The Time Leaper (Chapter 12)

Chapter 12: Engraved Fate

Two months had passed since Yue's life was saved, and today is our third anniversary. I'm beyond grateful that I managed to save her this time. After everything we had gone through, after all the suffering and desperation, I finally had her beside me. She's alive. She's breathing. That's all that mattered.

I opened my eyes and smiled at the sight of Yue peacefully sleeping beside me, her steady breaths filling the quiet morning air. I reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear before pressing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," I whispered.

She scrunched her nose and turned away from me, pulling the blanket over her head. "Just five more minutes, 'Race," she mumbled, pouting adorably.

I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her. "Happy third anniversary, Yu."

She peeked from under the blanket, eyes still half-lidded with sleep, and gave me a lazy smile. "Happy third anniversary, 'Race."

We lay in bed for a few more minutes, basking in each other's warmth before I gently nudged her. "Come on, we have to get ready. We're going to visit Leira today."

At the mention of her savior's name, Yue's drowsiness vanished instantly. She bolted upright and nodded eagerly before rushing to the bathroom for a shower. Seeing her that excited warmed my heart. Visiting Leira's grave had become a tradition for us—our way of showing appreciation for the girl who had given Yue another chance at life.

When we arrived at the cemetery, the air was crisp, and the autumn leaves danced around us with every passing breeze. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were already there, standing solemnly before their daughter's grave. The moment they saw us, they greeted us with warm, albeit sad, smiles.

Mrs. Smith's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as Yue approached her. Without a word, Yue embraced her tightly, resting her chin on the grieving mother's shoulder. "Thank you," Yue whispered, her voice trembling. "Thank you for letting me have Leira's heart."

Mrs. Smith let out a soft sob, holding Yue tighter. "She would have wanted this," she murmured. "She always wanted to help people. Knowing that her heart still beats inside of you... it gives me a little bit of comfort."

Mr. Smith, though a man of few words, patted my shoulder and gave me a nod of understanding. "She's alive in her own way," he said gruffly. His voice held strength, but his hands trembled slightly as he wiped a stray tear from his cheek. "We just wish we could've had more time with her."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. "I wish you could have, too. But I promise you—Yue and I will never forget her. We will honor her every day."

We all stood before Leira's resting place, offering a small prayer. I bent down, placing a bouquet of white lilies on her grave. "Thank you, Leira," I murmured. "Thank you for saving Yue."

Yue knelt beside me, her fingers grazing the cold stone as she whispered, "I hope you can hear me, Leira. I'll take care of your heart. I'll cherish every single beat."

The wind picked up, rustling the leaves around us, as if the universe itself acknowledged Yue's promise.

After spending some time with the Smiths, sharing stories and reminiscing, we decided it was time to go home. Yue waved goodbye enthusiastically, promising to visit again soon. The Smiths watched us leave with tender expressions, as if seeing Yue alive brought them a sense of peace.

As we walked away, hand in hand, I glanced at Yue and saw the brightness in her eyes, the life in her smile. She had been given a second chance—and for the first time in a long time, I dared to believe that maybe, just maybe, we had won against fate.

***

As we walked down the peaceful street, Yue skipped happily beside me, her hand swinging in mine. Her laughter rang through the air, light and full of warmth. She looked up at me with the brightest smile, her eyes glistening under the soft glow of the setting sun.

"I'm really happy I decided to go through with the operation."

I turned to her, squeezing her hand. "Are you?"

She nodded. "Yes. Because this way, we can spend more time together."

Her words filled me with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment. Just knowing that she was still here, still smiling, still breathing beside me, was enough. The battle against fate, against time itself, had been worth it. We had won.

Or so I thought.

A sudden, sharp noise cut through the evening air—a blaring car horn, the screeching of tires against asphalt. It was a sound that sent chills down my spine, a sound that didn't belong in this perfect moment.

Time slowed. My heart pounded against my ribs as I turned my head, my stomach twisting into a knot of dread.

A car.

Speeding. Uncontrolled. Headed straight for Yue.

My breath caught in my throat. My body locked up. I tried to move, to pull her back, to scream her name, but I was frozen. Trapped in a moment that stretched endlessly before me.

And then—

The impact.

A sickening thud. The brutal force of metal colliding with flesh and bone.

The world shattered around me as I watched Yue's fragile body being thrown through the air before crashing onto the pavement.

Silence. Deafening, suffocating silence.

Then came the screaming—my screaming. My legs finally responded, and I sprinted toward her, dropping to my knees as I scooped her into my arms.

"No... no, no, no—YUE!"

Her blood—warm, thick, and far too much of it—soaked into my hands, my clothes, staining the asphalt beneath us. I could feel her trembling, her shallow breaths growing weaker with each second that passed.

Her eyes fluttered open, hazy with pain, but she still... smiled. A soft, bitter smile that shattered me more than anything.

"I guess... my death was inevitable, huh?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"No! Don't say that, Yu! You're going to be fine! I can save you—I'll save you!" My voice cracked, raw and desperate.

She weakly shook her head. "It's okay, Horace... I've already accepted my fate."

"But I haven't!" My grip on her tightened, my entire body trembling. "I won't let you die! I refuse to let you die!"

I could feel my own heartbeat pounding in my ears, deafening, suffocating. The weight of helplessness was crushing me. I wouldn't let this happen. Not again. Not after everything we had fought for.

I had one option left.

I opened my mouth, ready to say the words that would undo this nightmare, to take us back—but before I could, Yue's bloodstained fingers gently touched my lips, silencing me.

"Don't do it, Horace," she whispered.

My breath hitched. How did she...?

A weak chuckle escaped her lips, followed by another painful cough. "I've always known... about your time leap ability."

I felt my entire world tilt on its axis.

She coughed again, her crimson-stained lips trembling, yet she still smiled at me. "I knew all along, Horace... because I can see the future."

My mind reeled. "What...?"

"I saw a future where I died of my illness. And in that future... I heard you say the words 'time leap,' before I passed..." She let out a soft, breathless laugh. "But then... everything changed. You altered fate. We met two days earlier than we were supposed to... You never left my side. I didn't die from sickness... A future completely different from what I just saw... That's when I realized that your time leap must've been real..." She muttered with a painful smile as she started to cough more blood... 

"But my death was always meant to happen, Horace."She added with a bitter smile...

"No," I choked out, my head shaking violently. "No, I refuse to believe that. I can change it again! I have the power to change it again!"

She weakly squeezed my hand, her strength fading fast. "Every power comes with a price... and ours is our own life." Her eyes softened, filled with nothing but love. "Every time you use your ability, you shorten your lifespan. I never had control over mine, and I drained all my life force. But you... you still have control. So live, Horace... live for me... and for yourself."

"No, Yue... please..." My voice was barely coherent through my sobs. "Don't leave me..."

She gave me one last, loving look. A look that told me everything I needed to know.

"I love you, Horace... Goodbye..."

And just like that... she was gone.

I sat there, clutching her lifeless body, my entire world reduced to rubble. My fingers curled into the fabric of her dress, my shoulders shaking violently.

The pain—this pain—was unbearable.

I let out a broken sob, my tears mixing with the blood staining her skin. I had lost her. I had truly lost her this time.

But amidst the grief, the devastation, the shattered pieces of my soul... I knew what I had to do.

Slowly, gently, I laid Yue's body down on the pavement, my lips pressing against hers for the last time.

"I've already made my decision, my love..."

Then, with tears still streaming down my face, I smiled at her and whispered the words that should've changed everything but still couldn't...

"Time leap..."