A man dressed in all-black and oxford shoes trudges the empty corridors of the intensive care unit ward. A faint shadow of a weary man can be seen on the white-washed walls as the fluorescent lights waver at a rhythmic beat. His left hand held a bouquet of sunflowers and blood red poppies-- her favorites.

Room 1004. He stops. He raises his hands to knock, but decides against it as he slides the door open instead. He closes his eyes and breathes in deeply. 

A startled figure turns to face him. Upon seeing who it was, she visibly relaxes and the corners of turn upward.

"Niel!"

He gives her a curt nod and leans against the door, unmoving. His eyes takes in the decorated room, looking everywhere but the girl sitting atop the white linen bed sheets.

"Aren't you going to give me those flowers?"

He nods again, but makes no move towards her. The girl's smile falters and her gaze softens. She reaches out and attempts to get down from the bed. Niel immediately jolts upright and strides towards her. The flowers lay at a heap on the floor.

"Don't," he orders as he grips her arm to keep her from moving.

The girl smiles and lightly rests her bandaged hand on his arm. Niel goes rigid at her touch, and he focuses on the catheter protruding from her arm. He follows the tube upwards and stares at the IV drip beside the bed. The bag was empty.

"I miss you so much," she finally says.

Niel throws in a sigh. "God, Amie." He bites his lips and shakes his head before he stumbles forward and engulfs the girl in his needy embrace. 

Amie lets out an airy laugh and wraps her thin arms around him. "I was born with a contract, Niel, don't you remember?"

"Can't I ignore those damn fine prints?" Niel protests weakly.

"I told you. I told you not to like me," she mumbles in response.

Niel pulls away and sits on the bed. He takes her hands and laces their fingers together.

"What I feel for you is more along the lines of love."

The tips of Amie's ears reddens, and she attempts to duck her head but he raises it back up, knowing full well that she was going to react that way. It's a habit of hers-- one of the many that drove him mad before they knew one another.

"Remember how we first met?" asks Amie with a teasing smile. But she already knew the answer. Neither she nor he will ever forget the moment when their two worlds collided.

“How could I ever forget? I don’t think I ever can, just like how I can never forget about you,” Niel caresses her cheeks lovingly, his eyes full of hurt and longing. “How...Just how can you do this to me, Amie?”

Amie’s gaze shifts from their entwined hands to Niel’s dark orbs. “It’s time to let go, Niel,” she murmurs. Her voice is soft, nearly inaudible, as if she herself didn’t want to acknowledge the truth. Niel opens his mouth to speak but Amie stops him. “No, Niel, please. For you, fo-.”

Niel swoops in and captures her trembling lips. He closes his eyes, and everything else fades away as he loses himself in their deep kiss.

He opens his eyes and feels his back against the door. The white linen bed is empty, the room bare. A breeze wafts through the open window and the scent of sunflowers and blood red poppies envelops him.

Take care Niel.

“Goodbye Amie.”

☆