CHAPTER 37: HOW CAN I LIVE FOREVER (⁠ʘ⁠ᴗ⁠ʘ⁠✿⁠)

(6 a.m)

The sun had barely risen when Leo opened the curtains. Orange light spilled into the room, brushing gently across Sarah’s face. As she stirred around, her eyelashes fluttering before her eyes slowly opened. For a moment, she looked lost, her expression confused from sleep. Then her gaze landed on him, and the memory of the night before came back to her all at once...

Leo was sitting in the chair beside the bed, fully dressed. Their packed bags were resting against the wall behind him, a clear sign that he had made a decision while she slept. He gave her a small nod...

"Morning, babe," he said, his voice soft, a stark contrast to the anger and fear he felt inside...

Sarah blinked twice, her eyes taking in the room. She noticed how clean and orderly it was. The bathroom door was half open, and she could see that there was no sign of what had happened just hours before. The bed felt warm and comfy, but the sight of the packed bags made her stomach clench with anxiety...

"Babe, you didn’t sleep," she murmured. It wasn’t a question.

He shook his head... "I’m okay."

It wasn’t an answer, and they both knew it. She could see the exhaustion in the set of his shoulders and the red veins under his eyes that hadn’t been there at midnight. But she didn’t press him. She understood he was trying to hold himself together, not for his sake, but for hers...

After a moment of silence, he asked, "Are you feeling okay?"

She gave a small nod, pushing herself up slightly against the pillows. "A little tired, but... okay."

Leo reached out, his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. His touch was hesitant and careful. "We’re going to your parents’ place. Today."

Sarah didn’t say anything at first. Her hands clutched the bedsheets lightly, her knuckles turning white. She stared at him, trying to understand what he was thinking from his unreadable expression. "Are you still mad?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"I’m not letting that get in the way of this," Leo said, his tone steady and resolute, though it took a significant effort to keep it that way. "You need support right now. Proper care. That’s all that matters... I just want us to figure things out. Together."

She could still see the anger in his eyes and in the tight line of his jaw. It was an anger born from fear and a feeling of betrayal, not by her, but by the situation and the secrets that had been kept. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay calm. Tears started to build up again, a familiar pressure behind her eyes, but she blinked them away intensely...

She leaned in and kissed him on the forehead, a soft, lingering touch. "I love you," she whispered against his skin.

He didn’t react right away. He didn’t pull away, but he didn’t lean into the kiss either. Not because he didn’t love her...that love was the reason he felt so torn apart...but because the words felt too simple for the complicated emotions he was feeling...

Instead, he stood up, creating a small distance between them. He walked into the bathroom, and she heard the sound of the tap running. He came back with a glass of water...

"Here," he said, holding it out. "Drink something first."

She took the glass with both hands, her fingers brushing against his. "Thanks, babe," she murmured, her voice low...

Leo sat back down on the edge of the chair, watching as she took a few small, slow sips. He was focused entirely on her, his attention unwavering...

He swallowed hard, the silence in the room feeling uncomfortable. "I’ve prepared hot water for you," he said quietly, his gaze fixed on a point on the wall just past her shoulder. "So once you’re done drinking this, you can take a bath. Let’s get ready to go."

She nodded in agreement, finishing the water. When she was done, she stood up slowly and walked into the bathroom. Her steps were still a bit unsteady, but they were more determined than they had been hours earlier...

Leo watched the door close behind her, then sat on the edge of the bed, his hands resting on his knees. He stayed quiet, listening to the sound of the shower running...

He felt like he was balancing on a thin line, trying not to let his anger or his fear overwhelm him...

After a while, she came back out, wrapped in a fluffy white towel, her hair was wet and clinging to her neck. She walked over to the packed bags, opened one, and pulled out a set of clothes...jeans and a simple blouse.

Leo didn’t leave the room. He didn’t want to let her out of his sight. He stood nearby, a silent observer, as she got dressed. When she had trouble reaching the zipper on the back of her blouse, she paused, her shoulders slumping in a small gesture of frustration...

Without saying anything, Leo stepped forward. "Here," he said softly. She nodded, turning her back to him.

He zipped it up carefully, his fingers brushing against the skin of her back. For a moment, his hands lingered there. When he was done, he stepped back. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said, turning to face him with a small, cute smile. "I’m okay."

Instead of getting flustered or looking away like he usually would when she gave him that cute look, his expression remained still.

He just looked sad, a deep, weary sadness that seemed to have settled deep into his bones overnight...

They walked out of their hotel room together and headed down the hall to the suite. Rika was the only one awake. She was curled up on the couch, scrolling through her iPhone with a cup of coffee in her hand. When she saw them, she looked up, her own tired eyes widening slightly.

"You’re leaving already?" she asked, her voice raspy with sleep.

"Yes," Leo said. He managed a faint smile that didn’t reach his eyes and started walking with Sarah toward the elevator. Rika could sense the heavy mood in the room immediately. The usual easy energy between them was gone, replaced by a tension...

Rika stood up slowly, her eyes moving between the two of them. "You guys okay?"

"Aren’t you going to say goodbye to Yuto and Himari?" she added, her tone gentle and firm.

Sarah paused, glancing back toward the hallway where the other rooms were. Her grip on Leo’s hand tightened just a bit. "They’re probably still asleep," she said softly, her voice barely audible.

Rika folded her arms, not letting it go. "So? Just knock. They’d want to know you left. They’d be worried if you just disappeared."

Leo hesitated, then gave Sarah’s hand a gentle squeeze. "She’s right. Go ahead. I’ll wait here."

Sarah looked uncertain, her eyes darting between Leo and Rika, but after a moment, she nodded and turned to head toward the rooms. Her steps were quiet and unsure...

Leo stayed behind with Rika. Neither said much, but the silence wasn’t tense. It was filled with a quiet, shared understanding. Rika didn’t ask any questions. She just stood there, offering her silent support, which Leo was somehow grateful for...

Sarah gently knocked on the door. "Yuto? Himari?"

There was a pause, some shuffling from inside, and then the door creaked open slightly. Himari peeked out, rubbing her eyes, and her blue hair was messy around her head. "Sarah?"

"Yeah... I just wanted to say goodbye," Sarah said quietly.

Himari opened the door fully. Yuto was sitting up on the bed, blinking sleepily. "You’re leaving already?" he asked, his voice thick with sleep.

Sarah nodded. "Yeah. We’re heading home."

Yuto stood up and walked over. His usual lazy demeanor was gone, replaced by a genuine concern in his eyes. "Take care of yourself, okay?"

"I will." Sarah gave him a small, watery smile.

Himari walked over and wrapped her in a gentle hug. "If you need anything, you can call us. We’ll come. I mean it."

"Thank you." Sarah’s voice was soft, full of an emotion she couldn’t quite name. "Really... thank you."

Yuto stepped forward and gave her a quick, brotherly hug, clapping her lightly on the back. "You’re not alone in this, alright?"

Sarah nodded, holding back her tears. "I know."

Then she stepped back, taking a deep breath. "I should go."

Yuto and Himari stood in the doorway, watching her walk back down the hallway to where Leo was waiting.

When she reached him, he gave her a small, reassuring nod.