"Rookie, I know this is hard, but this time, I may not be able to keep fighting."
Calm and serene, yet neither fragile nor cowardly.
A strong and resilient soul resides within that battered, weakened shell, radiating brilliance, even as Death God draws near, still joking and jesting.
Felix lies there, underneath pale skin, blue veins visible, vitality seemingly fading before the naked eye.
Yet, the gaze is so resolute.
"Mom has been pretending to be strong, Jenna and Jeff are also trying to help."
"No one wants to tell me the truth because no one dares to face reality. They're just comforting me, saying everything will be fine, there's no problem. It's just a minor issue, no different from previous setbacks, we'll get through it, we'll recover."
"But, this is my body."
No explanations, nor are they needed, Felix's eyes have said it all.
"Rookie, do you know?"
"I've been holding on for a long, long time, I mean, a long time."
