Suffering
Chapter 26

Arnold rubbed his right back gently with the bandage. Sometimes he grimaced when the back pulsed violently again, making it difficult for Arnold to breathe. When the shiny golden doorknob suddenly moved, Arnold flinched with narrowed eyes.

"Wait on! Kevin can't be this good at taking me to his house. Is this not Kevin's house?" murmured Arnold.

He slid his butt back, and now he sits on the edge of the bed. Arnold pulled the thick blanket that covered both of his legs up, covering his body that was only bare-chested.

The door handle continued to move in the opposite direction, until at last the door was open. It shows Kevin standing in the doorway with a tray of food and drinks in one of his hands.

"Kevin?" Arnold jerks. He took off the thick blanket, and again showed his bare-chested body, with the belly of his torn bread

Kevin sighed softly. He walked into the room, placed the tray on the table on the right side of the bed. Then he sat on a long brown sofa adjacent to the glass balcony door.

"Why did you help me yesterday? Since you helped me, I should let you stay here. Until you get a place to stay" said Kevin calmly, without staring at his interlocutor. He was busy peeling the apples with the mini kitchen knife, putting them on a small plate.

'Wait 'wait! She, really care about me? I thought he would still be cold even if I just helped him from death.' Arnold put on a face that was hard to interpret. He glanced back at the bandage-clad right back, then looked back at Kevin who was now starting to walk toward him. Put the peeled apples on the table.

"Eat this fruit. You need to get well soon, and find a place to stay." Kevin thrust a small plate with the apple in front of Arnold's face, making the young man in front of him slightly move away from the plate.

"Why? Do you think I'm going to poison this fruit?" Kevin rolled his eyes. He grabbed an apple and ate it. "Look, I've been eating. And I'm fine. So, now you eat this and rest."

Arnold smiled with a sour face. He grabbed the peeled apple, ate it slowly. Unknowingly, his eyeballs seemed to tremble slightly, gathering patches of clear water on the eyelids. Kevin realized that.

"You, crying?" asked Kevin with his head tilted. Arnold hastily wiped away the tears still gathered in the corner of the net with a hue on his cheek.

"Who said I was crying! It's just ...." Arnold again commented on the smile that seemed forced. "Even my father never cared for me when I was sick. And you ...."

"You don't misunderstand me. I'm doing this solely to return the favor for your help." Kevin put the little plate on the table. Then he stood up, sitting on the long brown sofa back.

"Is it that bad your father was to you?" ask Kevin.

"Very, very evil. He even dared to do something that really made me want revenge on him.

But, I realized that all this time my father has been taking care of me to this size. Although the way he imposed me was very different from any other father to his son."

Arnold slid his ass forward, sat on the edge of the bed, facing Kevin. He folded both hands with his body leaning forward.

"You're lucky to have a family that loves you. And me? I'm the only person who's never had a father's affection." Arnold smiled wryly.

"You're wrong to think so about me" Kevin said. Arnold frowned.

"Whatchu mean? I've seen it before. And, I know your mom and dad love you very much. But, where are they now?

I thought, I've been here one night. But, I didn't see your mom and dad?"

"Family, yeah. Hmm .. It's funny that I'll tell you about my past. I don't even know yet, are you a friend, or ... opponent?" Kevin raised one of his eyebrows with a grin on his lips.

"For this story, you can trust me. After all, you'll definitely tell me how your family takes good care of you, won't you?"

Kevin nodded slowly. He got up from the long sofa and walked over to the glass balcony door. Stand with both hands in his pants pocket.

"Do you believe that the family you're talking about is not my family?" asked Kevin without looking. His eyes seemed distant.

"Huh? Whatchu mean? Your mother and father, your real family. Don't you?" Arnold stood up, walked up to Kevin, stood behind him.

"No. They're my Dad and my stepmother. My real mom and dad are not going to be this good and dear to me.

Maybe, if I'm still with them. I don't know what's gonna happen to me."

"Why. Why would they let you belong to someone else? Why do they prefer their biological children to other families with no blood ties?"

"My mom died when I was ten. And my father, I don't know where he's going. She left me and Mom, choosing to marry another woman out there."

Arnold was astonished by the confession that anyone would have thought would come out of Kevin's own mouth. He stepped back, slowly starting to throw his butt back to the edge of the bed.

'What's this! What does that mean, Kevin's just like me? His confession, made me feel it. Makes me understand one thing.'

Kevin turned. Highlight his eyes look empty with lips reviewing a smile that seemed forced. He walked up to Arnold, sitting back on that long sofa.

"You why? You should feel happy. Now you know, if it wasn't just you suffering in this world. You're not the only one" Kevin said casually. He folded his hands in front of his chest.

"Thank you" said Arnold. Kevin frowned. He leaned his body forward with his hands in his ears.

"What did you say? I didn't hear."

"Thank you! Well, your story makes me start to understand one thing." Arnold smiled. Kevin was silent with both shoulders raised at the same time.

"I don't want to know what you understand. Importantly, you already know that you are not the only one who suffers in this world." Kevin stood up. He walked up to the closet door, opened it. He grabbed her clothes and pants, then threw them at Arnold.

"Wear that. Or do you just want to look like that? And even better, now you're sitting by the side of the road carrying a plastic bag." Kevin chuckled with a grin on his lips. Arnold snorted in annoyance.

"I know what you're thinking!"

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