The town hospital only kept the ER open at night.

An elderly doctor sat half-asleep in the waiting room. He looked up when Julian walked in, asked a few questions, then pointed toward registration.

Julian came back with the paperwork.

The doctor glanced at it once.

"What happened?"

Julian rolled up his sleeve. "Scraped my arm."

The doctor pressed lightly against the skin.

"Anywhere else?"

Julian hesitated.

"My back hurts a little."

"Turn around. Shirt up."

Julian shrugged off his coat. He was still deciding where to put it when Samuel took it from him.

"Thanks."

Before lifting his shirt, Julian glanced up once.

Samuel stood beside him, one hand in his pocket, Julian's coat hanging over his arm. No sign of leaving.

Julian pressed his lips together.

Slowly tugged his shirt free.

Cold air slid across exposed skin.

The hospital had no heating. Damp winter cold crept instantly over his waist and back, leaving him shivering before he could stop it.

The doctor pressed down hard.

Pain exploded through Julian's lower back.

A broken sound slipped out before he could swallow it down.

"Jesus," the doctor muttered. "That's a hell of a bruise."

Another press.

"This hurt too?"

Julian clenched his jaw.

"A little."

It hadn't felt this bad earlier.

Now every touch burned.

The doctor kept checking nearby areas.

Behind him, Samuel watched quietly.

Julian's body had gone rigid. Thin back trembling faintly in the cold air. Purple bruising spread from his waist toward his side, ugly against pale skin.

"How'd you get hurt this badly?" the doctor asked, glancing up at Samuel.

Only then did Julian realize what he meant.

"It's not his fault," Julian said quickly. "I fell."

The doctor grunted.

"Anywhere else?"

Julian shook his head.

"Doesn't feel like bone damage. Mostly swelling." He stood up. "Lie down."

Julian climbed onto the treatment bed after a brief pause. Shoes off. Coat folded beside him.

The second he lay down, unease crawled up his spine.

His face rested against the padded opening in the bed. He couldn't see anything now. Only heard footsteps approaching.

"Shirt up."

Julian lifted it again.

Lying flat hollowed out the curve of his waist naturally.

Samuel still hadn't looked away.

The doctor started pressing the bruising down.

His hands were hot. Heavy.

Like Julian's grandfather's hands.

Pain shot through him again.

Julian curled both hands into fists.

"Bear with it," the doctor said. "Can't wrap this area too tight."

Julian made a small sound of acknowledgment.

Another hard press.

Pain tore through him so suddenly Julian let out a muffled whimper into the pillow.

The doctor kept going.

The waiting became worse than the pain.

That split second before it hit.

His body remembered it before his brain did.

Then warmth settled over his head.

A broad hand.

"It's okay," Samuel said quietly. "Almost done."

Julian's nose burned.

Tears slipped out before he could stop them.

God.

Seriously?

Crying in a hospital at his age?

Julian sniffed hard.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "It really hurts."

The doctor laughed.

"Hurts enough to soak the pillow."

Julian glanced down.

A dark patch stained the fabric.

Heat rushed straight into his face.

"Doctor," Samuel said, "bandage him."

Finally, the doctor let him go.

White bandages wrapped around Julian's waist again and again. His waist was narrow already. Wrapped like this, it looked even thinner.

The doctor prescribed ointment and handed over the payment slip.

Julian was about to get off the bed when Samuel reached over first.

"I'll get it."

"But—"

"Company reimbursement."

Then he walked out.

Julian sat there another moment, dazed.

The doctor looked over.

"That your boss?"

Julian nodded.

"Not bad," the old man said. "Most bosses wouldn't bother."

Julian lowered his eyes slightly.

A few minutes later Samuel came back carrying several boxes of medicine.

The doctor explained the icing instructions. Julian memorized everything carefully before following Samuel outside.

The fire had been caught early.

Other than Julian hurting himself with the extinguisher, no one else had been injured.

Outside the hospital, the night had gone still.

Julian breathed out into the cold air.

"Thank you for coming tonight."

Samuel didn't look at him.

"No problem."

"But how did you get here so fast?"

"Nearby city."

"Oh."

Julian fell quiet again.

Talking had never come naturally to him.

The parking lot sat beyond a small plaza.

They crossed it side by side beneath cold moonlight. Silver light washed over Samuel's broad shoulders.

Still distant.

Still quiet.

Still hard to read.

At the car, Julian opened the passenger door automatically for him.

The second he bent down, fingers closed around the back of his neck.

Julian froze.

Warmth pressed into his skin through Samuel's palm. Easy restraint. Effortless.

"S-Samuel?"

Julian looked up, startled.

"What are you—"

Samuel's rough fingertips brushed lightly across the mole at the back of his neck.

"There's ointment here."

Right.

The doctor had applied medicine before they left.

"Thank you," Julian said quickly, lowering his head.

The movement exposed the back of his neck completely beneath Samuel's hand.

Too thin.

Sharp bones beneath pale skin.

Young-looking in a way that almost felt unfinished.

But Samuel knew better.

This same body had rushed into a burning cellar carrying a fire extinguisher.

Same body that kept working afterward.

Same body that still sent him a polished project report in the middle of the night.

Samuel had met countless talented young people.

Confident.

Smooth talkers.

The kind who walked into a room and won people over instantly.

Julian wasn't like that.

Too quiet.

Too restrained.

Always looking one step away from falling apart.

And every single time—

he endured it anyway.

Wind swept down from the mountains across the empty plaza.

Samuel's hand tightened once against the back of Julian's neck.

"Boss?"

The small uncertain voice snapped him out of it.

Samuel let go immediately.

"Get in."

"Oh."

Julian circled to the other side and slid into the passenger seat.

【Author's Note】

Keep pretending, Samuel.