The restaurant was filled with the warm, savory aroma of grilled meat and the soft murmur of conversations drifting from table to table.
Unlike the hospital, where Julian was constantly surrounded by patients, medical records, urgent calls, and the hurried footsteps of doctors and nurses, this small restaurant offered him something he rarely had. A moment to rest and where he did not have to be Dr. Julian.
Julian sat across from Rosalie, carefully cutting the grilled meat into smaller pieces before placing them onto her plate. Every now and then, he reached for her glass and poured her more juice before returning his attention to the grill.
Rosalie, meanwhile, was talking about university. More specifically, she was talking about J1.
"...and then I think I need to modify some parts of J1's system,"
Rosalie explained, her eyes bright with excitement.
"There are still a few things I need to add. The basic structure is fine, but some of the responses are still too limited."
Julian listened to her with a faint smile, nodding from time to time as he placed another piece of grilled meat onto her plate.
"So, J1 is keeping you company now?"
He asked. Rosalie picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and nodded.
"Mm. Pretty much."
Julian leaned back slightly in his chair.
"I feel a little guilty, you know."
Rosalie paused and looked at him.
"About what?"
"I've been so busy at the hospital lately that I haven't been able to give you much of my time."
He smiled apologetically.
"Now it seems like J1 has become your companion instead."
Rosalie stared at him for a moment before letting out a small laugh.
"Well... J1 is actually quite helpful."
"Is that so?"
"Mm-hmm."
She nodded seriously.
"But there are still some parts that need to be improved. I have to add a few things myself."
Julian smiled.
"I see."
Rosalie took another bite of the meat Julian had prepared for her. However, instead of immediately continuing her explanation about J1, her eyes slowly drifted toward him. She looked at him once and then again and again. Julian noticed than reaction and paused with his chopsticks in his hand and glanced at her.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
Rosalie immediately looked away.
"I'm not."
"You're not?"
"No."
Julian raised an eyebrow.
"Then why have you been looking at me every few seconds?"
Rosalie fell silent. For a moment, she seemed to be thinking about whether she should say what was on her mind. Finally, she lowered her gaze toward her plate.
"Nothing..."
Julian gave her a knowing look.
"Rosie."
She slowly looked back at him.
"What?"
"You don't look at someone like that when it's nothing."
Rosalie's lips curved into a small smile. Then she became quiet again.
"Ju, you are always taking care of other people."
Julian's expression softened. Rosalie continued, her voice quieter than before.
"Patients. Their illnesses. Their medical records. Emergencies. Everything is always in your head."
She looked at him again.
"Sometimes I just think that... maybe someone should take care of you too."
For a moment, Julian did not say anything. Then a warm smile slowly appeared on his face. He reached across the table and gently patted her head. His fingers brushed through her hair before he carefully tucked a loose strand behind her ear.
"Rosie."
"Yes?"
"Someone who cares about me is already here."
Rosalie blinked. Julian's smile deepened.
"Someone who is already my place to rest."
Rosalie stared at him for a moment. Then she suddenly laughed. The sound was soft and bright, and Julian's eyes warmed as he watched her. Rosalie reached across the table and held his hand between both of hers. Julian looked down at their joined hands before gently turning his palm and holding hers in return. His fingers slowly closed around hers.
"When I'm with you, I'm not a doctor anymore."
Rosalie's smile slowly faded into a softer expression.
"I'm not someone responsible for the lives of my patients. I'm not someone who has to make decisions in an emergency or carry the weight of other people's lives on my shoulders."
He looked at her.
"When I'm with you, I'm just Julian."
Rosalie's eyes softened.
"Just an ordinary man who needs the person he loves."
His thumb gently brushed over the back of her hand.
"With you, I get to have the simplest things. The things I need the most. I get to sit down, eat a meal, talk about meaningless things, and forget about the world for a while."
His smile became even gentler.
"I'm really grateful for that."
He paused for a moment.
"And I treasure it."
Rosalie's heart softened, smiled happily and leaned her head against his shoulder.
"Then stay like this."
Julian glanced down at her.
"When you're with me, just be an ordinary Julian. Be my Ju. Forget about work. Forget about your responsibilities for a while."
Julian looked at her for a few seconds before slowly nodding.
"Okay."
Rosalie smiled against his shoulder.
"I can do that."
He rested his cheek lightly against the top of her head.
"I think these moments are the ones I should treasure the most."
For a while, neither of them said anything. The restaurant continued to move around them. The smell of grilled meat lingered in the warm air. But for Julian and Rosalie, the world seemed to have become quiet.
Until suddenly, Julian's phone began to vibrate on the table. The sound broke through the peaceful atmosphere. Julian reached for his phone. The moment he looked at the screen, the warmth in his expression slowly disappeared.
The name displayed on the screen was Ethan. Rosalie noticed it as well. Her eyes immediately shifted to Julian's face. She did not want him to answer and Ethan to interrupt the peaceful afternoon they had finally managed to share. But she also knew that she could not tell Julian what to do. Ethan was not simply a stranger. He was Julian's younger brother.
He is his step-brother and they had grown up together since childhood. Years of shared memories had created a bond that could not simply disappear because of one argument. And Julian had always been someone who made his own decisions. Rosalie respected that, so she remained silent.
Julian glanced at her. For a brief moment, their eyes met. Rosalie did not say anything. She only gave him a small, understanding look. Julian's expression softened and he reached out and gently brushed a few strands of hair away from her face. Then he accepted the call.