First Act - Again

..."If infinity is divided by itself the result is One. So Jyn, no matter how far you go, you can always start again."...

..."Really Grandpa..?"...

...He smiled. "Just make sure to--"...

...The Blaring alarm sound of an ambulance echoed inside his eardrums as the boy remained surrounded by a group of trembling civilians whom circled around a bloody man collapsed on the ground near a vehicle with shattered hull....

..."MAKE WAY!!"...

..."THE-THERE'S SOMEONE!!"...

..."HE-HE'S DEAD..!!"...

...Their voices and frantic screams roared as deafening as the siren, with it growing louder and louder for every passing second, the boy remained frozen, unmoving from his original location clasping the hand of the body swimming in its own blood....

..."He-hey!! You get away!!"...

...A man with a long trenchcoat and wrinkly countenance stepped closer with a shaky leg before grabbing the boy's waist and pulling him away from the grasp of the body. ...

..."Huh..Ah!"...

...The boy blinked as his irises minimized after the grasp was released, as he was raised up by the man, he extended out his hand towards the lifeless corpse still bathing in its own blood....

..."Gra..Grandpa!"...

...--...

..."..Unfortunately. There's nothing we can.."...

..."..No..!"...

...The boy sat there on the metallic bench as he stared on the cold white-tiled floor, the staff members carrying medical equipment enclothed in white uniforms and white hats that had a red-cross imprinted on it passed by and shot the boy an empathetic look....

...The boy remained oblivious of the hissing made by the metallic wheel sliding through the floor, the beepings, the occasional announcements echoing after a gentle greeting from the intercom and especially, the sound of a familliar middle-aged woman on her knees collapsing to the ground as she sobbed hysterically....

...The boy broke his boring gaze on the floor and directed it towards a tall stern man with rimless glasses, brown hair, a white lab coat and a wrinkly forehead whom were patting the middle-aged woman on the shoulder with a sympathetic expression as she covered her face while tears were streaming out....

...--...

...He blinked again and now he found himself in the same bench as he was before. His hollowed gaze remained unchanged but his body was of a teenage stature contrasting to his once young look. Instead of a white t-shirt with a drawing of a dinosaur, he had a school uniform, instead of a pair of denim shorts, he wore long black pants and instead of clutching an action-figure, he gripped a small piece of paper that was nearly crumpled....

..."Excuse me son?"...

..."..?"...

...- A raspy, deep voice broke the concentration of the young man on the floor. He looked up and saw a familliar stern-looking doctor but instead, his once brown kept hair transitioned into a balding head with protruding gray strands and the wrinkles on his forehead were more noticeable....

..."..Doctor Hans.."...

..."..You'e grown since the last time I saw you.. Jyn."...

...- He smiled at the young man, though accompanied by his smiling eyes too contrasting to his usual stern demeanor....

...Jyn whom was the young man softly chuckled in response....

..."..It has indeed been a few years since I last visited"...

...He replied, feeling a sense of hollowing nostalgia looming inside his chest as he idled inside same old hospital wing, the intercom had been improved, the lights are brighter now and even the equipment looks more sophisticated....

..."Hahaha. It appears that you are quite excited about your Grandfather's first awakening huh?"...

..."Indeed." Jyn smiled softly despite the memories of the accident still lingering fresh inside his mind as if it happened last week. "Though I must admit.. When I heard you say sorry to my mother back then.. I genuinely thought you were implying something more serious than a coma.."...

...Doctor Hans let out a soft chuckle before patting his shoulder. ...

..."I apologize for any inconveniences my miscommunication caused back then, I'm probably the reason why your mother reacted in such a manner.."...

..."Don't apologize Mister Hans, I don't forgive you because there's nothing to forgive you for anyway." - Jyn shrugged his shoulders before releasing a soft chuckle, to which, Hans reciprocated his laughter. ...

..."..Amazing. Only if your Mother thought the same.." - Upon seeing his reluctant smile, Jyn curled an eyebrow. "She still has you in her blocked contacts..?" - ...

...Hans scoffed before lightly giggling "Yes. Her account still reads; Unavailable. to this Day." He uttered, causing Jyn to heave a light sigh before slumping his shoulders. "What a pain.. she sure is a feisty one." The Doctor released another chuckle before lightly landing his hand on Jyn's shoulder. "Don't put too much emphasis on it, Son. It doesn't.. well it does bother me but you must leave her alone for now.. I mean.." - Hans'es irises darted everywhere as he spoke, before settling on just a simple aversion of eye contact....

...The young man paused, before nodding his head with a soft smile present on his lips. "At once Doc. I get it."...

...Hans looked back, reciprocating the smile....

..."Well.. without further adieu. Should we see your Grandfather?"...

..."Yes. I've been waiting patiently ever since you started throwing those cringy compliments at the nurse."...

..."..Pretend that you didn't see anything okay?"...

...- Hans chuckled with a cold sweat sliding down his cheek as they both enter a spacious hospital room....

...----...

...Jyn sat on a small metallic stool near a hospital bed where a man with white balding hair, a wrinkly countenance and an overgrown beard laid dormant. He had a small yet elongated transparent tube inserted to his mouth. Upon closer inspection, another tube but this time with a needle is inserted inside his hand with a tape plastered on top of it....

..."...Hm." - Hans inspected the old man before turning his eyes towards Jyn's back. "Nervous? Jinny Boy?" - Hans lightheartedly chuckled to which Jyn just responded with a simple smile. "Somewhat, its my first time actually visiting him.." ...

...Hans paused for a moment before finally opening his mouth again. "..To visit alone and even be allowed to go inside the room. Jinny Boy.. Jyn How old are you?"...

..."Me? I just turned sixteen last night." - He smiled....

..."Sixteen..last night..." - The Doctor narrowed his eyes and muttered before it widened....

..."That means.. Isn't it your birthday today!?" - Hans yelled, his eyeballs nearly dropping out becaause of how wide his eyelids were....

..."I guess so yes."...

...Hans uttered a simple happy birthday with a small smile before closing his eyes then proceeding to address Jyn with a narrowed and solemn expression on his eyes....

..."..Policy states that only people of sixteen years of age AFTER their celebration are allowed inside, not during, Jyn." - Doctor Hans heaved a sigh as his shoulders slumped....

...Jyn stared blankly at the sleeping old man, ignoring the Doctor's explication....

..."..Look Jyn, I can't really allow you here.."...

..."..." - No answer....

..."Okay.. I'll buy you a birthday gift. Name anything you want.." Hans smiled - "none is off limits."...

...Jyn paused and considered his offer. "Nothing is.." - Jyn curled his lips into a soft smile before turning around. ...

...- "Then this will suffice as a birthday present, Doctor Hans." -...

...———————...

...*Beep* *Beep* *Beep* ...

...- Audible beeps echoed throughout the spotless hospital abode as the waves inside the heart monitor fluctuated, regularly reaching its peak before dropping back down again in a neverending process....

..."You've grown haven't you?" - The man who previously slumbered on the bed had now sat up and conversed with the young man sitting atop the metallic stool. "Time flies fast Grandpa.." - Jyn muttered, his eyes fixated on the floor....

...The old man paused for a few moments before letting out a heartfelt chuckle. - ...

..."Ohahahaha! I can attest to that son! I remember the hippie hittin' the road like a damned drunken scallywag speedin' off the broadway and slammin' into me six pack abs! Ain't no way the jalopy survived! I feel bad for his ride all of the sudden..!" - He released another laugh as his enthusiasm flew across the room, even reviving some withered sunflowers near the window....

...Jyn with unimpressed eyes stared at the newly resurrected sunflowers absorbing the morning sunlight before releasing a reluctant scoff in response. "Some things just never change." - He smirked towards the old man....

...The old man locked gazes with Jyn's solemnized yellow irises, pausing for a few moments before restoring his over the top sneer....

...- "Ain't that right youngsta'? Don't get all smirky with me though, i know that smile of yours means you're up to some mischief aren't ya? just thinking about your last pranks gives me the heebie jeebies.." - The old man playfully shivered as he rubbed his arms, before Jyn sarcastically chuckled. "Oh come one Pa.. it was just a harmless prank.." -- "Ain't no believing faceplanting the floor and pourin' banana ketchup all over you' body is harmless." - The old man retorted. To which, Jyn let out a lighthearted chuckle. - "Lad, i almost blacked out and thought I saw the light and you all smilin', but it was just silly ol' you turning on the bulbs as you cackled hard while I gripped the telephone with a trembling hand!" - The old man huffed, as he crossed his hairy arms....

...Jyn gazed at the old man, a series of vague flashbacks playing inside of his head causing an ever hollowing nostalgia to consume whatever was inside of his chest....

...(In the past.. it was me engaging in many shenanigans huh, and you were always there to scold me when mom finds out..But after she leaves, you're the one who starts it, like.. that one time you challenged the four year old me to chug a bottle of hot sauce in one go, huh?)...

...(But now..)...

..."And me ain't no believing such menace to me is breathin' properly..! His jalopy—" ...

...(It appears that I'm the only one who has changed.)...

..."Pa.. I'm really happy to see you awake." ...

...- Jyn smiled with a hint of bitterness, the old man halted in his ramblings before gazing at Jyn's moisturized eyes. -...

...The old man let out a soft and brief chuckle before locking eyes with the young man, a small sneer present on his wrinkly and pale lips. ...

..."Oh my goody! Me partner in crime gettin' all sappy with me while I ramble about me predicament? And here I thought he will hurl insults at them scallywags like always.." ...

...Jyn closed his eyelids as a small yet peaceful smile found its way on his lips once more. "I ain't that naughty imp as I was before." ...

...- Jyn whispered. The old man was about to retort before he blinked in astonishment as his eyes landed on a small white band-aid plastered atop the young man's cheek....

..."Jyn.. Fill me in on yer academics?"...

...- As the question entered his ears, the young man quickly faced the old man before blinking. -...

..."Academics..? my grades perhaps? Its outstanding to say the least." - The young man puffed out his chest in response to which the old fool chuckled to....

..."..Not that. I'm talking about your life in school. How's it going so far?" ...

...- The old man's eyes suddenly shifted from brimming with excitement to a narrowed frame overwhelmed with solemnity. - ...

..."Be honest with your old fool, Jea—ny Boy"...

...The young man paused for a few moments, finding himself basking in the utter astonishment by the sudden shift of energy, afterwards he recovered using a blink before darting his eyes away....

..."Its alright." - The young man scoffed. "Alright as well." - Before returning his gaze towards the man....

...The old man paused, seemingly studying the young man's soft smile searching for any fallacy within its apparent sincerity. He narrowed his wrinkly eyelids before closing it and heaving a deep sigh....

..."..Well jelly—boy." - He shrugged his shoulders. "If yer wish to conceal, ain't really my place to nose in I suppose."...

..."..No..!" - The young man's thick eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, his loudening voice contrasting its descent. "Its not that.." - The old man smiled softly as he heard the rebut before he.. "I just am—" - "shush." Hovered his index finger centimeters above Jyn's lips. ...

..."Jea—nny Boy. I don't like raised voices that hold negative feelings, 'ight?"...

...Jyn's stature softened as his nostrils subconsciously released a deep sigh, his eyes still fixated on the pleasant smile of the old fool....

..."I know you're growing up with all these teenayjee hormones like that ol' estruj-hen or that lil' testustyron.. but don't let the frustration from perpetrators be given to the innocent. It is not a proper way to breathe." - He waved his index finger slowly from left to right as he uttered his reply word by word, his solemnized tone contrasting with his apparent sneer....

..."..I..guess." - Jyn darted his gaze away....

..."You know.. I heard from the ol' smarty scientist with the fancy white trenchcoat checking up on me that this might be my last waking from my sleepin' beauty-like slumber." - The old man released an exaggerated chuckle....

...- The old man narrowed his eyes as he gave the young man a soft, reassuring smile. He studied the wide-eyed expression of the youngster before handing him a small envelope -...

..."You..You mean you were.. awake before?" - Jyn muttered to himself, his yellow irises still widened....

..."Aye, Aye Captain Scallyjeanny." - He shrugged....

..."Wh-why..? I thou—"...

...- The old man meticulously laid the small white envelope on the young man's open palm before he tightened his grip on the youngster's fingers, silencing Jyn -...

..."Let the suspense go up ever more so, jellyyounging. And to add as a little vengeance on the little impy instigator.."...

...- The old man leaned in slightly with a smirk on his lips....

..."Happy Birthday."...

...The young man's eyes widened even more if they weren't already. His mouth went agape for a few moments but when he finally found his voice to respond. The old fool halted it by waving his index finger left to right atop Jyn's mouth....

..."..Remember what I shared?"...

...- The smirk on his lips grew wider as a sole eyebrow from Jyn arose. -...

..."..What? The one story where you thought you scored a hot CHICK inside a pub but when she stripped down, there was a BIG surprise?" - Jyn's tone remained sarcastic, but confusion was prevalent on his expression. Upon hearing Jyn's retort, the old man's smirk faltered slightly as a drop of cold sweat slid down on his cheek. "Le-let's trash the topic eh? Me don't wanna remember..." - He shuddered, a clear and overwhelming memory echoing inside his brain....

...Jyn closed his eyelids before letting out a soft, almost inaudible chuckle as he formed a small pleasant smile....

..."Just kidding.."...

...--...

..."When Infinity is divided by—"...

..."Itself." ...

...—...

...Jyn's closed eyes opened and his recitation was abruptly halted when the old man butted in. Instead of releasing an exasperated scoff, he reciprocated the already sneer-like smirk of the old man....

...—...

..."The result is one.."...

..."..So Jyn"...

...—...

..."No matter How far you go.."...

..."..You can always start again."...

...—...

..."Just make sure to.."...

..."..Look back"...

...—...

..."And see.."...

..."..How far you came."...

...- The old man chuckled before enthusiastically patting Jyn on the back as the young man tanked it with an annoyed expression, both basking on the warm solemnized sunlight brought by the dawn peeking through the large window -...

...(And thus.. that's how my visitation to my Grandfather went....

...At that time, I believed. That recitation was just a simple looking back to the good old times, but it was revealed to me in the most shocking and probably the best way possible. That no matter how far you go, there is indeed a chance to start again.. And that measly envelope, paved that new beginning.)...

... ...

... ---- Act 1 End ---- ...

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