The hospital room had gone completely quiet. The only sound was the soft, steady beeping of the ECG machine in the corner. I didn't even realize when it happened, but I had fallen asleep sitting on the chair right beside Aeri's bed. My head rested on my arms on the edge of the mattress, and my hands lay close to her side. The whole day had been too much — the long night with Lara at the brothel, the constant worry about Aeri, and running around trying to find answers. This job paid more money than I could ever imagine, but it took a heavier toll than it should.
Aeri, however, was still wide awake. She lay under the thin hospital blanket, staring at the ceiling for a while before slowly turning her head toward me.
"Hmm…" she made a soft sound and carefully peeked out from under the sheet, trying not to make any noise. When she saw me sleeping there — head resting on my arms, body slumped uncomfortably in the chair — her eyes slowly filled with tears.
