Nathan Cain

It had already been two months since you started working there.

Nathan Caine wasn't one to pay attention to people. He preferred to keep quiet and to himself.

But with you it was different.

Without realizing it, he began to observe everything — her hurried arrival, her laughter, the way she spoke to everyone… except him.

And that bothered me more than it should have.

Because he liked you.

And you had no idea. "Are you always this quiet?" you asked one day.

He looked at you for a second.

"Only when no one starts a conversation."

You smiled.

And that stuck in his head more than it should have.

At the end of your shift, you dropped something.

• "There…"

Nathan approached quickly.

• "Let me see."

You showed me your hand, which was slightly bruised.

"It hurts, you know?" you said.

He was silent for a moment.

"I don't feel that way."

• "What?"

He looked at you, seriously.

• "Pain."

Nathan Caine adjusted his lab coat, keeping a restrained smile. She entered, looking around with curiosity and a slight laugh.

— Hello. — she said. — Nathan. Welcome. — he replied calmly, but feeling something stir inside.

While attending to her, she noticed every detail: the way she played with her hair, her gaze fixed on objects, the way she broke his silent routine. In the end, she left smiling. He returned the smile, outwardly calm, inwardly restless. Something had changed, and nothing would ever be so predictable again.