202 My fault, entirely

"There is something different about you, right now. I can't put my finger on it but I am totally sensing it. Care to share it with me?" Eric asked him, after tending to the formalities.

Hui looked at him, debating inwardly for a few moments. Finally, he took a leap of faith. It wasn't as if he had anyone else to turn to help for, anyways!!

"Teach me… teach me how to do it," he said.

Eric looked at him in disbelief. What was Hui asking him to teach him? It couldn't be that… right?

He recovered quickly from the shock and smiled happily. He started to reply, but Hui interrupted him, "by THIS, I don't mean that you teach me how to dress nattily, talk glibly…"

"Don't teach me how to impress her, but how to understand her, how to make sure that I don't hurt her in the future, and if possible… how to make her like me," he uttered the last bit almost shyly.

Eric couldn't believe his ears. He was tempted to check them for wax. Did he hear correctly? He asked… Ying Hui asked… asked him to help him understand the girl, make her like him!! Thank God he hadn't opened his mouth few second ago.

"Err… I will help you as best as I can. You don't have to worry. I've got your back. For now, stop feeling guilty about tonight, rather last night. It was an accident. Think about it. Had it been me in that hospital bed, I bet, you wouldn't have felt half as miserable," Eric tried to lighten his mood.

He could see that Ying Hui was feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of his own emotions. Though he was happy for his friend, he couldn't help but worry about Jia Li and her heart. Knowing what he knew about her history, he had no idea whether his friend stood a chance with her or not.

But Hui had asked him for something for the first time ever. He was going to do everything possible to make her realise what an amazing guy he was, no matter what it took!!

Jia Li woke up with a splitting headache. Her eyes couldn't recognise the room or the bed that she was in. What the hell happened? Where was she?

And then her memories came rushing back…

"Oh, you are finally awake. I will just inform Dr Adams," a nurse came up to her just then.

"Wait a minute, please. Where am I? Is this York?" she asked the uniform clad nurse.

"York? Oh right, that's where the accident happened. No, you are in London. You were brought here few hours ago," she informed Jia Li in a kind voice.

"Sorry, can you answer one more question? What day is it today? How long have I been unconscious for?" she asked apprehensively.

The nurse smiled and replied, "you are welcome to ask as many questions as you like. But it is better that the doctor answers them for you. Everyone has been waiting eagerly for you to wake up."

Jia Li frowned and thought, "who is everybody? Oh! I forgot to ask her if Mr. Ying is alright."

But the nurse had already left the room.

"What? She has regained consciousness? That's great news. I'll be right there," Hui disconnected the call and started getting ready.

After escorting Jia Li to Dr Adam's clinic personally, he had come home to freshen up. He had taken the day off and decided to work from home. He had been calling the clinic every half hour to find out whether she had woken up yet or not. This anxiety was a foreign feeling and he wasn't enjoying it much. It felt as if everything was spinning out of his control and there was nothing that he could do about it.

He was just about to call them when the nurse called him instead and informed about Jia Li.

Eric was already there when Hui walked in. He had met with the doctor who told him that Jia Li was absolutely fine except for a headache and a nasty bruise. His heart had given a relived sigh so loud that he wondered if the others could hear it as well!

His heart was hammering and stuttering, as he entered Jia Li's room.

"I was wondering when were you going to show up," Eric said as Hui came near her bed.

"Considering you had to come from Chester Square to Piccadilly Circus versus me from Hyde Park, you should have reached sooner," Eric teased him.

Hui ignored him and looked at Jia Li properly, taking in her pallor and demeanour.

"How are you feeling now, Ms. Lin? I want to begin by apologising for the accident. It was completely my fault. I should have not insisted on coming back the same night or else should have called the chauffeur or…" he started.