"You have a journal?" his mother asked, her eyes widening slightly as she carefully placed the meal tray on Ethan's bed table. "I didn't even notice you brought one in here. Did Lei bring it for you? Or was it August? Either way, it's a good thing to have—especially if you're getting bored in here."

"Lei brought it for me," Ethan replied, his tone nonchalant, though he couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips.

BUCKET LIST:
1. To sing a song with an audience ✔
2. To dance under the heavy rain ✔
3. To read a book ✔
4. To play with kids ✔
5. To socialize with other people
6. To take a selfie with a digital camera
7. To wish upon a star
8. To eat foods under the hate list
9. To never lie
10. To love myself

Ethan smiled softly as he ran a yellow highlighter over the fourth item on his bucket list. Recalling his time in the children's playroom, he found himself questioning why he had always harbored such a strong aversion to kids. Children weren't supposed to evoke fear—they were meant to bring joy, laughter, and warmth.

Or perhaps it wasn't the kids themselves.

Maybe he was just scared.

Scared of something buried deep within him, something tied to the fragments of memories he couldn't quite piece together.

"You look happy," his mother observed, her voice breaking into his thoughts. She glanced at him with a knowing smile. "Do you want to talk about it? I don't want to ruin the mood, especially when you're smiling like that after spending time in the playroom."

"Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow," Ethan replied, his smile fading slightly. "Or before my surgery?"

"Whenever you're ready," she assured him gently.

"By the way, have you heard anything from Lei or August?" he asked, leaning back into his pillow. "Lei said he'd visit me today, but I was out all day at the playroom and didn't leave a note."

"Lei texted me earlier," his mother replied, settling into the chair beside his bed. "He's swamped at the café—two of his staff called in sick. And August told me he'll drop by tomorrow after finishing a volunteer project with Vernon in the province."

"Can you ask August to bring my camera when he comes?"

"Of course. I'll text him after we finish dinner, okay?"

Ethan nodded, his thoughts already wandering to tomorrow. He imagined the hospital rooftop garden, a serene escape with vibrant greenery and flowers. It would make the perfect backdrop for the photos he had in mind. The scenery might be breathtaking, but he believed the real masterpiece would be the subject in front of the lens.

After dinner, his mother kissed him on the forehead and bid him goodnight, leaving him alone by the window. Moonlight spilled into the room, soft and silvery, as Ethan turned his attention back to his journal.

Humming the children's song still lingering in his memory, he flipped to a fresh page for the first time in weeks. His fingers brushed over the familiar raffia ribbon glued to the edges, the worn texture a reminder of the stories within.

"Our love story will be our greatest adventure," he read aloud, his eyes tracing the delicate handwriting. Below it was a name written with the same careful strokes—Dawn.

"Luckily, I've found someone like you, my greatest love in this lifetime," the next line said.

Ethan chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Cheesy," he muttered, though a warmth spread through his chest. "Whoever Dawn's partner is, they're so damn lucky."

He was about to turn the page when his gaze fell on something scrawled in the bottom corner. The words were simple, yet they struck him with a force he didn't understand.

"Let's meet again in another life?"

Ethan's breath hitched. His chest tightened, the weight of an unfamiliar ache settling over him. The words shouldn't have meant anything, but they did.

Why did his heart feel as though it had been shattered and rebuilt all at once?

***

Morning came, and Ethan found himself back in the children's playroom. He sat quietly, waiting for the same annoying kid who had managed to leave an impression on him yesterday. But later, a nurse approached with an update: the child had undergone surgery the previous night.

Loneliness swept over him. Calling it an understatement felt inadequate—Ethan's heart felt heavy. For a fleeting moment, he wished Dawson would appear in front of him, like he always did when Ethan felt lost or afraid of the uncertainties ahead.

He was just about to leave when a hand lightly touched his shoulder, startling him so much that he nearly jumped off the floor. Spinning around, his wide eyes locked onto a familiar face—the young man from yesterday.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," the man said with a warm smile. "I'm Paul, by the way. And you are?"

Ethan froze, his heart pounding—not with excitement, but with anxiety. Socializing with strangers had never been his forte, and the situation was no exception. He averted his gaze, trying to steady his breathing, but it felt like his chest was tightening with every second that passed.

Finally, after biting his lower lip to ground himself, he managed a small smile. If he was going to complete Dawn's bucket list, he needed to overcome this fear. Little steps, he reminded himself.

"The name's Ethan," he said, his voice quieter than he'd hoped.

"Nice to meet you, Ethan," Paul said, squatting comfortably on the floor and motioning for Ethan to join him. "If you're wondering why AJ isn't here, he's probably with JJ."

"JJ?" Ethan blinked, his brows furrowing. "AJ has a twin brother?"

Paul grinned. "Yup, identical twins. A lot of the nurses here have trouble telling them apart. Actually, they gave you the wrong name yesterday—it wasn't AJ you met, it was JJ. AJ's the one who had surgery last night."

Ethan gasped as the pieces clicked in his mind. The similarities between the two kids suddenly made sense.

"Twins, huh? That explains a lot," he murmured.

"Exactly. JJ wanted to spend time here before his surgery call time," Paul continued, handing Ethan a plastic ball. "Then I saw you playing with AJ—he's the noisy one, in case you didn't notice."

Ethan chuckled softly, shooting the ball into a nearby hoop. "Thanks for clearing that up, Paul. I'd like to stay and talk more, but I have to get going. A friend of mine's visiting today, and he's probably waiting for me."

"No problem," Paul said with an easy smile, waving as Ethan stood. "See you around, Ethan."

"See you—whenever," Ethan replied, waving back as he walked out.

Back in his room, Ethan stopped short at the sight of August sprawled out on the sofa, sound asleep. The man looked like a cuddly polar bear, and Ethan couldn't resist the mischievous grin spreading across his face. He tiptoed closer, debating his next move. After a brief internal argument, he gave in to temptation and launched a full-scale tickle attack.

August jolted awake, yelping before both of them dissolved into laughter, rolling around on the floor like kids. For a moment, Ethan forgot about his worries and his pain, allowing himself to bask in the simplicity of joy.

"How long were you waiting for me?" Ethan asked between giggles as they finally settled down.

"Two hours," August deadpanned, but the glint in his eyes betrayed him.

Ethan arched an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

August snickered, shaking his head. "Nah, just messing with you. Around ten minutes. The sofa was too comfy to resist, so I dozed off."

Ethan rolled his eyes and joined August on the sofa. After a moment of silence, he sighed. "I need to ask you something, and I hope you won't mind."

"Go ahead," August replied, his curiosity piqued.

"I met someone at the children's playroom today," Ethan began hesitantly. "I wasn't scared of the kids—they're easy enough to deal with. But when this guy approached me. . . I don't know. I felt scared? Anxious? It's like something inside me locked up."

August frowned slightly. "It wasn't the kids, then?"

Ethan shook his head. "No. It's different. It's like. . . I'm afraid of letting people in. But why? I don't get it."

August leaned back, staring thoughtfully out the window. "Do you remember what we told you about the accident? The rain wasn't the only thing you became afraid of after that. You stopped letting people into your life, even people who genuinely cared. You never explained why."

"So you think I lied to everyone about it?"

August bit his lip before nodding slowly. "You made us believe you'd lost faith in people—that trusting anyone would only lead to heartbreak. But deep down, we all knew there was more to it. Year after year, the truth stayed buried, and you never let us in."

Ethan's shoulders slumped. "But why not kids? I mean, I was fine with JJ and AJ yesterday."

August sighed, finally meeting Ethan's gaze. "Because your issue with kids is separate. You've been working through that already, whether you realize it or not. Letting people in, though? That's a different story. And maybe," August paused, his voice softening, "it's time you let yourself face it."

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