Chapter 167

I didn't bother asking who the woman with Steve was. Her tight dress and excessive makeup made it clear she wasn't his girlfriend—just a casual encounter.

After Steve left, I looked back at my coffee jelly, only to find Hayden had finished it.

"Let's get something else," he said, unapologetically.

I clenched my jaw. "Sure, whatever."

He pulled me to a food truck selling soup and, this time, ordered two bowls. At least he didn't steal from my portion—likely because it wasn't cold. It wasn't about liking the coffee jelly; he simply didn't want me to eat too much.

He could be so annoying, yet oddly thoughtful.

After the soup, we continued walking past stalls selling vintage clothes, handmade crafts, and potted plants. I bought two flower pots for Hayden. "Your place is seriously drab. These might liven it up."

"Oh, so you think I'm not lively enough?"

"Fine, fine. Maybe they'll add fragrance. Who knows, might even help your love life," I teased.

Hayden smirked, a flirty response on the tip of his tongue. I immediately raised my hand. "Don't. Just don't."

He remained quiet, like a well-behaved boy.

With Hayden carrying the plants, we wandered. It was almost midnight, but the streets bustled with activity. Knowing he worked in the morning, I said, "We should probably head back."

"Are you sure? Want to walk a bit longer?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm tired," I said, feigning a yawn.

We started back, but Hayden was unusually quiet. I didn't notice; I was distracted by the food stalls and trinkets. I spotted a stall with cute floral headpieces, grabbed one, and put it on. "How do I look?"

Silence. Hayden stared, looking… off. He nodded slowly and mumbled, "Uh… It looks nice."

I frowned, stepping closer. "You don't look nice. What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Then I saw it—the beads of sweat on his forehead. My heart skipped a beat as I grabbed his wrist. "Hayden, are you sick?"

"My stomach's acting up," he admitted, without trying to hide it.

My mind flashed back to him devouring the coffee jelly. "It's the coffee jelly, isn't it?"

He hesitated. I tightened my grip. Finally, a small, guilty, "Mm."

Frustration bubbled up. "How long has it been hurting?"

"Since we started walking…"

I raised my hand, ready to scold him, but his pale, sweaty face stopped me. I grabbed his arm. "Alright, we're going to the hospital. Now."

But Hayden didn't move. He gently pulled me back and casually paid for the headpiece. I hadn't planned on buying it, but now, thanks to him, I was stuck with it.

I didn't argue. He looked worse by the second, so I dragged him to the nearest hospital.

It was late, and I doubted we'd find a doctor, so I called Lena. No luck. With no other options, I rushed Hayden to the ER. After a quick checkup and tests, the doctor diagnosed acute gastroenteritis—likely from the contaminated coffee jelly. Weirdly, I was fine. Maybe he ate more than I did.

The solution? An IV drip.

Since Hayden got sick because of me, I wasn't leaving him.

I sat with him in the infusion room, watching the usually tough Hayden look surprisingly vulnerable. The pain softened him—he seemed weak, but endearingly so. It was funny, yet sad.

I couldn't resist. I snapped a picture of him in this rare, helpless state. Hayden noticed, reaching out to stop me. "Hey, stop messing around."

"You're the one messing around," I teased, dodging his hand.

What started as him trying to grab my phone turned into a playful scuffle. Even with the IV, we were laughing like kids—until someone else entered the room.

We froze.

Seeing who it was, my smile tightened.

Chapter 168