Fast Learner

After a few hours, the hospital room became quiet except for the steady beep of the heart monitor and the soft hum of the air conditioning. The lights had also dimmed for the night, casting shadows over the walls.

Alex slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the drowsiness. His body felt warm, but not in an uncomfortable way. The ache in his muscles was still there, but it wasn't as bad as before.

Alex sat up slightly, rubbing his face. It took him a second to register that he was alone in the room. Mia and Sienna were already gone.

"What time is it already?" Alex frowned as he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. It was already 10 in the evening.

They must have left sometime while he was asleep. It made sense anyway. They had things to do tomorrow, and staying at the hospital all night wasn't exactly ideal.

'I slept that long?' Alex was in disbelief. Did he get too tired earlier?

Remembering that, Alex's eyes flew to the couch. It was empty, but he noticed something else. Claire's bag was still on the couch.

That means Claire was still in the hospital. She must have stepped out for awhile while he was sleeping.

Letting out a deep breath, Alex leaned back against the pillows. He felt better.

Not perfect, but definitely better than yesterday. He glanced at his hands, flexing his fingers. His body didn't feel as weak as it did earlier.

Curious, he pulled up his status window.

-----

Name: Alex Collins

Age: 20

Status: Recovering (15%)

Strength: 3

Endurance: 6

Charm: 7

Skills:

Basic Endurance (Passive): Increases stamina recovery rate by 5%.

Beginner Persuasion (Passive): Slightly improves chances of convincing others.

Irresistible Charisma (Passive): Increases the chance of making interactions with an opposite gender

-----

Alex raised an eyebrow.

'So, the System really works." 

Alex stared at the status window for a moment, processing the information. His recovery percentage had gone up, and his endurance had increased. It wasn't a huge jump, but it was enough to make a difference.

It must be why he was feeling a little bit better than yesterday.

Then his eyes landed on the last skill.

Irresistible Charisma

He blinked.

'Oh, right. I remember getting this earlier…'

At the time, he hadn't really thought much about it. He was feeling too good to care. So, when the system had granted him the skill, he had just skimmed over the name without fully processing it.

But now that he was feeling a little better…

"What kind of skill is this?" he muttered under his breath.

The description didn't give much detail, but from what he could understand, it was supposed to increase his chance of interacting with women.

Before he could think too much about it, the door to his hospital room opened with a quiet click.

A nurse stepped inside, carrying a clipboard.

"Ah, you're awake," Emily said with a small smile on her face. She had checked Alex earlier, but he was still asleep.

Alex quickly closed his status window and looked up. He immediately recognized her.

"Nurse Emily?"

She chuckled as she stepped closer. "Claire asked me to check on you if you woke up."

"You talked to her?" Alex blinked.

Emily nodded, placing the clipboard down on the table beside his bed.

"Yeah, earlier, but she went out for a bit. Probably to get some fresh air."

Alex let out a breath. That made sense. Claire had been taking care of him all day. She probably needed a break.

Emily reached for his wrist, checking his pulse. Her touch was gentle but firm, and as she worked, she glanced at him with amusement.

"You're pretty cute, you know that?" she said casually.

"What?" Alex stiffened. It was too sudden.

Emily chuckled.

"You were sleeping so peacefully earlier. Your sisters even took a picture before they left."

Alex groaned, dragging a hand down his face.

"Of course they did. How did I even think that they would just sit still while waiting here?"

Emily laughed softly and continued her check-up, taking note of his vitals.

"Everything's looking good. Your recovery is surprisingly going well."

Alex nodded, still feeling a little flustered.

Emily finished her notes and placed the clipboard back on the table.

"You should be able to have your full strength soon as long as you rest well. Just don't push yourself too hard, alright?"

Alex nodded, still feeling a little dazed.

"Yes, Emily."

Emily raised an eyebrow at his response, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"Oh? Calling me by my first name now?" she mused, tapping the clipboard lightly against her palm.

Alex just realized what she said.

"Huh? Oh, uh—" He stopped himself, realizing it had just slipped out naturally.

Emily chuckled, tilting her head slightly. "You really are cute."

Alex felt his face heat up.

Was she always this playful, or was it just because of the system?

Either way, he liked it.

Emily leaned in slightly, resting her elbow on the railing of his hospital bed. Her brown eyes studied him, amusement flickering in them.

Emily chuckled. "Relax, I like it. Makes me feel younger."

She took a step back, crossing her arms as she studied him.

"You're a lot more charming when you're relaxed, you know that?"

"You're lucky to have such a caring family," she said, her voice softer now. "Your mom stayed with you the whole day, and your sisters wouldn't stop fussing over you. I think they really love you."

Alex let out a small chuckle. He didn't correct Emily when she used the word 'Mom' and 'Sister'. 

"Yeah, I know."

"You're lucky… but they're lucky too." Emily smiled at his answer.

For a second, there was a different kind of warmth in her eyes. It was something gentle, and something sincere.

Alex noticed it.

The mood in the room had gradually changed.

Emily glanced down at his hand resting on the sheets before looking back up at him.

"You should get some rest," she murmured, but she didn't move away just yet.

Alex found himself staring at her. Emily was truly a beauty. She had an angelic face even if she didn't have any makeup on her face. Her face was truly one of a kind and he also can't ignore her body. 

Without really thinking, Alex spoke.

"Emily."

Emily blinked, caught off guard by the way he said her name.

'Why did it suddenly sound so good in my ears?' Emily's face was slightly reddened.

Then, before he could second-guess himself, he leaned forward. He didn't know where his confidence came from, but when he saw that Emily was just staring at his face, he decided to try his luck.

Then, without hesitation, he closed the distance between them.

His lips pressed gently against hers. Alex felt the way Emily's body tensed as he kissed her.

Emily's lips were soft. It had a faint taste of cherry, maybe from her lip balm.

Alex wasn't sure if she would pull away, but when she didn't, he pressed in a little more. He felt the warmth of her mouth against his.

"Hmm…" Emily let out a quiet hum. Their kiss sent a small shiver down her spine.

Encouraged, Alex deepened the kiss, moving his hand to her waist. She didn't resist. Instead, she leaned in further, pressing her body just slightly against his.

Emily pulled back for a brief moment, just enough to whisper against his lips.

"Not so bad for someone recovering."

Alex grinned.

"I guess I'm a fast learner."

Emily smirked, then leaned forward once again. This time, she's the one to initiate the kiss.