In the Evening, the Next Day
Ye Qiu had just returned from the hospital after visiting Stacy. He'd left a flower beside her bed, the same way he always did. The room had been quiet, heavy. The same stillness followed him home.
As he pushed open the door, the warm air of the apartment wrapped around him. He made a beeline for the couch, shedding his jacket along the way. Sweat clung to his skin—he wasn't used to being outside during the day. The sun had been too bright. Or maybe it just felt that way… to him.
Just as he leaned back to rest, a soft buzzing sound broke the silence. His phone. Only then did he realize—he'd left it behind.
It kept buzzing. Again and again.
He groaned but didn't move. He watched the device light up and dim again, lying untouched on the table a few meters away. Eventually, the buzzing stopped.
With a tired grunt, he pulled himself up and trudged over to the table. He grabbed the phone and slumped back onto the couch. As he unlocked it, his brows lifted.
Twenty-two missed calls.
All from Somi.
What the hell?
Just as he was about to call her back, the screen lit up—Incoming call: Somi.
He answered and placed it on loudspeaker, too exhausted to hold the phone to his ear.
"Somi—"
Before he could finish, her voice burst through the line, sharp and fast.
"Okay, this call's going to be short. I sent you Black Shadow's email. You've got twenty-eight minutes left to talk to him—he said that's the time window he's giving. So please, hurry up—"
"Whoa, whoa, calm down," Ye Qiu interrupted. "I didn't hear a word you say. Something about Black Shadow and email?"
"Yes—Black Shadow. Our boss. The one who decided to wipe your progress like you were just some bot," she said quickly. "I dug up his contact last night. I sent him a message about your suspension, and guess what? He replied. He said he's willing to talk—but only to you. So check your mail, I sent you his info—"
"Wait, wait. You what?" Ye Qiu sat up straighter, frowning.
"Hurry, Everstay! He said he's available till 6 p.m., and it's already—what? Twenty-seven minutes left! I've been calling you all day—!"
"Somi." His voice cut through hers, firmer now. "What was that for?"
"What do you mean what was that for?" she snapped. "I'm trying to fix this for you. For the team. All you have to do is talk to him."
"Talk to him about what, Somi?" he replied, his voice cool but tense. "I told you already. This… This is what I wanted."
"I don't believe you." Her voice was laced with frustration now. "You were just feeling guilty, Ye Qiu. I know his isn't what you want."
"Somi. I already explained this to you guys, this is what i want, i need a break and i can't involved you guys in it" he said, firm now.
There was a pause.
"You're seriously telling me… you're okay with throwing away ten years of your life?" she asked, disbelieving. "Over one stupid mistake and some Stacy girl?"
Ye Qiu's eyes narrowed. He sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"This isn't just about Stacy. This is about me. About the version of me I've ignored for a whole decade. Somi i need space, for once, I need to be selfish. I need to fix myself, to breathe, to find something outside this damn screen."
"I don't understand how you can just walk away like this," she muttered, voice shaking with more than anger now—it was something deeper. "You say you'll come back, but who's to say there'll even be a place left for you?"
"I don't expect you to understand," he said quietly. "But I'm asking you to respect it."
A silence stretched between them.
Then Somi scoffed.
"Well, good luck with finding yourself or whatever you're doing," she snapped. "Just don't expect the world to wait for you."
Click.
The call ended.
Ye Qiu stared at the phone, her words still echoing in his ears. He let out a long breath and leaned back into the couch, one arm flung over his face as if trying to shield himself from the weight pressing down on him. Just than he glance at the walls clock, it was almost time for his shift
"Hmph" He sighed tiredly already sick of his new job and definitely not looking forward to meeting his new weird boss.