"I'll stay right here by your side… I will never leave you."
.
.
.
The doctor's voice broke the silence of the cold consultation room.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Eberia… but you have stage 2 liver cancer."
The world seemed to tilt.
Ian stared at the doctor, his mind refusing to process the words."No… no, that can't be right. Maybe there's a mistake. Run the test again," he insisted, his voice trembling.
The doctor sighed gently. "We already ran it twice, Ian. The results are the same. We need to start treatment as soon as possible, before the cancer cells spread. I know a specialist who can help you—I'll refer you immediately."
But the words barely registered.
When Ian stepped out of the hospital, his shoulders sagged. The busy world around him felt muffled, distant. He blinked back tears that threatened to fall.
Cancer.
He had cancer.
And he didn't know how to face it.
.
.
.
"Hey, Joy! Wake up! It's almost noon!" her aunt's voice thundered from downstairs.
Joy groaned softly. She had been orphaned young and had been living with her aunt ever since—a woman with a sharp tongue and an even sharper temper.
She washed her face and headed downstairs, only to be greeted by the usual sight: her aunt in the kitchen, and her snobbish cousin, Jhoymarie, scrolling on her phone like a queen.
"You're always slow! Every day you wake up late!" her aunt scolded, arms crossed.
"Yeah, Mom. She's always like that—lazy and useless," Jhoymarie added with a smirk.
Joy sighed silently. She had long dreamed of shutting their mouths, but she had nowhere else to go. So she endured it—every insult, every order, every chore dumped on her like she existed only to serve them.
After breakfast, she cleaned the entire house, scrubbing, sweeping, and dusting until her back ached. By noon, she finally showered and prepared for work.
Joy worked as a staff member in a small bakeshop. The pay was low, but it was enough to survive—and it was the only place she felt respected.
.....
"This is surprising. We barely have customers today," Gazelle, her best friend and coworker, said with a grin.
"Good thing," Joy laughed tiredly. "I wanna take a break for a while. I'm exhausted from cleaning the whole house again."
"Your aunt made you do ALL of it again? Seriously? That woman treats you worse than a maid! And your cousin—ugh—she acts like she's some kind of princess. Honestly, Joy, just leave that house!" Gazelle said, irritation dripping from her voice.
"And go where?" Joy sighed. "They're the only family I have."
Before Gazelle could respond, the door chimed.
A customer walked in.
"Good morning, sir," Joy greeted politely.
The man removed his cap and sunglasses.
Gazelle elbowed her dramatically. "Girl… he's so handsome," she whispered.
"One slice of strawberry cake—no, make it two," the man said.
"Okay, sir. We'll bring it to your table," Joy replied.
She carefully placed two slices on plates and carried them to him.
"Here's your order, sir."
He smiled, warm and gentle. "Thank you."
Joy found herself momentarily speechless—there was something calming about his presence.
Later, as she wiped the tables, the man raised a hand.
"Uh, miss? I'd like to take one more slice to go," he said.
"Sure, sir."
She handed him the small box once it was packed. He smiled again before heading out, leaving a strange flutter in her chest.
.....
After work, the sky had already turned gray. Joy stepped outside just as the clouds burst open—rain pouring hard and cold. She had worked overtime, so Gazelle had gone home earlier.
She stood under the shop's awning, hugging herself against the cold wind.
Then someone stepped toward her—holding an umbrella.
Joy's eyes widened.
It was the same customer from earlier.
"You'll be waiting forever if you're hoping the rain will stop," he said gently. "Come on. Walk with me."
"T-Thank you," she murmured.
She stepped under the umbrella, the space between them small, the silence strangely comfortable.They walked side by side through the rainy street, the sound of raindrops creating a soft rhythm around them.
"I'm Ian, by the way," he said.
"I'm Joy."
"I know," he chuckled lightly. "It's on your name tag."
She smiled shyly.
They reached the bus stop just as a bus pulled over. They boarded and found seats beside each other. The bus was warm, almost soothing.
Joy, exhausted from the day, leaned her head back… and without realizing, she drifted off.
Her head gently fell onto Ian's shoulder.
Ian froze for a moment—then slowly, a soft smile formed on his lips. He didn't move, didn't wake her. Instead, he let her rest, watching her peaceful face.
For the first time that day, he felt something inside him ease… something warm replacing the heavy fear in his chest.
He glanced out the window.
The rain still poured hard outside…
But beside him, Joy slept quietly—and for the first time since hearing the word cancer, Ian didn't feel alone.
.....
The next morning, Joy went grocery shopping, her small list clutched in her hand. Their pantry was empty again—her cousin had devoured most of the food in just two days.
Since they were on a tight budget, she only bought the essentials and just enough food to last for a week.
As she stepped off the sidewalk to cross the street, her thoughts wandered, and she didn't notice the speeding car coming toward her.
It happened fast.
A strong hand grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Joy gasped as she collided against someone's chest, her hands instinctively gripping his shirt. Her heart raced wildly.
When she looked up—
"Ian?"
He loosened his hold, his eyes still wide with worry.
"You could've been hit," he said, voice tight. "Good thing I saw you."
Joy swallowed. "T-Thank you…"
Ian bent down and picked up the groceries she dropped. "Where do you live? I'll take you home."
Before she could protest, she found herself inside his car. His scent, clean and warm, filled the space.
"You know," he began casually while driving, "the very first time I saw you at the shop… I already thought you were cute."
Joy's cheeks heated. "R-Really?"
He nodded with a small smile. "Have you been working there long?"
"Hmm… about two months now."
When they reached her house, her aunt practically exploded out the door the moment she saw Joy stepping out of a man's car.
"Joy! Who is that? Is he your boyfriend?" her aunt demanded loudly.
Joy's face turned crimson as she apologized to Ian, who only chuckled kindly before saying goodbye.
But the moment he drove away, her aunt started interrogating her like a detective.
"Joy, if I were you, I'd get pregnant by that man so that he would marry me!"
Joy's jaw tightened. Her aunt really had no shame—treating her like a commodity she could sell off.
.....
It was a holiday, and Joy had no work, so she visited her best friend Gazelle at the hospital. Gazelle had suffered another asthma attack the day before.
"I told you not to overwork yourself," Joy scolded gently.
"Girl, relax. It's just asthma. I can handle it," Gazelle laughed, stubborn as always.
They continued chatting for nearly an hour before Joy finally decided it was time to say goodbye and head home.
As Joy left the room, she froze mid-step.
"Ian? What are you doing here?" she asked, surprised.
He looked just as startled. "Oh—just visiting someone."
"Oh, okay," she said.
"Are you heading home now?" he asked.
"Yeah… and you?" she replied.
"I'm about to go home too. How about we go together?" he suggested with a gentle smile.
She returned his smile, nodding. "Sure, let's go."
They walked out of the hospital together, side by side, the quiet hum of the city around them. Ian hesitated for a moment, then finally asked, his voice gentle yet earnest, "Joy… do you have a boyfriend?"
Joy blinked, startled by the sudden question. "W-Why… why are you asking that all of a sudden?"
Ian's lips curved into a soft smile. "Because… I like you."
Her heart skipped a beat, thundering wildly in her chest. Warmth spread across her cheeks as she struggled to find words. "W-Why me? I'm just a simple girl… working at a small bakeshop. There are so many women who are prettier, smarter… better than me. So… why me?"
Ian chuckled, a comforting, reassuring sound. He gently took her hand in his. "Because you're simple. And unique. I like that about you. From the first moment I saw you, I felt this… warmth in my heart, just looking at you. I think… it was love at first sight."
Joy froze, her mind racing. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Ian… liked her?
He looked at her with earnest eyes, a hopeful vulnerability in his gaze. "So… may I court you?" he asked softly, as if the world depended on her answer.
Joy's heart pounded in her chest, her lips curving into a shy, radiant smile. "Y-Yes… you can," she whispered, her voice barely above the breeze.
.....
From that day on, Joy and Ian began seeing each other more often, their meetings filled with laughter, shy smiles, and a growing closeness.
One afternoon, she visited his house.
"Where are your parents?" she asked while looking around the quiet place.
"They're abroad. I live here alone."
He pulled her into a warm embrace.
"Are you hungry?" Ian asked.
"No, not really."
They ended up having a movie marathon. Joy laughed nonstop as they watched horror films—apparently, Ian was terrified of ghosts. He kept flinching, jumping, and occasionally yelling, making her laugh even harder.
They lost track of time. It was already night when Ian drove her home.
Still sitting inside the car, Joy smiled. "Thanks for taking me home. See you tomorrow."
"I'll be waiting," he said, his voice low.
They stared at each other—really stared. Ian's gaze dropped to her lips. Slowly, he leaned closer…
A sudden knock on the car window made them jump.
Ian sighed and scratched his head awkwardly—it was Joy's aunt, glaring like a hawk.
Joy hurried out of the car, and Ian drove off. Her aunt raised an eyebrow at her, silently judging every breath she took.
That night, Ian lay down on his bed. A sharp pain flared through his abdomen. Grimacing, he got up and searched for his medication. Eventually, the pain dulled, exhaustion pulled him under, and he drifted into sleep.
.....
"Joy, hurry up so we can go home early!" Gazelle called the next day.
"I'm trying!" Joy replied as she fixed the display pastries.
The bell above the door chimed. Both women turned.
"Hi," Ian greeted.
Gazelle smirked. "Okay—looks like I will go home early." She grabbed her bag, winked at Joy, and vanished.
Joy could only shake her head.
She and Ian left the shop together and went to the mall to watch a movie. When they headed home, rain suddenly poured hard from the sky. Ian had no umbrella this time, but luckily he had his car.
They were halfway through the drive when the car shuddered and stopped.
"What happened?" Joy asked.
"Looks like we ran out of gas."
Joy glanced outside. The rain was relentless, almost violent.
"There's a motel nearby," Ian said. "Let's stay there until the rain calms down."
Joy hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay."
They stepped out of the car, instantly drenched as they ran through the rain. By the time they reached the motel lobby, their clothes clung to their skin.