"Roughly... how long do I have to rest? Like, when can I go back to school?"

Blake was currently being checked one last time before discharge. A full day had already passed since he’d been admitted, though it didn’t feel like it.

The doctor looked up from the clipboard, looking at him for a brief moment before answering.

"Usually, a mild concussion lasts anywhere from seven to fourteen days. Given your condition, I’d recommend staying home for at least four days. If the headache or nausea gets worse, come back immediately."

Blake gave any nod.

That made sense. Because, honestly, he felt like absolute shit.

The nausea hadn’t eased at all... in fact, it felt worse. His head throbbed constantly, and every small movement made the dizziness spike. Even just sitting there felt like too much. On top of that, his heart kept racing for no clear reason.

"Your mother has already consented to the prescription," the doctor added.

He handed over a signed sheet of paper.

Blake took it, glancing down at it briefly before looking away again.

"Alright..."

Knock. Knock.

"Blake Ashford, your car is waiting outside."

The doctor got up. "You’re good to go."

"Yes. Thank you."

Blake pushed himself up from the bed, immediately regretting it. His body felt incredibly weak, as if he hadn’t slept in days.

As he made his way down the stairs, his vision flickered. Black spots showed at the edges, forcing him to slow down and grip the railing.

’Fuck... what am I supposed to do about the mission now?’

In this state, going to school wasn’t even an option.

The cheap mask costs 150 coins. That meant this would be the first of who even knew how many missions.

If he somehow managed to complete it in this wretched state, he’d have 60 coins total.

Then, if the system gave him two more missions with the same reward... he might actually be able to buy the mask.

Might.

Assuming he could even move properly within the next two weeks.

Pushing through the glass doors, he spotted the car immediately: a sleek, black vehicle waiting just outside. It looked almost out of place compared to everything else around it.

’That looks like the kind of car kidnappers use...’

With no real choice, he stepped forward and got in.

Still, the interior was surprisingly comfortable.

There was a soft blanket laid across the seat, and the cushioning was wide and plush enough that he could lie down if he wanted to.

Of course, he didn’t hesitate.

Slowly and carefully, he lowered himself onto the seat, pulling the blanket slightly over himself as he stared up.

For a moment, he just stayed like that, letting his body sink into the softness.

But his mind didn’t rest.

Because, despite everything else going on, one thought kept circling back.

Myles.

More specifically, about how he knew about his injury.

It didn’t really make sense.

There was no real reason for the hospital staff to call him. Not officially, at least.

’Maybe... he has people watching me. I mean, he probably did before, too. I just thought he stopped.’

The idea of someone calling an ambulance for him, on Myles’ behalf, maybe, was oddly amusing.

In a twisted kind of way.

Still, it was the only explanation that even remotely made sense.

’...At this point, it’s better not to think about it.’

If he asked directly, it would only create unnecessary complications.

And he didn’t have the energy for that.

"Young master, we’ve arrived."

Blake blinked, pulling himself out of his thoughts.

"Yeah. Thanks."

He slowly sat up, then stepped out of the car.

The short walk to his apartment building already felt like too much.

By the time he reached the entrance, he had to pause for a second, steadying himself.

Then, his gaze shifted to the stairs.

And he hesitated.

The last time he’d been here...

Yeah.

That hadn’t gone well.

A faint unease settled in his chest.

Not because the stairs were particularly difficult, but because he wasn’t sure if his body would cooperate this time.

Fainting again wasn’t exactly on his to-do list.

He pulled out his phone.

11 a.m.

He couldn’t just sit there, either. The cold from the concrete was already seeping through, and staying there any longer would probably just make everything worse.

Blake exhaled slowly.

Then he reached out, gripping the handrail tightly.

Taking a deep breath, he started climbing.

One slow, careful step at a time.

The dizziness didn’t go away. If anything, it pulsed stronger with each step, threatening to throw him off balance.

But he kept going.

Eventually, somehow, he made it.

By the time he reached his door, his hand was trembling slightly as he fumbled with the keys.

Click.

The door opened and, as he stepped inside, he closed it behind him with a quiet thud.

For a moment, he just stood there.

Then, without wasting time, he moved to change his clothes. Even that felt like a chore.

His movements were sluggish and uncoordinated. The dizziness made everything feel off, it kind of reminded him that this body wasn’t really his own.

But he managed to put some clean clothes on and, the moment he finished, he didn’t even bother with anything else.

He made his way to the bed and collapsed onto it.

The cold sheets sent a slight shiver through him, but he didn’t care.

He was at his limit.

Everything hurt.

Not just his head, but literally everything.

It was worse than before. Much worse.

A dull, heavy exhaustion pressed down on him, making it hard to even think clearly.

He knew he had to eat something because well, he had to take his medicine.

But the thought alone felt exhausting.

’I can’t...’

His eyes stung faintly.

He wasn’t sure if it was from the headache, the nausea, or something else entirely.

At some point, without really noticing, he fell asleep.

"How could you die like this?"

His eyes snapped open, sweat going down his forehead.

"Ugh..."

The nausea hit him all at once, it was sharp and overwhelming, so he barely had time to react.

He pushed himself up, stumbling out of bed and rushing toward the bathroom.

He didn’t make it gracefully, since the moment he reached the toilet, he threw up.

It left him shaking, like all the little strength he had left had just been drained out of him.

"Jesus."

His voice came out hoarse.

He stayed there for a moment longer, breathing unevenly.

Quite frankly, he felt half-dead.

Why had he felt better at the hospital? It should be the opposite.

Now that he was home, everything felt much worse.

Slowly, he pushed himself up and moved to the sink, turning on the water, rinsing his mouth as he grabbed his toothbrush.

Even that simple action felt like too much.

Halfway through, he had to sit down on the bathroom floor, because standing was too dizzying. Not that it has any positive effect, since the cold tiles pressed against him, making his legs uncomfortably cold.

He finished brushing his teeth like that, sitting there, head still spinning.

Once he was done, he stayed there for a few seconds longer before forcing himself up again.

Step by step, he made his way to the kitchen.

He needed to drink water first.

He grabbed a glass, filled it, and drank slowly.

Then something light and simple, like yogurt. He couldn’t put effort in cooking, anyway.

He ate it in small bites, not trusting his stomach enough to go faster.

Just as he finished, the doorbell rang.

"Eh?"

For a moment, he just sat there, staring toward the door.

Then he checked his phone.

1 p.m.

’...Who?’ 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

He wasn’t expecting anyone.

Slowly and cautiously, he got up, walking toward the door.

He reached it and leaned slightly, looking through the eyelet and froze.

Myles was standing right outside, looking straight through.

Blake sucked in a sharp breath, a startled gasp escaping him before he could stop it.

Why was he here?

He should still be at school.

Did he seriously skip just to come here?

Because of him?

Blake stood there, unmoving.

His mind felt too slow to process it properly.

"Blake?"

Myles’ voice came from the other side of the door.

Blake hesitated for a second longer, then, he unlocked the door and opened it.

Myles stood there, just as he’d seen.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

Blake blinked once, stunned, then stepped aside.

"Yeah."

Myles walked in without hesitation.

And quietly closed the door behind him.