The day dragged, Not because the work was difficult, Aeris had handled far more exhausting photography schedules before but because her mind refused to sit still. It wandered, Constantly. From editing photos, to the faint scent of peonies lingering in her bag. From adjusting lighting equipment…to the neat, elegant handwriting on the apology card. From arranging camera lenses… to the way Caelum's voice had sounded on the phone the night before. By the time the studio lights finally dimmed and the last client left, Aeris felt mentally exhausted. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at the wall clock.
6:02 PM.
Her stomach dropped.
"Shoot."
Family dinner.
Seven o'clock.
Across town.
She quickly packed her equipment into her bag, slinging the strap across her shoulder before hurrying toward the studio exit. Outside, the city had already begun its evening shift. Cars crawled along the road in long lines, horns blaring occasionally as impatient drivers tried squeezing through impossible gaps. Street vendors were lighting small lamps beside their stands, the smell of roasted plantain and grilled fish drifting into the warm air. Aeris stepped onto the sidewalk and immediately pulled out her phone.
"Okay… train… train… train…"
Her fingers moved quickly across the screen as she searched for available rides. Nothing. She refreshed the page, Still nothing. The small loading circle spun endlessly.
"Come on," she muttered under her breath then She tried again. The app froze, Then refreshed, Then froze again.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me."
Aeris kept walking quickly down the pavement, weaving through pedestrians while tapping impatiently on her phone. The evening rush was in full swing now. People hurried home from work, some laughing loudly into their phones, others dragging tired feet after long shifts. Motorcycles buzzed past, their engines roaring over the hum of traffic. But Aeris barely noticed any of it. Her attention stayed glued to the glowing screen. She tried another transport app.
Loading…
Loading…
Loading…
No rides available.
She groaned loudly.
"Seriously?"
She glanced at the time again.
6:14 PM.
Her parents lived nearly forty minutes away. If she missed the train option entirely, she'd be horribly late. And Mrs. Donna did not like late arrivals. Especially when she had spent the entire afternoon cooking.
Aeris exhaled sharply, still walking briskly.
"I wish I had a car," she muttered aloud. The words slipped out in frustration more than anything. Owning a car had always felt like one of those distant adult milestones she would eventually reach someday. But between rent, equipment, and general survival in the city, it had never quite happened. She kept scrolling desperately through the app again, Still nothing.
"Of course today would be the day everything breaks," she mumbled.
Her feet carried her forward automatically as she hurried down the street. Left. Straight. Crosswalk ahead. Her eyes never lifted from the screen.
"Come on… just one ride…"
The loading icon spun again, then Another message popped up.
Service temporarily unavailable.
Aeris sighed loudly in frustration. "I swear these apps are useless."
She tapped the screen again while stepping closer to the edge of the street. Traffic lights flickered above the intersection. Cars rushed through while pedestrians waited for the signal to change. But Aeris didn't notice. Her focus remained entirely on her phone. She stepped forward absentmindedly.
Another step.
Then another.
Right off the curb.
The world exploded into noise. A car horn blared violently. Brakes screeched against asphalt. Someone shouted.
Aeris froze.
Her head snapped up just as a sleek black car skidded to a brutal stop only inches away from her. Her heart slammed painfully against her ribs. For a split second everything seemed completely silent. Then chaos returned all at once.
"ARE YOU INSANE?" The driver's door flew open.
A tall man stepped out of the car, slamming the door behind him with enough force to echo across the street. His expression was pure fury.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he barked, striding toward her. Aeris stood frozen in place, still clutching her phone.
"I—"
"You just walked into traffic!" he continued angrily.
People nearby had already begun slowing down to watch the scene. A small crowd always formed quickly in situations like this. The man ran a frustrated hand through his hair, pacing once beside the car before turning back toward her again.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Aeris finally found her voice. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. Her heart was still pounding violently. "I didn't see—"
"Obviously you didn't see!" he snapped, gesturing toward her phone. "You were too busy staring at that thing!"
Embarrassment burned across her face.
"I said I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't fix a broken spine!"
A few pedestrians nearby murmured quietly to each other. The man exhaled sharply, clearly still furious. His eyes scanned her briefly as if confirming she wasn't injured.
"You could've been under that car right now," he said.
Aeris swallowed.
The reality of how close she had come finally settled in.
"I know."
"Do you?" His tone remained sharp. "You stepped straight into a moving lane like traffic laws were optional."
"I didn't mean to."
"Well clearly."
He shook his head in disbelief before glancing back at his car. The vehicle itself was… impressive. Even someone who knew nothing about cars could tell it was expensive. Polished black exterior. Tinted windows. Immaculately clean. The kind of car that didn't belong in casual street accidents. He looked back at her again, irritation still flashing across his face.
"You need to pay attention when you're near a road."
"I will."
"You say that now."
Aeris gripped her phone a little tighter. "I really am sorry."
He studied her for a moment. Then his eyes dropped briefly to the camera bag slung across her shoulder. "You work around here?" he asked sharply.
"Yes."
"And you're walking?"
"Yes."
He scoffed lightly.
"Clearly."
Aeris frowned slightly at the tone. "I said I'm sorry," she repeated.
"I heard you."
There was a tense pause between them. Cars continued flowing around the intersection while pedestrians watched the exchange with quiet curiosity. The man glanced at the traffic light above them again before looking back at her.
"Next time," he said firmly, "look up before stepping into the street."
Aeris nodded.
"I will."
He held her gaze for a second longer. Still clearly irritated. If his reaction had been even a second slower… If his brakes hadn't caught in time… This situation would look very different. Finally he exhaled again, some of the anger fading into reluctant acceptance.
"Just… be careful."
Aeris nodded again. "I will."
He turned back toward his car, clearly ready to leave. But just before opening the driver's door again, He paused. Then looked back at her once more. His brows furrowed slightly. As if something about her suddenly seemed familiar.
But before he could say anything, A loud motorcycle roared past the intersection. And the moment disappeared. He opened the door and slid back into the driver's seat. The engine started instantly.
Aeris stood frozen on the curb, heart still racing as the sleek black car slowly pulled back into traffic. Her hands trembled slightly as she looked down at her phone again. The screen was still frozen on the transport app.
Loading…
Still loading.
She let out a shaky breath.
"Well…" She murmured quietly to herself. "That was almost the end of me."
And somewhere down the road, The black car slowed briefly Inside the vehicle, the driver frowned slightly as he glanced at the rearview mirror. The image of the woman standing frozen by the intersection replayed in his mind.
Phone in hand. Eyes wide with shock. One careless step away from something far worse. He exhaled slowly and tapped his fingers against the steering wheel.
"Unbelievable," he muttered to himself. "People and their phones."
Still, Something about the way she had stood there, half embarrassed, half shaken. Still lingered in his mind longer than it should have. With a quiet sigh, he slowed the car further. Then, after a moment's hesitation, he turned the wheel and made a slow U-turn. Back toward the intersection. Aeris was still standing on the sidewalk when the same black car rolled up beside her again.
She blinked.
The passenger window lowered. The driver leaned slightly toward it. His expression had changed. The irritation from earlier was mostly gone now, replaced with something calmer… though still faintly exasperated.
"You're still here."
Aeris straightened awkwardly.
"Oh." She hadn't expected to see him again. "Uh… yes."
He glanced briefly at the road ahead before looking back at her.
"Waiting for a ride?"
"Yes."
"And it's not coming, is it?"
Aeris hesitated.
"…no."
He nodded slowly, as if confirming a suspicion.
"Get in."
She blinked again.
"I'm sorry?"
"I said get in," he repeated casually. "I'll give you a lift."
Aeris instinctively shook her head. "Oh no, that's okay."
"It's on my way."
"That's alright."
"You almost became a traffic statistic five minutes ago," he replied dryly. "Let me at least prevent the sequel."
Despite herself, Aeris let out a small laugh. "I appreciate it, but really, I'm fine."
The man leaned back slightly in his seat. "You're waiting for public transport during rush hour," he said. "You're already late for wherever you're going."
Aeris opened her mouth , Then paused. Because he was right. Her phone buzzed in her hand.
6:31 PM.
Her heart dropped again. Family dinner started at seven. And she was still nowhere near her parents' neighborhood. She glanced down the road.
No buses.
No taxis.
No miracle transportation appearing out of thin air.
She sighed, then looked back at the driver. "You're sure it's not a problem?"
"Not unless you jump in front of my car again," he said.
Aeris laughed nervously.
"That was an accident."
"I'm sure it was."
She hesitated only another second before walking around the car and opening the passenger door.
The interior smelled faintly of leather and something citrusy. She slipped into the seat and pulled the door shut. "Thank you," she said sincerely.
"No problem."
The car pulled smoothly back into traffic. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then the man glanced sideways at her.
"I'm Ronald, by the way."
"Aeris."
"Nice to meet you… under less dangerous circumstances."
She smiled sheepishly. "Yeah."
"Ronald Whichez," he added, extending one hand briefly from the wheel in a quick greeting.
She shook it lightly. "Nice to meet you."
"So," Ronald said, eyes returning to the road, "where am I taking you?"
She told him the neighborhood.
He nodded.
"About twenty-five minutes."
Aeris relaxed slightly in her seat.
"That's perfect."
Silence settled again for a moment before Ronald spoke.
"You work nearby?"
"Yes."
"With the camera bag I'm guessing photography?"
She looked down at the strap across her shoulder.
"Yeah."
"Professional?"
"Mostly."
He smiled faintly. "That sounds like a 'sometimes I get paid, sometimes I don't' answer."
She laughed.
"Something like that."
"Well, at least it's more interesting than my job."
"What do you do?"
"I'm a pharmacist."
"Oh."
"At a hospital nearby."
"That sounds… important."
"It's mostly counting pills and explaining instructions people forget immediately after leaving," he said with a shrug.
Aeris chuckled.
"That still sounds important."
Ronald glanced at her briefly again.
"You live alone?"
She hesitated. "Yes."
"No roommate?"
"No."
He nodded thoughtfully.
"Well that explains the walking."
"Excuse me?" she said, amused.
"People who live alone tend to tolerate inconvenience more easily," he explained. "When you have a family waiting at home, you start prioritizing efficiency."
"You have a family?"
"Oh yes."
His tone shifted immediately, warmer now. "Married to a lawyer."
Aeris smiled.
"That sounds intense."
"You have no idea."
"What's her name?"
"Karen."
He chuckled. "Smartest person I know. Terrifying in arguments."
Aeris laughed softly.
"I imagine lawyers are like that."
"They are." He paused, then added proudly, "We've got two daughters too."
"Oh?"
"Four and thirteen."
Aeris' eyes brightened.
"That must be… lively."
"That's one word for it."
"What are they like?"
Ronald grinned. "The four-year-old thinks she's the president of the house."
"And the thirteen-year-old?"
"Thinks she's the opposition party."
Aeris laughed again. "That sounds chaotic."
"It is...But in a good way," he said.
The traffic slowed briefly as they approached a junction. Ronald tapped the steering wheel lightly.
"You have siblings?" he asked.
"Yes."
"How many?"
"Two sisters."
"Older or younger?"
"One older. One younger."
"Ah," he said knowingly. "Middle child."
"How did you guess?"
"You look like someone used to mediating chaos."
She smiled. "That's accurate."
The car moved forward again. A few seconds passed before Ronald spoke once more. "You should still be more careful, though."
She blinked.
"About what?"
"The road thing."
Aeris sighed softly. "Fair."
"Seriously," he continued. "My wife would kill me if she heard I nearly ran someone over today."
"You didn't run me over."
"Nearly counts."
She nodded sheepishly.
"I'll pay more attention next time."
"Good."
Because for a brief moment earlier, He had genuinely thought the worst had happened. And that image still lingered in his mind. The rest of the drive passed easily. They spoke about work, About city traffic, About the strange things people encountered during normal days. Before long, Ronald slowed the car near a quiet residential street.
"This it?"
"Yes," Aeris said, recognizing the familiar houses nearby.
He pulled over gently to the curb.
Aeris unbuckled her seatbelt. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "You saved my evening."
"No problem."
She reached for the door handle.
Then Ronald spoke again. "Wait."
She paused.
He reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small card. "My business card." He handed it to her.
Aeris took it.
Ronald Whichez
Pharmacist
Whichez Medical Services
"If you ever need medical advice," he said casually, "or if you decide to step into traffic again and it doesn't end as nicely."
She laughed.
"I'll try to avoid that second scenario."
"Please do."
She opened the car door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Before closing it, she leaned slightly back toward the window.
"Thanks again, Ronald."
"Take care, Aeris."
She shut the door.
The black car pulled away moments later. Aeris stood there for a second, glancing down at the business card in her hand before slipping it into her bag. Then she looked up at the warmly lit house ahead.
Her parents' house. And somewhere inside, Her entire family was probably already waiting.
She took a breath, Then walked toward the door.