Time passed, and they grew closer and closer. In the matter of days, they became inseparable.

Their love, however, was not enough to stop Daiyu's sickness from developing and spreading around her body.

She was gradually feeling more and more pain. Her breathing was uneven, she felt exhausted easily, and her fainting became something on a daily basis.

'I feel so useless sometimes,' Luhan admitted one day when they were watching a movie. The doctors did not let him take Daiyu anywhere. Leaving the hospital and staying at his apartment was the most she was allowed to do.

She furrowed her eyebrows, 'I have the right to feel useless. I am not capable of getting through a day on my own. You are not useless, you being here is a huge help.'

'But I can't even lessen the pain,' he replied.

Daiyu moved closer to him, wrapping her hands around his neck while sitting on his lap.

'Who says I need anyone to lessen the pain?' she pointed out. 'Try to think of it the other way around. How am I supposed to know if cancer is progressing or not if not by the pain?'

Luhan groaned.

'I would like it not to progress at all.'

She smiled sadly and caressed his cheek.

'We both know that it's not possible.'

His eyes began to water and he turned his gaze away.

'I'm supposed to comfort you, yet I can't even stop myself from crying. I'm so sorry.'

Daiyu sighed and cupped his face in her hands.

'I don't mind you crying,' she whispered. 'And I'm really sorry for being the reason for your tears. That's exactly what I wanted to avoid.'

Luhan looked at her intently.

'It's not your fault that I care. I love you, Daiyu,' he rested his forehead against hers. 'I could never blame anything on you. I realize that there is not much time-', he choked on his own words. 'I didn't mean to say this. I'm sorry.'

Daiyu lowered her eyes before lifting them to his face again. She needed a while to make sure her voice would not crack.

Seeing him in that vulnerable state made her swallow her tears immediately, concern taking over her heart.

'Shhhh,' she silenced his sniffles as her thumbs caressed his cheeks. 'It's alright, I'm aware that I don't have much time left. It's okay to say what you want to say. I like listening to your voice.'

'I just think that it's so unfair,' he cried out. 'Why does it have to be you? Out of all people, why does it have to be you?'

'I don't know. But the doctors let me stay at home, at least we have that.'

Luhan released a shaky breath, his embrace tightening around her. He knew that the doctors only let her stay at his place because at the hospital there was not much they could do.

‘I think you should take her home,’ the doctor’s face was almost apologetic. ‘There are no chances of her recuperating. Here she only feels weaker and weaker, seeing other people in a similar situation takes away her strength.’

‘Is there really nothing you can do?’

‘You should try and make her happy. She deserves it.’

Luhan brought Daiyu even closer to his chest and hid his face in her hair.

'You deserve the world. I'll do anything for you,' he whispered.

'Just stay,' she replied quietly.

'I'm not going anywhere,' he assured, his fingers woven into her hair.

---

That night was the last night when Daiyu felt strong enough to fight.

For the next few days, her pain was gradually increasing causing her to lose feeling in her limbs.

In one and half a week she became a completely different person. She was no longer smiling most of the time. Her skin was so weak and thin that it became completely translucent, with veins clearly visible. She was not capable of standing on her own for more than a couple of minutes, her knees would always give in.

The doctors suggested that she take painkillers, but she refused, explaining that it would only add unnecessary pressure to her already weakened body. They, as well as Luhan, respected her decision.

Luhan decided not to cry in front of her. He was actually ashamed of his previous behaviour.

Whenever she needed something, he would always get it for her. He actually scolded her when she wanted to do something that required energy on her own.

'Luhan,' Daiyu demanded one day, 'Stop doing everything instead of me.'

'But you-'

'I have very little time left, okay?' she snapped. 'Don't take my life away when I still can live.'

'Don't say that you have very little time!'

'Why? Because it hurts? Well imagine that I'm having a hard time, too!'

'Because I want you to live as long as it is possible. Okay?' he said through gritted teeth. 'I want to spend with you as much time as it is possible. I can't risk you getting hurt.'

'Why?' Daiyu questioned brusquely and he almost winced at the hostility in her voice. 'What if I actually want this to end as early as possible?'

Luhan gasped and his jaw dropped, but before he could speak up she was stating her mind again.

'It hurts. I can't even point out a single place that hurts the most, because it hurts so much. The medication didn't work. The doctors say it's only a matter of days,' she breathed. 'If I have only a few days left, than I want to live normally, just like I would if I were healthy. I'm going to die anyway, caring too much will only leave you with disappointment,' she added in a softer voice. 'And I don't want to disappoint you.'

Luhan eyed her face intently.

'Let me get the best out of what is left, alright?' she asked gently.

Seeing him hide his face in his hands, she wrapped her numb arms around him.

'I appreciate that you care so much, believe me. I can't bear the thought of you hurting when I'm not here anymore.'

'So don't leave,' he scoffed at the ridiculety of his own words.

'I'd love to stay,' she assured.

Luhan straightened up and hugged her. He was careful, keeping in mind how fragile she was.

'I love you. So much.'

Daiyu smiled and lifted her head to press a soft kiss onto his lips.

'Everything I do with you,' Luhan breathed without opening his eyes, 'Everything is bittersweet.'

She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder, feeling her knees weakening. She wove her fingers into his soft hair.

They never fought again.

---

Daiyu woke up in the middle of the night and felt her lungs squeeze any oxygen that was in them out.

'Luhan!' her shout sounded more as though she had no vocal chords.

He sat up on the bed immediately.

He was not asleep in the first place.

Seeing her suffocate, he got a syringe from a drawer of the bedside table and filled it with a relaxant prescribed by her doctor for such happenings.

He lifted one of the sleeves of her pajamas and injected the medication through a intravenous cannula on her inner elbow. Having made sure that the whole of the relaxant was administered, he rested his back against the headrest and wrapped his hands around her from behind.

'It's alright now,' he breathed into her hair, his voice shaky as ever, 'You'll be able to breathe in a moment.'

As her breathing evened out, or at least to a similar state as before her shortness of breath, Daiyu closed her eyes in order to prevent herself from crying.

'I don't think I can fall asleep again, honestly,' Luhan whispered.

'Me neither.'

'What would you like to do?'

'Let's just sit for a little longer,' she suggested and laid her head on his chest. 'Thank you, Luhan. And I'm sorry.'

'Don't be. There's no need for that.'

She looked at his hands on her stomach and intertwined their fingers together.

'What will you do... When I'm gone?' she asked after a few minutes of them sitting in the dark and silence.

'I can't think about this now,' he admitted. 'I just can't.'

'That's alright. I won't tell you to find love, because you will do whatever you will want to do. Just be happy...' she her lips and calmed her breath. 'You've suffered enough.'

'I would do anything to experience being with you for the rest of my life. Every second spent with you is so precious... I can't imagine not being with you right now. I love you too much to waste any moment.'

'But you know it won't last...?' she trailed off as her voice gave up on her again.

'I know. And it makes me treasure this even more.'

'When it's over... Could you get my family to come to the f-funeral?'

Silence followed.

'Of course. I promise I'll do anything to have them come.'

---

'Daiyu... Daiyu...'

She was awakened by the softness of a familiar voice. She blinked the sleepiness from her eyes and saw Luhan smiling.

Something told her that there was a hint of uneasiness in his eyes, and the way his voice trembled only proved her right.

'You're awake,' he said simply.

'Hi,' she replied. 'Are you alright?'

'Yes,' he whispered. 'I'm perfectly fine.' his cracking voice gave him away.

'What happened?'

'I fell asleep,' he looked away.

'You fell asleep?' she repeated with furrowed eyebrows, not understanding.

'I fell asleep for the first time in four days. All of those days, I didn't sleep because I was watching over you. And I fell asleep, and you... You had respiratory problems again. I was too late to react, and I had to take you to the hospital. I'm so sorry.'

'You didn't sleep all of the time? Luhan, you can't sacrifice your own health for me!' she immediately regretted her outburst as her breath hitched and she broke into a cough.

'Shh, shh. It's okay. It doesn't matter now. I love you, remember?'

Daiyu nodded, a faint smile stretching her lips.

---

One month later, Luhan was walking along a path. He knew the way too well, as if it had been somehow imprinted in his mind.

He stopped in front of a pile of flowers on the ground and put the bouquet he had in his hand on top of it.

Suddenly, he felt at a loss of words, so he just dusted off the stone. Seeing the words engraved in it, he smiled softly.

When the remembrance lasts, no words are needed.

'Don't wait for me,' he whispered. 'Find your happiness first. You deserve it.'