chapter 4

After the rooftop incident, Noah’s heart had refused to settle.

Ethan’s hug still lingered in his mind—too close, too warm, too confusing. It had made something inside him panic, and without thinking, he had pulled away and run back to his hospital room.

Now he sat on the edge of the bed, chest rising and falling unevenly.

His hand pressed lightly against his chest.

“Why is my heart doing this?” he muttered.

It wasn’t pain.

It was something he couldn’t explain.

His phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence.

Noah frowned.

The caller ID read: Delivery Guy.

“What kind of name is this…” he muttered before answering.

“Hello?”

A pause.

Then—

“Still running away from me, I see.”

Noah froze instantly.

That voice.

“…Ethan?”

A soft chuckle came through the phone. “So you do recognize me.”

Noah sat up properly. “Why are you calling me like this?”

“Because you weren’t answering my normal calls.”

“I don’t answer unknown numbers.”

“You just did.”

Noah clenched his jaw. “What do you want?”

“To remind you to rest.”

Noah scoffed. “You called just for that?”

“And to make sure you’re not overthinking.”

“That’s not your job.”

A brief silence.

Then Ethan said quietly, “It kind of is.”

Noah didn’t respond.

After a moment, Ethan added, “Sleep, Noah.”

And the call ended.

Noah stared at his phone for a long time.

Then he muttered, “Annoying.”

But he didn’t sound as angry as he wants.

The hospital room was calmer in the morning,Noah sat on the bed while his parents stayed with him, talking quietly about recovery and memory loss.

They spoke carefully, like they were afraid of overwhelming him.

His mother held his hand gently and his father tried to stay positive, but there was still worry in his eyes.

Noah listened, but nothing really stayed in his mind.

Everything still felt distant.

Like it belonged to someone else.

Then the door opened.

A young man stepped inside holding a basket of fruit.

He looked slightly nervous.

“Uh… Noah?”

Noah looked up. “Yes?”

The man smiled politely. “I’m Jaden. I work at your café. I’m your barista.”

Noah nodded slowly. “Right.”

Jaden relaxed a little. “I heard about your accident, so I came to check on you.”

Noah gave a small nod. He already knew about the café, even if it still didn’t feel like his life.

Jaden placed the fruit basket on the table.

“I’ve been keeping things running at the café,” he added. “It’s been… busy without you.”

“Good,” Noah said simply.

There was an awkward pause.

Then Jaden continued, “Everyone’s waiting for you to come back.”

Noah didn’t respond immediately.

Instead, he just looked down slightly.

“I’ll deal with it when I’m out,” he said flatly.

Jaden nodded quickly. “Okay… I just wanted to let you know.”

Then he left.

Silence returned.

Noah leaned back against the bed.

Even the café—something he was supposed to own—felt like a responsibility attached to a stranger.

The next day came quickly,Noah was dressed and ready.His mother and brother were with him, helping with his things.

The mood was lighter, but Noah wasn’t.

Then the door opened again.

Ethan walked in.

Noah immediately frowned. “Of course.”

Ethan greeted his parents politely before turning to him.

“You’re ready?”

Noah crossed his arms. “I was ready until you showed up.”

His brother sighed softly. “Noah…”

But Noah wasn’t interested.

Then Ethan spoke calmly.

“I already settled your hospital bills.”

That made Noah pause slightly.

“What?”

“And I’m here to take you home.”

Silence.

Noah stared at him.

“…Home?” he repeated slowly. “Why would I go home with you?”

Before Ethan could answer, his brother stepped in carefully.

“You’ve been living with him for four years.”

That hit hard.

Noah turned sharply. “Four years?”

His brother nodded.

Noah looked back at Ethan. “You’re serious?”

“Yes,” Ethan replied simply.

Noah exhaled through his nose. “This still doesn’t make sense.”

But no one argued.

Because they couldn’t change what he didn’t remember.

Noah stood outside the hospital,Bag in hand,Family behind him,Ethan beside him.

The decision had already been made.

And Noah hated that.

“This is ridiculous,” he muttered.

Ethan opened the car door. “Get in.”

Noah hesitated.

Just for a second.

Then he looked back at his family.

They weren’t stopping him.

Only watching.

Letting him go.

His jaw tightened.

“This isn’t over,” he said quietly.

Ethan glanced at him. “It never started for you.”

That sentence confused him more than anything else.

But before he could argue again, Ethan gestured once more.

“Let’s go,” he said.

Noah exhaled sharply…

Then got into the car.

The door closed.

And once again—

He was taken away.

Into a life he couldn’t remember.

With a man he still didn’t understand.

And a past that refused to return.

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