The shrill ring of the phone shattered the afternoon silence in Leo's room, forcibly pulling him from a restless sleep filled with strange dreams of dancing Bitcoin charts and giant mechas fighting street thugs. His head still felt heavy, his body ached, but the fever seemed to have subsided slightly. With difficulty, he reached for the phone on his bedside table. The name 'Liana' glowed on the screen.
A frown creased Leo's sweaty forehead. Liana? Why was she calling? The uncomfortable feeling from yesterday afternoon's incident—seeing Liana with another man—resurfaced, mixing with his physical pain. He hesitated for a moment, then slid the answer button.
"Hello?" his voice was hoarse and weak, barely recognizable.
"Leo?!" Liana's cheerful voice sounded from the other end, a stark contrast to Leo's miserable condition. "You've been quiet all day! No weird messages or sudden phone calls declaring love or anything, I was getting a little worried, you know!"
Leo tried to smile, but only a small grimace emerged. "I... uh... am not in optimal operational condition," he replied, his voice raspy.
A brief silence on the other end, then Liana's tone changed drastically, her cheerfulness vanishing, replaced by concern. "Not optimal? What do you mean, Leo? Are you okay? Your voice... sounds weird."
"Just... a fever," Leo admitted reluctantly. Acknowledging weakness felt foreign to him. "Got caught in the rain yesterday."
"A fever?! Oh my gosh, Leo!" Liana's voice sounded panicked. "Is anyone home? Is your mom there? Have you eaten? Taken any medicine?" The barrage of questions came out rapidly.
Leo sighed softly, feeling drained even just listening. "Mom... is out of town. Haven't... eaten yet. Haven't... taken medicine." Each word seemed to sap his strength.
"Don't go anywhere, Leo," Liana said firmly. "I'm coming over right now, okay?"
"No need..." Leo tried to protest, but Liana had already hung up.
Leo stared at his phone, bewildered, then sighed in resignation. He was too weak to argue or even lock the door. He could only pull his blanket tighter, shivering despite feeling hot. Liana... coming to his house? To take care of him? The concept felt profoundly... strange and alien.
About twenty minutes later, Leo heard his front door open (he'd forgotten to lock it last night), followed by the sound of light footsteps approaching his room. His bedroom door opened slowly.
Liana stood in the doorway, slightly out of breath. She carried a small shopping bag, her face etched with worry as she took in Leo's weak state on the bed, his face pale and sweaty. Leo's messy room, cluttered with anime posters and stacks of comic books, seemed a stark contrast to Liana's neat presence.
"Oh my gosh, Leo..." Liana whispered, walking closer. She gently placed her hand on his forehead. "...Y-You're burning up!"
Without saying much, Liana moved quickly. She took out a container of still-warm instant porridge "I bought it nearby just now", a bottle of mineral water, and fever-reducing medicine from her bag.
"You need to eat first, then take the medicine," Liana said softly. She helped Leo sit up against the headboard, adjusting his pillows.
Leo was too weak to refuse. He tried to reach for the porridge bowl, but his hand trembled slightly. Liana sighed softly.
"Let me feed you, okay Leo?" Liana offered gently. She sat on the edge of Leo's bed, took a spoonful of porridge, blew on it gently so it wasn't too hot, then held it to Leo's lips.
Leo froze for a moment. Being fed? By Liana? This level of personal interaction far exceeded the 'normal' parameters he was trying to understand. But he was hungry, and the porridge smelled good. Awkwardly he opened his mouth and accepted the spoonful. The warm porridge felt soothing on his sore throat.
Liana fed him patiently, occasionally wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of her hand. The silence between them was filled only by the sound of the spoon and Leo's slightly heavy breathing.
After a few spoonfuls, Leo felt slightly better. Enough energy to speak a little more clearly. Something had been bothering him since yesterday.
"Liana," he called softly, his voice still hoarse.
"Yes, Leo? What is it?" Liana stopped feeding him, looking at him attentively.
"Yesterday afternoon... I saw you outside your house laughing with a guy," Leo said directly, without preamble.
Liana looked slightly surprised by the topic. "Oh... him?" She smiled faintly. "That was Rian. An old friend from middle school. He's studying graphic design in college now. He was just returning some art reference books he'd borrowed."
"Middle school friend?" Leo repeated, his tone flat, but with a hint of doubt. "You seemed... very close."
Liana looked at Leo intently, her smile turning slightly mischievous. She leaned a little closer. "And why would it matter if we were close?" she whispered, her eyes sparkling playfully, trying to tease him. "Is our Mr. Analyst here... jealous?"
Leo fell silent. Logical analysis dictated 'jealousy' was an irrational emotion based on insecurity and a sense of possession that wasn't necessarily valid. But... the uncomfortable sensation he felt yesterday strongly resembled the description of 'jealousy'.
With his typical brutal honesty, Leo answered softly, "...Yes... I am jealous."
The admission made Liana chuckle softly, a gentle sound that was pleasant to Leo's ears, making his cheeks feel slightly warm.
"You're so weird," Liana said, shaking her head, her gaze soft. She fed him another spoonful of porridge. "Rian is a good friend, we share the same interest in art, so we often exchange information. But that's all, Leo, nothing more. Seriously."
She paused for a moment, looking into Leo's eyes, which were slightly glazed from the fever. Then, in a lighter, sincere tone, she said while gently touching his cheek,
"Don't worry, Leo..." she whispered, her smile wide and reassuring. "Your wife a potential candidate with high probability, isn't going anywhere. You're the only one in my heart right now....well you have maybe a few 2D anime characters. buut thats okayy"
Leo could only stare at Liana, trying to process her words. Her tone was playful, but there was a warmth and sincerity in her gaze that calmed something inside him.
After Liana finished feeding Leo, she gave him the fever medicine and water. She tidied his blankets and placed a cool, damp cloth on his forehead, having rinsed it in the bathroom.
"Rest now, okay?" Liana said gently. "I'll stay here for a little while, make sure your fever goes down."
Leo nodded weakly, drowsiness beginning to overtake him again thanks to the medicine and the food. Before his eyes closed, he saw Liana sitting in his desk chair, curiously flipping through one of his comic books. Seeing Liana in his room, taking care of him, still felt strange, but also... comfortable. Very comfortable. For the first time since returning to the past, he didn't feel alone in his vulnerability.