The morning sun rose. There were now four petals, and death was about two weeks away.

Or perhaps even less than two weeks.

Selena slowly opened her eyes.

She felt a warm touch on her forehead. Someone was stroking her face, very gently and cautiously.

She could immediately tell who it was.

“Aiden…”

“Have you woken up, miss?”

Aiden’s voice was weak.

Despite trying to sound composed, the deep sadness hidden in his heart seeped through.

“Last night… Did I get caught?”

The first thing Selena asked upon waking was whether the family had learned the truth.

She remembered the red blood from the night before.

She remembered his crying face as well.

With all that commotion, it wouldn’t be strange if someone had noticed.

Gulp, her throat vibrated visibly.

Aiden soon shook his head.

Through her blurred vision, Selena saw his head move side to side and faintly smiled.

“But, it’s about time to tell them, isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s true. I was going to talk about it soon… Just, I didn’t want it to be revealed because of an incident like yesterday. I wanted to tell them myself.”

That was the last remaining wish on her list.

Selena breathed shallowly and laughed weakly. Seeing her lying powerlessly sprawled out, Aiden tidied her hair.

The fingertips brushing over her forehead tickled, making Selena twitch her shoulders.

“Why, does it hurt somewhere?”

Aiden asked with wide eyes at Selena’s small movement.

It seemed last night’s event was quite shocking. Selena gave a chilly laugh.

“No, just… Your fingers are ticklish. But keep going, it feels nice.”

She whispered quietly.

With cheeks flushed, Aiden continued without a word. His fingertips reddened like his earlobes, brushed by her forehead where the hair was not out of place.

Thus, the last peaceful morning passed quietly. Tonight, Selena planned to tell everything.

About her illness and the short time to live she had left.

After all the truths were revealed, peace and tranquility were bound to be shattered.

Worry, misery, lament, regret, tears… Life would be a mix of all negative things.

Thinking this, Selena touched the area around her heart.

She felt the petals that had embedded themselves deep within her chest like a curse.

* * *

Selena wished to be alone until it was time. Aiden nodded without objection.

‘Take care, and please call me anytime you need.’

Leaving behind his caring worries, Aiden returned to his room, and Selena, left alone in her room, checked the flower blooming within her chest.

The fourth petal had bloomed vividly.

Damn it, such a cursed flower, yet it bloomed so beautifully.

Now, there were more petals blooming than not.

“I really need to talk about it.”

After all, the symptoms were getting too severe to hide any longer.

Headaches, indigestion, nosebleeds, vomiting blood. It was bad enough with three petals, but it’s frightening to think what might come next.

Even with the use of divine power to alleviate it, there was a limit.

Even after charging up with divine power so brightly in the morning, by evening her body couldn’t hold up anymore.

Before it got any worse, she needed to greet her family in a relatively healthy state.

They will all cry. They will. She wished they wouldn’t, but that’s just a foolish wish.

“I can do this. I can.”

Selena muttered to herself while looking in the mirror. The murmuring drilled into her ears almost like a mantra.

Taking a light breath, Selena closed her eyes tightly.

The brief conversation with Aiden earlier came to her head.

‘Are you worried, miss?’

‘It’s okay. It will be okay. I’ll be by your side. I… won’t cry.’

Aiden’s lips lightly brushed her forehead. For a moment, as if time had stopped, she closed her eyes.

Yes, please don’t cry. You, please don’t cry.

Whispering deeply in her heart.

Her trembling eyelids slowly lifted. Her steps then led her to the desk.

* * *

Sitting at the desk, I pulled out a piece of paper.

I had decided to tell everything this evening, but… I had no clue how to start the conversation. So, I decided to write down my thoughts.

Like I did with Aiden and Ian.

‘I’m going to die.’

Wouldn’t that be too cruel?

Thinking about it, I had been cruel to both of them.

Staring at the white paper and holding a pen in front of me.

I got used to this uncomfortable pen, and even started to improve my terrible handwriting… Twirling the black pen, I shook my head.

Sitting blankly in front of the white paper for a while.

On the empty paper, only the traces of hesitation appeared as dots.

Watching the black ink spread, I organized my thoughts.

Everyone dies.

So, should I tell them not to be sad?

I wish my family would take their time coming after me.

Should I ask them to forget me? It would be painful to remember, so should I ask everyone to forget?

To forget that there ever was a person named Selena in this world.

For a moment, I imagined that future. My family without me. Laughing, chatting, enjoying.

Yes, if they could live like that… maybe I could close my eyes in peace.

No, actually, that’s a lie.

I sincerely wished they could forget me. So that those who remain aren’t tormented by my memory.

But at the same time, I hoped they didn’t forget me. Just as I will hold them in my heart as I leave this world.

Ah, truly, humans are so selfish.

If they can’t forget me, how much pain will the ones left behind endure? Yet, I didn’t want to be forgotten.

Even after my death, I hoped everyone would remember me. Even if imagining a future where they were happy without me, I wanted them to remember that I was part of that emptiness.

In my previous life, I forgot my own face after death. I gradually faded from my memory.

Even I, the person in question, began to forget myself. I thought it was natural. Because I had died. Dead people are supposed to be forgotten.

But now… I didn’t want to be forgotten.

I wanted to be remembered. I wanted to remain.

Emotions are so cruel. Human beings, love, family, affection… are all cruel.

The black ink stains on the white paper seemed to bloom within my heart as well.

* * *

Aiden stayed awake all night in Selena’s room keeping his silent vigil.

After she collapsed, he went to Ian for emergency treatment. Then he cleaned the room alone after sending Ian away and watched over her until she awoke.

Therefore, for Aiden this moment when Selena prepared to reveal the truth to her family, was the first break he had taken in over a day.

However, Aiden did not sleep or rest. As soon as he entered his room, he immediately went to his desk and quickly pulled out a new piece of stationery.

He seemed in such a hurry that he didn’t even sit down before grabbing a pen.

‘It seems another petal has bloomed.’

The night before, when he met Ian, Ian mentioned this while examining Selena’s condition, unaware that Selena had been hiding the flower from Aiden.

Assuming Aiden knew about Selena’s illness, Ian thought he must also know about the flower.

‘A petal?’

‘Yes. Three have already bloomed and this must be the fourth.’

Ian responded again to Aiden’s simple question without noticing Aiden’s puzzled expression due to his focus on Selena’s condition.

‘What is this…. petal?’

It was after Aiden asked that Ian stopped talking. Ian’s wavering gaze turned to Aiden, and after a few awkward moments, he shook his head slightly.

Aiden didn’t press further, respecting Selena’s choice to keep certain truths from him. But the truth had already slipped out, and Aiden had heard it.

“He definitely mentioned a petal.”

There was no need to remove the information that had already entered his mind.

Struggling against the vain hope.

He had decided not to defy Selena’s wish in that regard alone.

The empty paper quickly filled up as Aiden’s hand moved rapidly with a serious face.

‘To Sir Alogen.’

After writing the recipient’s name, Aiden carefully folded the letter and placed it into an envelope marked with a magic circle.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His head was heavy with fatigue, but that was all.

When he opened his eyes, he flicked his fingers. The letter levitated in the air. It then swiftly flew out the open window and disappeared into the air.

Watching the letter vanish, Aiden exhaled deeply.

* * *

“Miss, did you call?”

Jane entered the room, asking with a gleeful yet slightly mischievous look on her face.

Wondering what she was up to, I met her gaze, and she started speaking coyly.

“Where is Aiden? He’s been with you all day.”

“Jane.”

“Yes?”

I called her name firmly, and Jane placed her finger over her lips. Her twitching lips couldn’t stay still.

I can’t stop you ever.

I smiled slightly and gestured for her to come closer. Jane approached with a giggle and sat quietly on the bed.

“So, what is it, Miss?”

“The dress for the New Year’s party has arrived, hasn’t it?”

“Ah, yes. It arrived last evening. I put it in the wardrobe next door.”

Jane glanced toward the wardrobe as she mentioned it. Following her gaze, I turned my head. Beyond the firmly closed door, the blue dress awaited.

“I want to try it on.”

At my casual remark, Jane’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What? You always make me beg you to try it on just once for size, and now you want to?”

“Do I? Anyway, I feel like wearing it.”

Jane looked at me, puzzled. But she shrugged it off and nodded.

“Of course, Miss. Just give me a moment. I’ll get the dress for you.”

Jane’s steps seemed light. I watched her leave, then quietly closed my eyes. I felt dizzy.

“Miss.”

I opened my eyes to Jane’s voice right in front of me. It seemed I had dozed off briefly.

My vision was blurred. I rubbed my eyes and got up.

“Yes, Jane.”

The dress Jane spread out was just as I had seen in the catalog.

It was slightly more extravagant than usual for the New Year’s party. Overall blue, with gold embroidery, sparkles, and lace incorporated into it. The dress had everything I knew of luxury.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“…Yes, it’s beautiful.”

“But it seems a bit smaller than what you usually wear. Could the size be wrong?”

I just smiled in response.

Jane’s disgruntled murmurs about how to handle the problem reached my ears.

As I listened to her complaints, I began to unfasten the front buttons one by one.

The opened shirt revealed the flower pattern on my chest.

Jane was busy lifting the dress from behind me and couldn’t see it, but I covered the flower with my hand just in case.

“Jane.”

“Yes?”

Absorbed in her task, Jane responded distractedly.

Oh, look at this. I smiled slightly and poked Jane’s head gently.

As Jane finished draping the dress over me and started adjusting the hem, she looked up and our eyes met. Her wide eyes blinked in surprise.

Her perplexed expression was like that of a puppy that had its toy taken away.

I laughed softly, and only then did Jane realize I had been teasing her.

“Ah, Miiiss!”

Jane pouted but soon joined me in laughter.

Our laughter filled the room…

__