72 The sweetest smile

3 hours later.

In the same old hospital, Ash was lying on the hospital bed, slowly regaining his consciousness.

He looked around to find himself in the ICU. With the beeping of instruments irritating him and people with ventilator and masks, making it seem as if he got into some major accident, he was annoyed.

Ash merely had a few minor burns on his back. Yet, Lu dad was behaving hysterical, forcing the doctors to inject anaesthetics in him to knock him out to block the pain during dressing.

Getting used to the noise, he calmed down. Thinking back of the person during the accident, a small smile emerged on his face. He never thought that they would have another fateful encounter.

Instead of confirming the state he was in, Ash was trying to turn his head sideways to look at the beeping heart monitor.

"Sis, look here." Pointing at the ECG. "I think my heart is beating too fast.", he said with an unknown sense of joy.

Ira, who was sitting on a sofa while reading a magazine, raised her head slightly and looked up at the machine. It showed his heartbeat  135 beats per minute.

"Obviously, that's because you were shocked. Remember, you were rescued from the fire." Ira who sat next to him said in a sarcastic tone.

Ira who was putting up a cold exterior was, in reality, glad that Ash was out of danger. When she heard that the basement lab got caught on fire and her brother was almost trapped inside, she felt her still beating heart being dug out from her chest by someone.

"Sis, I don't think it's because of the shock." Touching his heart he said with a dazed look on his face.

Ira was confused: "From what, then?"

"Red hair," he stated.

With a confused look, Ira glanced at her poor brother and blinked. "What?"

Ash looked at her, "Where is the person who saved me? Is she alright?"

Ira actually didn't know the exact situation of the firefighters after the incident. All she knew was that there were no casualties or injuries from the fire.

"Yes, she's fine. But what about you? You've got burns on your back." she paused, handing him a mirror "and your neck. Doctors said it may scar." The Ash Ira knew was most concerned about his looks. She guessed the first thing he would ask for would be a mirror. "Cosmetic surgery can be done later. Don't worry."

In the mirror, Ash saw his neck bandaged.

"Oh it's fine, they will serve as a memory that God gave me a second chance at life." He laughed then winced as he felt pain from his action.  

Ira stiffened slightly at the mention of 'a second chance at life'. She was the greatest example.A miracle had happened to her rather them. A chance to right all the wrongs of her past life…

Wasn't this a second chance at life for Ash as well?

"Did you hit your head or something while being rescued?" Ira said teasingly playing it cool after those thoughts.

Ash with an innocent appearance said: "No."

Ira crossed her arms while raising a brow, "Then why do I feel that you've become even more stupid?"  

"Maybe." Laughter erupted from the man on the bed. Ira chuckled, then smiled lovingly at her dear brother as she thought. 'He wore the sweetest smile ever.'

The sibling chatted for a bit more Ash sighed and asked frustratingly: "What's wrong with dad? Why am I even here? In the ICU! "

"That's because he loves you." Though Dad always scolds and punishes Ash, Ira knew he held a strong feeling of protection when it came to Ash, his only son.

"Really?"

Ira nodded, "You scared him so much."

"Sis," Ash called, holding his head, face contorted in pain. " I think I really might have knocked my head into something…"

"What? Where? Let me see. Doctor! " Her face changed and ran to him, checking for any wounds and injuries on his head.