A Stolen Eternity

When Ru left the room, Claude took a moment to compose himself. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had remained after his conversation with Ru. He knew he had to handle the situation sensitively, but he also felt a sense of urgency to ensure Ru's safety.

Claude reached for the phone and...

He paused for a moment. Calling the police would mean betraying Ru. But if he did what Ru said, he would be allowing Ru to get hurt.

After a brief internal struggle, Claude decided to wait a little longer before making the call. He hoped to find a way to handle the situation without jeopardizing Ru's well-being and prospects. Finally, he put down the phone and focused on formulating a plan to support Ru while ensuring his safety.

Dr. Claude Leblanc returned to his duties, but his mind was consumed by thoughts of Mr. Thargata. He wondered if confronting him directly would be the right approach or if a more covert method, such as strategically placing a banana peel in his path, would better serve justice. A mischievous smile played on his lips as he was busy with these secret thoughts.

"Oh, d'après ce monsieur, je devrais avoir honte parce que je suis gai. Oui, je suis un joyeux gai luron! Je ne suis pas un sale pervers comme vous*, Monsieur Thargata," he muttered under his breath.

With his last file entered into the computer, Claude left the room. A huge bouquet of unfamiliar red flowers caught his eye in the secretary's office. The accompanying card read, "Jasper wants you."

Claude assumed it was from an old patient and decided not to dwell on it. He tossed the card in the trash and handed the bouquet to the secretary.

He expected to find Ru in the hallway, but he was nowhere to be seen. Venturing into the garden, Claude scanned the area, but Ru was nowhere in sight. Should he have tried calling? When he tried to reach Ru, he discovered that the number was no longer in service.

"Something feels off," Claude muttered to himself.

Should he have gone straight to the amusement park? But how could he find Ru in that crowd?

He had just left the room when a tall man in a suit blocked his way. Claude looked into the man's slanted eyes and mystical face.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

"Of course you know me, but it is normal that you have forgotten me due to the transmigration you experienced," the man said, with a sparkle of longing in his eyes.

"Excuse me?" Claude said.

"I see that your unique essence changed the hair and eyes of your new body," the man said softly, his voice carrying a warmth that seemed to melt the air between them. His fingers trembled slightly as he reached out, brushing a strand of Claude's snow-white hair away from his face. The touch lingered, his fingertips tracing the curve of Claude's cheek with a tenderness that spoke of longing. "You’ve always been beautiful, but now... you’re angelic."

Claude’s breath hitched at the touch, his colorful eyes—now shimmering like moonlight—locking onto the man’s gaze. There was a vulnerability in his expression, a flicker of something unspoken that made the man’s heart ache.

"You're still so young," the man whispered. He stepped closer, his hand sliding down to rest against Claude’s jaw, his thumb brushing over the soft skin there. "I’ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. Even if I have to step into a dimension where time flows fast, just to close the gap between us."

"I never understood that," Claude said, stepping back. He was looking around for help.

"It's me, Heise," the man introduced himself.

"I'm sorry, but your name means nothing to me," Claude said and tried to get past him.

Heise allowed him to continue. As Claude passed by, Heise grabbed his arm and whispered in his ear. "How could you let Ru take my place, my eternity?"

The warmth of Heise’s breath against his skin, combined with the subtle scent of sandalwood and something mystic distinctly his, ignited a wave of excitement within Claude. His legs trembled, and for an instant, he sensed that the earth below him could collapse.

Heise’s arms wrapped around him just in time, pulling him close and steadying him before he could fall into the depths below. Claude’s hands instinctively gripped Heise’s shoulders, his fingers digging into the fabric of his coat as he tried to steady himself.

"It appears you hold onto those memories. That's good," Heise said, his voice soothing. His gaze met Claude’s, and for a moment, the world seemed to fade away.

There was a sparkle in Heise’s eyes, a glimmer of hope and something deeper—something that made Claude’s heart ache in a way he couldn’t explain.

Claude discovered the hundred raindrops in Heise's eyes. The remnants of his forgotten past began to emerge in the patterns of the raindrops.

Heise lingered in every thread of destiny, forever with him.

Until this last life...

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"Oh, d'après ce monsieur, je devrais avoir honte parce que je suis gai. Oui, je suis un joyeux gai luron! Je ne suis pas un sale pervers comme vous, Monsieur Thargata." - said Dr. Claude Leblanc in French.

"Oh, according to this gentleman, I should be ashamed because I'm gay. Yes, I'm a happy gay man! I'm not a dirty pervert like you, Mr. Thargata." - said Dr. Claude Leblanc in English.