3. the needs
Chapter three
the needs
It does not matter why Rion is here. All that matters is this one moment where Aaron’s tears continue to flow out, and Rion’s arm tightens around him comfortingly. Rion is there when Aaron needs him, and that means everything in the world to him.
"Rion, I…" Aaron sobs into Rion’s shirt.
"Shh, it’s okay," Rion says, patting him on the back. "Come with me. We can’t have people finding you crying in the bathroom."
Eyes still blurry, Aaron lets Rion take his hand and lead him into an empty waiting room, closing the door behind him.
"Alright, you can let it out now," he says gently, but Aaron shakes his head and lets go of his hand to wipe his tears.
"It’s fine, I’m all cried out," he says, voice hoarse. "What are you doing here, Rion?"
The look Rion gives him is both worried and exasperated. "What do you think I’m doing here?"
In that moment, Aaron dares to imagine, to hope that Rion somehow knew he needed him. He dares to hope that Rion is here for him and only him. He wants to think that Rion is here to help him, even though he did not ask for his help.
"Aaron, I told you before to ask me if you need anything. So, why aren’t you asking me for anything?" Rion asks, frowning.
"I just… I’m…" Aaron stutters, trying to make sense of everything. How can he ask this of Rion? It is way too much. Rion has been kind and generous to him; he’s done everything Aaron has asked, but this?
No matter how much he needs Rion to help him with his mother’s treatment, it is too much to ask.
He doesn’t want to lose his mother, but he’s also afraid of pushing Rion away.
"Aaron," Rion’s voice is strained, and he reaches out again to take Aaron’s hand. He looks him in the eye and says, "Ask me."
The way he says it, it almost sounds as though Rion is the one asking for help, as though Rion is the one who needs the assistance, and it makes Aaron’s heart sink as the tears from before come again.
Why is he so nervous and afraid? When has he ever not taken the leap?
What is the worst that could happen? That’s right, he doesn’t care, he has to at least ask. If Rion says no, then he can give up.
Aaron holds on tighter to Rion’s hand, squeezing it, and looking at him with teary eyes, and he swallows. "Rion, please…. Please," Aaron’s voice cracks as he pleads desperately. "Please, save my mother. I know it’s a lot of money, and I know it’s a lot to ask, but I-"
But Rion once more reaches out to touch Aaron’s face and wipes away his tears with his thumbs as Aaron looks up at him desperately. "Alright. I will make sure that your mother is taken care of."
Before Aaron can even show his surprise at how easy it was for Rion to agree, he has already stepped back, and he is calling someone on his cellphone.
"Mara, the VIP room I asked for, is it ready?" He asks. "Well, you better hurry it up because I’m bringing a very special patient there right now, and I want you to be in charge of her treatment, got it?"
Aaron watches as Rion argues with the person on the phone until they reach an agreement.
"Alright, let’s get going, we’ll meet the ambulance there," Rion says, striding towards the door.
What? Aaron wants to ask what is happening but Rion is already leaving.
"Wait, where are we going?" Aaron asks, catching up.
"Middlehan Heart Hospital, they are ready to receive your mother. Come on."
"Middlehan Heart Hospital?" Aaron exclaims, getting into Rion’s car. "But that’s… isn’t that where ministers and millionaires get treated? A regular private hospital would be fine, you don’t have to go out of your way like this!"
"Regular?" Rion snorts. "Oh, Aaron, you deserve so much better than just regular. As long as you’re with me, I'll make sure you get access to only top-line services. All you need to do is just trust me and leave everything to me."
Rion is not looking at Aaron, but still, his words make Aaron’s face warm, because no one has ever gone this far for him. For him to let go and have someone else take control is a first for Aaron. He doesn’t know if Rion quite knows how much all of this means to him.
As soon as they get to the hospital, Aaron becomes sure of one thing. No matter how powerful and influential Rion is, there is no way he could have done this in one day. Doctors are already waiting for them, and both Aaron and his mother are taken for tests as soon as they arrive.
The experience is surreal; all these renowned doctors and specialists are fussing over Aaron, and he is rightly overwhelmed.
He doesn’t get to talk to Rion or his mother for the rest of the day, and Rion sends a driver to take him home as he is exhausted.
Even in his tired state, Aaron is one hundred percent sure that Rion already had everything ready for his mother to be admitted to Middlehan Heart Hospital; all this time, he was just waiting for Aaron to ask him.
He probably didn't just offer to help because he did not want to overstep his boundaries or because he didn't want Aaron to feel like he was taking pity on him, and hurt his pride. Aaron lies still on his bed and wraps his arms around himself, squeezing, trying to keep the heat emanating from his body out. Rion’s kindness is overwhelming, and Aaron cannot help but fall for him even more.
***
As much as Aaron wants to check on his mother first thing the next morning, he has to finish baking the pastries for the coffee shop before he goes. This place has to keep functioning so that she has a place to return home to once she is better.
"Aaron, come out, hurry!" James says, rushing into the kitchen, face flushed.
"I’m almost done; are the customers getting impatient?" Aaron asks, removing some scones from the oven.
"What? No! It’s not that. You know we don’t get a lot of customers. Just come out; Rion Asano is here looking for you!" James tells him excitedly.
"He’s here? In our shop?" Aaron says in surprise.
James nods in excitement. "I'll watch the oven, go."
Sure enough, Rion Asano, in all his well-dressed glory, is sitting at one of the tables in Aaron's coffee shop, looking completely out of place.
"Rion, hey, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Aaron says, flustered, when he gets to him.
Rion crosses his arms and takes his time looking over at Aaron from where he's sitting. "And miss seeing you looking so cute in that apron?" Rion smirks.
"Ah," Aaron flushes, realising how he's dressed, and he quickly takes off his hairnet. "Um... if I'd known you were coming, I'd have prettied myself up for you."
"Hmph, I enjoy seeing you like this, love." Rion sits back and continues unabashedly watching Aaron. "Anyway, I haven't had my tea this morning, so what does the baker recommend?"
Does Rion want to eat here? "But a place like this is surely beneath you. We can go somewhere better, I..."
Rion leans over to him across the table. "Aaron, I came here to see you and talk to you. Humour me. Get me something to eat and sit with me for a bit."
There aren't a lot of customers at the moment, so Aaron leaves James in charge of both the kitchen and the till counter. He brings Rion some chamomile tea and scones.
"The quality is not the best, but I hope it's not too terrible compared to what you're used to," Aaron says, sitting down across from him and pouring the tea for him.
"Please. Don't oversell on my account," he says sarcastically, bringing the tea to his lips. It is Aaron's turn to watch Rion now, as he drinks his tea, and takes a bite from a scone. "Hmm, you made this?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"It tastes good. I'm curious what else I could get you to cook for me," Rion says pleasantly.
Aaron looks up, grinning. "I can cook a lot of things, bring me to your house, and I'll cook up a storm for you." He puts his elbows on the table and places his chin in his hands. "Who knows, maybe I'll be for dinner."
Putting down the mug, Rion looks up at Aaron. "Don't tempt me, love. I can already picture that whole scenario in my head."
Satisfied, Aaron smiles, but instead of continuing to flirt with him, Rion changes the subject. "Did you manage to choose your classes for next year?"
"Ah, yeah, I did." The change of subject takes Aaron by surprise, but he's excited about school after all.
"Yeah, and they already sent me the textbook list and the online resources as well.
I'm so excited to start. Hopefully, by that time, my mum will be feeling much better, and I can show her how well I'm doing now, registering for university. "
"It's nice to see you so passionate about something you like," Rion smiles.
For a long time, Aaron has indeed ignored what he wanted for himself in favour of taking care of his mother and the business, but because of Rion, he feels like he can finally do the things that he wants.
"It's all thanks to you. I don't know what I would have done without you Rion," Aaron says honestly. "I don't know how to thank you. In the space of a couple of weeks, you've completely changed my life."
But Rion shakes his head, "No. There's no need to thank me. Everything I've done for you, I did it because I wanted to."
"Still," Aaron leans in and places his hand over Rion's. "I have one really good idea of how to thank you."
Once again, however, Rion does not take the bait. Instead, he withdraws his hand, pulling back. "Don't worry about that," he says, looking away. "Listen, can you leave your friend in charge for a couple more hours? I made an appointment for you with the haematologist looking after your mother."
What is going on? Rion isn't cold per se, but he is being unresponsive to Aaron’s obvious advances. Did he do something wrong?
"Oh, yeah. I was gonna go visit my mum later anyway," Aaron mumbles, standing up. "I'll go get ready."
*
"Don't entertain anything they say, okay, Aaron? And if they ask you about our relationship, don't comment!" Rion warns him as soon as they enter the hospital. "You know what? Just tell them we're dating; otherwise, they'll start snooping."