even glance in my direction as he turns to leave.

"It is not pneumonia!" I scream after him, just to make sure he hears me.

He pauses for a split second, then continues walking away without a word. At least he didn't call security to throw me out.

Upon hearing my scream, Dad marches out of the room. He gently but firmly pushes me down the corridor with a heavy hand on my back, steering me into an empty, doorless hallway for privacy.

"You are embarrassing us, Seina. I know you are worried about your friend, but the doctor knows exactly what he is doing. He studied for years to understand these things."

Wow... I don't think I have ever heard Dad string that many words together in a single sentence. And he used them all just to scold me.

"... Can I say something?" I ask, my voice trembling. Being scolded by Dad always makes me shudder.

He sighs deeply. "Yes, of course. What is it?"

"I-I don't know how I know... but I am absolutely sure it is appendicitis and not pneumonia." The moment I say it out loud, I feel like I've made a terrible mistake.

"Again with that?" He rubs the bridge of his nose, his voice heavy with frustration. "Forget about it... You heard the doctor's orders. You will have to wait until your friend is discharged to see him again. Now, we are going to wait for your mother outside."

I suppress a violent shiver. He has never raised his voice at me like that before.

Does he just respect authority figures too much? Does he blindly trust doctors? I feel a desperate, clawing need to keep insisting. I have to make him listen.

"Dad!"

"..."

"Father!"

"... What is it?"

"What if I'm right?"

"Trust the doctor. Let's go."

...

Then, I answered with a single word that I would regret for the rest of my life.

"... Okay."