Time moved painfully slow for Alvano and Joshua as they sat outside the ICU, waiting for news from inside. Anxiety hung thick in the air, so heavy it made it hard to breathe. Every now and then, they glanced at the large white doors with the frosted glass window in the center, hoping for some sign of change.
Finally, after what felt like forever, the ICU doors opened. A middle-aged doctor in a white coat stepped out, followed by a nurse. The doctor approached them with a serious but calm expression.
"Excuse me," he said, looking at the two of them, "are you the friends of the patient who was just treated?"
Alvano only nodded weakly, his lips unable to form a single word. His eyes were red, tired, and full of burden. Joshua glanced at Alvano, who seemed too shaken to speak, and decided to take the initiative.
"Yes, we're his friends," Joshua said quickly. "His name's Theo—the one being treated inside."
The doctor gave a small nod. "The patient has suffered several serious injuries. Some bones are fractured, and his heart condition briefly weakened due to extreme physical strain. Fortunately, you brought him to the hospital just in time. If you had been just a few minutes late… I'm not sure we could have saved him."
Alvano's eyes widened, his pupils dilating. The doctor's words struck his heart like a spear. Just a few minutes… and Theo might not have survived.
His chest tightened. He clenched his teeth, holding back the surge of emotions that threatened to spill out. His guilt grew heavier. He lowered his head, hiding his trembling face.
Joshua gave a respectful nod to the doctor. "Thank you, doctor… we really appreciate it."
The doctor offered a faint smile, then patted Joshua lightly on the shoulder. "He's still in the post-injury recovery phase. His body is currently in severe shock. You could say it's a temporary coma. Most likely, if there are no further complications, he'll regain consciousness by tomorrow morning."
The nurse behind the doctor stepped forward. "Excuse me, for the administrative matters, you can handle them at the front desk. We'll be accompanying the patient throughout the night."
Joshua nodded and thanked them, then took a deep breath. As the doctor and nurse went back inside, he turned toward Alvano.
His friend was still silent, hands gripping his knees, body bent forward as if trying to drown himself in regret.
Joshua said nothing; he simply sat beside him, gently wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Sometimes, words weren't needed to comfort someone. Silence could be the warmest form of embrace.
Joshua then strode briskly toward the hospital administration office. He pulled a thin wallet from the inner pocket of his jacket and handed over a platinum ATM card to the administrative clerk. The card gleamed elegantly under the room's light, catching the employee's attention.
The clerk, who had been casual at first, immediately straightened his posture and spoke more formally. "Ah… of course, we'll process everything right away, sir. Please wait a moment."
A card like that wasn't something a high school student usually carried. It was typically owned by the upper class—those with triple-digit incomes or old money from family business empires or inheritance. The clerk felt both awkward and impressed. He quickly switched to small talk, promising the best possible service for the patient, even adding a few extra facilities without being asked.
Joshua only smiled faintly, saying little. What mattered most to him right now was Theo's safety.
After finishing the paperwork, he returned to the floor where the ICU was located. His steps felt slightly lighter, though his face remained filled with worry.
When he arrived, he found Alvano standing motionless in front of the ICU doors. His eyes were locked on the rectangular glass window at the center, peering into the room beyond.
Through the glass, Theo's body lay weakly on the bed, connected to a ventilator and several medical tubes. The room was quiet, the only sound coming from the steady beeping of a heart monitor.
Alvano clenched his fists tightly. His gaze didn't waver—his eyes reflected anger, sorrow, and helplessness all at once.
"Hang in there, Theo…" he whispered softly.
Joshua slowly approached Alvano, who was still frozen in place before the ICU door. He noticed how his friend's body seemed to weaken, his shoulders drooping under the weight of everything, his eyes fixed on Theo's frail figure inside the room.
"Alvano…" Joshua called gently.
Alvano didn't answer. He only turned his head slightly, silent.
"Come with me for a bit. Let's get something to eat," Joshua continued.
Alvano immediately shook his head. "I'm not hungry. I… I can't eat in a situation like this."
Joshua narrowed his eyes. "Don't lie. I've been hearing your stomach growl. You probably didn't notice because your mind's a mess."
Alvano kept shaking his head. "I don't care. I'd rather starve than leave Theo alone."
Joshua sighed deeply. "Don't be stupid. If you collapse, who's going to look after Theo? You want both of us ending up in the ICU?"
Alvano stayed silent. But still refused to move.
Finally, without giving him the chance to argue, Joshua grabbed his hand firmly. "Enough! No excuses. Let's go!"
"Eh—hey, Joshua! Let go! I—"
"Quiet! No drama."
With some effort, Joshua dragged Alvano toward the hospital cafeteria. A few people turned to look, thinking they were arguing, but Joshua didn't care. Once they reached the cafeteria, he immediately ordered two plates of warm rice with chicken soup and stir-fried vegetables.
When the food arrived, Joshua sat across from Alvano, who still stared blankly at the table.
"I'm not going to eat—"
Before he could finish, Joshua scooped up some rice and soup and held the spoon in front of his mouth.
"Open your mouth," he said sternly.
"What the— I'm not a kid!"
"Open your mouth now, or I'll pour this soup over your head."
Alvano huffed but finally opened his mouth slightly. The first spoonful went in.
Joshua smiled with satisfaction. "Good. Like a baby. Now, second bite."
"Joshua!" Alvano snapped, surprising even himself.
"Shut your mouth—and open the other one."
Despite the heavy atmosphere, that ridiculous exchange finally made Alvano smile faintly for the first time that night. Small as it was, it meant he was starting to come back to life.
Eventually, Alvano began eating on his own, no longer needing Joshua to feed him. Spoon by spoon, he brought the food to his mouth, though tears began to roll down his cheeks. He realized just how hungry he'd been all along—but only now truly felt it, thanks to Joshua's persistence.
His tears weren't just because the food felt warm in the cold of the night, but because of the emotional weight that had built up in his chest since Theo was rushed to the hospital.
Joshua watched his friend quietly, then said in a calm voice, "If you get sick, Theo will only feel worse. Think straight, Van."
Alvano stayed silent, only nodding slightly as he continued eating.
"After this, let's just go home," Joshua continued. "We've done everything we could. Now let them do their job. The nurse said Theo will be watched all night. They'll contact us if there's any progress."
Alvano looked at Joshua with swollen, red eyes, then lowered his gaze again.
"As for the paperwork, don't worry about it," Joshua added with a small smile. "I took care of everything."
Alvano took a deep breath. "Thank you, Joshua…"
Joshua patted his shoulder. "We all want Theo to recover, Van. So don't carry it all by yourself."