Krystal’s days passed in an agonizingly slow rhythm, and she could’ve sworn she would’ve lost it if it weren’t for Yi Fan’s presence.

The first few weeks were the hardest because most of her nights were disturbed by endless nightmares and panic attacks. The scene of a wrecked car haunted her constantly, and she struggled hard to distract herself from thinking about anything related to the accident. It was pretty hard of course because her mind would sometimes unconsciously drift to sorrowful thoughts.

Yi Fan had told her that it was normal for she was still dealing with the post-effects of her trauma. So, he’d commanded her to surround herself with as much positivity as possible. Therefore, she’d tried to find joy in the smallest things, to appreciate the smallest details, and to refrain herself from thinking negatively. It was quite hard at first, but thankfully, it’d gotten slightly easier with time.

Yi Fan’s company had also managed to ease things slightly since they’ve grown so much closer due to her frequent visits. For her, he felt like someone who managed to rescue her from the misery she was ought to feel, and she’d appreciated his presence. He didn’t treat her like a patient who needed help, but more like someone who just needed to be heard.

The day he’d announced that he no longer needed to ask her more questions, things have changed drastically. She became more talkative; much more, like she’d been deprived from speaking her entire life. She talked endlessly, and he devoured all her words willingly.

And with time, those visits have become the highlight of her days. She looked forward to them and hated when they’d end. She felt herself getting more attached to Yi Fan; more dependent on him, and he became more like a source of her happiness.

She knew that it was wrong, terribly so, to depend on someone; especially someone whom she couldn’t know if he cared the slightest. After all, he was getting paid to listen to her, to act all genuine; it was his job, yet she couldn’t refrain herself from getting closer.

It wasn’t until she’d mustered up enough courage that she finally realized that he truly cared about her. After so many visits, she’d found herself one day asking him if they could hang out outside of his office, and frankly, she’d regretted the question as soon as it came out of . But her regret was soon forgotten after his instant reply. He didn’t hesitate to say yes for he, too, somehow had gotten attached to her along the way.

The thing was, he failed to decipher the reason behind his genuine feelings towards her. After all, he’d never gotten attached to any of his patients, and as heartless as this might sound, he’d never gotten affected by any of them. With Krystal though, it was different, and he failed to know whether it was out of pity or genuine care.

He couldn’t deny the fact that he’d found her interesting. Her unique and slightly unorganized and messy thoughts would leave him in awe. Her perspective in life was different; like she was able to see it in her own way unlike everyone else, and sometimes he’d envy her for it.

She was able to turn the dullest things to the most interesting, the most trivial matters to the most complex, and the most superficial topics into the deepest. She might’ve scared anyone else with her complicated thoughts, but for Yi Fan, her mind was more like a sophisticated piece of painting that could be comprehended by few.

Sometimes, her words would leave him perplexed, and he’d find himself staring at her like she was the most beautiful mystery he’d ever stumbled upon. He wasn’t a man in love, but a man lured by vagueness.

The office visits gradually subsided and were replaced with more frequent outings. And so, the last few weeks of her supposedly vacation were mostly spent with Yi Fan. Their days were spent with long walks around the city, endless conversations and laughs, and for Krystal, there wasn’t more perfect way than to end this hellish vacation of hers. 

Rather reluctantly, Krystal walked towards the destination where she was supposed to meet Yi Fan. He’d mentioned few days ago that he was obliged to travel out of the country for few weeks, and although she was disheartened by the news, she tried to enjoy her last few days with him before he left.

Today though, she was finding it slightly hard to do so for they will be saying their farewells tonight. Since the moment she’d woken up, her thoughts were all related to the man who’d she’d become most dependent on, and unfortunately, they were all quite saddening ones.

As selfish as this might sound, she didn’t want Yi Fan to leave for she didn’t want to be alone again. She didn’t have someone else whom she could talk with; not even her parents because they were doing nothing but constantly worrying about her health. They hardly listened to her and when they did, they seemed too unfocused; like her words weren’t heard. Krystal had gotten used to Yi Fan’s presence to the point where she didn’t know how she’ll be able to spend those few weeks with him so far away.

Krystal stared at the tall building for few minutes where Yi Fan’s apartment was. She inhaled a deep breath as she tried to get rid of her earlier thoughts. She didn’t want to burden him today with her grumpiness not when he was already pressured enough with all the preparations for his conference.

“There’ll be enough time to sulk later, but not today.” She closed her eyes as she whispered to herself.

And with a plastered smile, she entered the building few minutes later.

After knocking couple of times, the door opened to reveal Yi Fan’s frustrated face. A relieved sigh escaped his lips the moment he saw her standing at his doorstep and he mentioned about how they'd a lot of things to do before he immediately signaled for her to come in.

Krystal eyes slightly widened when she entered his place for it was anything but what she’d expected. It looked overwhelmingly luxurious with its black walls, white furniture, and the fireplace that rested gracefully and spread warmth all over Krystal’s body. The scent of Yi Fan’s cologne filled the place, and it’d comforted her in a way that was unexplainable.  

A ghost of a smile appeared on her face when her eyes laid on the black and white pictures that were hanged on the wall. She was too busy staring at those pictures that she didn’t notice Yi Fan’s gaze that never left her all the while she walked towards them.

Her eyes couldn’t avert away, neither did his for it seemed like they were both hypnotized by what their eyes had fallen upon.

They were all pictures of him captured at what Krystal believed the right moments. He looked lively in a way that she found so beautiful, and her heart fluttered upon their sight. Yi Fan’s lips quirked up into a small smile when he noticed one forming on her face, and he couldn’t stop himself from watching her from afar.

“I’m not that narcissistic, I swear. Mom’s the one who hanged them up during her last visit.” He broke the silence few minutes later. Krystal only nodded as a response as she was too focused at another picture of his. For some unknown reason, she felt like this one was quite different from the others as this one was solely focused on his genuine smile.  

“When was the time you felt maximally happy?” Krystal’s question was above a whisper like it wasn’t meant to be asked aloud, but Yi Fan perfectly heard it. He didn’t reply immediately because he was deliberating his answer. He racked his brain about all the times when he felt utterly happy, but the words unconsciously slipped from his mouth. “I convince myself that I hadn’t witnessed it yet.”

“Why?” Krystal finally diverted her stare away from the pictures towards Yi Fan’s direction before he answered.

“So I can look forward to waking up tomorrow…” He met her gaze while he spoke, and they stood for a good couple of minutes staring intently into each other’s eyes as she let his words sink in. His words had affected her more than it should've. Maybe because it was something she lacked; the fact that she never looked forward to wake up because there was simply nothing to anticipate or wait for. 

Krystal felt transfixed under his stare, and she didn't look away. She couldn’t because she was too mesmerized by the man who stood in front of her. No wonder he'd always managed to find joy in the most trivial things; it was like he didn't just wait for the moment to come but more like he searched hard to find it. His appreciation for the smallest things has made his life consist of nothing but a series of happy moments that were enough to provide him with hope. 

“So, are you going to stand here all day or are you going to help me?” He broke their eye contact few minutes later, and with a sheepish grin, he turned around and walked to what Krystal believed to be his room. Soon after, she trailed behind him, and they both spent the rest of the day packing his bags for his flight tonight.

“Did you put the file in the bag?” It was 10 minutes before the time Yi Fan was ought to leave the house, and he was getting worked up about it. He’d been frantically walking around the house for the last 30 minutes making sure that everything was in its place. 

He’d clarified Krystal earlier about the conference and how he was quite nervous about it. It was his first time to attend such a big event where researchers from across the globe will be attending. His research was going to be discussed there, and he feared he’d mess up or forget his already organized thoughts once he stood in front of everyone.

“I already told you hundred times, everything is packed.” She grabbed his forearms tightly and forced him to look in her eyes. “You’re going to do great, and you’re going to blow their minds with your thoughts. Okay?” She smiled reassuringly as she stared intently at him.

He slightly nodded at her while he stared back with widened eyes. He then took a deep breath while he tried to calm his nerves a bit. When she finally made sure that he stopped with his earlier hyperventilation, she let go of his arms and walked to finish what she was doing earlier. 

Yi Fan was motionless for a while before he finally walked towards Krystal.

“Thank you” He stood behind her and whispered to her ears. He then s his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. Krystal froze in her place due to the sudden skin ship, but she eventually relaxed and closed her eyes as she tried to leisure this moment.

“I’m going to miss you…a lot.” He detected sadness in her voice, and he turned her around to face him before he spoke. “I’m going to call you daily, I’m going to bore you with the number of calls you’ll receive, and those few weeks will pass by in no time, okay?” Krystal noticed determination in the way he looked at her, and she couldn’t help but feel thankful to have someone like him in her life.

She mirrored his smile and nodded before he pulled her into hug. She didn’t react at first because her misery was threatening to resurface, but she eventually put her arms around his neck. She felt her eyes welling up, but she tried hard to refrain herself from crying.

 “I’m going to miss you too, Krystal.” She failed to hold her tears any longer after hearing those words, and she tightened her embrace as she silently cried into his chest.

Krystal knew that she must’ve looked so childish right now with the way she acted, but she couldn’t do anything about it. Yi Fan was the first person who made her feel like this; he was her source of happiness for quite a while now, and she found a hard time letting go of him even if it was temporarily.

Soon though, his hold around her gradually loosened until his hands finally fell to his sides and let her go. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him because she didn’t want him to see her like that. So, she instantly turned around and walked towards his bags that rested beside his front door.

Yi Fan’s pained smile before he’d walked away haunted her while she laid on her bed later that night. Today’s events had made her realize how much she’d grown fond of him during these past few weeks, and with the pros of having him as a best friend also comes the cons that leave her in this state when he was gone.

She inhaled a deep breath as her eyes fluttered close. She then reminded herself with his earlier thoughts before she finally drifted to sleep.

“Look forward to waking up tomorrow, the happiest moment is yet to come.”