Alex was in big trouble. He stared blankly at the air. He thought about the mission that his system had given him. He didn't know how to deal with it.
Can he even do it?
But it will affect his recovery, and he didn't want that.
Alex was in the middle of thinking when the door suddenly opened again. The soft sound of footsteps on the tile made him silent.
He turned his eyes towards the door's direction and saw a woman.
It was the nurse from earlier.
The nurse stepped into the room, holding a clipboard. She was smiling, and her face looked gentle but professional.
Now that Alex got a closer look at her, she was even more attractive than he initially thought.
Her soft brown eyes radiated warmth, her skin was milky white and smooth, and her lips curved ever into a smile. She was also petite, and her figure was undeniably feminine beneath the slightly loose hospital uniform.
Alex swallowed again, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
"Good to see you awake, Mr. Collins," the nurse said, her voice was soft. "How are you feeling?"
[Mission Activated.]
[24:00]
[23:59]
Alex flinched. He was already problematic about the mission. Why does he need to gain her favor within 24 hours?
Why and just how?
"Uh," Alex was unsure what to say. He forced himself to snap out of his daze.
"I guess I'm still in shock." He gave her a small and nervous chuckle, hoping it didn't sound as awkward as it felt.
The nurse smiled slightly, tucking a loose strand of her hazelnut colored hair behind her ear as she walked closer to his bed.
"That's good to hear. You gave everyone quite a scare. You've been unconscious for five days."
"Yeah, I heard. They told me just now." Alex shifted slightly, trying to ignore the dull pain that was still lingering in his lower body.
The nurse hummed in understanding as she glanced at the machines beside his bed, checking his vitals.
"You're lucky, you know. The doctor said your condition could have been much worse so they were surprised to see that you're already awake. But I believe that with the right therapy, you'll be back on your feet eventually."
Alex exhaled, relief washing over him. Though he was nervous to talk to the girl, it was good to hear about it.
"That's good to hear," he murmured.
"Uh, by the way... I didn't catch your name." He mentally cringed at how forced his voice was, but it was the best he could do.
Alex has no experience when it comes to these things. Heck, he doesn't even go out that much.
The nurse blinked in surprise before smiling softly.
"It's Emily. You can call me Nurse Emily."
[Progress: 5%]
Alex nearly choked on air. "Wait, that counted?" he muttered under his breath.
"Did you say something?" Emily tilted her head as she looked at him curiouslty.
"N-No!" he blurted out, feeling his face heat up. He cleared his throat, forcing himself to calm down.
"Uh, nice to meet you, Nurse Emily. And, uh, thanks for taking care of me."
Emily chuckled softly.
"It's my job, Alex." She made a few notes on the clipboard before looking at him again.
"Do you feel any pain anywhere? Discomfort?"
"In my legs..." he replied.
"I see. It's because of the damage to the nerves in your legs. It'd get better after some time." Emilly uttered. "I'll continue to monitor your condition, so just take it easy for now."
Alex hesitated before speaking again. He knew he needed to engage more if he wanted to clear the mission.
"So, uh... do you always work the night shift?"
[Progress: 10%]
Emily raised an eyebrow but didn't seem put off by the question. She always got that question. Maybe it was because people in the hospital usually get lonely, so they want to talk to someone.
"Not always, but I don't mind it. It's a bit quieter at night."
Alex was starting to get the hang of this. It seemed like as long as he kept the conversation going and left a good impression, he could clear the mission.
But he can't think of any more good topics!
Emily noticed Alex's hesitation and the way he seemed unsure of what to say next. She figured he might be feeling lonely, especially with his parents gone.
Since she still had some time left and Alex was the last patient she'd visit this hour, she decided to stay. She was also curious since Alex looked like as if he was only in her age.
Alex had a boyish charm that made him look approachable. He wasn't the most handsome guy out there, but there was something about him that stood out.
"I don't have any urgent rounds right now. Want me to stay and chat for a bit?" She smiled at him.
Alex looked surprised.
"You really? will"
"Of course," Emily said. "It can get boring being in here alone but your parents are just outside."
[Progress: 15%]
Alex relaxed a little.
"Yeah, my... well they're not my parents, but oh well. "Alex scratched the back of his head as he couldn't get the right words to describe his relationship with Claire and Richard.
"Oh... they're not?" Emily was genuinely surprised. The two people in the room earlier looked like they cared for Alex so much, so she instinctively thought that he was their son.
"Yeah, but they're my parent's friends... And well... Uhm... my parents are dead already."
Emily was dumbfounded at what she learned. However, instead of showing that she pitied him, she smiled at him as if it was no big deal.
"That's fine, Alex."
[Progress: 20%]
=====
A/N: Our guy right here might be a little shy right now, but watch how he progresses with the help of the system!