It was a quiet Friday afternoon when Shawn found himself walking toward the local hospital, his footsteps echoing softly in the hallways of Summit Academy as he made his way through the gates. It was a routine he had grown accustomed to—heading to the hospital where his mother worked to ask for money for dinner and sometimes asking her what food does she likes to eat and he will cooked it, just , the same quiet task he'd done for the past few months. He didn't mind, really. His mother worked hard, and he wasn't one to ask for much. But tonight, he wanted to ask his mother what she felt like eating.
As he walked up the steps to the hospital's main entrance, he noticed the familiar sterile smell, the hum of machines, the chatter of nurses moving between patients. It was all so normal to him, and yet, in this place, it felt like the weight of the world was somehow suspended. He stepped inside and made his way toward the back office where his mom usually worked, hoping she'd be able to help him out before she got caught up in anything urgent.
But before he could reach the office, he spotted a familiar face.
Amber.
She was sitting on one of the hospital chairs, her arm resting in a makeshift sling. Shawn's gaze landed on her with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. What was she doing here?
"Amber?" Shawn's voice carried softly through the hallway as he approached.
Amber looked up, blinking in surprise before her eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh! Shawn, hey," she said, her voice warm despite the situation. She winced slightly as she adjusted her position, clearly uncomfortable.
"What happened?" Shawn asked, his voice laced with concern. It was hard to ignore the sight of her sitting there, her face a little paler than usual.
She shrugged, a sheepish smile on her lips. "It's nothing big. I got scratched by a cat at home earlier, and Mom's at work, so I came here just to get it checked out. No big deal." She seemed to downplay it, but Shawn could tell from the way she shifted in her seat that it wasn't as trivial as she was making it sound.
"I didn't think cats could be that dangerous," Shawn said, his voice sounding slightly amused despite the situation. He took a step closer, his eyes scanning her arm carefully, trying to gauge how serious the injury might be.
Amber laughed softly, the sound light and airy. "Well, apparently they can be. It's a lot worse than it looks. I thought I'd just clean it up myself, but my mom insisted I come here. I hate hospitals, though. They always smell like antiseptic and make everything feel... serious."
Shawn nodded, understanding her discomfort. "Yeah, I get that. My mom works here, so I'm kind of used to it. But it never gets easier, you know?"
Amber raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Your mom works here? I didn't know that. What does she do?"
"She's a nurse. She works long shifts, so I usually come here to asked about what food does she likes to eat for dinner." Shawn's words were casual, as if he didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but Amber could hear the quiet strength in his voice. There was something about him that made her want to learn more, to ask more questions.
After the quick exchange, Amber got up to head toward the taxi area, her steps slow and careful. But as she stepped outside, she stopped, noticing the long line of people waiting for a ride. She checked her phone, frowning as she saw the time ticking by. Shawn, saw her outside, noticed the change in her expression.
"You're not going anywhere anytime soon, are you?" Shawn asked, raising an eyebrow.
Amber sighed, looking back at him. "There's a rally nearby today, so all the taxis are caught up in traffic. I might be here for a while."
Shawn scanned the street, where crowds had already begun to gather for the protest. His gut tightened. The last thing Amber needed was to be stranded here alone with everything going on nearby. He didn't know why, but the thought of her waiting alone bothered him more than it should.
"Listen, why don't you come with me? Since our house is just a meter away from here." Shawn said, before adding quickly, "I'll go home first to cook dinner for my siblings. I've got to do it anyway, and I'll walk you home afterward. I don't think it's safe for you to wait out here by yourself with everything going on."