Stephen knew this nurse.
They chatted for a bit, and through her he learned what Christine had been up to lately.
Turns out Christine had been promoted and given a raise. During the time Stephen was gone, she had worked tirelessly. She never once took leave and often volunteered for extra shifts.
American hospitals allowed overtime, but only within reason—excessive hours weren't permitted. Even so, Christine managed to max out her hours.
Her dedication didn't go unnoticed, and her skills advanced rapidly.
In the end, all her effort paid off. Christine had become the lead surgeon of the department.
Promotion. Raise.
Her hard work had moved her into the upper tier of the middle class. No one called her a genius doctor anymore. Some called her the mad doctor.
...
After learning all this, Stephen made his way to Christine's office.
Normally, you couldn't just walk into a doctor's office uninvited. But everyone here still knew his face, so he moved through almost unhindered.
Before long, he arrived at Christine's office—his old office, too.
Coincidence? Hardly.
Why had he come here to see her?
Christine had mentioned "the old place." She'd said that whenever she was free, she'd be there. Stephen could've chosen any time to find her.
So what was "the old place"?
Of course—it was the hospital.
The place where they'd spent the most time together. That was why she called it the old place. Not a café, not a restaurant, not some tourist spot.
It was here. Her office. Their office.
...
Stephen lingered outside her door for a long time, lost in thought.
He remembered Tony's elaborate plans from last night. He remembered Lorien's corrections and advice. He thought about all the moments he and Christine had shared since they first met.
While he reminisced, patients came and went. Each needed Christine's diagnosis. Scans, charts, images—all awaiting her judgment.
Stephen stood quietly, listening. He even caught the sound of her voice.
But seeing how busy she was, he checked the time, then headed to the front desk. A small touch of magic was all it took to book the last appointment slot before lunch.
Normally, getting an appointment with Christine would take at least ten days, maybe two weeks. Without magic, Stephen never would've managed.
With the appointment secured, he sat in the waiting area until his number was called.
The hospital bustled around him. He thought back to what Lorien had said:
"This is something with no cost. What are you afraid of?"
"Everyone's got their own lives. Why care so much how you look to others?"
Surrounded by the familiar atmosphere of the hospital—the sharp scent of disinfectant in the air—Stephen's nerves eased.
Yes. What was there to worry about?
If he got the chance, he'd take it.
They could talk, even if they were both busy. Being busy didn't mean there was no room for dating or marriage. If both sides understood and had their own paths, that was far better than throwing everything away to chase passion.
That was how things lasted. Not a fleeting spark, but something enduring.
...
At last, noon arrived.
Stephen's number was called. The final slot.
He stood, adjusted his clothes, and stepped inside.
Their eyes met.
Stephen had imagined this would be a surprise. But the teasing look in Christine's eyes—and the smile her assistant failed to hide behind a stack of files—made him realize the truth.
This wasn't a surprise. They'd both been waiting for this moment.
"Looks like you already knew I was coming."
Stephen pressed his lips together. A little awkward.
Christine, dressed in her white coat, smiled faintly as she set down her pen and tidied her desk. Only then did she look up at him.
"The moment you stepped into this building, someone told me you were here."
"..."
Damn. So the whole building's your spy network?
The unexpected twist knocked his carefully prepared plan off balance.
He cleared his throat, suddenly unsure what to say next.
Christine folded her arms, watching him.
"So, patient—did you book an appointment just to sit here not being examined? My schedule is tight."
At the mention of patients, something clicked in Stephen's mind.
He pulled out a chair across from her, sat down, and said,
"Doctor, I think I've got a heart condition—the troublesome kind."
"Oh~, but I'm a surgeon. You might need a psychologist for that."
They were role-playing. Christine smiled as she said,
"But I'd still like to see what kind of heart you have—to have held off this long before getting diagnosed."
Stephen nodded. "I suppose so."
"But this diagnosis will take quite some time."
At that, Christine took her planner from her assistant, flipped it open, pulled out a pen, and crossed out all her overtime shifts for the day. Then she said,
"How about we continue the diagnosis after work?"
The scene felt familiar.
Stephen was reminded of the time Lorien had pulled out a nonexistent schedule and told him she suddenly had free time. He thought of Lorien.
That was the beginning then, and this was a beginning now. Why refuse?
Stephen looked at Christine and replied with gentlemanly poise.
"I look forward to it."
...
Northern Tower.
By noon—the time when the sun burned overhead—Lorien finally woke up alongside Wanda and Gwen.
To get comfortable after waking, he propped a pillow behind his back, leaned against the headboard, and picked up his phone to scroll through the news.
By then, Wanda and Gwen had also stirred.
As they woke, their gazes crossed over Lorien's torso, catching sight of each other's curves from shoulder to hip.
Gwen reached out and poked Wanda, who was still feigning sleep.
"You wicked thing. Last night you even played with electricity. Why not use magic properly instead of wasting it on that?"
Exposed, Wanda dropped the act. She slapped Gwen's hand away and clung to Lorien like a shield.
"You get to use brute force, but I can't use magic? Just wait until I finish developing the One Body, Two Hearts spell—then whatever you do to me, you'll feel it too. Just you wait."
Gwen froze.
"You're actually researching a spell just to counter me? You really are a bad woman!"
"You're bad too, Gwen—at least to me."
"I'm not bad."
"Yes, you are."
As the two argued and scuffled, Lorien leaned back against the headboard, stunned.
One Body, Two Hearts?
Holy shit.
Her own sensations could be shared with someone else?
What kind of brilliant spell was that?
Wanda's idea was genius.
That way, whenever Gwen bullied or "tormented" her, Gwen wouldn't escape unscathed! If Wanda got jolted, Gwen would too.
And when Lorien turned the tables on Wanda, Gwen would have to endure it as well.
That was One Body, Two Hearts!
Incredible.
Lorien found himself genuinely excited. He wanted to try it.
But Wanda hadn't finished working it out yet. For now, he could only wait.
Still, he patted Wanda's smooth shoulder encouragingly.
"I'm rooting for you, Wanda. Make sure this little devil Gwen gets what she deserves."
"Mm!" Wanda smiled at Gwen and nodded.
"???" Gwen blinked in disbelief. She turned to Lorien.
"How could you switch sides, Lorien? We used to bully Wanda together~!"
"Times have changed, Gwen." Lorien ruffled her hair. "Once Wanda finishes her spell, I'll go back to being neutral. Ahem."
"???"
Gwen was dumbstruck. What a scumbag!
Always chasing the sweeter deal, huh?
She turned to Wanda. But instead of scolding Lorien for his betrayal, Wanda wrapped herself around him even tighter and said,
"Lorien, let's team up against Gwen."
"Yes, let's join forces."
"..."
Gwen was speechless.
She sat up and glared at the pair, furious. This was betrayal. Naked, blatant betrayal!
She grabbed Wanda hard and shouted,
"Until you finish that spell, I'll be your sweetest nightmare every day, Wanda! Die!"
With that, the two wrestled and rolled against Lorien.
Everyone was sleeping naked. Their tussle was like waves crashing endlessly—impossible to ignore.
"Beep-beep~~"
Just then, Lorien's phone rang.
He picked it up. Natasha.
Hearing the ringtone, Wanda and Gwen froze mid–hair-pull.
Lorien answered. Natasha's anxious voice came through immediately.
"Lorien, are you free right now? Get to the Avengers Compound! There are two Lokis here—and a few people with strange gear claiming they're from beyond the universe!"
Two Lokis?
Beyond the universe?
Wanda and Gwen exchanged a glance. No need for Lorien to explain. They knew instantly—it was a Multiverse matter.
Lorien knew too.
He looked at the two women. Since they were just resting, there was no harm in stepping out.
He nodded.
"Alright. Have them wait. I'll be there soon."
"Got it. They also said they're seeking guidance to meet a god we know. They mentioned two of the three Great Powers of the universe live together. Were they talking about you?"
"Just tell them to wait."
"Understood!"