After the excitement of the amusement park, the long journey home was mostly quiet, filled only with small talk about Miku's dreams. She finally went all out, telling White everything she wanted to do in life and everything she regretted. It was as if she had been holding it all inside for far too long. She had desperately wanted to talk to someone, but she only had Shu and her mother. Her mother was distant, and Shu was already fighting her own battles. Miku didn't want to place any more emotional burdens on them than they already carried.
"So, the day finally comes to an end," Miku said, standing at the entrance of the hospital.
"Well… yes, this day is ending, but we still have many more to spend together," White said, trying to cheer her up.
"Yup… But I don't think I have much time left," Miku replied with a dejected smile.
"What are you saying?" he asked, though he already knew the truth.
"I overheard her talking with Big Sis. They said this might be my last week. They said my current symptoms indicate that I have very little time left," she replied.
White remained quiet, completely unable to answer.
Miku chuckled, trying to break the awkward silence between them.
"Sorry… I was just joking around to see the look on your face," she said, leaning her hands behind her back as she turned toward the gate. "Thank you, Brother White… I hope we'll be able to meet tomorrow, too."
With that, she left.
I'm sorry, Miku… I don't have the courage to say the right words to you right now, White thought, determination hardening in his eyes as he walked home. But I promised I wouldn't let you die. Believe me, we will meet tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and for our entire future.
He checked the time. Bell should be back by now since it's already 9:15. I should buy her something she likes.
Reaching the entrance of his room, White took a deep breath before opening the door.
"I'm back…"
As he stepped inside, he heard footsteps rushing from the living room toward him.
"PAPA!!"
Bell charged forward and tackled his gut, knocking him off balance so that he fell flat on his back.
"Bell… I missed you so much!!" Cheerful as ever, Bell hugged him, rubbing her cheeks against his.
He gently moved her up and patted her head. "Welcome back, Bell."
"What's that?" Bell asked, glancing at the bag by his side.
"Well, it's the pudding you like. You want it, right?"
She eagerly snatched the bag, held it triumphantly over her head, and ran off. "Thank you…!"
Looking at her, White felt as if life was flowing back into him. He smiled, but his warmth faded slightly as Aisha walked out from the corner of the living room.
"So, you bid your final farewell to her?" Aisha asked.
"Nope. I'm actually going to see her tomorrow."
"Eh? What are you talking about?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Well, I'm going to wish for Miku to live," he spoke plainly.
"Hehe… Hahaha!" Aisha laughed out loud, clutching her stomach as she wiped away a tear. "Are you dumb? I already told you there is no way to—"
"Listen to me first," White interrupted. "If the wish can't give me a cure outright, then I just need to ask for something that is within the limits and equal to the value of the wish."
Seeing that Aisha still looked confused, he explained further.
"I am going to trade a day of my life for her to live for one more day. It might seem stupid, but even if a cure doesn't exist today, what about tomorrow, or sometime in the future? Maybe in ten months, or two years… they will eventually find one, right? So I just need to buy time. Which means I can—"
Aisha cut him off. Her hair fell forward, shadowing her face as her tone turned dark.
"Are you being stupid? You are going to trade your life for a future possibility that is completely unknown? And what guarantee do you have that the price will be exactly what you think it is?"
"Maybe what you're saying is true," White replied. "But I don't have many choices left. As far as I know, the price needs to be equal, so it is equal."
"You…" Aisha clenched her fists, finally sighing in defeat. "All right, do as you wish. I'm not going to stop you. Bye."
She turned, walked away, and vanished into the mist.
"Sorry… I know I'm being reckless with this one, but I can't let Miku die."
Just then, Bell rushed back into the room holding pudding cups for himself, herself, and Aisha, but Aisha was already long gone.
"Big Sis Aisha…?" Bell asked, looking up at White.
"She's gone. Come on, let's finish this up, and then we'll eat."
They ate their treat, chatting happily until White's phone rang. It was a call from the hospital. White had given them his number in case of an emergency—and now, the time had come to make his wish.
He walked over to Bell, sitting down directly in front of her. He held her by both shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.
"Bell… I want to make a wish. I want Miku to have one more day of life, in exchange for one day of mine."
"Huh…?" Bell tilted her head in confusion, but her crimson eyes suddenly shone with a strange light.
"Don't worry, Bell. Forget about it. I think it worked; I just need to confirm it with the hospital."
He stood up and turned to grab his phone. But as he took his very first step, he felt a strange warmth around his nose.
He wiped it with his hand, only to find that his nose was bleeding. Before he could even react, the light in his eyes began to dim. Slowly, his legs gave out and his breath caught in his throat. He collapsed heavily onto his right shoulder.
In a panic, Bell rushed to his side, desperately screaming his name. But with each call, White's hearing faded further until a profound silence enveloped his surroundings.
Motionless, unable to think, feel, or breathe, his eyes remained wide open—yet everything around him went completely black. His mind was still working, but he lay there on the floor, trapped inside his own body as if he had just died.