Yugh rarely took days off. 🕺
So when he finally had one free day, he decided to spend it the way he once had away from hospital corridors and exhaustion, with the woman he loved.
Zahra was standing by the dressing mirror when he approached her, adjusting her earrings with practiced elegance. 📿
"How about we go out today?" Yugh asked casually, a hint of warmth in his voice. "It's my day off. We could take a drive… have lunch somewhere quiet."
Zahra met his gaze through the mirror and smiled gently. 🙂
"I'd love to," she said, then hesitated just enough for him to notice. "But I already have something important to take care of today."
Yugh blinked. "Something urgent?"
"Yes," she replied softly. "It came up suddenly. Let's go another day, okay?" 😑
There was no irritation in her voice, no coldness, only polite affection. The kind that made refusal sound reasonable.
"Of course," Yugh said after a brief pause. "Another day is fine." 😇
Zahra turned toward him then, reaching out to straighten his collar with a familiar tenderness. "Thank you for understanding."
She left the room soon after, her presence fading as quietly as it always did. 👛
Yugh stood there for a moment longer than necessary, staring at the closed door. He told himself it was nothing. Everyone had responsibilities. Plans could change.
That was life. 🔄
Later that afternoon, he found himself sitting beside Yusuf in the living room, controllers in their hands, the television glowing with animated battles and racing cars.
"You sure you don't want to go out?" Yusuf asked, eyes fixed on the screen. 👀
Yugh shrugged. "Didn't feel like it."
They played for hours,laughing, arguing over scores, competing like they had when they were younger. For a while, it distracted him. The noise, the movement, the familiarity. 🎮
Yet between rounds, his eyes drifted toward the clock on the wall.
This day was supposed to be different.
Instead, it passed quietly ,just another day marked by postponed plans and unasked questions.
And Yugh, unaware of how closely his disappointment mirrored another man's elsewhere, pressed the button to start the next game. ⏸