I woke up feeling like the world was spinning.
Fever.
Headache.
And exhaustion.
I couldn't even get out of bed.
Within an hour, the house had become a miniature hospital.
Do-hyun was running around the rooms.
Michael was checking my temperature every ten minutes, like it would magically change.
"I'm fine."
"No."
"Really?"
"No."
"You're annoying."
"And you're sick."
Finally, I gave in.
And let them take care of me.
For the first time in years.
I wasn't alone when I was sick.
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Some days...
The past returns.
Uninvited.
For no reason.
Just a memory.
A picture.
A song.
Something so small.
But it's enough.
That day I didn't talk much.
I didn't laugh much.
And I didn't tell anyone why.
But Michael noticed.
As usual.
He sat beside me in the evening.
He didn't ask.
He didn't press.
He just sat.
His shoulder against mine.
And his silence mirrored mine.
And sometimes...
That's enough.
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It was supposed to be a simple errand.
Buy a few things and head home.
That's all.
But I made a terrible mistake letting Michael and Do-hyun come with me.
Just ten minutes later, I was standing in a hallway watching them argue vehemently about which brand of chips to buy.
"This is better."
"Wrong."
"I've been buying it for years."
"That doesn't mean you have good taste."
"You're insulting me."
"I'm just stating the facts."
I put my hands to my face.
"Please."
But no one was listening.
In the end, we went home with more bags than we needed and enough potatoes to feed a whole village.
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It was a bad day.
Bad from the start.
Work piled up.
Things went wrong.
And I felt my energy gradually draining away.
Around midday, I sat alone for a few moments, trying to catch my breath.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from Michael.
"Have you eaten?"
I stared at the screen.
Then I laughed.
Of all the things he could have asked, he asked this.
I typed:
"No."
The reply came immediately.
"I knew it."
The day felt a little lighter.
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It wasn't a real fight.
Just a little disagreement.
But we were both tired.
And emotions were running high.
Voices got louder than they should have been.
And words were said that shouldn't have been said.
Then there was silence.
That heavy silence.
The annoying one.
The painful one.
And it lasted for hours.
Until evening came.
Michael sat down next to me on the sofa.
"Are you still angry?"
"A little."
"Me neither."
We were silent.
Then we started laughing.
Because the answer was so silly.
And the argument ended as it had begun.
Without any consequence.
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Some days...
Nothing really bad happens.
But everything feels heavy.
I wake up tired.
I go to work tired.
I come home tired.
Even smiling feels exhausting.
I sit in the kitchen staring at my cup of tea.
I don't think about anything.
I don't feel anything.
Just tired.
Michael sits quietly across from me.
"A bad day?"
I nod.
He reaches out and takes my hand.
He says nothing more.
Sometimes words just don't need to be spoken.
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Michael came home very late.
Lateer than usual.
And my phone was silent all evening.
Every bad thing went through my mind.
An accident.
A problem.
A disaster.
Anything.
And when he finally opened the door…
I felt angry and relieved at the same time.
"Where were you?"
"A meeting."
"For five hours?"
"Unfortunately."
I wanted to scold him.
But instead, I found myself hugging him.
He laughed.
"You were worried," he said.
"Shut up."
----------------------
I forgot it was my birthday.
Or rather…
I was trying to ignore it.
I don't really care much about these occasions anymore.
But when I got home, the lights were off.
"Strange."
I opened the door wider.
And suddenly…
"Surprise!"
My heart nearly stopped.
I screamed.
Then I heard Do-hyun's loud laughter.
Michael was trying to hide his smile.
The cake was disastrously crooked.
And the decorations were a mess.
But I loved it more than any perfect celebration.
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The power went out because of the storm.
The house was completely dark.
We sat in the living room under the covers.
Drinking hot beverages.
And listening to the rain outside.
Do-hyun suddenly said,
"If I die tonight, I want you to know I was your favorite."
"You won't die."
Michael said without looking up.
"But what if?"
"You won't die."
"That's not romantic."
I laughed until my stomach hurt.
Outside, the winter was harsh.
But inside, it was warm.