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       Ｏｎｃｅ the phone call ended, Bryson's hand that was holding the device fell limp on his side. His back defeatedly slides on the wall while clutching his phone in a tight grip. He put both his elbows on his knees and hang his head low.

After the doctor and nurses brought Daisy inside the operating room, he relentlessly called her mother and informed her of what happened.

Even in his dishevelled and perturbed state, he still gathered enough strength to dialled his mom's number. Bryson couldn't possibly handle the situation all by himself or rather, he just wanted someone to assure him that everything will be fine.

Blood

There was too much blood.

Upon seeing it with his own two eyes was like rewatching a horror movie when he was still a kid. When your body turned cold and ghostly pale and you were too scared to even blink because of a thought that the monster will appear in front of you.

Bryson couldn't shake the image off his head no matter what he does. It would probably haunt his memory down forever and would surely visit even in his dream too.

Dream.

How he wishes that everything was all a dream. A nightmare and that he would wake up, went on with his life and would continue his usual routine of picking up Daisy on her doorstep whilst giving her a different flower from the last one because he wanted her to reward him her usual sweet and beautiful smile that was brighter than the stars on the sky.

But no, all of these were real. A hard slap on his face and an incident that he will never escape. Daisy was lying unconsciously inside the operating room and no doubt, fighting for her dear life.

It was nauseating and the endless trembling of his hands was not helping either.

How many hours had passed by now? It feels like an eternity waiting outside without the knowledge of what was going on inside the operating room.

A painstakingly walk on a cliff where a pit of fire and lava are awaiting below. If only he could switch their position. He would gladly take the bullet and endure the suffering even it means a permanent visit to the world of the dead.

Bryson promised to be by Daisy's side all the time, but all of those promises became empty and mere words without content because he failed to save her a while ago.

He couldn't even blink his eyes, too shaken by what he saw.

Bryson feels like if he just batted an eyelid, the traumatic image of his flower lying on in her pool of blood was going to reappear again. Like a horrifying apparition and a mocking reminder of his neglectfulness.

Thinking it was his fault because he didn't arrive at the shop at the usual time whenever he picked up Daisy.

If only he wasn't late.

Bryson's head was in turmoil. His emotions were all over the place. Apart from being worried and afraid for the girl who he promised to protect but failed to do so.

He was so fucking pissed, he feels like a nuclear bomb ready to launch anytime soon and make a big disaster. Pissed off of himself for being late, pissed off of his group mates that held him back, pissed off because he didn't drive faster and most of all he was fucking furious at that fucking piece of shit who hurt Daisy.

Bryson could still feel how cold her body was when he cradled her. How sticky and warm the liquid that was oozing on the right side of it. The pungent smell of blood that subdues even the sweetest and intoxicating scent of flowers inside the shop.

All of it no doubt was something that will cause him sleepless nights for as long as the memory lingers in his mind. 

Bryson had seen lots of traumatizing stuff when he was still in the military camp. Been accustomed to and experienced some of it firsthand, but nothing could beat the one that happened to his beloved.

Fuck! Fuck! He wanted to shout, to lash out. Anything just to ease the burning sensation inside him. If it keeps up, he will surely lose control again and as far as he can remember, once the thread that was holding his insanity intact raptured, all hell will break loose.

"Honey?" His mother's soft but slightly out of breath voice echoed in the hallway of the hospital. He didn't dare to look up from where he was seated. His bloodshot eyes were still throwing daggers on the white tiled floor.

His surrounding just became inanimate because the only thing that was occupying and running his mind at the moment was a forming sinister plan on how he will kill the bastard once he gets a hold of his useless life.

Bryson wanted to haunt down that fucker, wanted to hurt him one way more than he can imagine, but he also doesn't want to leave Daisy. Hoping that once she woke up, he would be the first person she'll see.

"She will be fine honey. Daisy is a brave girl, she will get through with this, " his mother's comforting words didn't even help to ease the brewing storm surging inside of him rather all of it just fall on deaf ears.

"W-why don't you get home first, clean yourself up, and get back here after, yeah?" Annie's voice broke like she was holding back tears. Bryson could see her shadow kneeling in front of him.

Bryson knew that those words mean no harm, but he took indifferently.

How could he go back to their home, clean himself up, and all that shit when his mind wasn't even in the right state.

He weakly rose his head and looked at her with bloodshot eyes as he tried to open his mouth to retaliate, but nothing came out. Instead, a lone tear escape in his eyes followed by the other until the salty substance dawned him a more tormenting realization that only heightened his fear of not seeing his girlfriend's smile again.

"Oh god, " Annie immediately embraced his quivering body and continuously pat his back while spouting comforting words.

He feels like a little boy again.

"M-mom. I—," he paused then took a deep breath. Just using his voice feels like torture, "— I don't know what to do," his throat was scratchy and it was so hard to swallow up, but somehow those words managed to come out in his mouth.

A world full of different emotions that were holding his heart in a tight grip, almost like it wanted to break the sensitive flesh until it stops beating.

"I-it's my fault mom. If only I wasn't late, nothing like this had happened. D-daisy... Daisy w—," Bryson grasps his mother's shoulders as if his life depended on it.

"Shh, no honey. It wasn't your fault. Don't ever say that. Hey, look at me, " Annie held both his cheeks and made him looked at her directly in the eyes.

"Don't blame yourself for this. Do you hear me?" Nothing of these is your fault.  It's okay honey. Everything will be fine. Just be strong, " Bryson wanted to look away, he doesn't want his mom seeing him in a devastating state, but Annie doesn't allow the slipped of his weakness to fall into nothing. She wiped the tears off his cheeks and gave it a gentle pat.

"You have to be strong, sweetheart. Daisy needs you now more than ever. You both will get through with this, okay? Just trust her to fight this challenge in her life. That girl is braver and stronger than most of us, I know it. I believe in her so, she will be fine."

In a cold and depopulated hallway of the hospital, Bryson cries silently in his mother's arms. For the first time in his life, he doesn't mind if he appears vulnerable nor if someone hears his sobs of pleas.

For the first time, he truly felt alone. Daisy has become his anchor, his pillar, and someone that became the sole purpose of his living.

"It's okay honey. Let it all out. I'm here for you," Annie's continuous reassurance was interrupted by a sudden call of her name.

"Mrs. Kingston?" His mom caressed his hair before rising to her full height while Bryson remains in his slackened position.

"Mr. Roberts, hello good evening."

"Good evening too. My men are already investigating the crime scene right now and we are gathering more information regarding the incidents to capture the suspect. As per the protocol, I'd like to speak to your son, Bryson. He was the one who brought the victim here so he falls on the category as one of the witnesses," he recognized the gruff voice. It was one of those guests that came to their house upon his arrival.

Maybe his mom already reported to the police about the incidents since it didn't cross his mind.

Bryson wiped the remnant of his tears and heaved a long sigh.

"Uhm... Can you do the interrogation at a later time? I can assure you that my son is more than willing to give you information that might helps your investigation, but—" there was a pregnant paused, "— He's a little bit disoriented right now because of what had happened," Annie continued. Bryson felt their gazes at the top of his head.

"I understand Mrs. Kingston. I will go back to the crime scene for now but see to it that I will proceed to the questioning before at the end of the night. If we want to capture the suspect, my team needs any means of help. And about the victim, is there any immediate family member I could talk to? I need their statement too," Bryson's ears perked up when he heard those words.

Family? He already knew the answer to that question. Daisy was living alone in her house and her family was somewhere in the UK.

Aren't they gonna call her parents? He was thinking about how must be hard for his flower to lived such comprising life when his mom's next words piqued his curiosity.

"She has a relative here and they will most likely on their way now."

"Very well, I'll talk to them once I came back here from the shop. I still need to supervise my team," Annie thank the officer and bid him goodbye.

Bryson who was still shocked after finding out that Daisy all along has family in this town didn't notice his mom tagging his arms to stand up.

"Come on big boy. Let's grab some drink," Annie squeezed his arm in a tight grip. He wanted to ask about Daisy's relatives, but the stern looked on his mom's face made him bite his tongue.

There's another time to feed his curiosity even though he was itching to know more about the newfound information.

Annie was right, it wasn't the right time to mope around. Even if it was hard for him to just lift a finger, he needs to gather his thought and strength back.

Since the police officer needs his statement about the incident, he should collect himself up so that he won't gonna mess anything or give them wrong information.

The least he can do right now to help was to give them the information they needed.

After standing up, he looked at the closed door of the operating room, waiting for someone, anyone to step out.

"On the other hand. Why don't you grab yourself a drink hm? I'll just wait here in case the doctor is done with the operation. Don't worry I'll inform you right away," he wanted to object but knowing his mom, she won't leave him alone until he'll do whatever she asked for.

He just sighed, "I-I'll be quick," Annie just hugged him once again and gave him a motherly smile.

•・•✿•・•

Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Bryson scrutinizes his state. His hair was tousled, sticking out in every direction. His eyes were red like he was high on drugs and his breathing was ragged.

He runs his mouth over the seam of his lower lip and once again, tried to wash up the blood on his hands.

But the colour was so stubborn that even if he used the hand sanitizer or soap, it still stuck on his skin like it belongs there.

Or was it just because he can no longer forget the mushy feeling of it nor the bright and bold colour against his lighter one?

Seems like the sight of it was already adhesive in his mind.

Frustrated by his futile attempt of cleaning himself up, Bryson just splashes some water on his face. He was about to get the toilet paper when a hand appear in his line of sight.

He looked sideways and landed his eyes at a middle-aged man with hazel eyes and a tight-lipped smile. He was built like a warrior, a soldier some sort like his father. Bryson didn't even notice someone entered the comfort room because he was too preoccupied with his tormenting thoughts.

"Having a hard time?" Bryson doesn't have any idea who was the man and why he was talking to him so casually so he tried to ignore him, but the man's expression remain the same even if he didn't respond.

He only then noticed the handkerchief in the man's hand.

After so much deliberation, he took it hesitantly and thanked him.

The man's eyes trailed the bloodstain on his clothes, but luckily he didn't ask where he gets those. It's not like Bryson was planning to have a conversation with him because he wasn't in the mood for that kind of shit.

"Are you here to visit someone?"

Why was he asking like we knew each other? Bryson held himself back from giving him a crude remark. Instead, he just ignores the man and didn't wait for him to open his mouth again as Bryson quickly nodded his head before walking out of the room.

Bryson thinks his behaviour was ruder than giving the man some sarcasm. He doesn't care though, his manner was the least of his worry at the moment.

The handkerchief made him stopped on his track. He contemplates whether to give it back to the man or not and the decision of getting the hell out of the man's presence won, so he just put the thing in his pocket.

When he was about to look for a vacant seat in the lobby of the hospital after getting a drink in the vending machine, Bryson saw a familiar face who was currently occupying a chair in the waiting area.

He faces the vending machine again and bought another iced coffee.

Guess I wasn't the only one needing a refreshment right now.

He approached Megan who was looking down on her lap and put the drink down on her hands.

She looked up at him and flashed a tight-lipped smile. She wasn't even surprised of seeing him there. He slid on the vacant chair beside her and leaned his back on the cold wall.

His muscles were aching and his head was pounding as his heart decided to visits his brain.

There was an awkward silence between them, the only noise their ears can pick up was the sound of the opening of canned drinks.

"How is she?" She asked after a while. He took a sipped of his drink and looked up at the white ceiling.

"Why are you here? I mean—,"

"Small town, news spread faster than a virus and I got here just a couple minutes ago. I don't need to go there to find out Daisy's situation. I know the doctor is still opening her guts out to get the bullet," Megan paused and smacked her lips together, "Oh right. Sorry, that was kind of brutal," she laughed, but it was a humourless one and Bryson noticed her voice wavered.

He didn't say anything though and just let the silent envelopes them again. 

He knew all along that Megan was a hard shell to crack. She was tougher than him, emotionally and mentally, but it didn't make her heartless because when he saw her face earlier, even if she tried so hard to mask her true emotion, it was still evident in her eyes.

She was worried, guilty, and angry.

"You know, I love her," he started to break the ice, "She became my world. It might sound cheesy but that was the truth," he could feel her penetrating gaze at the side of his head, but he didn't mind and just continued.

"Even though there's so much thing that I still don't know about her, I accepted what she can offer to me wholeheartedly because—," he took a sipped again to shoved the lump in his throat, "—Because I just love her. I don't care if her life remains a secret to me. l don't care if her problems stay as a mystery that I'll always have to keep on thinking even in my sleep," Megan nudged his shoulder.

"Don't cry on me now dude," she jived making him snort.

She only wants to somehow lift the depressing mood and he appreciates it even though they were not really in the right place and time to be joking around.

"I perfectly understand you," Bryson looked at her. Megan swirled the drinks in her hands as she has a faraway look on her face.

"'We've been together for like 1 and a half year but still, I don't know much about her," she looked at him and gave him a forced smile.

"She likes to keep her problems to herself. Sharing is like one of the things that never crossed her mind. Perhaps, she was avoiding the topic of her life. That's why I always understand her. Always been there for her. In case someday, she decided that it's time for storytelling."

"I was there all the time. But, I just only realized that it'll never happen as long as you didn't start the topic. And there is no guarantee that she will speak up even if you asked."

Bryson thinks about those times they were together. The questions that were lingering inside his head, just waiting for the right moment so that he could finally put them into words and hopefully, he'll get the answers he was anticipating for.

He was so tempted so many times but always cowered whenever Daisy looked at her with trusting eyes and a genuine smile.

Bryson feels like he was intruding on her privacy when her role was just supposed to be his listener and supporter, not the other way around.

"Me too. I don't know much about her. I want to ask, every time we were together, I want her to open up. To let me in but it's hard," his eyes followed the running droplets on the canned iced coffee.

"Very hard. It's like every time you tried to take a peeked what's behind her wall, it only makes her more guarded and raises it even higher than even light couldn't slip past the barrier."

"I don't want to know more about her because I want to fix her, ya know. I just wanted to experience every moment with her, through joyful and tough times because we are supposed to be a team. We are a team," he exhaled and bit on his lower lip.

Never in his life, he imagined being having that kind of conversation with someone. At some point, he was also like Daisy. Likes to keep everything to himself even if sometimes it was so hard to contain the bottled-up feeling because there wasn't enough space anymore to store another one.

"Wow. That was deep," commented, Megan.

Bryson smiled for the first time since he entered the hospital.

It wasn't the time for them to reminisce their moment with Daisy nor recalled the information they know and not, but the conversation helps him think more brightly.

He believes in Daisy and that at the end of the day, she will back on her feet, bouncing, laughing, and being her usual carefree self.

"We're on the same boat," Megan said.

"I know you must be thinking why I'm not drowning in shame or blaming myself," his smile dropped as he looked at Megan who was already staring back at her with an impassive face.

Her expression changes to 180 degrees. How hard is this woman's shell?

You don't even see the slightest expression on her face that was giveaway what was hidden underneath her unaffected facade.

"I'm not gonna think negatively about the situation nor started to tear up while blaming myself because I left Daisy alone in the shop and such. I'm not like that," she shook her head and went back to looking at the white wall in front of them.

"I will not gain anything if I think something unpleasant about myself or if I punished myself for something I didn't commit. It wasn't my fault and neither are you," Megan jabbed her hand that was holding the can on his shoulder.

"And I'm sure Daisy wouldn't like it either if we blame ourselves, don't you think?" Bryson agreed.

Knowing Daisy, he was pretty sure she won't gonna like the way his thoughts lead him.

"Since we don't hold the time in our hands, it was possible that what happened would still happen even if I stayed by Daisy's side in the shop," her voice held so much conviction and Bryson admired how level-headed she was despite their situation.

She can still think rationally and doesn't let her emotions get the best of her.

He felt ashamed of thinking pessimistically a while ago, but it was something he doesn't have control though.

Speechless, Bryson wanders her eyes everywhere and unexpectedly, it landed on a figure who is approaching them. 

Confused about why the man before was walking closer to them. Bryson averted his eyes on him and act as if he didn't see him while Megan suddenly stood up and greet the man.

With furrowed brows, he threw a questioning eye toward Megan. It checkered from the girl then to the man who was now standing in front of them.

Do they know each other?

"Good evening too. I'm just here t—,"

The man's words were cut off when they heard Annie calling Bryson's name. He abruptly stood up as his mother close the gap between them.

She shook the man's hand and greeted him like they've been acquittance for a long time.

What was happening?

Bryson who each passing second was losing his self-control because he was the only one who knew nothing of what was going on. He was about to speak when his mom's next words made him stilled.

"They are done. Based on the doctor, her condition is not that bad or critical. She has been moved to a private room upstairs. She's still unconscious because of the anesthesia and her body needs lots of rest so, it'll take an hour or so before she wakes up, but she can now be visited," Annie reported with a small smile.

All of them breathe a sigh of relief for the successful operation, but what he didn't expect was the man to spoke out of the blue.

"Thank god."

He scowled.

What?

Does he know Daisy?

Rather, who the hell is he?

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