HOPELESS - [니키]

✭ 10

Just for Riki and Hana.

The young man turned his head towards the girl. Her face was lit up with colour and her eyes shone. It was magnificent to see.

The fireworks wouldn't have been perfect for Riki if she hadn't been there.

The young boy felt his heart beat faster and butterflies fluttered in his stomach. He quickly turned his head to concentrate on the fireworks again, even if it was more complicated than he had expected.

Then came the finale moment. All the fireworks went up into the sky to explode at the same time, lighting up the streets more than the sun.

Hana didn't want to blink, she didn't want to miss a single second of this spectacle.

"Wow." Hana let out once the fireworks were over.

She breathed in and turned to the young man, who couldn't take his eyes off the sky, even though there was nothing there any more. "Tell me Riki, do you remember what I wrote on my list ?" he took the list out of his pocket and said, "That you want to be happy again."

"Nini." she took his hand and he turned his head towards her to avert his eyes from the sight they had just seen.

"You can tick that box." she said simply.

He raised his eyebrows, rather surprised by Hana's revelation.

"I'm happy, Riki, it was the happiest day of my life. I don't really know how long this joy will last, but I haven't felt this way for a long time." Hana took a breath, feeling her eyes fill with tears. "Nini, I didn't even feel any pain today." she says with a smile before hugging him for a few seconds.

Riki couldn't move, terrified by the gesture.

He'd never been hugged by a girl, let alone someone like her. His heart was about to explode.

Hana got up and walked away from him, and Riki took her back to her room.

She lay down in bed and Riki closed the door.

He whispered with his hand on her wrist, "Never forget this moment, my flower girl." then he wished her a good night's sleep again before heading off down the corridor on his own.

Riki took out Hana's list and ticked the box, "i want to be happy again." and "Someone take me to the funfair."

He was delighted to see that the list was shrinking. Then he left the hospital and went home with a big smile on his face.

♡

The next morning, the hospital was silent and lifeless.

She left the hospital a little tired and breathing heavily.

She went to see her doctor before going to class and, once again, the test was negative.

The blood balls around her heart were getting bigger and bigger, and her lungs weaker and weaker, but she was happy now, and she wanted to live without worrying about tomorrow, without wondering whether she would see the sun rise or not.