“Ready?” Xiao Lei asked him as he got down of the car. She asked him to stop by the hospital where Lay works and he has no idea on why they were there in the first place. “I already told you everything last night, so I won’t keep more secrets from you. Little by little, you’ll really know what is going on with my life.”

“Xiao Lei…” he was speechless. He didn’t know what to say for he thinks that Xiao Lei was showing her how much she’s striving for her own life. Xiao Lei tugged on his hand and lead her way to Lay’s office. Lu Han was not prepared but he has no idea how Xiao Lei almost didn’t get to sleep just to tell him everything that she’s been going through.

Xiao Lei thought of ways of how she should show him her ‘secret life’. She even thought that yes, it was fulfilling and she felt so free after saying yes to him yet she was worried…for Lu Han. It was hard enduring everything alone and yet she’s going to drag another person into her life. Whatever. YOLO. You only live once…and you have a short life. Make the most out of it. She said to herself that night.

And there they were, inside a doctor’s office.

“Good morning—Oh, you’re here too. Are you both ready?” Lay greeted them cheerfully as he grabbed one mask and lead them to another room. A couple of nurses had been waiting for them and Lu Han didn’t know what to do. He wanted to wait outside the room but he was curious on what is happening with her. “I suggest YOU calm down and go with her. She needs you, believe me.”

Lu Han took a deep breath and saw all the apparatus that was in the room. Some of them are even unimaginable to him and he couldn’t think how these machines could cure a human…they were terrifying. He looked carefully at Xiao Lei, who was obviously growing pale, sitting quietly down on a bed. Another nurse entered the room and advised her to lie down and relax, which Xiao lei can’t obviously do.

“She’s just going to have a blood transfusion, but she’s terrified of needles.” Lay whispered as he tapped Lu Han’s shoulder, then went next to Xiao Lei. Lay smiled as he held her hand, “Happy thoughts.”

Xiao Lei nodded and kept on looking at the ceiling. No matter how hard she tries to hide her fear, it would always show to those who care for her.

“It’s going to be okay. What would you like to do after this? Should we go grab something to eat or should we ride the Ferris wheel again and watch fireworks?”

“Can you please stop talking about that incident?! I’m trying to extend my life here and I don’t want to die due to embarrassment.” Xiao Lei rolled her eyes and avoided to look into Lu Han’s eyes. Lu Han laughed freely and as he looked back to Lay, he was already giving him a thumbs up. Xiao Lei didn’t even realize that the needle was already connected with her body.

“Alright, I’ll go for the meantime and you can just call the nurse if you need anything.” Lay told them and went out of the room as soon as he got their response.

Just a couple of minutes later, Xiao Lei finally dozed off and Lu Han was left alone with her in the room. It was too quiet that it should be the perfect time and place to think about things. Of how they ended up in a hospital, of what is truly happening with Xiao Lei. Lay entered once again and this time, he wanted to talk with Lu Han. As always, he didn’t know what to do. Everything was new to him and it is still processing in his brain yet Lay show up once again to add more details.

“So is this what you meant when you said you already know everything? Coffee?” Lu Han nodded absent-mindedly. “I’ll tell you the whole story so be ready.”

“I am listening…” Lay sat down on his seat while Lu Han was almost as stiff as a pole while sitting down across Lay’s table.

“You just know that she has anemia and it’s true. But when we were in high school, it was way worse. She had leukemia. She survived that phase however, we still cannot guarantee that she’s fully cured. Until now, she always go to me for check-ups and gets blood transfusions just to keep her blood healthy. So that she could live longer. It’s quite ironic since she has been saying that she’s going to die yet she keeps on coming back to save her life. Not that I don’t want it, okay?” Lay smiled at the bitter thought. “People are so complicated.”

Xiao Lei wasn’t the only one suffering that time but everyone around her. Her brother was crying every night, Kris was dead worried even when in school, he was so far away from her when she needed him the most, and her parents can’t even sleep a wink just to make sure she was alright.

“Lei told me you two dated in high school…”

“She did?” Lay chuckled and nodded. “Yeah. She was the reason why I wanted to be a doctor and it’s because I wanted to take care of her, and cure her. I studied abroad while she was sick, but we grew apart and that’s it.”

“Do you still love her?”

“Yeah…we’re good friends. Love shouldn’t just be for lovers.”

“I see.” Lu Han felt jealous knowing that he still has a lot more to know about her yet Lay is effortless. “She just told me these information before saying yes. She must have thought that I would love her less if I knew the truth. Wrong, I wanted to love her more actually.”

“Just knowing that Lei opened up to you and showed you the truth, she must really trust you. So don’t break that trust.”

“But tell me honestly, is Xiao Lei really going to die?”

“Yes, everyone’s going to die anyway. But when you mean because of her sickness? We’re trying everything we can do for her and I’m sure she is doing it for herself as well. Don’t worry, she’s a tough woman. Dude, she can kill all of us if she wants to and we won’t even have the cha