"I Hated You Until I Didn't" (我恨你，直到不恨)

Chapter 11: The Choice

12:03 AM – The Tower

Haoran stood frozen in the dark corridor beyond the bell tower door.
The voice was real.
The hand on his wrist — warm. Familiar.

"Zhiqi?" he whispered.

The figure stepped into the weak moonlight filtering through the tower cracks.
It was Zhiqi... but not entirely.

He looked pale, like a photo losing color.
And his eyes... didn't blink.

"I told you not to come alone," he repeated.

Haoran backed away. "What are you?"

 Meanwhile – East Wing Rush

Yuhan and Xizhou sprinted through the courtyard, soaked in rain, shoes sliding across the marble tiles.

"The bell tower opened," Yuhan shouted. "We're already late!"

"Then we run faster," Xizhou said, grabbing his hand.

And they did.

No words.
No glances.

Just together.

 Inside the Tower – The Room of Names

Haoran stumbled into the main chamber.
Four names were carved into the stone walls:

Yuchen

Liu Ren (Class of 2019)

Ji Wei (Class of 2016)

Wen Zhiqi

His breath caught.

"Zhiqi?" he whispered again.

The ghostly version stepped forward.

"Every three years, the bell takes a name. Unless one is given willingly."

"That's the deal. That's the choice."

Haoran shook his head. "You're not Zhiqi."

"No. But I remember him. And I can tell you what he wanted to say."

"...What?"

The figure smiled sadly.

"That he loved you. But didn't know how to show it until it was too late."

 Entrance – They Arrive

Xizhou kicked the tower door open.

He and Yuhan burst into the room, breathless, soaked, shaking.

"HAORAN!"

They saw him standing alone.

And the second Zhiqi — vanishing into mist.

"Was that...?" Yuhan began.

"No," Haoran said. "It wasn't him. But it knew everything."

Then he turned to the wall of names.

"...It wants one of us."

 The Decision

Yuhan stepped forward.
"I'll do it," he said.

"No," Xizhou growled. "Don't even think about it."

Yuhan faced him. "My brother disappeared here. I need to finish what he couldn't."

Xizhou grabbed his arms. "You think this will make it right? That dying makes you whole?"

"I think it might save you."

Xizhou pulled him closer, eyes wild.

"Then let's save each other, damn it. I didn't come this far to watch you disappear."

And then—

They kissed again.

Harder this time. Desperate. Final.

 A New Option

The mist swirled.
A voice rose from the cracks in the stone.

"A name must be given."
"But a bond... may be broken instead."

"Trade the memory. Or trade the soul."

The three of them froze.

"What does that mean?" Haoran whispered.

Yuhan translated slowly.

"One of us can choose to forget everything."

"The love. The pain. The mystery."

"And the bell will sleep again."

 The Sacrifice

Zhiqi's real voice echoed from behind them.

He stepped out from the corridor.

"I'll do it."

Haoran spun. "No—no, don't you dare—"

But Zhiqi smiled softly.

"I've always been the one who felt too much. This time, I'll choose to feel nothing... if it keeps you safe."

He reached for the stone altar at the center.

Yuhan tried to stop him—
But Zhiqi had already whispered his name.

"Erase me."

 Silence

The bell rang once.

Low. Hollow. Final.

And then... light.

Pure, silver light.

When it faded—
Zhiqi was still standing.

But his eyes...

Empty.

 End of Chapter 11