Elio feared death.
But that was before he realized there was no use crying over everything that had happened in his life. No amount of worry could ever change the reality of the misfortunes and struggles he had endured or his body shutting down. But what he can do now is to live his life to its fullest. Yes, he chose to live his remaining days, all thanks to Grimm, the owner of the funeral shop that mysteriously popped up in that vacant lot of Shallowmoore, who promised to be at his funeral when it was time for him to go.
Now that he thought about it, he never asked about Grimm, his funeral business, or anything personal...
That's when his desire to know more about the man and his growing feelings of infatuation are fostered.
"Maybe I should visit him when I get time..." Elio said, excited at the thought of visiting the man. But that realization snapped inside him, and he asked himself, "Why am I getting excited?"
Elio slapped his cheeks. He started to get hot flushes. He could feel the warm blood circulating in his entire face to the tip of his ears.
Can he blame himself for having this feeling towards a guy like Grimm? Not only is he handsome and elegant in his way, but he's also wise and compassionate. Grimm was the only one who made him realize there's more to life than waiting for death. Now, Elio was trying his best to experience whatever he could do while still he could. He can now laugh at stupid jokes and go home to watch the sunset. He started eating whatever he craved, especially sweets, and was no longer bound by diets or future concerns.
But still, reality hits hard like a rock being thrown at a pond. It gets harder for Elio to enjoy the remaining days of his life when his body is slowly betraying him.
The sudden events happened during his shift at Velvet's one night. One moment, he was attending to a particularly demanding customer, then the next, the world around him spun like a spinning wheel, along with his knees buckled down. He felt a sharp pain, like a stab, through his stomach, his vision blurred, and then...
There was darkness.
When he woke up, he was in a hospital bed. The beeping machines and sterile air confirmed his worst fear: his time was running out. His doctor's words at that time were expected but still struck him like a hammer to his head.
"Mr. Oswald, you have to be admitted." Elio can sense how serious his condition is based on how his doctor discusses the matter with him. "Your cancer has already spread to your lungs and spleen. We need to start the treatment immediately."
But the reality was that Elio had no money. He cannot afford expensive treatments, hospitalizations, and medicines. What he could afford was painkillers, nothing else.
"I'll just take the painkillers..." Elio had already made up his mind. But the doctor frowned with sincere concern when he heard the young man's reply.
"Painkillers will not help you. They are not sustainable."
"I know."
Elio did know. The pain was already unbearable. But what choice did he still have?
"I'll take the painkillers. I can somehow manage the rest..."
-----
But the rest of the days blurred together like mist in the air. The painkillers stopped working, leaving him at the mercy of the sickness gnawing at his bones. Every breath felt like his last; every movement sent fire through his veins. But he still dragged himself to work. He still needed to pay off his debts.
"You okay?" Gabe finally noticed how bad Elio's condition was. He lost a lot of weight, and he gets paler and paler every time he sees the young man. "You don't look good."
Elio smirked as he was trying to gasp some air into his lungs. "Well, at least I'm still here."
Gabe didn't laugh. Instead, he sighed. Although he and Elio are not close, he is still concerned.
"Just... don't push yourself too hard."
It was as if the word too hard wasn't enough to make everything worse for Elio.
----
"I'm looking for my brother. His name is Elio Oswald..."
The worst happened one day when Elio's sister Annette showed up in one of the cafes where Elio worked as a part-timer. Elio saw her from a distance—her familiar figure standing at the counter, eyes scanning the store, looking for him. Panic shot through Elio. He couldn't let her see him like this—pale, thin, dying.
He grabbed his co-worker's arm, pleading in panic, "Please, tell her I don't work here anymore."
His co-worker frowned in confusion, "What? Why? But she's your—"
"Please...." His voice cracked, and he kept on pleading with the guy. "Please, I can't let her see me in this state."
After a long pause, his co-worker sighed and walked towards Annette. Elio watched from the break room as his co-worker shook his head and mouthed, "He resigned weeks ago. We don't know where he is."
Annette looked disappointed, but she thanked the guy and left.
As soon as she was gone, Elio felt the crushing, suffocating guilt in his chest.
But wasn't that for the best?
-----
Elio absentmindedly walked home that evening. His mind was so clouded by two different reasons: first, by the slight fever building up in his body; second, was the guilt crushing his conscience. It was too late when he realized he had taken the wrong street and ended up in a small playground. But instead of going back, he decided to stay.
The playground was empty, the swings creaking under the night breeze. He sat on one, watching the stars blur behind his fevered vision.
He stayed there for a while.
Then, all of a sudden, he heard a familiar voice, breaking the silence...
"You should've talked to your sister."
Elio turned his head and saw Grimm standing behind him.
"Grimm?"
The older man looked the same as always. He dressed in a sharp black suit, his silver eyes reflecting the night sky, and his expression unreadable as it always was. Still, there was something in how he stood, hands neatly clasped behind his back, that made Elio feel like Grimm was waiting for him this whole time.
Elio exhaled sharply, forcing a word from his lungs, "Are you following me? What are you doing here?"
Grimm tilted his head slightly, but his expression was still unreadable. "You've been seeing me for a while now. Are you still not used to me?"
Elio didn't answer. But yes, he had noticed it for quite some time now—the way Grimm always seemed to be there, especially when he needed it the most. But he doesn't have the strength to think about it now, so he ignores it. He dismissed it as a coincidence, a trick likely caused by his failing health.
A soft breeze swept through the playground, carrying with it the distant laughter of children—ghostly echoes of a time long past.
Grimm went to Elio's side and sat beside him. He can see how much pain Elio was in at that moment. He tried to adjust his cuffs with an air of unshakable calm. Then he said to Elio...
"You're dying."
The words weren't cruel or cutting. They were simply a fact.
"I know..." Elio closed his eyes, exhaling slowly.
He knew.
Grimm oversaw him. Then again, he said, "You're hiding from your family? From your sister. Why?"
Elio let out a short laugh, though no humor existed. "Because their life doesn't need to stop just because I'm dying."
That's right. Just because he was dying doesn't mean that their world would stop for him.
Silence stretched between them before Grimm spoke again.
"And when the time comes?"
Elio swallowed. "What about it?"
Grimm leaned back slightly, his posture as effortless as ever. "What do you want to happen when you're gone? What do you want for them when that happens?"
Elio didn't answer right away. He had thought about his funeral, his death, but not his family. How long would it take before they realized he was gone? Would they notice it at all? Elio knows how disappointed his family was towards him. His father and mother almost despised him. But Annette? Annette is different.
He sighed. "I don't want my family to know..."
Grimm's expression didn't change. Instead, he rephrased Elio's statement and stressed one fact to the young man. "...you just don't want your sister to know, that's all."
Elio remained silent while being crushed by his guilt. Pushing his sister away just because he was dying was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. Because Annette would cry...he could not see his beloved sister crying for his loss.
"I see..."
The older man did not push any further questions that would trigger the young man. Instead, he closed the gap between Elio and fixed his gaze on his.
"Then, shall I handle it myself?"
Elio blinked in confusion. "Handle what?"
Grimm gestured vaguely. "The other matters after your funeral."
Elio scoffed. "What are you offering me? A discount?"
Grimm chuckled, almost a laugh from the side joke. "Well, you may look at it that way." Then he added, "Aside from your request for me to be present at your funeral, I will personally attend and arrange everything you need from casket to grave. That includes informing or not informing your family about your passing. It's up to you."
Elio fell silent for a moment. Then, he exhaled and leaned back, staring at the stars again. "Fine. Just don't put my name anywhere."
Grimm hummed in amusement. "No name, then."
Minutes passed—maybe hours.
Elio didn't know how long they sat there, swinging gently in the cool night air.
I could visit them one last time.
Elio closed his eyes, letting the silence settle between them. He imagined the people he had been watching from a distance, his family, the people he had been too afraid to know about his life and how it would end.
The people he still loved despite everything.
Yes, that was all he wanted to do. To see them for the last time. Even if they never knew he was there. Even if they never knew he was gone.
Just one last time.
And then—he could finally rest.
Elio inhaled deeply. Then, for a moment, the wind whispered through the trees, and for the first time in a long while, Elio felt at peace.