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"are you sure you want to leave? the doctor said that you could stay for a few more days if you need it." felix chuckled, slipping his top over his head. izumi was sat on the chair, facing the opposite direction as felix changed into the clothes that she had bought for him. there was no way she was going to go back to felix's house for clothes, so she decided to buy clothes for him instead.
"i'm fine izumi, being in here is getting depressing anyway. i just want to go-" felix cut himself off, realising that he had no home to return to. "oh right." he mumbled.
"home?" izumi questioned. felix nodded, but then mumbled a small 'yeah' after realising that she couldn't see him. "you have a home, felix. seungmin said that you can live with him for as long as you need to." felix shook his head.
"no, there's no way i could-"
"there's one thing i realised today." she cut him off, staring up at the wall. she brought her knees up, hugging them to her chest. "i've been so busy trying to get you to speak your feelings to me so i can understand your situation better. i want you to tell me everything, you know?" izumi sighed, her gaze falling to the ground. "but my friends have done the exact same thing, and i've only pushed them away. i was being selfish, thinking that i didn't need anyone's help- that no one cared for me."
felix walked over to her, he was finished changing a while ago. "i'm a spoiled brat. i shouldn't have been so up myself, i should've relied on them like they rely on me." izumi sighed. it was something she had wanted to get off her chest since she had that conversation with hyunjin and seungmin. she didn't realise how holding herself back like that had hurt the ones closest to her.
it was thanks to felix that she was able to realise that. the both were alike, but felix who was able to open up to her, made her notice the flaws of her 'selfless' attitude.
izumi jumped in surprise as felix slid his arms around izumi from behind resting his head on her shoulder. "w-what-"
"you've gone through a lot izumi." he mumbled, his breath tickling izumi's neck. "so let us take that weight off your shoulders so you can stand tall again." izumi smiled at felix's words.
"thank you."
-
"izumi we really need to discuss your timer situation." her father spoke up during their silent dinner. they had dropped off felix at seungmin's house an hour ago, and the father and daughter were currently eating dinner.
"so it's decreasing, so what? it could change this year, you never know." izumi shrugged, avoiding her father's gaze.
"izumi, it doesn't work like that-"
"but i changed felix's timer." izumi cut him off. her father furrowed his eyebrows, setting his chopsticks down.
"you did what?" her father questioned. izumi hesitated, wondering why he sounded so shocked by what izumi told him.
"i changed his timer. he has more time now." izumi reluctantly answered, glancing over at her father who was sat across from her in disbelief.
"izumi, you didn't change his timer. you..." her father sighed, shaking his head. "you gave away your own time to him." he explained.
"what are you talking about?" izumi nervously chuckled, not understanding what her father was trying to say. "my timer could just be changing because of something else, there's no way felix is the reason."
"izumi, please." her father sighed, getting frustrated that his daughter wouldn't understand. "his timer suddenly increasing? yours is decreasing? this isn't a coincidence, izumi, this is a life or death situation." izumi stared at the bowl of rice in front of her, her chopsticks limply laying in her hand.
"so what do you want me to do? take it back? he almost died, his timer was down to less than an hour! even if i don't have long left, i'd give him all the days i do have left just so he could live." izumi didn't realise how vexed she was getting, or how her voice was raising. all she could think about was felix, and how happy he looked when they were together.
"izumi..." her father's gaze softened, he realised something before she did. it was the same thing he went through with her mother. the will to do anything for them, to give up as many years as possible just to keep them alive and breathing. even if they couldn't be together, he would've gladly given up everything.
however, her father, despite giving up so many years for her mother, was unable to save her. giving away a few years couldn't cure the manifestation of anxiety and depression in her mother. in the end, her father realised that it was futile to give up his years when her mother's end was determined.
however, he didn't want his daughter to think the same thing. he didn't want her to give up, although it could possibly kill her. because there was no way her father could change izumi's mind at all, no matter how much her warned her. he just hoped that their ending would be different to his.
izumi glanced up at her father, visibly gulping as he hesitated to speak. with a soft exhale, he lifted his gaze to meet her eyes.
