Morning came without permission. Xinyue woke to pale light leaking through the curtains and the uncomfortable realization that she had slept fully clothed, curled on the couch like a guest in her own apartment. Her neck ached. Her jaw felt tight, as if she'd spent the night clenching it. She blinked slowly, listening.
The city had returned.
Traffic hummed below. Someone's alarm rang faintly through the walls. A neighbor argued over the phone in rapid whispers. Life ordinary, careless life had resumed.
Safe.
She hated how much that word had started to feel conditional. Her phone lay on the coffee table, screen dark. No new messages. No warnings. No instructions.
That should have reassured her. It didn't.
She pushed herself upright and immediately regretted it when dizziness swayed her vision. "Great," she muttered. "Now I need to add sleep deprivation to the list."
In the kitchen, the containers from last night still sat unopened. She stared at them for a few seconds, the deliberately shoved them into the fridge.
"I will eat it," she said aloud, glaring at no one. "Just…. later."
The coffee machine sputtered to life, filling the silence with familiar noise. She leaned against the counter, arms folded, letting the warmth of the mug seep into her palms.
Her phone buzzed. She didn't jump this time; it's a progress she thought.
Unknown:You locked the door.
She exhaled slowly through her nose.
Xinyue:Congratulations. You successfully bullied an adult into basic safety.
Unknown:I prefer "strongly encouraged."
Despite herself, her mouth twitched at his response.
Xinyue:You're insufferable.
Unknown:And yet you followed the advice.
She took a sip of coffee, eyes narrowing.
Xinyue:Don't get used to it.
Unknown:I won't.
That answer unsettled her more than if he had.She typed again.
Xinyue:Is it over?
The dots appeared almost immediately this time.
Unknown:For now.
There it was again, that qualifier that refused to let her breathe fully no matter what.
Xinyue:You're aware that's not very comforting, right?
Unknown:I'm not here to comfort you.
Xinyue:You have a real good talent for stating the obvious and making me angry.
After a long pause, she imagined him wherever he was considering his words carefully, weighing them like ammunition.
Unknown:You slept.
Her fingers hesitated at the unexpected statement from him.
Xinyue:Barely.
Unknown:Still counts.
She snorted softly. "You're unbelievable."
Xinyue:So, what happens today?
Another long pause from him.
Unknown:You go to work.
Her brow furrowed at the response.
Xinyue:That's it?
Unknown:That's the plan.
She waited, suspiciously.
Xinyue:And you?
This time, the dots lingered on the screen.
Unknown:I stay where I am.
She stared at the screen.
Xinyue:Watching.
The reply came instantly.
Unknown:Monitoring.
"Of course you are." She finished her coffee, changed into scrubs, and checked herself in the mirror. She looked… normal. Tired, yes. But no visible cracks, no outwards signs of the night that had pressed so close to swallowing her whole.
Before leaving, she hesitated by the door, hand resting on the lock.
"Safe," she whispered.
The word felt too fragile and cautious for her.
---
The hospital was louder than usual.
Not in volume, but in energy movement sharper, conversations clipped, tension threading through the air like static. Xinyue felt it immediately as she stepped inside, ID badge swinging lightly against her chest.
Yuerin spotted her near the elevators and beelined over. "You look like hell," she announced cheerfully.
"Good morning to you too," Xinyue replied dryly.
Yuerin leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Did you sleep at all?"
"Define sleep."
Yuerin grimaced at her reponse. "That bad?"
Xinyue hesitated, the nodded towards her. "That bad."
"We need to talk about..." Xinyue didn't let her finish the sentence. "I know, but not now."
Yuerin stared at her with a deep and concerning look. "Ok, later then…"
They walked together towards the nurse's station. Xinyue kept her gaze forward, resisting the urge to scan every corner of the hospital corridors.
No messages. No warnings.
Just… normalcy.
She didn't know why it made her uneasy.
Mid-morning passed without incident. No missing files. No strange transfers. No unfamiliar faces lingering too long in hallways. By noon, her shoulders had dropped an inch.
Maybe - just maybe – he is right this time too, she thought.
Safe… for now. Her phone buzzed just as she finished charting.
Unknown:You're frowning at the screen.
Her breath hitched at the sudden message but she didn't look up immediately.
Xinyue:I'm busy.
Unknown:You're annoyed.
Xinyue:You don't know that.
Unknown:You press harder when you're annoyed.
She glanced down at the tablet in her hands. She was. Her jaw tightened at him knowing her little habits.
Xinyue:Are you following me around now? She responded with irritation.
Unknown:I don't need to.
Her pulse spiked at it, then settled. Knowing it useless to even having an argument with him.
Xinyue:You're impossible.
Unknown: No, you're predictable.
That earned a quiet huff of laughter from her, which she couldn't quite stop.
Yuerin eyed her suspiciously. "Why are you smiling like that?"
"I'm not," Xinyue said too quickly.
"You are," Yuerin insisted. "That's a smile, is it him?" she asked.
"No, it's…" She stopped, sighed. "It's not, it's stress."
"Mhm." Yuerin didn't look convinced, either way accepted her answer for the time being.
The afternoon dragged on. Just as Xinyue began to believe the tension had eased for good, her phone vibrated again.
Unknown:You're clear tonight.
She frowned at his message. Like, it somehow offended her.
Xinyue:Clear of what?
A minute later.
Unknown:Of them.
Her fingers tightened around her phone.
Xinyue:And tomorrow?
Unknown:Tomorrow, we reassess.
She stared at the words a little bit longer than necessary.
Xinyue:You talk like this is a project.
Unknown:It is.
Her stomach flipped.
Xinyue:And what am I? Your project subject??
This time, the pause stretched long enough that she thought he wouldn't answer. Then, his response came.
Unknown:A variable I didn't plan for.
Heat crept up her neck, unwelcome and confusing. Which made her frustrating at it, being in a situation where she didn't ask for, she despised her kindness and needing to help others in need at that moment.
Xinyue:That's not reassuring.
Unknown:I know.
She swallowed.
Xinyue:Then why say it?
The reply came slower, kind of deliberate.
Unknown:Because you deserve the truth.
Her chest tightened at that - at the quiet weight behind the words.
She locked her phone and slipped it into her pocket, heart beating a little faster than before. That evening, as she walked out of the hospital into the cooling air, she felt it again - that awareness, that subtle shift in space.
Not fear instead the presence. Her phone buzzed one last time.
Unknown:Go home.
Xinyue:You don't get to tell me what to do.
Unknown:I know.
Unknown:I still will.
She shook her head, lips curving despite herself.
Xinyue:You're lucky I'm exhausted.
Unknown:I'm aware.
She paused by her car.
Xinyue:Are you… nearby?
The pause this time felt different.
Closer.
Unknown:Close enough.
Her breath caught - not with fear, but with something warmer. Something more dangerous.
Xinyue:That's creepy.
Unknown:You didn't say you wanted me farther.
She stared at the message, pulse skidding.
Xinyue:Don't read into things.
Unknown:I don't.
Another pause.
Unknown:I observe.
She rolled her eyes, unlocking the car.
Xinyue:Goodnight.
The reply came almost instantly.
Unknown:Sleep this time.
As she drove home, the city lights blurred past, ordinary and bright. For the first time in days, the weight on her chest eased just a fraction.
Safe.
She didn't know how long it would last. But for now…
It would have to be enough.