Ryan pushed the ward door open with his usual briskness, his sharp eyes scanning for Kai. Inside the ward, Kai was standing by the little girl's bed, her tiny hands still clinging to his sleeve even in sleep. The actor's usually guarded face was gentler, softened in ways Ryan rarely saw.
Before Ryan could speak, a doctor in scrubs approached, giving him a nod of acknowledgment before leaning closer to Kai.
''Kai," the doctor said in a friendly manner, "Could I have a word with you?"
Kai glanced at the girl once more, carefully freeing his sleeve, and followed him out into the hallway. Ryan lingered just close enough to overhear.
"Thank you," the doctor said, genuine gratitude shining in his eyes. "Truly, thank you for doing this. I didn't think you would come to my one call. And see here you're, helping me.
''You're my school friend after all.''
"You know," the doctor began softly, his voice carrying the kind of exhaustion that only came after nights of battling for someone else's life, "before you came here, she was… different. Scared, withdrawn. She wouldn't eat. Or drink. We tried everything, toys, chocolates, even promises of gifts if she finished her meals. But nothing worked. She kept saying..." The doctor paused, his throat tightening, "...what's the point of fighting?"
Kai's chest tightened.
The doctor smiled faintly, though his eyes glistened. "So, one day, I told her, if you eat, if you gather your strength, I'll bring Kai Arden to meet you. At first, she didn't believe me. She laughed, this small, broken laugh, like I was making up a fairy tale just to cheer her. But when I repeated it, her eyes… they lit up. You should've seen it, Kai. It was the first time in months she looked like a child again."
Kai swallowed hard, his jaw tightening.
"And then you came," the doctor went on. "She changed overnight. She started eating without us asking. She began telling the nurses she had to get strong quickly, because Kai Arden promised to play with her once she won this fight." The doctor's voice cracked on the last word. "Do you understand what that means? You gave her a reason to fight. For us, medicine is half the battle. But for her… You were the other half."
For a moment, Kai couldn't speak. His throat felt locked, like someone had poured cement inside. He thought of the little girl's tiny hands clutching his fingers earlier, the way she whispered, Just the way you fight with villains, I'll fight with the villain inside me''
The doctor stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Kai… you're more than just a star to her. You're her hope. And hope can sometimes heal more than any surgery."
Kai dropped his gaze, fists tightening in his pockets. He had spent years convincing himself emotions were weaknesses, things better buried. But now, with a little girl fighting for her life because she believed in him… the walls around his heart trembled.
''You don't know how much it means. She… she adores you. Watches all your dramas, especially your fight scenes. Even says you're her hero."
Kai's jaw tightened, but his gaze lowered, almost uneasy at the praise. "She's a brave one," he said. "I just did my part."
The doctor pressed his arm. "You gave her courage before the hardest fight of her life. That's not 'just your part.' That's everything."
Kai didn't respond, but Ryan noticed the way his hand curled into a fist at his side, as if holding something in. The silence between the men was thick, almost fragile. Ryan frowned. He'd seen Kai in boardrooms, on sets, tearing through contracts and decisions without a flicker of hesitation. But this version? This raw, uncomfortable softness? He didn't know what to make of it.
Before Kai could answer, a faint rustling came from inside the room. Then a small, fragile voice floated out.
"…Kai?"
Both men turned instantly. The little girl had woken up, her thin fingers patting the sheets, eyes darting around the space beside her. Panic lined her face.
"Kai? You said… You wouldn't leave…"
Her voice cracked, soft but sharp enough to pierce through Kai's chest. He didn't hesitate; he rushed inside, pulling a chair close to her bed.
"I'm here," he said, leaning forward, his voice gentler than anyone had ever heard it.
Her big eyes shimmered with tears. "But you… You promised. You promised you wouldn't go. And when I woke up…" Her lips trembled. "You broke your promise."
For a moment, Kai froze. He wasn't used to being needed like this. Not by fans, not by coworkers, not by anyone. A flicker of guilt tugged at him. He reached into his pocket, searching for a small pack of chocolates that Ryan had brought.
"I didn't break it," he murmured, holding out the chocolates. "I just… went on a mission."
Her brows furrowed. "Mission?"
"To bring these," Kai said, lifting the packet like a magician revealing a treasure.
Her eyes went wide, a spark lighting up in them as she snatched the chocolates from his hands, hugging them to her chest as if they were gold. "Thank you!" she squeaked, beaming so brightly it nearly blinded him.
"Eat them after your operation, alright?That's the deal." The girl tilted her head, curious. "Deal?"
Kai leaned closer, lowering his voice like he was sharing a secret. "I'm giving you a little version of me." From his pocket, he pulled out a tiny plush keychain of his own character from one of his action dramas, a miniature him in costume with the same serious scowl. He held it out.
Her mouth fell open in awe. "It's you!"
"Yeah," Kai said, lips tugging into the faintest smirk. "So here's the deal: you fight this battle as strongly as I fight villains in my movies. And every Sunday, we'll go to the amusement park together. You, me, roller coasters, cotton candy. Deal?"
Her eyes glistened, her tiny hand gripping the plush tightly. She nodded with fierce determination. "Deal!"
"Good," Kai whispered, brushing her hair gently off her forehead.
The doctor, standing quietly at the doorway, felt his throat tighten. And in that small room, under the harsh hospital lights, Kai Arden, the man the world called cold and emotionless, looked more human, more alive, than ever.
The little girl clutched the plush close to her heart, her smile trembling but radiant. And Kai stayed, not moving an inch, as if the weight of her promise anchored him right there.
Meanwhile, in the waiting hall, as both Alina and Maya were sitting on the bench, Maya touched Alina's arm gently. "You should go home," she urged. "You're exhausted. I'll stay here."
Alina protested, "But what about you?"
Maya forced a smile. "After all, he's my friend. Why will you stay here?
''But you're my friend, Alina replied by putting her hand on Maya's hand. They spent their night like that, Maya's head was on Alina's shoulder, and she was asleep by this time. Alina wasn't feeling comfortable; her heart wasn't at ease, like something was there and it was pulling her so bad, so she decided to go to the same ward again, but this time it wasn't for Kai; it was for that little girl who was fighting for her life. Alina hesitated but eventually got up.
Maya got up from her sleep, did I just sleep? she questioned herself, but I was with Alina, where is she? I know she might have gone to Brink Coffee. Maya waited for her friend to come back, but even after fifteen minutes, she wasn't back. Her curiosity got bigger, and she decided to give it a shot and look for her friend. Maya stretched her legs, sighed, and finally got up from her place.
She walked toward the vending machine, but her steps slowed as she noticed the sign above the Pediatric Wing. A faint smile touched her lips; she had always been fond of children. On an impulse, she decided to take a quiet round of the wards. As she passed by, her gaze softened at the sight of little ones fighting battles far too big for their tiny bodies. The sight tugged at her heart, stirring emotions she hadn't expected. Finally, she stopped and sat on the bench which was opposite a ward.
Suddenly, the door of the ward opened and a tall figure stepped into the light. His expression was unreadable as ever. Ryan. It was him.
She hesitated. She didn't mean to follow him, at least not in a way he seemed to think, but somehow their paths kept crossing. The accident, the waiting hall. It wasn't her fault, was it? Before she could explain to him, Ryan's steps quickened, and in a moment, he was right in front of her. His voice, when it came, was edged with steel.
His eyes immediately narrowed. "You again."
He is hallucinating or something. What does he mean by again? She murmured. And stood up from the bench.
Ryan's tone sharpened, his suspicion cutting like a blade. "Don't play innocent. I know you're following me? If I ask you, What are you doing here you'll try to make a new story in your mind, or simply smile at me and say it's a coincidence.''
Maya blinked in shock, the words hitting her like cold water. "What are you even talking about? Do you even know the reason why I am here?