Sam sits in a wheelchair, his body still recovering from the ordeal. Yuna gently pushes him down the hospital corridor, her expression etched with concern. As they approach Jake's room, Sam feels a pang of guilt and gratitude, knowing the loyal bodyguard risked his life to protect him.
Yuna pauses outside the door, offering Sam an encouraging nod. "We're here," she says softly. "Are you ready?"
Sam takes a deep breath and nods, his gaze resolute. "Yes, I need to see him."
Yuna pushes the door open, and they enter the dimly lit hospital room. Jake lies in the bed, his face bruised and bandaged. Sam's heart sinks at the sight, and he wheels himself closer, reaching out to grasp Jake's hand.
"Jake," Sam says, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have had to go through this because of me."
Jake's eyes flutter open, and a weak smile spreads across his lips. "Boss... you're safe. That's all that matters."
Sam shakes his head, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "No, you almost died protecting me. I can't thank you enough for your bravery."
Jake squeezes Sam's hand, his grip surprisingly strong despite his injuries. "It was my duty... and my honor. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
Yuna stands back, her expression somber as she watches the exchange, her heart swelling with admiration for Jake's unwavering loyalty.
Sam squeezes Jake's hand, his brow furrowed with concern. "Jake, will you be okay? How bad are your injuries?"
Jake offers a reassuring smile. "I'll recover, boss, but the medical bills are going to be steep." He lets out a weary chuckle. "Guess I won't be going on any missions for a while."
Sam's expression shifts to one of determination. "Don't worry about the bills, Jake. I'll cover them, no questions asked."
Jake's eyes widen in surprise. "Boss, I can't ask you to do that. It's too much."
Sam shakes his head firmly. "You risked your life for me. Let me do this for you." He pauses, his voice softening. "You're more than just a bodyguard, Jake. You're a friend."
Jake blinks back tears, overcome with gratitude. "Thank you, Sam. I don't know what to say."
Yuna watches the exchange, a small smile playing on her lips. She's grateful to see the bond between the two men, and she knows Sam's offer will mean the world to Jake.
The door to Jake's hospital room creaks open, and a young girl with bright eyes peeks inside. Emi steps into the room, her backpack slung over one shoulder. She looks at Sam and Yuna with curiosity, then turns to her brother.
"Are these your friends?" Emi asks, her voice soft but clear.
Jake smiles warmly. "Yes, Emi. This is Sam and Yuna. Sam is the developer I work for, and Yuna is his colleague."
Sam offers a gentle wave from his wheelchair. "Hi, Emi. It's nice to meet you."
Yuna steps forward with a friendly smile. "Hello, Emi. Jake has told us a lot about you."
Emi looks at them, her initial shyness giving way to a bright smile. "Hi, Sam. Hi, Yuna. It's good to meet you too."
Sam's expression grew heavy with guilt. "Emi, I'm so sorry about Jake. This happened because of me."
Emi looked at Sam with surprising maturity. Her eyes, bright and clear, held no accusation. "Mr. Sam, you don't need to apologize. Jake was just doing his job."
She stepped closer to her brother's bed, her small hand resting on Jake's arm. "Jake would have done this for anyone. He's always been like that - protecting people is what he does."
Jake smiled weakly, reaching out to ruffle his sister's hair. "That's right, squirt. Someone's got to look out for people who can't protect themselves."
Sam watched the interaction, touched by Emi's understanding and Jake's unwavering commitment. Her words rang with a wisdom beyond her years, a testament to their close relationship and Jake's character.
"Jake always saves people," Emi continued, her voice matter-of-fact. "It doesn't matter who they are. If someone needs help, he's there."
Sam's smile softened as he watched the siblings interact. Their bond was clear and genuine, a testament to their shared experiences and mutual love.
"Emi," Sam asked, "did you celebrate your birthday recently?"
Emi shook her head. "No, not really. Jake was working, and we didn't have much money for a big celebration."
Sam's expression brightened. "When Jake recovers, I'll throw you a proper birthday party. I'll cover everything - cake, presents, decorations. Whatever you want."
Yuna glanced at Sam, touched by his generosity. Jake looked surprised, his eyes wide with gratitude.
"Really?" Emi's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Anything I want?"
"Absolutely," Sam confirmed, his tone warm and sincere. "We'll make sure it's a birthday you'll never forget."
Jake looked uncertain, his brow furrowing. "Sam, you don't have to do this. We can't accept such a generous offer."
Sam leaned forward, his wheelchair bringing him closer to Jake's bedside. "I insist," he said firmly. "This happened because of me. If you hadn't been protecting me, you wouldn't be in this hospital bed."
Emi glanced between her brother and Sam, sensing the tension. Jake opened his mouth to protest again, but Sam cut him off.
"No arguments," Sam said. "I want to help. And I want Emi to have the birthday celebration she deserves."
Jake's resistance began to crumble. The guilt in Sam's eyes was genuine, and he could see how much this meant to the developer. More importantly, he could see the hope sparkling in Emi's eyes at the prospect of a real birthday party.
"Are you sure?" Jake asked, his voice soft.
Sam nodded. "Absolutely. It's the least I can do."
Emi's eyes lit up with excitement, her imagination already racing with possibilities. "Can I really have anything I want?" she asked, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.
Sam smiled warmly. "Anything you want, Emi. This will be the best birthday ever."
The young girl began listing her dreams rapid-fire. "I want a Batman cake! And maybe some comics? And can we have games? Oh, and I want balloons - lots of balloons!" Her hands moved animatedly as she spoke, her previous concern for her injured brother momentarily forgotten in the rush of birthday anticipation.
Jake watched his sister's excitement, a soft smile spreading across his face. Yuna chuckled, enjoying Emi's infectious joy. Sam nodded, making mental notes of everything Emi mentioned.
"Batman comics?" Sam confirmed. "Absolutely. And balloons? Consider it done."
Emi bounced on her toes, her imagination running wild with thoughts of the perfect birthday celebration. Her eyes sparkled with pure, unbridled excitement, dreaming of the party Sam had promised to create for her.
"It's going to be the best birthday ever!" she declared, her voice filled with absolute certainty.
///
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Advance chapters in my P@|r$0n/Najicablitz