The Black Swan Behind

224 Poppy, The Heart Expert

After the doctor lowered his flashlight, Emma frowned in the glare as she shook her head. “Everything’s fine. I don’t feel anything.”

“Not all diseases will provide pain at the beginning of the symptoms,” Calvin said.

He indeed couldn’t hold his mouth because he was so worried. This was because Emma once told Calvin that her mother had died from cancer. This made Calvin think that Emma might have inherited the disease. What he knew was that a person who had hereditary cancer would have a greater risk of developing the same disease.

“Gosh, Calvin. Can you keep your mouth shut?” Ian said, shaking his head. But Calvin didn’t mind him.

After the examination, the blood coming out of Emma’s nose started to fewer and finally stopped.

“It’s not because of illness or fatigue,” The doctor said.

“Is it because I sneezed too hard?” Emma guessed ??with a confused face.

The doctor smiled faintly. “You noticed that, didn’t you?”

“But I always sneeze like that. Well, even though I did it a few times because I accidentally sniffed pepper,” Emma answered, subconsciously making Calvin feel guilty.

.....

“Actually, the sneeze only triggered your nose to bleed. But the main factor is that you have an injury inside your nose. When you sneeze, the wound opens and bleeds a lot. It’s a bit deep and actually quite big, but not dangerous.” The doctor explained. “Are you taking aspirin?”

Emma nodded. “I took it last night because some of my muscles are a little sore. I went to a clinic and the doctor gave me the prescription.”

“It looks like your muscles are slightly inflamed,” The doctor concluded. “Aspirin works to prevent blood clots. Therefore, the open wound in the nose will bleed quite profusely. But you can compress it with ice and stop taking the aspirin for some days.” The doctor said.

However, the doctor still looked at the face of the girl named Emma with a questioning look. “It is a wound caused by a very hard hit. Often found in people who get hit on the nose.”

The doctor’s words made the three men who were there immediately frown in confusion. Come to think of it, they also felt aware of such injuries. Maybe it was the same as the bloody nose they often experience when fighting. But, who was the madman who dared to hit Emma in the nose?

“Is that true, Emma? Who hit you?” Calvin asked directly with a serious face, again stepping closer to her just to make the doctor shift her seat with a face holding back laughter.

Emma leaned back. It was the first time he saw Calvin’s face so serious like that. But Emma did not believe she should see it in this situation. For a moment, her brain tried to process what was happening.

Did Emma really have to answer Calvin’s question about who hit her in the nose? Because the answer was him!

“So, it was true, huh? Someone had hit you in the nose. You can tell me who did it, Emma. I’ll make sure the function of his hand won’t be the same again.” Martin said with a fiery look.

Emma immediately shook her palms in front of her chest. “No one hit me. I just remembered that four days ago I did accidentally hit the door.”

“It must have been a loud bang. But it was a bit confusing, considering the shape of the door is-”

Emma quickly laughed while nodding to cut off the doctor’s sentence. “I know. I am also confused about it. But believe me, it was a long and rather ridiculous story. However, if you saw what happened in person, you would definitely believe that this wound appeared because I hit the door.”

“Is it? You don’t have to hide anything. You know that, Emma?” Calvin asked suspiciously.

Emma just smiled and then shook her head. “Why would I hide it?”

“All right. I’ll give you a referral because you still have to go to the hospital to have the wound checked and have an X-ray to prevent infection and detect a possible nasal bone injury. You should also consult the doctor who had prescribed aspirin for you.” The doctor said as she wrote something down on a piece of paper in a doctor’s notebook before tearing it up and giving it to the girl.

“Thanks, Doc,” Emma said.

The doctor smiled. “You’re welcome. Be careful next time.”

Then the four people came out of the clinic room with a feeling of relief.

“Thank God it wasn’t anything serious. Your fuss was meaningless,” Ian said.

“People like you don’t deserve to be around any woman. You can’t give them the attention they deserve.” Martin said.

“Keep that advice to yourself, Idiot! Your exaggeration makes women feel uncomfortable.” Ian rolled his eyes.

“Okay, Guys. No need to fight. I’ve caused you trouble. Thanks for bringing me here.” Emma said.

“Anyways, how about I take you to the hospital after this?” Calvin asked directly.

“Hei! I was just about to ask..” Ian immediately covered Martin’s mouth roughly until the two of them were left behind.

“I can go alone, actually,” Emma rubbed the trunk of her neck.

“But you didn’t bring a vehicle today. Please don’t refuse this time. The sooner your wound is examined, the better.” Calvin said quietly.

Emma sighed then smiled gently. “All right,”

Calvin smiled in relief then stroked Emma’s head gently. “I’ll wait for you in front of the class when the last one is over.” He said before pointing ahead.

“Oh,” Emma followed Calvin’s finger to find Poppy walking toward them from the end of the corridor.

Poppy’s face turned slightly surprised when she got close enough to Emma to see that something was wrong with her best friend’s face. She immediately quickened her pace.

“Emma! Did something happen?” Poppy asked as soon as she reached Emma who looked a little pale than usual. She even threw a questioning look at the three men who were with her best friend.

“It’s nothing, Poppy. I just had a little nosebleed from sneezing too hard.” Emma chuckled.

“We just took her to the clinic and everything was fine. You don’t have to worry, Poppy.” Calvin added with a friendly smile.

“Nosebleed? You?” Poppy raised her eyebrows high as she looked at Emma questioningly. But Emma just smiled awkwardly at her.

“Looks like we have to go now. Have a nice day, Ladies,” Calvin said.

“We’re leaving too. See you later,” Martin said while waving his hand.

“Bye, Ladies,” Ian followed with a thin smile at them.

“You had a nosebleed from a sneeze?” Poppy asked Emma after the men had walked quite a distance. She couldn’t believe that Emma had such a physique.

Emma chuckled. “That’s true. But, it was actually caused by the wound inside my nose. It’s the wound that I got in the fight against Calvin that time,” She whispered.

“Good grief!” Poppy covered her mouth with her hand. “Is it really that serious? Are you sure you are okay?”

“I’m fine, Poppy. After the last class, I’ll go to the hospital for a deeper check-up.” Emma replied as she continued walking with Poppy following by her side.

“Then I will accompany you,” said the girl in a dress wrapped in a knit cardigan.

“Ah.. Sorry, Poppy. But I promised to go with Calvin.” Emma answered right away.

“Oh,” Poppy’s eyebrows shot up high. Then she nodded. “Of course, it’s fine,” Then she smiled amusedly. “Looks like that guy is getting closer to you, doesn’t he?”

Emma then turned to Poppy. “You see it too?”

“Of course, Emma. Who’s the idiot who doesn’t notice that? Calvin really likes you and he doesn’t mind showing it in front of everyone. But it seems he’s still trying to keep himself from bothering you too much.”

“Well.. I think it’s just my feelings,” Emma tapped under her nose gently to check if the nosebleed had really stopped.

“Then what about you, Emma?” Poppy asked.

“Huh?” Emma looked at the cute-faced girl.

“How do you feel about him? You two have been very close lately. It’s impossible you don’t know that Calvin is the perfect guy in the eyes of girls. He is physically attractive, smart, polite, and kind. It seems impossible for a girl not to fall in love if a man like Calvin tries to get close to her.”

“Ah.. That.. To be honest, I’m still confused about my own feelings.” Emma answered slowly with a gloomy face.

“Is it because you are inexperienced in love?” Poppy asked.

Emma shrugged. “I’m not sure. But I feel like there should be feeling that will arise when I’m with him. But those feelings have never come even though they should be.”

“From what you said, I’m thinking that the feelings you’re referring to have ever arisen in your heart,” Poppy looked thoughtful.

Emma was silent for a few seconds and nodded, “I think so, Poppy. Unfortunately, it came at a time when I wasn’t with Calvin. It was another man.. who shouldn’t have accepted that feeling.”

Poppy immediately turned to Emma. ??”So.. is there another man in your heart? I didn’t know you were close to other men besides Calvin Lee?”

“Listen, Poppy, I’m telling this to you only because I think you’re quite professional in this field,” Emma lowered her voice.

“I-it’s not like that either,” Poppy muttered with an awkward smile. Emma liked to overdo it when it came to things like this.

But Emma ignored it and continued to speak, “I met a man by accident. In essence, we have an agreement that our relationship is only as strangers who will not know each other’s private lives. Actually, he is a very annoying person. When I met him, he always annoyed me with his insulting words. But on the one hand, he always gave wise advice when I was down. Unknowingly, every time I had a problem, I hoped to meet him to feel better.”

“It’s an interesting relationship,” Poppy rubbed her arm in surprise. ‘Interesting’ that she meant was another word for ‘weird’.