You hear him coughing again as you open the door to Carlos' apartment. Your expression goes grim upon hearing that all-too-familiar cough. You wish you could help him, but Carlos... Carlos wants to die.

Carlos has Hanahaki, the deadly disease of unrequited love. He hasn't been the same after Carlos returned from the Raccoon City mission. You managed to pry the story out of him, but it turns out he met a woman named Jill Valentine. The two survived the horrors together, but Carlos fell in love with Jill. Jill rejected him, and the two parted ways, leaving Carlos heartbroken and suffering from unrequited love. Not long after, Carlos was diagnosed with Hanahaki.

You were doing everything you could. You even tried to track down Jill and send her a message, but it was like she dropped off the face of the earth. Carlos was getting worse by the day, growing paler and weaker. You were over every day taking care of him, but it was like your friend was an empty shell of his former self. What hurt even more was a deep secret of yours.

You loved Carlos. You loved him deeply. You were caring for a man who was going to die a painful death for someone he loved, and you had to sit back and watch him.

You walk in, setting the groceries you had bought on his counter, and walk over to the shell of your best friend. Carlos was lying on his side on the couch, surrounded by dying flower petals and bloody tissues. He didn't even look at you as you approached; he just stared at the floor.

You reach a hand out to touch his forehead to see how his fever is, but Carlos slaps your hand away. "Would you cut it out?!" Carlos yelled harshly, sitting up with a grunt as he gave you a dirty look. "You aren't my mother or partner, so stop caring for me. God, it's getting irritating. I love Jill, not you, so quit it and just let me waste away already."

Carlos' words cut deep, freezing you in place. Was this really your best friend? You stay standing before him, hurt and confused about what you should do next.