"Percy?"

Percy fluttered his eyes open as he heard his name being called to reveal Ms Songchuya, the school nurse who's named Mrs Clyde, and his mother. All three of them had concerned look on their faces as they worry for the boy who just passed out and is now laying in front of them.

"Are you hungry, Percy?" Ms Songchuya asked as Percy sat up on the hospital bed from the laying down position he was in earlier, wearing his socks that was laying nearby. "Your friends said you only ate a bit of Audrey's fried rice today, and Oliver said you look so exhausted this morning."

"I'm fine, Ms Songchuya," Percy tried to assure her. "Just slept a bit too late last night doing homework."

"Here, I've prepared you warm sweet tea," Mrs Clyde said as she hands Percy a glass of brownish water. Percy thanked her, downing the glass in one go like a thirsty camel. Behind Percy's back, Ms Songchuya handed Mrs Clyde some money, mouthing to her 'get food'.

"What did Percy eat this morning, Mrs Rosier?" Ms Songchuya asked, trying not to seem like she was suspicious. But she was suspicious.

"Uhh, he didn't want to eat anything-" Camilla shook her head. "I offered him some omelette, but he said he wasn't hungry. I tried to insist but he didn't want to eat. So I set the helper to prepare him some milk before he goes to school. I was about to tell him to wait as the helper was cooking food for his lunch, but he said there's no need and that he needs to go."

"Ahh, I see-" Ms Songchuya nodded. Mrs Clyde arrived at the medical room again with a plate in her hand, handing a spoon to Percy's hand.

"Come on, Percy. You can eat it all, it's yours," Mrs Clyde assured him with a gentle pat on his head. Percy smiled at Mrs Clyde and immediately dug into the berry oatmeal, practically inhaling the food with how hungry he was.

"Percy! You told me you wouldn't go hungry at school!" Camilla chuckled as she ruffled Percy's curly red hair gently. "If I had known!"

"Thank you, Mrs Clyde," Percy said as he handed her the empty plate. Mrs Clyde raised both her eyebrows in surprise, that was a lot of berry oatmeal and he finished it so quickly.

"Would you like another round, Percy?" Ms Songchuya asked as she takes away Percy's plate, placing it on the desk. Percy looked down as he puts his hand on his lap, not saying anything. Behind his back, Ms Songchuya gave Mrs Clyde more money. "You look so tired, why did you sleep so late last night?"

"I was trying to understand the maths homework, Ms Songchuya," Percy lied. "It's due today and I forgot to do it the other day."

"You know homework should be done at least two days before it was due," Ms Songchuya reprimanded and Percy smiled sheepishly. Mrs Clyde soon came with another plate of berry oatmeal, handing him a spoon.

"If you want to eat, eat. It's for you," Mrs Clyde said. Percy muttered a thank you before he started eating the oatmeal again, not as fast as he ate the first one but faster than the average person would eat their food people would say he was starving.

"Again, Perce?" Camilla frowned. "If you keep eating like this, one of these days you'll end up being like a cow!"

"Excuse me, Mrs Rosier," Ms Songchuya had to take a deep breath and remind herself not to snap at Percy's mother. "But I hardly believe that eating two portions of oatmeal when you just passed out due to starvation will cause you to be fat."

"Thank you, Ms Songchuya," Percy said as he gave her the empty plate, which she puts on the desk next to the other empty plate.

"Can he go home, Ms Songchuya?" Camilla asked. "He needs to heal properly and I feel that I'll watch over him the best."

"If it's not that bad, Percy can rest here," Ms Songchuya fought, then turned to look at Percy. "So? Can you still go to school?"

Percy looked at Ms Songchuya's hoping expression and his mother's unpleased expression- and knew which to pick. "If that's alright, I'd like to go home."

"Alright, Percy. I'll tell Oliver to prepare your bag-" Ms Songchuya sighed, standing up. She exchanged a look with Mrs Clyde before she leaves the infirmary.

"My sweet baby-" Camilla opens her arms wide, expecting Percy to come and hug her. Percy stood up from his hospital bed to his mother's embrace, letting himself be caressed by her. He can't help but let himself fall in her embrace, how he misses a hug like this. Only Druella or her children would do them at home. "I didn't know you slept late last night!"

"I'm sorry, Mummy."

"That's alright, don't worry." Ms Songchuya puts Percy's bag and places it next to him.

"Come on, Percy-" Camilla stood up, offering a hand to hold Percy's. Percy wore his backpack before holding his mother's hand.

"Bye Ms Songchuya, bye Mrs Clyde-" Percy waved at his teacher and the nurse. "Thanks for the meal!"

"You're welcome, Percy!" Ms Songchuya said. "Have a safe trip home!" Percy nods before turning his head back front, leaving the infirmary. Once they can't be seen, though, Mrs Clyde closes the infirmary door.

"I think I want to adopt Percy," Songchuya admitted.

"You think?" Clyde fought. "You need to adopt the boy. I found bruises under his uniform, Rose!"

"Wait- under his uniform?" Rose cuts Clyde's thoughts. "You opened his uniform?"

"No! We're supposed to raise their legs to ease blood flow to their brain, and I accidentally see some of his bruises there- I guess those bruises were caused by violence, not accidents!" Clyde exclaimed. "We see how hungry he was when we feed him that he ate two plates- yet his mother says he wouldn't eat anything at home."

"I know, Rachel!" Rose cuts. "I know all that, but it's not like his mother will give up his custody so easily. Do you notice how shabby he looks?"

"Well-" Rachel shrugged. "He just passed out."

"But from high morning he already looks like that-" Rose shook her head. "It's like he's always overworked at home. Just today, his friends reported that he only ate some of his friend's fried rice, and another friend also mentioned how exhausted he looks this morning."

"Oh."

"I feel like someone needs to take him away, Rachel," Rose continued. "Properly feed him and not overwork him. How can you tell if those bruises are from falling or from violence?"

"There's a difference from the appearance, though to know for sure, we need to get Percy's visum et repertum and for that we need his guardian's approval." Rose cursed inwardly.

"He's a child, Rachel-" Rose shook her head. "He deserves help. We should get him out."

"Will you?" Rachel asks. Rose pressed her lips. "Get him out?"

"I'll suggest it to his mother-" Rose shrugged hopelessly. "It's unlikely that she'll allow me, but I can try."