Slowly, with pain radiating from his head and back, Julian's deep-set eyes flutter open.
He sees the hem of a black dress and a pair of legs. Blinking, he lifts his gaze.
Grace Silver…?
In the dim hospital room, lit only by a soft light on their side, Grace sits in the guardian's chair, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed. She appears to be asleep. Behind her, a window reveals the pitch-black night outside. Bandages wrap around her wrist and elbow, but aside from that, she looks unharmed.
"Right…"
Julian exhales a small sigh as the last moments before he lost consciousness return to him.
The car—speeding toward Grace as she stepped into the street, her eyes hollow and distant. The light wasn't green. Without thinking, he'd thrown himself forward, pulling her close—and taken the hit.
The memory tightens in his chest as he slowly pushes himself upright. His body feels like lead. Every movement sends pain shooting through his back, and his head throbs with a dull ache. He lifts his hands to his scalp and feels thick bandages wrapped around it. He glances down and notices a cast on his left wrist and another on his left leg.
He takes in the room—white walls, sterile air, a curtain on the other side likely separating him from other patients. With a quiet grunt, he leans back against the bed frame and watches Grace in silence.
Wearing a short-sleeved black dress that falls to her upper arms and knees, Grace sleeps quietly. Her face—soft with slightly chubby cheeks that contrast her slender frame, plump lips, and gently closed eyes—holds Julian's gaze. He can't seem to look away.
Feeling the chill of the air-conditioned room, Julian notices a small blanket folded on the table beside the bed. Carefully, he pushes himself upright from the bed frame. Reaching out with his long arms, he drapes the blanket gently over Grace's shoulders.
Not wanting to wake her, he quietly leans back into his spot against the bed frame.
He knows he should call a nurse or a doctor now that he's awake—but something holds him back.
Maybe he just wants to look at her a little longer. To take in her face while she's peacefully asleep, unguarded.
And so, he does. He studies her as long as he can, as much as he wants.
The more he looks, the steadier—and faster—his heart begins to beat, like a quiet drum in the stillness of the room.
That's when Julian notices Grace's arm flinch.
Instinctively, he closes his eyes and stays still, pretending to be asleep as he leans against the bed frame.
Grace slowly opens her eyes and spots him.
Julian—propped against the frame, eyes shut—looks as though he might be asleep. But something in his posture seems too still, too aware.
Did he already wake up? Or is he just dozing off again? she wonders.
"…Professor?" she calls out softly.
No response.
His eyes remain closed. In the dim room, lit by a single light on their side, he looks peaceful—serene even. The thick bandage wrapped around his head looks somewhat cute.
He's still handsome, Grace muses with a faint, quirky smile. Even with that ridiculous bandage.
"Professor?" she calls again, this time a little louder.
Julian's eyes slowly open. He turns his head slightly toward her, his expression unreadable.
He doesn't say a word.
Feeling somewhat awkward, she asks, "Are you all right…? When did you wake up?"
A slight smile tugs at the corner of Julian's lips. He finds it a bit childish of himself to have pretended he wasn't watching her face the whole time.
"A while ago," he replies, bending the truth just a little. "But I drifted back to sleep."
Grace gives a small nod, as if she already knew.
"Do you remember what happened earlier?" she asks hesitantly.
Julian meets her gaze.
"Yes. I remember everything."
"…I'm really sorry. And… thank you."
His lips curl again into a faint smile.
"Next time, check the traffic light before crossing," he says with a teasing glint in his voice.
Grace catches the gentle humor in his tone, lifting her heavy sense of guilt just a little.
"Right. I'll be careful from now on," she says, a bit sheepishly.
Just then, a sharp pain stabs through Julian's head. His expression tightens instinctively, his brow furrowing.
"Are you okay?" Grace asks quickly, her voice full of concern.
"Yeah, it's just—never mind. I'm okay," he says, brushing it off.
But Grace, visibly worried, immediately presses the call button next to the bed to summon the nurse.
"I'm sorry. I should've called someone the moment you woke up."
Julian tries to hide the pain, not wanting her to feel even more responsible. He can see how much she's blaming herself.
Forcing a calm expression, he murmurs, "It's no big deal."
Soon after, the nurse and doctor arrive and begin their examination.
The doctor, checking Julian's chart, says, "There was some bleeding in the head and some injury to your back, but nothing life-threatening. The head will heal in time. Internally, everything looks stable. However, your left wrist is fractured, and your left leg is broken. You'll need to be cautious with movement and stay in the hospital for around a week. Once the swelling reduces, we'll apply a new cast and discharge you for home recovery."
Julian blinks.
"A week in the hospital?"
"At least five days, Mr. Lenter," the doctor confirms.
The nurse adds, "We've already administered a painkiller, so you're probably feeling some relief now. But the pain may return—please press the call button any time you feel uncomfortable."
With that, the doctor and nurse draw the curtain closed behind them and exit the room, their footsteps fading down the hallway.
Grace, now more apologetic than ever, looks at Julian with guilt flooding her eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Professor Julian…"
But Julian waves it off gently, his voice light. "It's all right. I'll just treat it like a five-day vacation from work."
He smiles faintly in a way that tries to comfort her, even as he buries his own frustration.
Just then, Grace's phone buzzes in her hand. She glances down—it's her mom.
"Um… give me a second," she says softly, stepping out through the curtain and quietly leaving the room.
Now alone, Julian lies back, the dim light casting long shadows across the room. A soft summer breeze drifts through the slightly open window, ruffling the edges of the curtain.
He stares at the night outside, his expression unreadable. He doesn't quite know how to feel.
Five days… he thinks. How am I supposed to catch up with my lectures?
A small, weary sigh escapes him. The semester has only just begun, and already, everything feels tangled.
Outside the room, Grace paces quietly along the hospital corridor, her phone pressed to her ear.
"Did Professor Julian wake up?" her mom asks, her voice filled with concern.
"Yeah, he did," Grace replies, glancing back toward the room. "Mom, I think I'm going to stay here a little longer and see how things go. Looks like he'll have to stay in the hospital for about five days."
"Oh… I'm so sorry—and so grateful to him for saving you," her mother says with a sigh. "You're okay though, right?"
"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine," Grace answers, though her eyes drift to the light bandage wrapped around her wrist. Compared to how badly Julian's hurt, it's nothing.
Her mom, a doctor herself, pauses for a moment before asking, "Do you want me to come over and check on him?"
"No, no, Mom. The doctor and nurse already said it's just five days of rest, and he'll be fine. You don't need to come."
"Okay… then just please ask him if we can at least cover his hospital fees," her mom says, her voice filled with concern.
"All right, Mom…" Grace replies softly, her heart heavy with guilt, feeling sorry that this situation is causing trouble for everyone around her.
"Well, if you need anything at all, just let me know. So, you're staying there tonight?"
"Yeah, Mom. I think I will. I'll keep you updated."
"All right, honey. Take care."
Grace hangs up and stands still for a moment, her hand lowering slowly.
Julian, still lost in thought about how to reorganize his course schedule, turns his head as the curtain slides open. Grace steps in, both hands full of snacks and drinks she seems to have just picked up.
Using her foot, she nudges the curtain closed behind her, then drops into the chair beside his bed with a soft thud. She begins taking them out, arranging a display of bread, sandwiches, and drinks on the bedside table.
"I stopped by the convenience store just now and grabbed a few things," she says casually. "Pick whatever you like, Professor."
Julian smirks faintly and reaches for a peanut butter sandwich.
"Thanks," he says, lifting it slightly in appreciation. "You got back pretty fast for a convenience store run."
Grace lets out a small chuckle, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Well, I figured you might be hungry. Plus, I'm super fast, you know," Grace says with a playful grin.
Julian raises an eyebrow teasingly.
"Ah, so that's why you were about to cross the street while the light was still red."
Their eyes meet. Grace gives a sheepish smile, scratching her head.
"Well… I guess I was just out of my mind back then, haha."
Julian smiles faintly, but his gaze lingers on her a moment longer. There was something in her eyes back then—something off. Sadness? Restlessness? He can't quite place it, but it's enough to leave a quiet weight in his chest. Still, not wanting to cloud the light mood, he turns back to the sandwich and tears off a piece.
"You can go home now," he says casually, almost too casually.