Taehyung woke up quite late.
The first thing that came to his mind was to check on Ashley. It's his second time staying over.
He felt so soft thinking about last night. Did Ashley really mean it? Or was it just some alcohol talking?
What was she doing? He knew she has a night shift today, which makes her morning free.

He came out of the guest room. The door of Ashley's room was open and she was not inside.

Taehyung came down. Ashley was nowhere to be found. The second time he came into the living room, he noticed the note on the coffee table. He picked it.

" Sorry for leaving early. It was an emergency.
Sorry for not staying for breakfast. There's everything in the fridge, please help yourself."
- A

Taehyung smiled to himself. It was almost 9 A.M. When did she leave?

Ashley thumped on her chair and closed her eyes. She barely had slept last night and she was paged super early this morning.
Dr. Martin called for a day off at the last minute and Ashley was there to fill the void for his duty.
That means she has to fill his morning and afternoon shifts and her night shift as well.
She already performed a meningocele surgery from the dawn.

She was tired to the core, the ending of the afternoon shift seemed decades later. She didn't have her breakfast yet. Did Taehyung get her message?

"Dr. Ruth?" suddenly Sharon peeked her head in.

Ashley opened her eyes and looked at her with a question.

"As you are filling for Dr. Martin today, will you attend his appointments too? And what about the residents?"

"Cut me some slack, Sharon," Ashley sighed. "I had performed a surgery a few minutes ago. Give me some time to take a breather."

"It's just the people, they are waiting," Sharon said guiltily.

"Inform them about the situation. If they want Dr. Martin, tell his PA to make an apology for the last-minute cancellation and to reschedule the date.
But if they are ok with me seeing them, I will attend to them but they have to give me some time," Ashley answered. "And about the residents,  they can come and join my residents for today."

"I will explain the situation to them," Sharon nodded and went out.

Ashley again closed her eyes. She didn't mind attending to patients but she needed some time to clear her head today. And unfortunately, today was her busiest day.
Luckily she was not feeling the alcohol effect from last night. She couldn't have performed the surgery today if she had.

Sharon again peeked in, " Dr. Ruth, I  informed them about the situation, some of them are ok with you attending them. I told them to come back at 11. I left the patient's portfolios with your PA."

"Thank you, Sharon. Please tell my PA to not let anyone in before 11 unless it's an emergency," Ashley nodded.

Sharon left closing the door behind. It was 9:30. That makes a decent amount of time for her to take a nap and change her scrubs. She hated to put on the same scrubs after any surgery.

She dozed off very fast lying on the couch near the window for a quick nap for half an hour.

Ashley's internal clock woke her up right in time.

Ashley got up and almost jumped seeing someone sitting on the chair in front of her desk. It was Taehyung.

" God! Tae! You scared me!" Ashley exclaimed.

Taehyung flashed a smile.

"Who let you in? Nina is so dead!" Ashley frowned thinking of her PA.

"Don't blame her. I have my way to gain a free ticket!" Taehyung was still smiling.

"What makes you come here?" Ashley put on her apron and walked up to her chair.

Taehyung brought out a brown paper bag from his side and put that on her desk.

"What's that?" Ashley opened the bag and peeked in. "Something smells good!!"

" Bet you didn't have your breakfast?" Taehyung winked at her.

"You bought me breakfast?" Ashley smiled.

"Bought us breakfast," Taehyung corrected her.

Ashley emptied the bag. There were some neatly packed sandwiches, potato rosti with smashed avo, feta and bacon, two tumblers of black coffee and green tea, two apples, and one cup of soup.

Ashley raised one eyebrow seeing the last one.

"It's good for a hangover," Taehyung smiled.

"Why do you keep thinking that I was drunk?" Ashley laughed.

" You beat the crap out of a dude when you were drunk. And you beat me without even being drunk. You get drunk over a can of beer cause you are a lightweight. But you are totally sober even after you drank down half a bottle of wine!" Taehyung pouted,
" God! you are so confusing!"

Ashley chuckled and handed him one sandwich. She was hungry. And what happened after her near- dying- of hunger stage, she clearly couldn't remember. When she was conscious again, her table was already empty.

"Did I just eat them all?" Ashley was dumbfounded. "Don't tell me that I  blacked out and ate them all!!"

"What? No!" Taehyung laughed, "I ate too. But it was cute seeing you attack the foods like that!"

"Tae!" Ashley shot a glare at him.

"That was cute," Taehyung chuckled.

Ashley looked at her watch. She had another thirty minutes in her hand.

"Are you busy today?" Taehyung asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Ashley sighed.
"I have to fill in for Dr. Martin. He once filled in for me."

"Ash..." Taehyung mumbled, "I was meant to say this earlier, but..."

"You are going back?" Ashley smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I was going to tell you yesterday," Taehyung smiled weakly.

"I understand," Ashley nodded.
"Didn't think it would be this fast though. When?"

"Today. The flight is in this afternoon."

Ashley remained silent.

"Ash..."

"It's ok, Tae. I won't hold you back. I just...I can't get to see you off. I have surgery this afternoon," Her voice was low.

Taehyung got up from his chair, went around the desk, and stood in front of her.

Ashley looked at him with questions in her eyes.
Taehyung sat on the tabletop in front of her.

"I wanted to ask you, Ash..."

Ashley touched Taehyung's hand, "I know you are confused. "

"About last night..." Taehyung started.

"Yeah about that," Ashley's face reddened, "I told you I wasn't drunk."

"Are you sure it's not a moment of impulse?" Taehyung finally revealed his insecurities.

Ashley looked away, "I was never more sure of anything."

Taehyung got flustered, this thing was killing him inside, "You said you don't like me."

" You are dumber than I thought," Ashley looked down trying to hide her flustered expression.

"Of course I am dumb. What do you expect from me who literally had his first kiss with you? Though Hoseok hyung would disagree with me." Taehyung was smiling up to his ear.

"But it was not my first..." Ashley's voice suddenly sank.

Taehyung reached for her face and made her face him.

"I don't care what that maniac did to you Ash," his voice was so soft.

Ashley's eyes started to tear up looking at the man in front of him.

" It was our first kiss. And I certainly don't want it to be our last." Taehyung leaned in to kiss her.

The door suddenly opened with a peeking head of Sharon saying, " Dr. Ruth?" and Ashley jerked out of his hand and Taehyung turned his back straight to Sharon's face.

" Damn, Sharon. Knock please!" Ashley managed to say somehow.

Sharon was puzzled for a second. And sudden light lit her face in a thousand watts.

"Oh my God!!....please don't mind me, I am gonna come back later," Sharon hurriedly backed off and shut the door behind her.

"That was close!" Ashley exhaled sharply.

Taehyung chuckled, " Where were we?"

Ashley's face got reddened again,
"Nowhere."

"You are cute," Taehyung pulled her closer.
"But I guess we have to say goodbye here,"

Ashley nodded mildly.

Taehyung pulled her into a deep embrace.

There was a knock on the door and Sharon peeked again but she was holding a file in front of her face, " I am not seeing anything!....but Dr. Ruth, Your patients are waiting."

"Coming," Ashley replied and Sharon again went out.

"I will miss you," Taehyung's voice was deep.

Ashley made a little hum against his chest and tightened her hands around him.

Taehyung tried to pull out but Ashley mumbled,
"stay like this Tae. Just a little more."

Taehyung again wrapped his arm around her and dipped his face in her hair.
"You know, your hairs smell like the autumn sun? " Taehyung murmured.

"I like you too," Ashley whispered.

"Wait, what?"

"Forget it," Ashley tried to burry her crimson face in his jacket.

"I heard you," Taehyung placed a small kiss on her temple.

Ashley pulled away after a minute.
"I have to attend to the patient."

"I know," Taehyung smiled weakly.
"Suddenly, I don't want to go."

"You have to, Tae. Go."

Taehyung grazed his fingers along her cheek. Ashley put her hand on his hand.

Taehyung kissed her. She was aching in her heart, but she returned the kiss.

"I'll see you again," Taehyung whispered.

Ashley nodded.

Taehyung pulled his mask up and brought the hoodie on.

"Bye, Ash," He opened the door to go out.

"Bye Tae," Ashley replied hiding a sigh.