The Time Leaper (Chapter 9)

Chapter 9: Not This Time

When I opened the door, my breath hitched.

Yue lay on the hospital bed, looking more fragile than ever. Her once vibrant frame had withered, reduced to something frail and delicate. Her porcelain skin, once radiant, was now deathly pale, and dark circles haunted her once-bright eyes. Every part of her looked exhausted—like a candle burned too low, its wick barely clinging to its last flicker of flame.

But despite everything, despite the way her body betrayed her, she still looked at me the same way she always had.

Full of warmth. Full of love.

She smiled.

That same smile.

The one that had always made my world a little brighter.

Something inside me cracked.

My legs moved before I could think. Before I knew it, I was beside her, wrapping my arms around her frail body as if she would disappear the moment I let go. My fingers dug into the fabric of her hospital gown, desperate to hold onto her—to keep her tethered to me, to this world, to us. I buried my face into her shoulder, and my entire body trembled with the weight of emotions I had tried so hard to suppress.

A sob tore through me, raw and unrestrained.

"I'm sorry, Yu. I'm so, so sorry..." My voice broke, heavy with guilt. "I shouldn't have left. I should have stayed by your side. I should have been here for you, through everything. I—"

My words choked in my throat, the regret too much to bear.

Her trembling hand reached up, and her fingers weaved into my hair with a touch so light, so gentle—so heartbreakingly weak. She stroked my hair, just as she always had whenever I was upset, like she was trying to comfort me instead of the other way around.

"Shh, 'Race... it's okay," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath. It was fragile, yet it carried so much warmth, so much love, that it shattered me even more.

I shook my head against her shoulder, gripping onto her as if holding her tighter would stop time from taking her away from me. "No, it's not okay! It's not fair, Yue! You should have told me! I should have known—I should have been there for you!"

She sighed softly and pulled back just enough to look at me. Our faces were so close, yet I still felt like she was slipping away.

"I didn't want you to worry," she admitted, her lips trembling. "I didn't want you to see me like this... weak, helpless." She laughed weakly, but it came out more like a breath. "I wanted to be the Yue you loved, not the Yue who's..." She trailed off, unable to say the words.

"Not the Yue who's dying?" I finished for her, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her eyes welled up with tears, and she swallowed hard before nodding. "Yeah."

My hands tightened around hers, my own tears falling freely now. "You're an idiot, you know that?" My voice shook, breaking with each word. "How could you think I would love you any less just because you're sick? How could you think I wouldn't want to be here for you?"

She bit her lip, looking away. "Because I knew it would hurt you, 'Race. I knew it would break you. And I—" Her voice caught in her throat. "I love you too much to put you through that pain."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips, though it sounded more like a sob. "And you think leaving me in the dark didn't hurt? You think finding out this way, when it's already too late, doesn't break me?" My hands trembled as I cupped her face, forcing her to look at me. "Yue, I would rather spend every second by your side, even if it hurts, even if it's the hardest thing I'll ever have to do, than be kept away from you." My voice cracked as I whispered, "I just want to be with you."

Her lips parted, and for a moment, she just stared at me, her eyes wide, glistening with unshed tears. Then, after what felt like an eternity, she let out a small, shaky breath and leaned her forehead against mine.

"I'm sorry, 'Race," she whispered. "I never meant to hurt you. I just... I didn't know how to say goodbye."

A fresh wave of pain washed over me, and I closed my eyes, pressing my forehead against hers. "Then don't," I pleaded. "Don't say goodbye. Not yet."

She let out a soft, broken laugh. "I wish it were that easy..."

I shook my head. "Just promise me one thing, Yu."

She pulled back slightly, looking at me questioningly.

"Promise me that, no matter what happens, you won't try to bear this alone anymore. Let me be here for you, okay?" My voice was desperate, raw. "I don't care if it hurts—I just want to be with you."

For a moment, she didn't speak. She just stared at me, her eyes searching mine as if trying to etch every part of me into her memory. Then, slowly, she nodded.

"I promise."

And that was all I needed.

I pulled her into another embrace, holding her close, memorizing the way she felt in my arms, the way her heartbeat—faint but steady—thumped against my chest.

This time, I wasn't going to leave.

This time, I would stay.

The days passed, blending into each other like a hazy dream. From sunrise to sunset, I never left Yue's side. I fed her when she was too weak to hold a spoon. I held her hand when the pain became unbearable. I whispered sweet nothings into her ear, telling her about the future we would have if fate weren't so cruel.

She smiled through the pain.

She laughed through the exhaustion.

She loved me as if she wasn't counting down the days she had left.

Late one evening, Yue lay curled up on the hospital bed, her head resting against my shoulder as I sat beside her. Her body felt so light, too light, as if the wind could carry her away at any moment. She sighed softly, her breath warm against my skin.

"'Race," she murmured, her fingers weakly tracing circles on my palm. "Do you think... if things were different... we would still end up together?"

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and pressed a kiss to her hair. "What kind of question is that?" I whispered. "Of course, we would."

She smiled faintly. "Even if we had never met at the mall that day?"

A bittersweet chuckle escaped my lips. "I think I would've found you no matter what," I admitted, squeezing her hand gently. "Even if it took me a lifetime, I know my heart would always lead me back to you."

Yue hummed softly, as if savoring my words. "You know... when I first saw you that day, you're so spaced out when we accidentally touched each other, I thought to myself, 'That guy is a total dork.'"

I laughed, though my chest ached. "And yet, you still fell for that dork."

"I did," she admitted, tilting her head to look up at me. "Because that dork turned out to be the love of my life."

My smile faltered for a moment, and I fought back the overwhelming surge of grief threatening to consume me. "And you, Yue Shino, are the love of mine," I said, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "Which is why you're not going anywhere. You're going to get better. We're going to get through this—together."

Yue's gaze softened, but she didn't argue with me. Instead, she leaned into my touch, closing her eyes as if committing this moment to memory.

For a while, we sat in silence, wrapped in each other's presence. But even as I held her close, a gnawing fear took root in my heart. I wanted to believe my own words—I needed to believe them.

Because I wasn't ready to lose her.

***

The third week arrived faster than I wanted it to.

I glanced at my phone, a reminder flashing across the screen.

Our anniversary.

I inhaled deeply and turned to Yue, who was resting peacefully, her breathing slow but steady. Leaning down, I brushed my lips against her forehead. "Hey, Yu, I'll be back soon, okay? Wait for me."

She barely managed a nod, her lips forming a small, tired smile. "Okay."

I rushed out of the hospital, my chest tight with anticipation. I found the nearest flower shop and picked out the most beautiful bouquet of roses I could find. Red—the color of love, of passion, of promises never meant to be broken.

I paid quickly and sprinted back to the hospital, my heart racing as I imagined the surprise on her face.

But when I stepped into the room, my heart stopped.

Yue was sitting up, looking at me with teary eyes. The IV tubes were gone, the monitors disconnected. My stomach churned.

"Hey... come here," she whispered.

I swallowed hard, my body moving on its own. My hands trembled as I handed her the bouquet, watching as she clutched it tightly against her chest.

"They're beautiful," she choked out, her voice breaking. "Thank you, 'Race."

Tears streamed down her face, and I felt my own vision blur. "Why... why did you pull everything out? Yue, you need those—"

She shook her head, her lips trembling. "I don't have much time left. I... I wanted to hold these flowers properly. I wanted to see your face without any machines between us."

"Don't say that," I pleaded, dropping to my knees beside her bed. "Please, don't say that."

She reached for my hand, squeezing it with the little strength she had left. "I'm sorry, Horace. I don't want to leave you. I don't want to die. I want to be with you until the end of the world... but my body just... it can't keep going anymore."

A sob tore from my throat. "Then I'll find a way! I'll do something! I'll—"

She shook her head. "Horace, stop... It's okay. This isn't your fault. It was never your fault."

"But I could've done more! I could've—"

"Shh..." She placed a trembling finger against my lips. "Just... hold me, 'Race. One last time."

I crawled into bed beside her, gathering her fragile frame in my arms. She nuzzled against my chest, her breath shallow and uneven.

"Take care of yourself, okay?" she whispered against my skin.

"Don't... please don't say goodbye," I begged, my voice barely holding together. "Stay with me. Just a little longer."

She exhaled weakly, her lips pressing against mine in the faintest of kisses. "I love you, Horace. Always."

And then, the weight in my arms went still.

The air around me became unbearably quiet.

Her fingers, once clutching my shirt so desperately, now lay limply by her side.

I pressed my forehead against hers, my entire body wracked with uncontrollable sobs. My tears wet her lifeless skin, but she would never wake up to wipe them away again.

This isn't happening.

I won't accept this.

Not today.

Not ever.

A fiery determination burned through the grief consuming me. I clenched my fists, my entire being vibrating with desperation.

I won't going to let this happen.

I can't lose her.

Not this time.

"TIME LEAP!"