As evening descended, Mix found himself regaining most of his energy, yet he chose to remain sequestered inside his room all day, avoiding any interaction with Earth. Despite Earth's occasional attempts to check on him, Mix kept to himself, creating a noticeable distance between them.
The only time Earth entered Mix's room was to retrieve his laptop, which he took out to the living room to continue his work. Throughout the day, Earth couldn't shake off the feeling of unease as he observed Mix's behaviour, noting the abnormal change in his assistant's demeanor.
During dinner time, Earth prepared a comforting wonton soup, hoping to entice Mix out of his room. However, Mix took the soup inside his room to eat, further isolating himself from Earth's presence. When he finished, he left the empty bowl on the counter as Earth had instructed, avoiding any interaction with him.
As the evening wore on, Earth couldn't ignore the growing sense of concern gnawing at him. He knew that something was amiss with Mix, but he didn't know how to approach the topic. Despite his uncertainty, Earth found himself standing outside Mix's bedroom door, hesitating for a moment before finally mustering the courage to knock.
With a soft rap on the door, Earth waited anxiously for a response, hoping that Mix would be willing to open up and share whatever was troubling him.
A few minutes passed before Mix responded to Earth from inside his room.
"Mix, what's wrong? Talk to me," Earth urged gently, concern lacing his voice.
Mix's reply came after a brief pause, his voice strained. "Nothing, sir. I'm just tired. I want to sleep."
"Mix, I can see from your expression that something is bothering you," Earth persisted, his worry growing with each passing moment.
Mix hesitated before responding, his voice faltering. "Nothing is bothering me, sir, it's just a slight headache, that's all."
Concerned by Mix's dismissive response, Earth's patience began to wane. "A headache? Mix, open the door and let me take a look," he insisted, his tone firm.
"No, it's alright, sir. I'll be fine after some sleep," Mix replied, his voice barely above a whisper.Feeling his temper flare at Mix's refusal to open up, Earth's impatience grew as he stood outside the closed door.
"Mix!" Earth called out sharply, his frustration evident in his tone.
Sensing Earth's escalating temper, Mix knew that his boss's patience was wearing thin. With a heavy heart, he slowly opened the door, bracing himself for Earth's reaction.
As soon as the door opened, Earth pushed his way into the room, his eyes immediately falling on the tear stains marring Mix's face. Without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed Mix's arm, his voice filled with concern.
"Mix, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Earth demanded, his heart aching at the sight of his friend's distress.
Feeling Earth's comforting embrace, Mix's tears continued to flow as he struggled to find the words to express his emotions.
"Mix, can you please tell me why you're crying? Is everything alright? Are you feeling unwell again?" Earth's voice was filled with genuine concern as he held Mix close. "It's okay, I won't force you to see a doctor if you don't want to."
Mix shook his head, his tears still flowing freely as he tried to compose himself.
Sensing Mix's refusal to open up, Earth's brows furrowed with worry. "No...? Is it because of me?" he questioned softly. "Did I overstep by staying over at your house without your permission? Did I make you feel uncomfortable? I'm sorry, Mix."
Mix pushed Earth away lightly, his expression filled with a mix of sadness and uncertainty.
"Sir, do you... do you remember what you did, after you were drunk during the celebrations in the village?" Mix's voice was barely above a whisper, his heart heavy with the weight of his words.
