Jai quietly opened the door to his grandfather's room, expecting to find him reading or maybe stretching near the window like he usually did in the mornings. But instead, the room was still. Too still.
His grandfather was still in bed, the covers pulled up to his chest, his face turned slightly toward the window. Peaceful—but unmoving.
Jai's brows furrowed.
He walked closer, the wooden floor creaking under his feet. He reached out, gently taking the old man's hand. It was warm, soft, but unusually limp in his own.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at the lined, familiar face.
"…Grandpa?"
No response.
He watched the slow rise and fall of his grandfather's chest. Breathing… but shallow. His fingers shifted to feel his pulse. It was steady. Not too weak. But still…
"Why are you still asleep?" Jai whispered, his voice low, uncertain. "You've been resting a lot lately… more than usual."