The cafeteria was empty, save for a few lingering coworkers and the soft hum of the coffee machine. Rain streaked the windows, tapping a relentless rhythm that seemed to match my heartbeat.

Felix sat across from me, stirring his tea slowly, eyes never leaving mine. “I have to leave for a three-day business trip,” he said quietly. “You’ll be okay, right?”

I forced a smile, hoping it looked convincing. “Yeah… of course. Don’t worry about me. Just… focus on your work.”

He frowned. “Kai… I’ll be worried.”

“I know,” I whispered, clutching my cup like it could anchor me. “Relax. Everything’s fine. I promise.”

He didn’t seem convinced, but he nodded and let it go… for now.

The first few hours passed in a haze. Each glance from Rylan cut me deeper than the last. His eyes followed me across the cafeteria, sharp and unreadable. I told myself I was fine, that I could handle it, but every fiber of my being screamed otherwise.

Felix watched me carefully, concern etched in every line of his face. “You sure you’re okay?” he asked again.

“I’m fine,” I said too quickly, forcing the words through my teeth. “Really. Don’t worry.”

He didn’t reply. He just gave me a small, steadying look, one that carried more warmth than a thousand comforting words.

But I wasn’t fine.

By mid-afternoon, the tightness in my chest had grown unbearable. I felt my stomach churn, hands shaking slightly as I tried to sip my tea. Rylan’s presence in the cafeteria calm, commanding, dangerously close made the walls close in around me.

“I ” I started, then swallowed hard. “I’m going to get some air.”

Felix rose instantly. “Wait, Kai ”

“I’m fine!” I snapped, too loud. The words sounded brittle even to me. “I just… need a moment.”

Before he could argue, I pushed through the cafeteria doors into the downpour. The rain hit me like knives, soaking my coat instantly. I gasped, trying to breathe, but the panic hit like a wave, knocking the wind out of me.

Rylan appeared almost immediately, as though he’d been waiting for me. “Blake!” he called, running through the rain, coat flapping around him. He grabbed my arm, steadying me. “Stay with me!”

I trembled violently, gasping for air, vision blurred. “I… I can’t ”

“Yes, you can,” he snapped, eyes wide with fear I hadn’t expected. He hoisted me carefully in his arms, shielding me from the rain. “I’ve got you. Just stay with me!”

The world spun. My chest tightened. I felt myself slipping, and then darkness swallowed everything.

I woke in a hospital bed, hair soaked clinging to my forehead, the rhythmic beep of a monitor filling the silence. Machines hummed quietly, a world of safety around me.

Rylan sat in the chair beside me, his coat draped over the back. His expression was a mix of worry, anger, and disbelief. “You didn’t tell me,” he said quietly. “About… this.”

I tried to speak, but my throat burned. “I didn’t want anyone… to see me like this. Not you. Not Felix.”

Rylan’s gaze hardened, but there was something beneath it pain, something that mirrored my own. “Felix knew?”

I shook my head. “No. I told him I was fine… so he wouldn’t worry.”

He exhaled sharply, leaning back slightly, jaw tight. “You’ve been hiding this from everyone… from me. From yourself. This…” He gestured to the monitors, to my trembling hands. “…this isn’t small, Kai.”

“I didn’t want to bother anyone,” I whispered, voice barely audible.

He didn’t answer immediately. He just watched, quietly, like he was trying to memorize every detail of the person he once loved, now fractured and raw before him.

“You scared me,” he admitted finally. “Seeing you… like that. I… I should’ve known. I should’ve ”

“Rylan,” I whispered, feeling shame twist in my chest. “It’s my fault. I… I can’t ask anyone to fix this for me.”

His hand hovered near mine, unsure whether to reach out. The silence between us carried more weight than any words could.

And for the first time, I realized he truly saw me. All of me. Panic, weakness, shame, all of it.

Somewhere, deep in the quiet hospital room, I allowed myself a trembling breath.