The phone was still warm against my ear. Jonathan’s voice came through again, loud and easy like always.

"Don’t be late, Ezra. She’s paying good money."

"Yeah, I will leave soon enough. Don’t worry," I said. My eyes stayed fixed on Aeri’s face—soft, calm, lips slightly parted while she slept. The heart monitor kept its quiet *beep... beep... beep* in the background.

"Cool then. That’s my boy," Jonathan said, voice bright and proud like I’d just agreed to do him the biggest favor.

I forced a small breath out through my nose.

"So... Aeri is all good now?" he asked suddenly, casual, like it was just another normal question.

Something in my chest froze. My thumb stopped moving on her hand. For a second I couldn’t speak. Should I tell him? The real stuff—collapse, hospital, drugs in her blood, the doctor’s serious face? My mouth opened, but nothing came out at first.

No. Not now. Not over the phone. He didn’t need to carry this weight too. I’d tell him later, when things made more sense, when I wasn’t sitting here feeling like the floor might drop out from under me.

"Y-yeah," I said, clearing my throat. "She’s all good as well. We went out together. I told you, right? We were going for a little outing."

"Yep, I remember it well," Jonathan said. I could hear the grin in his voice. There was a soft clink—like ice hitting a glass—and then a quick sip. "I was gonna ask how it all went for you two."

I looked at Aeri again. The memory of that day flashed quick and sharp—her laugh when we walked along the river, the way she leaned into my shoulder on the bench, the stupid jokes we made until the sun went down. It had felt perfect. Until it wasn’t. Until she said no and I left like an idiot.

"It went good," I said, forcing a small smile even though he couldn’t see it. "We enjoyed a lot together."

"Haha, you sure must’ve, bitch," Jonathan said, laughing loud enough that I had to pull the phone half an inch from my ear. "Who knows how to take a woman to bed better than you do?"

He was cracking up now, full-on belly laugh, the kind that usually made me laugh along no matter what mood I was in.

I felt heat crawl up my neck. My ears went warm. I rubbed the back of my head with my free hand.

"Haha... stop teasing me already..." I said, smiling despite myself. It was embarrassed, shy, the way it always got when he brought up work like that. But yeah—memories of that day with Aeri rushed in stronger now. Her hands on my back, the way she whispered my name, the messy sheets, the way we laughed after until we couldn’t breathe. It had been real. Not just a job. Not that time.

Even if it ended with her turning me down later, the rest of it... that part still made my chest feel warm for a second.

Jonathan was still chuckling on the other end. "Come on, man. Don’t act all innocent. You’re the pro. That’s why someone asked for you tonight. Word gets around."

"Yeah, yeah," I muttered, shaking my head even though he couldn’t see. "You’re the worst."

The phone was still pressed to my ear, Jonathan’s low chuckle coming through like he was right there in the room with me.

"That’s not teasing," he said, still laughing a little. "That’s the truth, baby Ezra."

I could picture him leaning back in his chair, setting the wine glass down on the table with a soft *clink*. I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Motherfucker," I muttered, turning my face away from the phone like that would hide the embarrassment crawling up my neck. I sighed long and tired.

Jonathan’s voice softened just a bit. "Though, I’m seriously curious. I’d love to know how it’s going between you and Aeri."

He paused for a second, letting the question hang there.

"In the end, you’re doing everything for her only, right?"

I looked down at Aeri again—her quiet breathing, the slow rise and fall under the thin hospital blanket, the IV line taped to her hand. My chest felt tight.

"Yeah... obviously..." I said, the words coming out slow and heavy. Another sigh slipped out. "I’ll tell you after we meet up. Face to face."

"Alright," Jonathan said, easy and accepting. "That’s good enough for me."

I rubbed the corner of my eye with my thumb. "Okay, I gotta go now. I don’t think you want me to get late."

"True, true," he replied. "Take care, buddy. Will see you here, mate."

The line clicked as he ended the call.

"Yeah... you too," I said quietly to the dead phone, then pressed the red button.

I let my hand drop. The phone landed softly on the blanket near Aeri’s leg. For a moment I just sat there, staring at the dark screen. My whole body already felt heavy, drained, like the short conversation had used up whatever energy I had left.

I let out a long, slow sigh and turned my head back to her.

"Please be alright soon, Aeri," I muttered under my breath. My voice was barely louder than the soft beeps coming from the heart monitor.

I reached out one more time. My finger gently pressed against her cheek—soft, warm, still. I held it there for a second, like I could somehow send all the things I wanted to say through that single touch.

"Goodbye..." I whispered.

I leaned down slowly. My lips brushed her forehead—light, careful, lingering just a little longer than I meant to. I stayed like that for a heartbeat, eyes shut, breathing her in.

Then I straightened up.

Another deep sigh. I stood, legs stiff from sitting too long. I slipped my feet back into my shoes, bent down to tie the laces properly this time. The motions felt automatic, like my body was moving while my head was still stuck in the room.

I gave her one last look—peaceful face, closed eyes, steady beeps filling the silence.

I turned toward the door, hand on the handle. The hallway light spilled in bright and cold when I pushed it open.

I stepped out. The door closed behind me with a soft, final *click*. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

I stood in the hallway for a second, back against the wall, eyes shut. Just breathing.

Then I pushed off the wall and started walking—past the nurses’ station, past the crying family in the waiting area, past the smell of disinfectant and old coffee—toward the elevator.