Chapter 54: Chapter 54

So it turned out what Martha said to him was true. Arnold died because his late friend wanted to protect him? He pressed the pause button on the screen of his smartphone, trying to calm his recurring anxiety symptoms. The video still had half an hour left, but he could not bear to watch it anymore. It was too painful. Watching a video recording of a man who could no longer live and be next to him only increased his guilt for not being able to protect his late friend. He could not bear to see Arnold's face, which stopped moving after he pressed the pause button. The memory of Arnold's death spun again, making him froze. All the cells in his body froze again as if he were in a cold and frozen room. The entire room where he was in suddenly turned grey. Time seemed to stop for a moment, leaving him alone. Then there was the sound of the clocks moving slowly, along with his hands that began to fill with Arnold's blood filling both of his hands. Continue to add more and more until it made it difficult to catch his breath. He looked at his two hands that were holding his smartphone shaking so badly that the smartphone was released from his hand, landing smoothly on his bed.

No. He could not watch the video until the end. It was too painful. Why did Verdict just send the file to him? Why not at Arnold's funeral? Why now?

His smartphone rang, pulling him out of the grey room. His attention was again on his smartphone screen, which displays a reminder. Now he understood why Verdict gave it today. Or at least, asked Hazel to give the flash disk to him today.

Arnold's birthday.

Happy birthday, jerk! Wish you long life—

He opened his reminder, which led him directly to a photo gallery of photos when he celebrated Arnold's birthday last year. Arnold, who was smiling broadly, put his arm around his shoulder. Then there's a short video, capturing Arnold's surprise to learn that he and Verdict prepared a surprise for him—asking him to finish the food he hated most to replace his birthday cake—sautéed spicy squid. He laughed softly when he saw Arnold's face, who was immediately frightened when he saw a large plate of sauteed squid, which was still hot because it had just been reheated in the microwave. Repeatedly giving them puppy eyes and their mercy, begging them not to spend it all. Of course, he and Verdict refused, telling him to eat until they finished. After that, he felt guilty, as for almost four days Arnold had lost his appetite and kept dreaming of sauteed squid, which was become his nightmare. At that time, he hoped he would prepare even better surprises for Arnold in the following year.

If Arnold was still alive today, of course.

'I thought you were sleeping.'

Edward's voice startled him. He pressed the home button, turned off his smartphone screen and watched Edward close the bedroom door. He did not answer him, busy thinking about the right words to reply to Edward's words.

'There was a little accident at the cafe. Thank God it's not a big problem,' said the man again as soon as he took off the coat he was wearing and hung it near the entrance.

'Oh.'

Why did it become the response he can give? Ah, damn brain ...

He was so busy cursing himself until he did not realize that Edward was already sitting in the chair Hazel had sat on before.

'Have you watched it until the end?'

Edward's question succeeded in bringing him back to his senses. His eyes flickered, trying to understand what Edward's question meant.

'That one. Inside of the flash disk,' said the man again, pointing at the flash disk that was still stuck in his smartphone.

'Ah ... oh ...,' he lifted his smartphone a little, then shook his head softly. 'I already know most of it.'

'Not all of that, then,' Edward looked at the bowl filled with apples which had begun to oxidize due to exposure to the outside air. 'Hazel just got home?'

'Yes.'

Edward muttered softly, still staring at the apples. 'Why don't you finish eating the apple?'

'I'm full.'

The man shook his head lightly, grabbed the bowl and stuck the fork into one of the apple slices. Bring the apple to him. 'What if I feed you?'

'My answer is still the same.'

'Then, I have no other choice but to force you,' Edward forced the apple into his mouth, forcing him to eat the apple while grumbling in annoyance that Edward had not heard his answer earlier.

'How could I listen to patient requests? I'm not that kind. After all, the patient is this thin,' the man gave him another second bite, and this time he had to eat it since he did not want Edward to force him again.

'You jerk.'

'I'll take it as a compliment,' Edward smiled with satisfaction as soon as he saw him. ', every time I visit you, I always find you sleeping. So how could I not take this opportunity to prank you?'

That explained the reason why he never found Edward all this time.

He chewed silently on the apple earlier, continuing to eat it until a little was left. After struggling to resist because he nearly vomited the apple, Edward finally stopped to feed him. His gaze was fixed on the screen of his smartphone.

'You sure you don't want to watch it until the end?'

He did not answer Edward's question. His hand pulled out the flash disk, put it on the nightstand with his smartphone.

'Rather than that, how is your uncle's condition?' A much nicer topic to distract from the video earlier.

'Died. I'm taking over the cafe now.'

'Died? When?'

Edward nodded slowly, stroking Raymond's cheek with a face holding back anger. 'You don't know because you are already unconscious. No need to know the details. The important thing is now he's dead.'

It seemed that Edward was reluctant to discuss the topic. It can't be helped. Being betrayed by his uncle, who he thought saved him, must have left a gaping wound in his heart.

'Oh, sorry. I should not mention that.'

'It's okay,' Edward smiled softly as he rubbed the top of his head. 'Want to go strolling? You must be bored, staying in this room all the time for two weeks?'

'I want.'

Hearing the answer, the man laughed softly. 'Wait a moment here.'

And the man immediately disappeared from before him.

***