The room didn’t return to normal. It should have, The treatment was done. His men had left. The tension should’ve eased, faded, settled back into something manageable.

Yet, It didn’t. Because he was still there. I could feel it without looking. His gaze felt heavy on my back. His presence was almost intense with the way he held himself.

Heavy and Unmoving.

“…you’re not leaving?” I asked finally, not bothering to hide the edge in my voice as I set the last of the supplies aside.

Yet, Silence. Why doesn't Adrian speak more?

Then—

“I was told this was the best place to be treated.” I glanced over at him.

He hadn’t moved from where I left him. Still sitting on the table. Still composed. Still watching me like he had all the time in the world. But I knew he was probably in even more deep trouble, than I am right now.

“…you were treated,” I said flatly. “Congratulations. You survived. That’s usually where people leave.”

A pause. Something flickered in his eyes. Not offense. Thank god. Nor annoyance.

Something closer to—

Amusement.

“…usually,” he echoed.

My jaw tightened slightly. Was he picking a fight?

Why is he still here?

The thought came sharper this time. This wasn’t part of it.

In the story—

He didn’t linger much less hold himself tensely like he is doing now, in the novel he was all about self sacrificing himself for the female lead.

He didn’t—

Linger.

This is wrong.

Again.

That same realization, heavier now. Things were already shifting. Changing. I knew that is what I wanted but why so fast?

And if that was true—

Then I needed information.

Fast.

My gaze dropped briefly to the table beside me, pretending to reorganize tools I’d already cleaned.

Think.

Think.

Where in the Timeline am I?

Which part are we at right now?

Before her.

That much I knew.

But how far?

A day?

A month?

Years? Did the author write that far back? I have to think more deeply about this?

“…you’ve been busy,” I said, keeping my tone casual. Offhand. Like it didn’t matter. Like I wasn’t calculating every word.

“Lately,” I added.

A beat.

Then—

“Always.”

His answer came without hesitation.

Simple. Flat. What is wrong with this guy? Was he always so emotionless when he spoke?

But something about it—

Didn’t feel simple.

I glanced at him again.

“…so this isn’t new?” I pressed lightly. “Getting yourself half-killed, I mean.”

A faint shift in his posture.

Barely there.

“You assume it was a mistake.”

My fingers paused at that—

That wasn’t how that line was supposed to go. Don't tell me he's always had this self sacrificing mentality even before meeting the female lead? That would explain the ending though.

“…wasn’t it?” I asked, slower now.

He held my gaze.

Unblinking.

“No.”

The word settled between us. His tone Cold. Final. I think this is, his way of ending the conversation.

Something in my chest tightened.

Because that—

That was new.

That wasn’t in the story.

Not like this.

“…you’re different from what I expected,” he added, almost as an afterthought. Tell me about it, I'm seeeing you anew too.

My breath caught for half a second.

“Yeah?” I said, forcing a small scoff. “And what exactly were you expecting?”

Another pause.

Longer this time.

“…someone who would be afraid to approach me or even touch me.” The words landed quietly.

But they hit harder than anything else he’d said. My fingers twitched slightly at my side.

Touch.

That again.

I hadn’t—

I didn’t—

Notice I did it.

My thoughts cut off as something shifted outside.

Not loud. Not obvious. But enough to garner our attention.

Footsteps. Faster this time.

Not controlled like before. But Urgent.

My assistant’s voice—sharp, low, calling for me.

“Doctor.”

I turned instinctively.

She was already moving toward me, her expression tighter than before.

Different. Something was wrong.

“…I need a word,” she said quietly.

Not a request.

I glanced back once. Adrian hadn’t moved but he was still watching everything. All he did was Always watching, it seems. Does he go cloud watching or bird watching too? Nah. I shake my head out of that train of thought quickly.

“…don’t go anywhere,” I muttered to him under my breath.

I didn’t know why I said it. Didn’t know why it mattered. But his gaze—

It sharpened again. Like he heard something in that. Something I didn’t mean to say. I stepped away anyway, following her just far enough to lower our voices.

“What is it?” I asked.

Her eyes flicked toward the door. Then back to me.

“…we have a problem.”

My stomach dropped slightly.

“What kind of problem?”

A beat. Then—

“The kind that doesn’t wait.”

Behind me—

I could still feel him.

And somehow—

I knew.

That Whatever was coming next—

He wasn’t leaving for it.