"Ha-Ha-Hachoo! Oh, God. Excuse me."

"Bless you." My dear partner spoke from behind her PC - her tone as robotic as the steady typing emanating from her desk.

"I get you're unhappy we just have paperwork for the day, but you shouldn't act that fazed by it."

"Are you suggesting that me treating you with any level of decency is that out of the ordinary?"

"Quite frankly, yes," I answered shortly, returning to the stack of papers in my hand that almost ended up scattered on the floor after my brief jerk.

"Fine. As long as you don't let last month repeat itself, I couldn't care less, really." As she finished her statement and work, the clack from folding her laptop shot me back into the memory she had brought up - a story of pain, confusion, and, more notably, entirely taking place in my room.

Well, that and my own mind. And we all know how terrifying that place is.

It was a few months after we had settled things with Keith. The day was just like any other, perhaps colder than usual, but I couldn't tell you as the thing that stands out from my recollection is the vivid, tangible, and unforgettable,

"Pain. So much pain. Ugh, God, I wanna die." My voice came out, barely piercing the humid and stagnant air within the corners of my quarters. A migraine tore my skull in two as I felt my nasals clog with even more fluid. I could barely even see through my tear-laden eyes, and while I could still feel my limbs, even moving them felt like it would sap what remaining strength I had left. So, you may wonder, what happened to such a strapping, healthy, and youthful lad, such as myself, that would cause such a stir in my systems?... Well.

"How the hell do people do this?" I sucked up what traces of air I could through my nose before continuing, "I should've never agreed to this stupid idea." To be quick, I was cursing a pair of people for having coerced me into a marathon. So the case is closed! I ran in a physically taxing event, overexerted myself, and ended up in this state, right?

A ting! sounded from my phone, which was just close enough for me to wrap my fingers around it without actually moving my arms. The facial recognition struggled to identify me as my physical condition turned my visage unrecognizable. But after inputting in the passkey, I saw where the notification had come from with dismay - causing my already lifeless husk to die inside just a little bit more.

"So, have you finished watching the series? You watched mine first, right? Also, who do you think was the best couple? I personally think that..."

"Just checking in. Did you already watch it? Season two is also available if you enjoyed it! Of course, there's also the light novel and the games and..."

Two messages from two people flashed into my eyes, both coming from a pair of hobby-driven cuckoos I had the displeasure of having as friends.

Just what I needed, guys. Thanks.

In short, I had gotten caught in a young couple's first marital dispute. Hunter and Ilya, some of our more notable clients when I started working, decided they wanted to recommend Myla a show, not for any reason - just wanting to have a topic to chat with her about, which, from my experience, is a rarity. The problem therein lay in the show, as the pair, oh how conveniently, disagreed on which show to choose. And being the kind, considerate people that they were had decided that the best choice was to ask me for advice. Now admittedly, this was partly my own doing, as all they asked was for me to choose based on their synopsis. But my hubris, oh how I regret it so now, got the better of me, and like a teenager boasting about being able to drink alcohol, I proudly declared to them in text, "Oh, yeah. I'll just binge-watch both of them when I get home, lol. See you at 3 am LOL."

I regret everything.

I went into a coughing fit right as I turned my phone off - some phlegm along with my device landed on the sheets, drenched in sweat as my body felt like it was on fire. I've never been someone who's sickly. It took quite a lot to get me down. However, whenever I did fall ill, it felt like the second coming of the black death.

"Augh. The worse part is Myla wouldn't even be into either show." I sat on the side of my bed, my hand clenching my stomach as a new ache reminded me of an unmet need of mine.

"I haven't even eaten yet. Not like it matters since all I got in the fridge is microwaveable, and maybe some cup noodles somewhere? I've got a decent salary. And I still eat like a college student." I laughed at myself, feeling like I was losing my sanity in the whole situation. On the bright side, I already called in sick around a few hours ago. I couldn't really remember since I had done it right before falling back into an uncomfortable slumber. And while I'm not quite a corporate slave yet, I am glad they were the first thing I had on my mind as my call was what lead to an unexpected savior arriving right outside my door - like my bedroom door.

Oh God, I'm getting robbed.

I thought as footsteps creaked up the stairs of my home. I know I had kept the doors locked. And there was no other entrance that didn't have them breaking a window. I readied myself as my shallow breaths felt like they drew in more air, not because I was sick but because my body was telling me to run. My cold-induced sweats turned into cold sweats as the handle turned, and at that moment, it occurred to me I was going to die because of a soap opera and a cartoon.

Goodbye world. You were fun, I guess. Sometimes.

Those were the last thoughts that circulated in my head as the door slowly opened...

And then immediately closed before even creating an inch-wide gap.

"Ah, shoot! Um, let's do that again." I heard a voice - that, while muffled, sounded both high-pitched and strangely comforting. The person behind the door cleared their throat before declaring,

"I called on the way, but you weren't answering. Oh, crap, are you even awake yet? I just went and grabbed the key from where you usually left it and barged in...Am I even talking to anyone right now? Ah, screw it." The entrance finally unfurled, revealing a young woman in a navy blue doll collar and ivory-beige slacks - her long brown locks resting on her shoulders.

"Oh! You were awake. Umm, surprise?" the charming visitor's unconventional greeting reached my ears as I also caught sight of the paper bags she held in her splayed hands.

"Amanda?" I said weakly, sitting up slightly, "What the heck are you doing here? No, in the first place, are you even real?"

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Sure! You can go with that as long as you also believe that my botched entrance wasn't real." My spouse-turned-client-turned-guest replied with a chuckle at her expense as she placed the bags onto the floor.

"So, long story short, your office called me and said you got sick. I was the only person in your contact list who was nearby, so here we are! Crazy, right?" She gave me an answer as to her sudden arrival. And while a bit strange as I couldn't recall having such a policy towards sick leaves, let alone one so concerned with their employees.

Could it be? Am I finally getting recognized for my hard work? Or is this their way of telling me even my life is in their hands? Ah, the wonders of working under a mega-company.

As I lost myself in both thought and sickness, Amanda had begun grabbing things out of the paper bags - assorted snacks, drinks, and even some medicine now littered the side of my bed.

"I can tell you're already wondering how to tell me I brought too much stuff."

"O-oh? Well, I mean, yeah." I replied, surprised by her keen eye.

"Come on, Bridger! I told you, didn't I? I owe you a ton for your help, and besides, most of this is just leftovers I had in my fridge - Ah, I wasn't supposed to say that." She seemed to trail off with her last sentence, but I couldn't really hear what she meant anyway as her hands continued to rustle through the surprise aid she carried.

Or should I call them sur-plies? Like surprise and supplies? Anyone?

Before even I had the time to process my comedic genius, Amanda stood up and dusted her hands off as a gesture of completion. Beside me, the earlier mishmash of items now organized themselves into small groups, some with high-energy foods like snack bars and a bundle of bananas with a few missing, some energy drinks, and some vitamins and cold medicines. Overall, it was just about everything you'd need to stay in bed for a whole day to rest, and while it definitely seemed thrown together with what was lying around, I had no complaints about what, to my colorless eyes, was a bounty.

"Phew, that should be everything. Sorry if it's not anything flashy, but it should be enough to get you through today."

"Are you kidding? This is pretty generous for most people, let alone our circumstances."

"Oh, you. Here I thought you guys were supposed to have good self-confidence as part of your jobs." She replied with a teasing smirk as she placed a hand on her hip.

"Self-confidence? Sure. Self-worth? Ehh..." We shared a sarcastic laugh at my self-deprecation, seemingly my true forte when it comes to humor. As fun as it was to chat with her, it still didn't sit right with me that she had to deal with the consequences of my stupidity - the subtle guilt felt heavier than even the weight pressing on my chest.

"Y'know, I can probably handle myself from here on out, so if you have other things to do for the day,"

"Oh, don't worry, luckily today I've got some off time from my work, so,"

"And here I thought interior decorating was a full-time job." I joked, getting a bit of my vitality and voice back as I slowly opened one of the protein bars.

"Har har, I'd be overjoyed if that was true, alright?" Amanda was currently interning at a design firm in the city, finally putting the bachelor's degree to use, something that she had worked hard on during our stint together.

She had trouble looking for a place that would take her, though. At least the government pays for most of the tuition fees. Then again, it'd be absurd if colleges put most of that on the student themselves.

Amanda seemed happy at this moment. Her smiles and words held a genuine sense of contentment that I sorely missed during the last days of our relationship, and it made me somewhat happy that I had some part in the smile she currently held.

Fine, I guess I hold a little bit of self-worth.

I told myself as Amanda raised herself and let out a Phew! of relief - looking to the window and walking towards it.

"Though, I do still gotta go back home. I actually have a lot of housework left over. Seriously, I'm starting to get why you dreaded going back home to it now, y'know?" She moved the curtains and allowed the fresh morning air in, improving the atmosphere of my dreary room by a magnitude.

"You and me both." We shared one last chuckle as she made her way to the door with a glow on her face that matched the newly penetrating sunlight outside. I slowly waved goodbye with what I had left - and just like that, I was alone again.

Well, on the bright side, now I've got food.

I thought to myself as the sound of the plastic wrapper unraveling in my hands drowned out the light footsteps trailing down the staircase of my quiet abode. I took a bite of the chewy, nougat-filled snack, feeling slightly more revitalized as the sugary morsel went down my dry throat.

It's not a warm soup, but I'll take it over having to crawl downstairs to have the modern equivalent of a medieval peasant's breakfast.

As I opened one of the electrolyte-loaded drinks, I placed the bottle's mouth to my lips and let out a satisfied breath after chugging down the artificially-blue liquid.

"I can see why divorce is such a hit with couples nowadays." I chuckled to myself, slowly trailing off into a depressed sigh. Jokes aside, I did appreciate the help. I don't want to doubt Amanda, but even I'd find it awkward to do what she did, especially since she's already with someone. Maybe I'm just not used to our current state yet. Friends who were once together for eight years is a weird period in any person's relationship, even more so if that eventually leads to whatever we're doing right now. I guess, in a way, I also preferred it like this. The Amanda I saw now reminded me of the person I once fell in love with, and just getting to see that and helping preserve that was satisfaction enough.

I guess I really should just accept her repaying the favor and not overthink it. Plus, my energy is probably better spent elsewhere right now.

I gradually moved the assortment of nourishment on my bed to the drawer beside me - not wanting to risk crushing it as I rolled in my sleep. As I did, my hand landed on my phone, and something hit me. While I had accepted Amanda's aid as a sign of gratefulness, her reason for being informed in the first place continued to eat away at me. Admittedly, I didn't put it past Alex to pull something like this, but I would've expected a call, at the very least, alerting me to her arrival. However, as much as I would've liked to ponder over it more, something far more potent than curiosity was deciding my current decisions. I gritted my teeth as my head ached, the small meal not enough to solve the root of my weakness - a lack of sleep. I pressed my fingers onto my forehead while squirming my way back into the covers, luckily feeling drowsy enough to return to the embrace of slumber without issue.

If there's one thing I could keep from this experience, it would be that.

A different kind of warmth rushed into my body, not one of uncomfortable heat but a relaxing warmness that put me at ease. And just like that, I was on my way to becoming well-rested.

If only.

In a flash, my eyes opened - letting in a blinding amount of light that I needed to adjust to before observing the landscape I had awoken in. I sat up straight and surveyed the area, a wave of shock rushing into my nerves as I did. A field - no, a hillside lined with lush greenery surrounded me. The sound of flowing water also made its way into my ears, and the harsh rays came from a beautiful cloudless sky. As I began to collect myself, the faint call of a spring breeze flowed through the still air. Along with it, a line of cherry blossom petals danced with the wind, landing elegantly onto the swaying grass. Before I could process where these were falling from, a much harsher, stronger gust began to disturb the blades of green, leaving the blossoms untouched. It was only when the familiar noise of a whirring dynamo reached my ears did I think to look up, seeing a fully-black helicopter now blotting out the sun. A hanging ladder dropped from the hovering vehicle, and a figure clad in a sharp black suit, a confident gaze, and slicked-back orange hair swiftly slid down and landed with a graceful roll, not a speck of dirt sticking to their classy wear. I stood there, mouth agape, realizing that the striking lad before me was not only not a lad - but also some I knew. Before my mouth could close to intonate a word, however, the unmoving blossoms suddenly spun in a whirlwind, creating a dense fog of pink that slowly spun into its center, condensing more and more until all at once dissipating, leaving but a lone figure in the center. They wore a wide straw hat that shadowed their eyes and golden hair, a heavy cape that looked to be of the same material as their headwear, and a traditional Japanese kimono matching the hues of the clear skies, and, most importantly, I knew them as well. They both stood quietly before smiles lit up on their visages, running up to me with ecstatic greetings.

Perfect. Sick dream. Just perfect.