Just a Kid

The next thing I knew when I open my eyes is I was lying in a hospital bed or rather a clinic. When I was about to get up, Naoyuki entered the room carrying a glass of water and a pack of medicines inside a tray.

"Oh good thing you're finally awake. Are you feeling better now?" he put down the tray on the side table and smiled at me.

"Yes, I'm better now thanks to you. By the way, did you bring me in this hospital?"

"I was supposed to bring you to the hospital when you collapsed but because of the weather condition, I decided to bring you to the nearest option so immediately brought you here in my clinic."

"Your clinic?” I was surprised by what he just said. Why do you even have your own clinic?

"Yes this is my clinic and it is just a few steps away from the convenience store. Though this is just a clinic for children, I believe that treating your fever is within my skills."

"So you are saying that you are a doctor?"

"Yes, a pediatrician to be precise." He tapped the white coat that he is wearing that I have failed to notice since earlier.

I was stunned at that moment. I never thought that I was blurting out stupid things to someone older than me just a while ago. I thought that he was just like around my age, so I acted based on my instincts alone and approached him carelessly.

"I'm very sorry for acting too familiar and impolite to you. I never thought that you were older than me. Please forgive me Shinobu-san" I apologized and started talking to him with courtesy.

"It's okay so you don't need to apologize and besides, I didn't introduce myself properly so let's start knowing each other first."

"Then let me introduce myself first. I'm Suzuki Kazuya, 20 years old, a 2nd year student major in arts at PL University."

"I'm Shinobu Naoyuki, 29 years old, a full-time pediatrician. I'm just an average person so I can't say much about myself." he smiled and shake my hands.

"We are actually almost 9 years apart. Are you sure that you want a random kid like me to be friends with you?"

"Pftttt.. You know, sometimes I don't know if whether kids these days are dumb or just trying to be funny. You were the one who suddenly approached me and asking to be your friend but now you are the one acting so confused of this situation." he is laughing at me.

"Sorry, I just move by my instinct back there." Ah why do I keep embarrassing myself in front of him.

"Why? Did I catch your eye or something?"

"Are you serious? Anyone who saw someone always carrying a black umbrella will be curious about that person, it's like you have a magic or something." I started talking like a kid who keeps spouting nonsense.

"So you are just curious about me?" his tone suddenly turned cold.

"Yes... I mean no. I saw how amazing you are, and I want to be friends with you.

"...." he didn't reply anymore.

It seems that I accidentally offended him.

"Shinobu-san I didn't mean...." before I can apologize, I was cutoff when a man barge inside the room. He looks like someone who is older or maybe the same age as Shinobu-san.

"Nao! Yesterday you told me that you will go home early today, but why are here you are still here busy working?"

"Sorry Hisa, there is just some urgent call."

"Hmmm... an emergency patient?" he looks closely at me. "Hey that is not a kid anymore! Why are you here inside a children’s clinic? Didn't you see the sign outside?" he suddenly became aggressive and started nagging me.

"Hey stop it. I'm the one who brought him here because it was an emergency."

"So you know this brat? Are you friends or something?" he keeps calling me like a kid, and him being nosy, starting to annoy me.

"....just saw him collapsed outside." I was surprised to hear Shinobu-san to lie about how we really met.

I feel a little sad realizing that he no longer wants the idea of befriending me.

Did I really say something bad unconsciously?

"Shinobu-san I'm sorr-." I was cutoff again when he faced me.

"I think you will be fine now. Take this medicine and don't forget to drink it twice a day."

"Eh.. but I still.." he started pushing me out of the room while handing the pack of medicine from the tray earlier.

"Don't worry about the payment. It's free so you can go now. Goodbye.”

In the end I was kicked out of the clinic.

After thinking about everything that happened the whole night, I decided to go and try to talk to him one more time the following day and so I went straight in front of his clinic as soon as my afternoon class ended.

I am still hesitating to go in because I feel nervous to talk to him but a voice inside me keeps urging me to go inside and be brave. I paced back and forth in front of the door until someone noticed me.

"Hey, are you that kid last night? Do you plan interfering with Nao's work again? Are you his stalker?" it was that annoying nosy guy last night.

"No you're wrong. I'm not here to cause any trouble. I just want to thank him properly and apologize."

"Then there's no need to talk to him directly, I'll just pass your message so you can just go now and stop bothering him."

"But I have to apologize properly and make things clear."

"You know kid, will you please stop your childish schemes. Stop getting involved in adult lives and just go home and study."

"Will you please stop treating me like a five years old brat. My age is just a little lower than you and please stop talking as if you know something between me and Shinobu-san."

"Huh? between you and him? You mean how you desperately wanted be friends with him because you think he is special? I've heard it all from Nao last night, and guess what? He was very offended about that."

"I didn't mean to offend him with my words, and besides I am really here to apologize. So please let me in and stop blocking the entrance."

"No. I won't let you make Nao feel bad again. Get lost brat!" he keeps blocking me from reaching out the door.

We continued making a ruckus in front of the children's clinic and we didn't notice that we caught the attention of all the passersby including a patrolling police officer who immediately brought as to the station.

After a few minutes, Shinobu-san arrived in the station with a confused face.

"I thought that there was a riot in front of my clinic but why are you here Hisashi? Want kind of trouble did you get involved this time?"

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