Theo was already neatly dressed even before Alvano returned from the bathroom. The thin hospital gown he had been wearing earlier had been replaced with regular clothes that looked clean and comfortable. His hair was combed neatly, and a small bag containing his medical documents and personal belongings was casually held in his hand. He stood calmly beside the bed, as if he had never gone through a major incident just a day before.
When Alvano opened the door and saw Theo's condition, he froze for a moment. "You… got ready fast," he said, raising an eyebrow, unable to hide his surprise.
Theo only gave a faint smile. "I don't like staying too long in places like this. Too sterile and boring."
Alvano walked closer with a small chuckle. Deep inside, he felt relieved. That was the Theo he knew—composed, quick, and always in control of himself. The worry that had been weighing on his heart slowly faded away. Maybe, he thought, there was no need to worry too much. Theo always had a way to endure, no matter how bad things got.
The two of them then headed toward the hospital exit. As soon as they stepped out of the lobby, four large men immediately greeted them with formal yet cautious postures. Their uniforms were tidy, complete with earpiece communicators. Joshua's personal bodyguards.
Two luxurious black cars were parked right in front of the main entrance. One of them already had its door open for Theo and Alvano, while the other was filled with the remaining guards ready to follow behind.
"Joshua's really serious about this, huh," Alvano commented, half surprised.
Theo shrugged indifferently. "He tends to go overboard when it comes to security."
They got into the car, and the convoy of vehicles soon drove out of the hospital area, heading toward Theo's residence under full escort. Although the journey seemed ordinary from the outside, beneath it lingered tension and curiosity within both of them—about what had really happened and what might come next.
During the ride to Theo's house, the car glided smoothly under a cloudy, overcast sky. The rain hadn't fallen yet, but the air felt cool and damp. Alvano leaned back comfortably in his seat, while Theo sat on the other side, calmly watching the road ahead.
The driver occasionally glanced through the rearview mirror before finally speaking up.
"Haven't seen you in a while, Theo. I thought you'd need more than a week to recover from that incident."
Theo shifted his gaze forward and chuckled. "Ha, you underestimate me, Uncle Gil. Look at me—still in one piece, right? Nothing's missing."
Alvano turned quickly. "Uncle Gil?"
The driver, a slightly graying man with a thin beard, laughed lightly. "Hahaha, I used to drive him and young master Joshua back when they were in middle school. This Theo kid was always mischievous. Always asked me to stop at fast-food places on the way home."
"Hey, don't bring that up!" Theo laughed, covering his face briefly. "That's supposed to be a childhood secret."
Alvano just raised an eyebrow and smiled awkwardly. He was a little surprised, but didn't think much of it. Apparently, Theo's connections ran deep—even with Joshua's family driver. He realized Theo somehow always "fit in" wherever he went.
In his silence, Alvano thought, Am I just too oblivious? Or has Theo always had a lot of connections?
But he didn't want to dwell on it. They'd been good friends for a long time, and that was enough. He didn't need to know more if it wasn't his business.
"Hey, Vano, show me that video you recorded yesterday. The one where the bird got stuck in someone's hair," Theo suddenly said, nudging Alvano's shoulder.
"Hahaha, oh right, this one?" Alvano opened his phone gallery and showed the funny video that made them both burst out laughing.
"Man! That guy was freaking out so bad!" Theo laughed, lightly slapping his own thigh.
"Well yeah, his hair basically turned into a bird's nest," Alvano replied, laughing along.
Their laughter echoed softly inside the car, melting away the heavy thoughts that had lingered before. Outside, the city kept moving—but for that moment, the two friends simply enjoyed their jokes and laughter.
When the car finally