Fleeting Respite

Surin's POV

Friday night. The end of another brutal week.

My fingers ache from holding scalpels, my legs scream from standing too long, and my brain feels like it's running on fumes. But at least tomorrow marks the beginning of a rare three-day weekend—a precious break before the grind starts all over again. My body is already anticipating the moment I can collapse into bed, letting exhaustion claim me whole.

I drag myself up the stairs to the apartment I share with Jia, my duffel bag slung over my shoulder. The building is eerily quiet except for the occasional creak of the elevator doors. As I reach my floor, I notice something unusual—moving boxes stacked outside the apartment next door. Someone's moving in? Great. I don't have the energy for new neighbors. I barely even see the ones I already have.

Ignoring the commotion, I push open my apartment door. The familiar scent of Jia's overpriced candles mixed with instant ramen hits me, and I sigh in relief. Home. Finally.

Jia is sprawled on the couch, a drama playing on her laptop. She gives me a once-over, her eyes widening. "You look like you just survived a war zone."

"Feels like it," I mumble, kicking off my shoes. "I'm sleeping until the world ends."

Jia snorts. "You say that every time, and then your stupid pager drags you back to the hospital."

I grunt in response, already heading for my bed. The mattress pulls me in like a part of me I had lost and desperately needed to find again. The weight of exhaustion presses me down, wrapping around me like an old, familiar embrace. The second my body hits the sheets, the world blurs at the edges, and I'm sinking, drifting, disappearing into sleep.

I don't remember falling asleep. Just the heavy weight of fatigue pulling me under.

Liam's POV

The walls in this apartment are thinner than I expected. I can hear muffled footsteps and the quiet creak of a bed from the unit next door.

I set my bag down and sigh, rubbing my temple. This wasn't supposed to be a long stay—just a temporary arrangement. My mother owned the building and decided I needed a proper place to stay instead of a hotel room. She didn't ask if I wanted it, of course—she just made it happen, like she always does. I didn't care much where I stayed these days, as long as it had a locked door and a bed.

Still, it felt strange being in an unfamiliar space. Too many empty rooms. Too much silence.

Sighing, I open the nightstand drawer and take out my prescription bottle. The small white pills rattle in my palm before I swallow them dry. I don't know if they help, but at least they make the weight on my chest a little less suffocating.

Tomorrow is going to be another long day. That much, I'm sure of.

Surin's POV

A blaring sound jerks me awake. At first, I think it's my pager, but then I realize it's Jia shaking my shoulder, laughing.

"You're dreaming about work again, aren't you?" she teases. "You were mumbling something about sutures."

I groan, rubbing my face. "That's not funny."

"It kinda is." Jia grins before handing me my phone. "Your pager actually did go off, though."

I glance at the screen. Emergency surgery. Of course. So much for my day off. With a resigned sigh, I throw off my blanket and sit up.

Jia watches me, amused. "You're literally a workaholic, you know that?"

"Shut up," I grumble, but a small smile tugs at my lips.

Dragging myself to my feet, I grab my scrubs and keys, already preparing for another long night at the hospital.

Liam's POV

A noise stirs me awake. Footsteps, a door closing. Probably my neighbor leaving in the middle of the night.

I stare at the ceiling for a long moment, my body heavy with exhaustion. The mattress underneath me feels foreign, not yet molded to my shape, and the silence is suffocating. Sleep doesn't come easily these days, and I know tomorrow will be just as tiring as today.

With a deep breath, I close my eyes again, trying to ignore the feeling that something—someone—just slipped out of my reach.