"How was your ride with... Ethan yesterday?"
"It's Eden," Y/N laughs, "And it was nothing unusual, was nice, even."
Y/N's eyes falls directly at her phone on the passenger's seat. That was the reason she decided to sit beside Juan on the car that day, instead of being at the familiar backseat. It's a great time to do so, seeing how it was a sunny morning, the sunshine not bright enough to hurt her eyes, and the air smells great below the blue sky.
"Was he... nice? Or something..." Juan trails off as he usually does. To Y/N, it was a nice attempt of his to keep the conversation going. To Juan, most of the time he didn't even know why he says the things he says.
"He was nice, and respectful, or something," Y/N laughs after mocking him, before opening the car window and inhaling fresh air- it feels cold to her lungs and she loves it. This is a very nice start for the day, she thought. Her phone's full battery was a huge bonus point.
"Thanks for your help all this time, Juan," Y/N says as she turns around to look at the backseat- there's a medium bottle with avocado juice inside. Her hand reaches out for it, but the front of her body ended up falling towards it as Juan suddenly stops the car, "Yeah, you're welcome."
-
"I could've died."
"Yeah, Jane."
"Did you even listen, Y/N?"
"Definitely."
A sigh came out Y/N's mouth, her fingers finally stopped typing on the keyboard and her eyes finally looking straight at Jane after what felt like years filled with the story of Jane's near-death experience. It feels like Y/N's soul is leaving her body; evaporating.
"I'm not paid to listen to you as you slack off," Y/N look back down and continue her work, "It was interesting, but I can only focus on one thing and I mentioned that to you," Y/N looks down to a drawer after pulling it, checking on a small name card before looking back up, typing again, "Maybe we can talk later after work, but I have to visit my caretaker."
"Y/N, you obviously didn't listen. That's all I ask of you."
"And you obviously didn't listen to what I said about not disturbing me at work. I beg you to get that through your thick skull."
Jane clicked her tongue, and walks away on her purple high heels, not before slaying the air with her hair and slamming her heels on the ground like an angered child. Those purple heels looked cute at first, now it just gross everyone out.
"Most of the stories she mentions are fake anyways," Juan stopped beside Y/N's desk, "You shouldn't feel bad about ignoring her, she's the one who should learn to read situations right."
"Do... I look... like I felt bad for... her?" Y/N's eyes glued to the screen, more focused than ever.
"No, but you still let her near your table."
"I tried my best, I uh..."
Juan waited for the continuation. In actuality, he's a very, very patient man.
"I tried... pushing her away earli...er. You saw how she... reeee...acted."
"Okay. Continue your work, I'll go snitch on her."
"Yeah thanks." Y/N didn't actually hear what he said, but from Juan's somehow hear-able smile, it's going to be good.
"Oh yeah, did you call me with Ethan's number yesterday?" Juan asked, "I've been trying to remember what I forgot to ask you and now I remember."
"Yeah I did."
"Okay, just making sure."
Juan walks away, leaving Y/N once again alone with her precious work. A small, orange post-it note stood out among all the ones below her table's glass cover, 'the faster, the better!' written by Lana on it.
It keeps her going.
-
"You seem tired," Y/N's gaze fixed on to Juan, who's driving exceptionally weird today, his eyebrows furrowing in distress and his back was arched- he's the type of guy to sit behind the wheel like a walnut with eyes so lazy that you're afraid he's gonna fall asleep any second.
"I'm just upset." The sky was dark, enabling Y/N to see the glint in Juan's eyes.
"Can you tell me why?"
"No, let's talk about something else. I'll tell you when I think I want to."
"Okay... let's talk about Jane, then," Y/N lean back on her seat, "I actually didn't hear what you said about her earlier, just before you went away. I could feel your smile, though!" her laugh finished the sentence.
"I reported her, and everyone signed my homemade petition," Juan explain, "the manager looked satisfied."
"Wait why was I not included in the petition? I would've signed the biggest sign on the petition for that."
"I swear, you did sign it. Didn't you realize?"
A drop of rain interrupted Juan's concentration, the dark insides of his car forces him to look at his own reflection. It was the moment he realized a thing or two about himself, when he realized the salt was never much less compared to the sugar- he was like a lazily made cake, just needs a little sprinkle here and there for him to be fresh again.
'What the fuck was I even thinking...'
"Juan?"
"Sorry I thinking of something way more important that your entire existence," Juan's eyes squish happily, visible to Y/N from the mirror.
"You're a menace. You didn't hear what I said?"
"No..."
"I was just asking if we can stop by that place over there, I think Lana would like those fruits. Of course, only if you don't mind. I mean, you're the one helping my cannot-drive self out."
Juan lightly nodded, turning his wheel to get on the other side of the road.
It was a simple mini market, the fruit stand looked stunning under the rain with it's sparkling lights. Juan looked over Y/N while she ask prices. He swears there's something fishy going on with his little crush's life. Or rather, he knows that something is wrong.
He's just not sure, but somehow his heart tells him it is what he thought it was.
"Y/N, would you be in a hurry to go home after we visit Lana?"
She grabs a plastic filled with fruits she bought, Juan abruptly moves his hand to hold it for her instead. After a thankful smile, Y/N nodded no at him, "I won't be in a hurry. Why?"
"I just... wanna bring you to eat whatever," Juan murmurs, "Rare, I know, but there's always a first for everything."
"Hahah, of course. I was also planning to return from the hospital earlier than usual. We worked hard earlier today, too, sooo I don't think treating ourself a little would be considered procrastinating."
The sound of the rain suddenly got muted by the car's doors, where the two suddenly realize how loud the rain was. Grabbing on the driving steer, Juan's attention averted to Y/N when she calls his name.
"Lookie, I bought Lana a phone while waiting for you earlier."
"What." Juan looked down on her hands to see a legit box for a phone, or whatever he wanted to explain it as. "When did you even bought that?"
"I told you it was while I waited for you," Y/N says as she attempt to open the box, "I've been looking to buy her one for a while, so I already talked to the store people and stuff. I only bought it today."
"You know we haven't known each other that long, right?" Juan starts up the car, "Why doesn't Lana have a phone in the first place?" he begin rotating the car, before hitting the gas.
"She was focusing all her money on my needs. But now i'm the one who should do that. Just helping her out makes me feel like I succeed already," Y/N was setting up the phone in another box, after turning it on and looking through the settings of it, "With this, I won't have to stay for hours in the hospital anymore. She could call me when she actually misses me."
"And you can finish more work?"
"And I can finish more work, until she's fine again. Could maybe even fix broken parts of the house up!"
"Sounds sweet, but you know you'd have to work harder, right?"
"Yup."
-
"Oh, Y/N and Juan! Welcome." Eden greets while Y/N and Juan were on their way to the lift.
"Hi, Eden," Y/N smiles his way.
"What's that on your hand? A gift for Lana, I'm guessing?"
While waiting for the lift to come down, Y/N nods, "Yeah! And can I ask for help from the nurse who looks after Lana?" Eden nods, "Tell me what it'd be. She's not here at the moment."
"I bought Lana a phone and set it up for her, but my mind won't sit tight until I'm sure she won't struggle to operate it. Can you ask her to guide Lana? I'd even buy her food every time I come visit."
"Hahah, I'll ask her later when she comes back," Eden smiles, "But really, it's her duty to take care of whoever she's responsible for. You shouldn't be too nice like that, else it'd become a burden time by time."
"He's right," Juan nods.
The lift doors slide open, a few people getting off them, while Y/N and Juan wave Eden's way before getting inside. A wave was given back.
-
"Why is she asleep a lot these days..." Y/N close the door behind her quietly. "Isn't that great? You can kinda surprise her by putting the gift on the table. Place a sweet note or something."
"Well, yeah. It's not like I hate seeing her rest a lot or anything. I just miss hearing her voice, but I guess it's better for her to heal." Y/N place the gift down, writing a note with random paper and pen she found, not forgetting to tell Lana to ask for help if she was confused over something to the nurse, and also telling Lana she won't be visiting a lot anymore.
'If you feel uncomfy about this, tell me! I can always stay the same as how I usually visit you. Just lemme know!'
"Wherever this disease came from, I want nobody to come near it," Y/N close the curtains, arranging a few items on the room with cold hands, "It's annoying."
"What is Lana suffering from, anyways?" Juan perks his head up. Y/N didn't even look at him while answering with, "Achalasia. Basically, the way that's supposed to be for her food is damaged, so it's hard for those food and liquid to pass."
Juan looked over Lana. He always thought she was skinnier every few days.
"She used to be fine, but while I was at university she somehow got this disease, so she had to get esophageal dilatation. It was fine after that, but this thing reoccurred again around the time I started getting this job. To get esophageal dilatation again, it's going to be hard... it's expensive."
"Stupid move to join a small company with your potential," Juan leans back on the door. "No other place accepted me."
"I can help, you know I live for my own, right?" Juan's tone sounded sincere, almost like he was sure this could be done in just a few helps. But Y/N nods no, "That's the main point why I won't ask your help. If we both broke, who else is going to help us?"
"True."
A pair of ears catch the sound of the wind from inside their room- but not just the wind they had heard.