"Number one hundred and five!" shouted the clerk behind the counter.
The hospital lobby was still crowded, even though the rain hadn't stopped. Jason had to take Val to a smaller hospital near his apartment; the road to the main hospital, three blocks away from the building, was flooded and completely jammed.
Val ended up in a crowded three-bed ward. A nurse just hung an IV bag next to Val's bed. He was still unconscious, his face pale and flushed with fever. The nurse smiled at Jason and then left the two alone.
Jason couldn't stop looking at him. What had happened? Why was the kid out in that downpour? Even though the large ward was noisy, Jason felt incredibly lonely. Seeing Val so helpless ached in his chest.
"Hey, you little rascal, what were you thinking?" Jason whispered, taking Val's hand and holding it. He raise his hand to brushed Val's hair from his wet forehead.
Slowly, Val opened his eyes, looking at Jason weakly.
"Hey, are you alright?" Jason asked.
Val looked at Jason for a moment, as if piecing together his memories. His eyes widened as he realized he was in a hospital. He tried to sit up. Had Jason brought him here?
"Boss, this… where are we?"
Jason gently pushed Val back down.
"Hey, don't move. You have a fever. Lie down and close your eyes."
Val looked around. This wasn't the hospital he knew.
"This…"
Jason pursed his lips. The room was too crowded; how could a patient possibly rest properly there?
"Well, sorry, the tunnel lead to the central hospital was flooded, so I could only bring you here. What happened? Why were you out in the rain like that?" Jason asked.
Val glanced at his boss for a moment, try to stay calm. At least this wasn't the hospital he used to go.
"Ugh, Boss, I don't feel so good. Could we just go home now? A little sleep might help," Val said, his voice hoarse.
Jason got up, trying to raise the head of Val's bed. He was about to sit back down when Val's hand stopped him. The young man buried his head in Jason's arm.
"Val…" Val's back was too thin; Jason could feel his shoulder blades clearly.
Val remained silent, his breathing heavy, his chest hurting. Jason stroked Val's back until he gradually calmed down and fell asleep in his arms. Something was clearly bothering him.
Jason patted Val's back gently.
"Sleep, Val. Get some good rest, okay? Don't worry about anything unnecessary. Whatever it is, I'll always be here for you," Jason whispered.
....
The next day.
A bright morning at the playground across from the office building.
Alex and Anwar, along with Val and the new marketing staff member, Roger, had set up a tent for their new product showcase. Alex and Anwar carried two large boxes of equipment and food from the car while Val and Roger set up tables and arranged items on display.
"Val, tell us if you get tired, okay? You just discharged from the hospital. We don't want the boss yelling at us for giving you too much work," Anwar said.
Val pursed his lips, annoyed at Anwar and Alex's teasing him.
"Don't make fun of me. What does that have to do with the boss? We're working here. Like I had any other choice?" said Val, glancing at Roger, the newbie, who was still busy separating promotional items from freebies and other things.
Alex and Anwar chuckled.
"He's only been here a day, Val, cut him some slack. Besides, the boss's idea was to keep you from baking in the sun like this," Anwar said.
Alex pursed his lips.
"Yeah, you're lucky the boss is at a supplier meeting. Otherwise, you wouldn't be allowed out."
"Come on, you guys are so noisy," Val said, moving away from his two colleagues who had been grumbling like old women.
Jason tightened his lips, annoyed after seeing a photo in the office group chat showing Val smiling sweetly at customers behind a display counter.
"That brat, I told him not to go out, why is he so stubborn?"
Impatiently, Jason quickly typed a response to the photo.
"Wow, what a great picture!"
Soon, several stickers from other staff appeared.
"Of course, boss, who else in the photo?"
Jason was exasperated. He typed a private message to Val's number. Val, busy handing out food samples behind the counter, didn't notice the incoming message.
"Get back to the office immediately, we have an important meeting."
Val didn't reply, unpatiently, Jason typed again.
"If you don't get back to the office on time, I'll cut your meal allowance. Oh yeah, no ice cream tonight because you'll complain about a stomachache again later."
Jason pursed his lips, annoyed that Val was ignoring him. Ria, sitting next to him, looked over; she heard a notification on her phone. They were in a meeting with a major material supplier, but their boss didn't seem focused. Ria widened her eyes; her boss was typing in the group chat, and nobody dared to reply.
....
At the showcase, Anwar widened his eyes, looking at his phone screen. He nudged Val, who was busy chatting with customers—mostly young women admiring his handsome features.
"Here you go, this is a new product from our company, please have a try."
Anwar glanced at Alex beside him, showing him the boss's message in the group chat. Alex looked at Val.
"Who else but Val? Better not to read it; the boss will get so furious," Alex whispered.
"If he doesn't want us to read it, why send it to the group? The boss is so weird," Anwar whispered back.
.....
The next day.
Jason passed the pantry where Val was alone making coffee. He glanced around, noticing no one else was there.
"Hey, where's everyone?" Jason asked, approaching from behind.
His voice startled Val. He turned suddenly, and bump the coffee cup against Jason's chest.
"Oof, Boss!"
Jason was stunned. Hot coffee splashed his shirt, the heat penetrating from his thin layer shirt to his skin. He bit his lips from groaning.
"Oh"
Val's eyes widened. He quickly put the coffee down, grabbed a bunch of napkins, and started dabbing at Jason's now brown-stained shirt.
"Oh, forgive me, Boss. I didn't see you."
Jason's lips tightened in annoyance. He didn't know what to say; he was angry and frustrated, but Val's face as he wiped his shirt was adorable. How could he be mad at him?
Jason took Val's tiny hand, stopping his movements. The young man looked up, his large pretty eyes meeting his.
"Boss..."
Jason couldn't look away. At that moment, it was like only Val's face existed in his vision. Those big eyes, the long, fluttering eyelashes like butterflies, his sharp nose, and full, peachy lips. He was mesmerized, speechless, until a sound from outside the pantry broke the spell.
"That's why we can't stay quiet," said Erin, the administrative staff.
Jason let go of Val and took a step back.
Val quickly looked away; the hot air and spilled coffee made him feel incredibly uncomfortable. The tension just now, made his heart beat so incredibly fast.