Our Little Night

The hospital felt both busy and calm that evening. The day shift was ending, the night shift was beginning, and the sterile scent of antiseptic mixed with the faint aroma of coffee from the break room dispenser.

Owen had just taken off his surgical gloves. His hands still felt slightly sore after a three-hour procedure. When he pushed open the doctors’ room door, several colleagues were already inside chatting: Dr. Lisa, Dr. Ethan, Dr. Carter, Dr. Mila, and Dr. Theo.

All heads turned the moment he walked in.

“Perfect timing!” Dr. Ethan called out. “Owen, come have dinner with us! We’re going to that Japanese restaurant across the street.”

“It’ll be refreshing,” Dr. Mila added. “And we can talk about the ER case from earlier.”

Owen dried his hands with a medical tissue. “Sorry. I can’t.”

The room fell silent.

“That’s unusual,” Dr. Carter raised an eyebrow. “You normally tag along even if you never say yes.”

“Heading home early?” Dr. Theo asked. “You usually sleep at the hospital.”

Owen slowly put on his white jacket. “I have to meet someone.”

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

Dr. Ethan narrowed his eyes. “Someone… special?”

“A friend,” Owen answered shortly.

“A friend?” Dr. Theo laughed. “Owen has a friend? That’s major character development.”

Owen was a closed-off type—he barely socialized, buried in his thesis, patients, and surgical instruments. Unless people approached him first, he only showed his professional mask, not anything resembling friendship.

“This is HUGE. Did you take the wrong medication today?” Theo added, getting more ridiculous.

One sharp look from Owen shut him up immediately.

But the gossip didn’t stop.

Dr. Carter leaned closer to Dr. Lisa. “Lis, you’re close to Owen. Does he have a girlfriend now?”

“I thought you two were a thing,” Dr. Mila teased, trying not to laugh.

Dr. Lisa smiled… but it was a painful smile. “I wouldn’t know.”

Her eyes drifted toward Owen as he straightened the stack of papers on his desk. There was uncertainty there, curiosity, and a bit of emotion she didn’t want to acknowledge.

“Well, from what I see…” Dr. Ethan whispered dramatically, “he’s been different lately. Every shift ends and he just disappears. He’s more… put together. He smells nicer. Like someone who’s going to meet—”

“—a patient,” Owen cut in, calm but firm.

“But do patients make you smile at random moments like you’ve been doing the past month?” Dr. Theo teased again.

Owen let out a short exhale. “You’re all too nosy.” He gave a small respectful nod. “I’ll be going now.”

The door closed behind him.

And the gossip erupted like a small explosion.

“He definitely has a girlfriend,” Dr. Carter declared.

“Or a crush,” Dr. Mila added.

“I really thought he’d end up with Lisa…” Dr. Theo turned. “You okay, Lis?”

Dr. Lisa forced a thin smile. “Haha… I’m fine.”

But the tremor in her voice was hard to hide.

She stared at the door Owen had just walked through.

“He’s changed this past month… does he really have someone?”

The other doctors kept debating whether “friend” actually meant “girlfriend.”

---

Once outside, Owen’s expression shifted into something serious. He checked the time on his wristwatch.

Time kept moving, much faster than he expected.

His steps quickened on their own. There was a strange urgency inside him.

Ailine was waiting.

And for some reason… that thought made his chest feel both heavy and warm.

---

At Ailine’s place…

Ailine stared at her phone again, reading the message from Owen:

“I’m done at 6. You still want to watch that movie, right?”

A small smile appeared on her lips. The kind that only existed because of that one man.

“Yes… but don’t let the paparazzi catch us…”

Owen’s reply came instantly—too fast for someone as cold as him.

“I have a way.”

Ailine raised an eyebrow. What way?
But she didn’t get the chance to ask—Owen arrived earlier than she expected. He stood in the apartment lobby wearing a black hoodie, black mask, and cap.

“Are you trying to disguise yourself or rob a bank?” Ailine laughed.

Owen ignored her. “Follow me.”

He handed her two medical masks, two bucket hats, and—Ailine burst out laughing—oversized blue-light glasses that made them look like sleep-deprived college freshmen.

“Seriously? We’ll look even more suspicious like this,” Ailine said while putting on the glasses.

“That’s the point. Paparazzi look for celebrities, not exhausted students,” Owen replied flatly.

They stepped out of Owen’s car like two people coming out of a thesis presentation. Ailine hunched down; Owen walked normally.

“Can you at least pretend to be tired like me?” she whispered.

“I am tired,” he answered without looking at her.

Ailine squinted. “Tired in the heart, maybe?”

Owen finally turned slightly. “Do you want to watch or not?”

Ailine shut up instantly. She puffed her cheeks. “…”

“If you’re sulking, we can go home and not watch at all.”

“No! I’m not sulking! See? I’m smiling. Heeee…” Ailine lifted her mask, showing her teeth exaggeratedly.

Owen almost laughed, but he held it in.

“If you want to laugh, just laugh, Doctor! Don’t hold it in!”

“Put your mask on. You’re noisy.”

“HAHAHA—”

---

At the cinema…

Owen led them through a side entrance—the rarely used one.
He had bought the tickets online and memorized which paths were the least crowded.

“You know the mall this well?” Ailine whispered.

“If I said I once saved the mall manager’s kid from food poisoning, would you believe me?”

Ailine’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“No.”

“OWEN!!”

A rare tiny smile appeared on his face. This time, he didn’t hide it—though Ailine probably couldn’t see it behind his mask.

They sat at the very corner seats—safest spot.
Lights dimmed. The movie began.

Ailine watched for a few minutes, then turned to study Owen’s profile. He didn’t flinch, eyes glued to the screen like he was analyzing a rare disease.

“Why so serious?” she whispered.

“I’m watching.”

“You’re not curious about me?”

“No.”

Ailine nearly felt offended… until she noticed the tips of his ears turning red.
She bit her lip to stop a laugh.

Throughout the movie, every time she laughed too loudly, Owen nudged her to keep her quiet. Without realizing it, she leaned a little toward his seat. Owen turned to complain—but seeing her genuinely enjoying the movie…

He didn’t say anything.

He didn’t move away either.

Not even after the movie ended.

---

Outside the cinema, near the riverside…

Cool night air from the river brushed past them.
City X’s riverside lights shimmered on the surface of the water, making the evening feel peaceful.

Ailine walked a few steps ahead, looking back at him. “Feels nice, walking without getting chased by paparazzi.”

“Because our disguise was effective,” Owen replied.

“You mean the stressed-student glasses?”

“Effective, wasn’t it?”

Ailine chuckled. “Yeah… but I looked weird.”

“You’re always weird.”

Ailine stopped dead. “Owen!”

He walked past her. She hurried after him.
“Weird cute, right? Not weird embarrassing, right? Right??”

Owen exhaled. “…Whatever you want.”

“Owen, I’m curious!”

“About?”

“I’m a top actress, the superstar of Country Z… I want to know. Do you watch my movies?”

“I asked you to watch your own movie yesterday and you refused.”

“I was shy! Who watches their own film with their ex?”

“And what should I answer? If I say I watched your movies, you’d be embarrassed again.”

“You—you watched them??” Ailine gasped. “Noooo! I must look ridiculous!”

Owen sighed. “I never said I watched them.”

“But imagining it already embarrasses me!”

“Then why ask?”

“Good question. Hahaha—”

They laughed more than usual that night.

They continued strolling by the river. Ailine kicked a small pebble, then casually said,

“Owen… I’ll be gone for a photoshoot abroad. Five days.”

Owen glanced at her. “Okay.”

“I said five days.”

“I heard you. You said it yesterday too.”

“Five days is long.”

“Not really.”

Ailine narrowed her eyes. “So you won’t miss me?”

“No.”

She gasped dramatically. “No? Not even a little!?”

Owen’s voice stayed calm. “Is missing you required?”

Ailine’s jaw dropped. “Of course! It’s SOP for people with… special friendship.”

“I see.” Owen slipped both hands into his pockets. “In that case… fine.”

“Fine what?”

“I’ll… miss you.”

Ailine froze. “WHAT?? Can I record that? I’ll make it my ringtone.”

“Don’t you dare.”

Ailine burst out laughing, her soft voice mixing with the river breeze.
Owen’s chest felt strangely steadier—or more chaotic. He wasn’t sure.

They walked again. Quiet. Calm. Warm.

Then Ailine stopped.

“Owen.”

“Hm?”

“When I come back… you’ll still want to walk like this again, right?”

Owen stared at her. Long. Too long.
There was something in his eyes—soft, subtle, unspoken.

“I’ll come if you ask.”

Ailine looked down, hiding her smile that was growing far too wide. “Okay… then I’ll ask often.”

“Don’t overdo it.”

“But you’ll come, right?”

“…Yes.”

Ailine was toast.

The night was simple.
No dramatic touches.
No confessions.
No grand gestures.

Just two people walking side by side…
two hearts slowly drifting back into the same orbit…
without even realizing it.

For Ailine—tonight was perfect.

For Owen—it was the most beautiful night he never planned.