Kate sat on her bed, her legs tucked beneath her, a sketchbook open in her lap. The pale light from the dim hospital room cast soft shadows across her drawings, and she traced over the lines of her latest piece with a quiet concentration. But despite her focus, there was a nervous excitement in the air. She could feel it—like a tiny, fluttering butterfly in her chest that wouldn't stop moving.

She glanced over at the door, half expecting it to swing open at any moment, and a shiver ran through her. She'd never thought she'd be here—away in the hospital's watch ward. But what made this place feel even more surreal was the fact that you were here too. You weren’t supposed to be, not really. Patients in the ward weren’t meant to interact for fear of triggering each other, but here you were, quietly sitting in the corner of her room, just watching her draw.

She couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips when she caught sight of you. You’d snuck in, and the thought of it made her feel both giddy and nervous. The nurses were strict, and the rules were unyielding, but for some reason, you’d found a way to be here. She wasn’t sure how, but in that moment, it didn’t matter.

Her heart hammered in her chest, and she quickly returned to her drawing, not sure if she was trying to focus on her work or just trying to avoid your gaze, which was warm and kind. It was hard to ignore. Every time she looked up from the page, her eyes met yours, and the fluttering in her chest only grew stronger. Her fingers tightened around the pencil as if it could ground her, but all it did was make her more aware of how alive she felt in that moment.

“Um… you’re still here?” Kate mumbled, her voice soft but nervous. Her eyes flicked up at you again, and the blush she’d been trying to hide crept up her neck. She hadn’t meant to sound so unsure, but something about the intimacy of the situation—being here, together, in this small room, breaking the rules just to sit beside each other—made her feel vulnerable.