The nurse patiently helped him stretch his legs, and although it hurt, Gabriel didn't wince, not even once. Instead, he clenched his fists and silently endured the pain.

Not moving for more than two weeks had made his body grow stiff, so much so that the teenage boy couldn't walk on his own. His legs weren't steady enough, and after a few steps, he often fell on his knees with a loud thud. Even if he knew it would take some time before his body regained its nimbleness, he still couldn't help but feel helpless and bitter every time he kissed the floor.

For now, all Gabriel could do was follow the rehabilitation program while hoping to recover quickly, suppressing his impatience as much as he could. Not being able to do anything without someone's help was frustrating, especially for him, who loved to be in control of everything.

"Does it hurt?" asked the nurse in a deadpan tone, slowly pushing his right leg toward his c.h.e.s.t.

"No, it doesn't," smiled Gabriel while digging his nails into his palms.

Truthfully, the movement made his whole body protest with throbbing pain, and he just wanted to put an end to the stretching session. It felt like his knees were about to snap in half, while his back didn't allow him to move an inch.

"Liar," replied the nurse before gently laying back his leg on the bed. "You have to tell me if it's too painful, and we will go slower. Don't pretend you're fine when you're not."

The teenager opened his mouth, only to close it soon afterward. Scratching his nose, he avoided her eyes before whispering:

"Sorry. I will tell you next time."

Noticing the small change in her expression, Gabriel explained, "Apparently, they are going to be late today. According to Masha, the little boy needs to catch up on his sleep. When I was in a coma, he didn't rest properly, and he doesn't have good health, so his mother forced him to take a break today."

A small smile stretched the teenager's lips. Surprisingly, it was a genuine one. If it had been any other nurse, he wouldn't even have bothered to clarify things, pretending that he hadn't noticed their gaze, but this nurse was Yuki. In a way, she could be considered a friend. Although he made sure not to act too familiar with her because he wasn't supposed to remember her, Gabriel still paid her a bit more attention, unable to completely treat her as a stranger.

Back then, when he had woken up from his first coma, Yuki had been the nurse in charge of his rehabilitation. Not only did she help him recover physically, but she also took care of his emotional state, giving him the support he needed. If she hadn't been there, he didn't know what he would have become.

Four years ago, his mother's death shattered his whole world, and he had lost sight of himself. He became unable to trust anyone, only seeing lies beneath the gentle smiles. When he met someone, he wondered about when they would betray him and how they would do so. There was no 'why.' They would backstab him one day or another, and that was all.

There was no need for a reason; everyone wanted him dead, no matter who they were.

And after he woke up, he realized that he couldn't stand smiling faces anymore; they made him sick to death. And thus, all the smiling nurses and doctors that surrounded him looked like demons in his eyes. They were wolves in sheep's clothing that were ready to gobble him up at any time. He couldn't let his guard down and was always on edge. This state of mind was slowly killing him.

In the end, only Yuki was able to tame him. Despite her cold face, her heart was very warm. She was a kind person, albeit a bit awkward at times. She was observant, and she had rapidly discovered that something was off with the child. With patience, she made her way inside of his heart. Although he didn't tell her everything, she could more or less guess what had happened from the limited information she had gathered here and there.

One day, Yuki had been so angry on his behalf that Gabriel finally woke up from his daze. Without an ounce of hesitation, she had slapped his half-brother before everyone's eyes. The nurse didn't care about anything else, not even her job. She was simply too upright to turn a deaf ear to what she had heard. What her patient's half-brother had said was unacceptable, and if her colleagues didn't have enough guts to stand up, she would do it in their stead.

So what if Gabriel's father favored his mistress' sons? So what if he was wealthy enough to buy the hospital several times and had enough influence to make her life a living hell? Because of those reasons, should she turn a blind eye to the sufferings of a child? Act like she hadn't noticed his tears and his desperate screams? She had become a nurse because she wanted to help others, so there was no way she would turn her back and casually walk away.

Back then, because of a single nurse who acted with kindness, Gabriel's personality didn't end up as twisted as his stepmother. Although he had lost a lot and could never retrieve his innocence, he didn't become a demon devoured by grief and anger. There were still good people in the world, and he shouldn't forsake himself because of hatred. The wicked a.d.u.l.ts would receive their punishment one day, but it shouldn't be done at the cost of his humanity.

After many twists and turns, Yuki ended up keeping her job, mostly because what Gabriel's half-brother had said was indeed too much to swallow, even for his cold-hearted father. And Gabriel also threatened to make a scene if his family were to use its influence to force the hospital to fire the nurse. Afterward, he went back home and didn't have the chance to interact with her anymore.

She had played a key role in his recovery, both physically and mentally. And for that, he would forever be grateful.

Now that they met again in such circ.u.mstances, Gabriel didn't know whether to cry or laugh. He had always wanted to thank her properly, but at the moment, he couldn't. This time, he didn't want to get her involved, so he had to lie to her, keeping her in the dark. Or else, knowing Yuki, she wouldn't remain on the sidelines, silently watching the scenes unfold before her eyes.

The teenager discreetly smiled, vaguely thinking that his entourage tended to be headstrong—for instance, Masha, Yuki, and Misha. The three of them were strong-willed and honest. Or at the very least, when their feelings weren't said aloud, their body language betrayed them.

In their company, the teenager felt at ease.

Gabriel shook his head, pushing aside his thoughts. When he was about to ask Yuki when their next stretching session would be, someone opened the door. Reflexively, the teenager turned his head toward the newcomers, and his smile froze. He had thought it would be Masha and her little brother, but he was wrong.

The ones he least wanted to see had finally decided to pay a visit.