For the remaining time together

[...]

"Oh, please, come, I have something for you!"

Yuelan would step inside, as if she was trying to be careful. She would follow Ye Yu over to the table. "I shall... keep it in mind." She says towards Kaena, as she passed her.

"So... is everything fine? I saw you leave to the clinic with Lady Sun Li and everyone... I hope you're not ill or something, because I discovered a beautiful place in the hills, south of Kaifeng, I -need- to show you!" she told Yuelan, quite excited. "And after that, in Kaifeng itself, it is said there is a place where you can relax in large baths of hot, perfumed water. All day long, with snacks and drinks! Did I mention that there were also fireworks? Oh, we need to see all of those!"

Yuelan would look at Ye Yu with a vulnerable look in her eyes, keeping her eyes away from theirs. "That all sounds really lovely, though uhm... we should make to do them within the next few weeks then."

"Don't worry, we have plenty of time: if I understood correctly, there are fireworks every... day? Or week. But quite often! And the viewpoint isn't going to disappear, but I understand: We should enjoy the current nice weather before rain season... Also! I got something for you, wait, let me - fetch it..." she said, looking into her bag. "I swear I paid it with my money!"

"Are you sure about that?" Her voice quite cold this time around. "Maybe we do have time, maybe we don't."

"... I... think so? Why? Is there something new? ... Are you leaving again?" she asked, her hands now still, her face expressing worrying.

"Yes... though not willingly."

"I... This time, unless you want to travel alone again to get stronger, I don't mind following you, no matter where you go."

Yuelan would look at them, eyes squinting ever so slightly. "Even six feet under?" She says sarcastically.

"Maybe we could also visit the Bamboo forest, it's very peaceful on sunny days. And I've heard of some region with wild h-..." She stopped, her mouth half opened, blinking, confused.

Yuelan would look down instead, not daring to look in the direction of Ye Yu.

Her eyes widen slowly with realization hitting her. Her lips trembled slightly and it's with a shaky voice that she sang :

"Are you truly leaving?
For your final journey
From me, from us, away
From the world of the living?"

"Yes... Yes I am..." Yuelan sounds as if she was on the verge of crying.

Ye Yu felt like her heart was suddenly falling in her chest. A shiver ran down her spine and her eyes welled up but she tried to smile confidently, even if it was more a grimace. She stood up and came to sit next to Yuelan, putting an arm around her.

Yuelan would lean against Ye Yu, her hat practically about to fall off in the process. This time she doesn't even bother readjusting her hat.

"If time is running out,
With you, without a doubt
I shall spend each second
Until Armageddon."

"Maybe... Maybe the doctors are wrong? What do they know, anyway?" she tried to joke, using Yuelan's own words again.

"This one does not seem to be wrong, dear..." Yuelan says, leaning away from Ye Yu.

"Why would they be more right than the previous one? And... even if... Then we could just stick more Talismans on you, can't we? I can sew you a nice cape made of them!... I can... I can..."

"Stop." Yuelan says bluntly. "There is nothing we can do. They said my organs have done their due diligence with keeping me going. But they are failing. The Yao Blood is what is keeping me alive... but also killing me."

Ye Yu looked at Yuelan with an intense, stubborn gaze. Clenching her fists on her lap, she seemed to boil internally before, eventually, declaring solemnly : "Fine! You're dying and there's nothing we can do about it! So be it! Everyone dies after all! Me, you, geese! At least, you do now when it's going to happen! A month, they said? Then you don't need your money anymore! We're going to spend every coin to the last, to make each of your remaining days as memorable and joyful as possible.

You won't have any moment to think about time, death nor anything except the beauty of our world, the purity of spring, the incredible flavors of Parting Tears! Leave the sad mood and mourning to me, I'll cry for both of us later. For the next month to come, I'll bring you to Heavens on Earth, a preview to your future journey!". She looked resolved and shaken at the same time, as if trying to appear strong for Yuelan and for herself.

Yuelan would readjust her hat, take a moment and let out a sniffle before giving Ye Yu her vulnerable gaze again. "Yeah... Let's do everything and anything we want to, for the time that I am still here." She sounds a bit more determined, as if she forgot she was dying.

"Yeah. Let's do that." Ye Yu turned her face away, looking at the entrance, hiding the tears that were now running down from her eyes. She sniffed also, blew her nose and wiped her tears, breathing deeply to keep her emotions at bay. "Yeah... Everything we want for the next month... It's going to be the best month of our lives...".

She grimaced, trying not to burst into tears. Breathing heavily, eyes wet, she pulled her bag to fetch some little items inside. "Your present..." she said, handing over some small multicolored origami, tied to each other in little cascades of stars, cranes or hearts. "I thought it would look cute on your hat, hanging with your Talismans..."

Yuelan would look at the multicolored origami. "I believe these would make my bland hat... look very interesting." She would pause. "Are you doing alright there..?" She asked, sensing that Ye Yu might be emotional.

Still taking big, huge breathing to contain her emotions, she would go behind the main counter, skimming the drawers for more snacks and sweets that could help her control her emotions and slight distress. "Yes, I'm fine" she lied, "It's just.... The tea. The tea made me cry, it's so bitter" she lied again, her beverage being expertly prepared by Kaelan, following her request to have a sweet, honeyed drink.

Yuelan would chuckle, and sniffle yet again. "Well I'd highly recommend ordering herbal tea then!"

Finding the rice crackers stash, she would put some in her pockets, eyeing around, not to be seen by Kaelan, then returned to her seat, next to Yuelan. She wiped her eyes again with her sleeves and forced a smile. "I'll definitely ask this next time. But for now, I also have something else for you".

She grabbed her Konghou and looked at her dear dying love with a fond, sad smile. "Remember when we parted ways here, some weeks ago? At that time, you were still a two-arms dumb doe. I told you that I would learn a song for you when you'll come back."

"I also remember that little kiss... as well, but yes." Yuelan would tilt her head to the side.

"Yes, no, well, uuh! That's not the point! Iiii-..." she stammered. "Don't try to distract me! Listen!". She sighed, her hands trembling above her intruments. Stressed?

Yuelan would sit quietly and listen.

"That was quite nice, I see you are getting better and better." She says, thinking about last time she played for her.

After the last note echoed in the air, she exhaled deeply. She practiced so many days, but it was worth it, she managed to play her song without any mistake, for the one she cherished the most. "Y-yeaaah... last time... It was quite something, I was still.. I am still learning... But this song, I practiced it for hours, for you" she revealed, pulling a few cords. "And I'll play you more!"

"How many more do you have in mind?"

"As much as you want, but... I need to practice a few days for each, unless you're ready to laugh at the horrendous noise I can do with cords! I think... I think I could even turn those instruments into some deadly weapons with more training!" she laughed. "That would be my secret technique..."

"Secret martial arts, using the strings as a bow string. Words as the arrow!"

"I feel like I am starting to get a headache..." Yuelan says, covering her white eye. "But I liked the music though."

Feeling calmer now, she softly took Yuelan's hand in her. "I wish I had met you sooner... But I'm glad our paths crossed. And... I'm glad we met over some melons. I'm... grateful for the time we spent and the time we still have. Let's have some rest? You may want to lay down and sleep a bit, before the long, long and busy, lively, joyful, incredible days to come!"

"May the end as well, be calm..." She would add. "But I wish we could have meet earlier as well." Yuelan would cough, before standing up from her seat. Nearly falling over in the process.

"Each fleeting moment with you,
Steals my breath away,
Grateful for stolen hours of the day
Before night claims my Yue" she sang, standing up with her, still holding her hand and catching her up. "Easy, sweetie. Stay with me."

[...]