“Tao, what would you do if you only had one day to live?” Tao smiled his cute innocent smile, his hand reached down and touched with yours before he laced your hand with his, his thumb rubbing against the back of your hand. It was an innocent question. People ask these all the time. He didn't think anymore of it. “Hm, what would I do if I only had one day to live...” Tao thought about it, well he pretended to, he knew exactly what he wanted it was so easy for him but he didn't want to just give out the answer. “I would spend it with you, silly!” Tao exclaimed, his soft lips connecting with the warmth of your cheek. You smiled softly, heading going to rest on his shoulder as your eyes scanned the ocean ahead, the breeze blowing was relaxing during the hot weather of the summer. “You're so cheesy.” You teased as you closed your eyes, taking in the scent of the ocean and the familiar scent of Tao, both calming.

Your lips had become dry from the wind but you hardly minded, you simply just them. With a soft sigh you looked up, meeting the beautiful brown orbs of Tao. “Panda.” You cooed with a smile, Tao's smile could hardly be contained when he heard the cute nickname he only aloud you to call him. “I love you, you know that?” You asked, your voice was soft but firm. “I love you too.” Tao said as he leaned down, pressing a small and gently kiss on your slightly capped lips. You melted right there, Tao's lips were always soft and smooth, always gentle, always comforting. He always managed to steal your breath away with just a smile, just his beautiful laugh even a small glance, your heart would skip a beat or seem to stop all together.

You were the first to pull away, you smiled again, your small and caring smile that he loved oh so much. “Tao, I'm hungry.” You said with a small pout. Tao chuckled and he kissed the top of your head, of course you were. “I'll go get something from the snack bar.” He said as he got up from the bench you two sat at. You watched as the tall male made his way of the stand, a sigh left your lips. He made it so hard. So hard to say goodbye. Your eyes looked at the calming waves that hit the shore and you could feel the tears prickling in the corner of your eyes but you refused to cry on such a beautiful day. You hand, shaking, reaching into your jacket pocket and pulled out a small folded note, fingers brushing against the paper you closed your eyes, taking in the ocean air, the faint scent of Tao that reminded on the jacket once more, a small smile pulling onto your lips, the tears you refused to release had failed a single tiny tear left your eyes. You had taken your last breath and it so happened to be Tao's sweet scent.

“____?” Tao called out as he approached the bench, two ice cream cones in his hands. He blinked, had you really gone to sleep? It wasn't until he gotten closer and everything around him seemed to stay still, the wind, the waves, everything seemed to be having a moment of silence. “____?” Tao asked once again now standing right in front of you. His heart stopped just like the world seemed to have done. The ice cream had fallen to the ground, his arms falling to his side as he looked at the motionless body. “Don't play around.” Tao said, voice shaking. “Come on, get up.” Tao said as a nervous laugh left his lips as his hand went to touch your hand, the note you had been hold fell and caught his attention, bending down he picked it up with his free hand. Tao opened the yellow piece of paper and there on it was your perfect little handwriting.

“Dear Panda, I've been hiding something for quite a long time. You see I have lung cancer. I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid, maybe in denial and probably shocked but mostly because I didn't want to hurt you. I'm a coward. I wanted to tell you but every time I tried, I would talk myself out of it, afraid you would cry and scared you would leave. I've written this note, this letter, a thousand times but it all sounds like excuses to me, trying to justify why I would keep something like this a secret. I'm sorry. You can hate me, yell at me but please understand that no matter what I love you. I haven't decided if you'll ever even read this note, maybe you will by chance or maybe I'll work up some courage to give this to you one day. Whatever it may be I want you to know, every minute, every second, every breath I spent with you was worth it. I don't regret any moment I shared with you. Love, ____.”

Tao didn't even know he had fallen to the ground until he felt the tears slam into his face and could no longer feel anything. He didn't know why this note burned into his hand far more worse than anything he's ever experience or why he felt the need to scream out to the gods for taking you away from him, or why he wanted to rip his heart out. He didn't even why what started out to be such a beautiful day had turned into the most dark time of his life or why his hand clutched the small black box that rested in his pants pocket. He didn't know anything anymore. He didn't know why he pulled himself onto the bench and forced himself to looked at your now pale body, he really didn't know why he was torturing himself like this. Maybe he wasn't ready, he wasn't ready to say goodbye. Not just yet.

Using one hand, he wiped his face clean of his tears but it was useless as it seemed his eyes had turned into a never ending waterfall. With the other he grasped your limp hand into his own, your warmth was no longer there. “____, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” He asked in a cracked whisper. He swore he heard a faint yes from beside him but when he turned to see there was no one. Even so he took that as a sign, and slipped the beautiful sliver ring onto your finger. “I love you.” Tao whispered as his warm soft lips met with your cold pale cheek. Leaning back on the bench he looked out to the ocean, his hand still holding yours even if it was cold now. He closed his eyes as he took in the ocean scent, but it wasn't the ocean he smelled it was the sweet smell of you, it was like you were right beside him and he swore once again he heard the faint whisper of your voice saying “I love you too.”