I never thought watching someone could hurt this much.

There she is, standing in that field of wildflowers, laughing at something—probably something I’d have rolled my eyes at a month ago. Now, I’m just...silent. Hands wrapped around my sketchbook, fingers leaving smudges on the edges. I shouldn’t even be drawing her, not like this, not when I know I’ll have to look at these lines someday and feel everything all over again. But I can’t help it.

She wanted someone who wouldn’t cry, I remind myself, scratching in a few more details. Her hair’s all wild, catching in the breeze, just like I imagined a million times when I didn’t know her. But knowing her, actually being here with her...it’s different. It’s too real. And she’s still here, just as alive as the first day, even if every moment feels like we’re running out of time.

She catches me staring, probably catches the look on my face too, and grins, tossing a flower toward me. “Don’t look so serious, Kai. It’s just another day.”

Just another day. But I don’t tell her I’d give anything to have a thousand more just like it.

"You run like a penguin." I said with a straight face.