A darkness suddenly turned to bright brightness, and flickers of their memories flashed before Elyan's eyes. It was like he was watching two people laughing under starlit skies, sharing quiet mornings wrapped in each other's arms, whispering promises in the soft glow of dawn. Every smile, every touch, every heartbeat with Kairo replayed in a rush, burning brighter than the fading light around him.
Then, slowly, he realized it was all just memories. The last thing he remembered was holding Kairo's cold body, his head aching like it was slipping apart. Through the pain, with tears streaming down, he whispered, "I wish I could turn back time and protect Kairo."
May 15, 2015
Inside the MYM building, in the quiet clinic, someone lay unconscious in bed. Exhausted from endless work, sleepless nights, and skipped meals, his body was thin, his skin pale, and his cheeks lightly flushed with fever. Even in such a weak state, his beauty was undeniable soft blonde hair, long lashes resting on his cheeks, a high nose, and sharp brows that suited his face perfectly. And his eyes when open were the color of the sky, making him look like a fallen goddess. He was only nineteen, but already carried the grace of someone beyond his years.
In the bed beside him, separated only by a thin curtain, lay another nineteen-year-old boy. He had striking silver hair that shimmered even under the dim lights, and eyes of deep violet, framed by thick lashes. His white skin was flawless, his nose sharp like it was carved by an artist, and his body lean and sculpted—like a living statue from a museum. He lay quietly, reading a book, wrapped in a rare moment of peace.
That peace was broken by a soft, strained voice from the other bed. A low moan… then words, weak but aching.
"Please… don't go…"
The silver haired boy froze, slowly lowering his book. His eyes darkened, gaze turning toward the curtain between them. He slipped out of bed, bare feet touching the cool floor as he quietly moved past the curtain.
There, lying in a tangle of sheets, was the boy he had only caught glimpses of when nurses came and went. Now, up close, the sight stole his breath.
Blonde hair clung to a fevered forehead, his pale skin even paler under the clinic's lights. His lips trembled, and tears slid down the corners of his closed eyes as he shifted weakly, caught in a dream or a memory that was tearing him apart.
The silver haired boy couldn't look away.
He was… beautiful.
Not just in the way that made people stare, but in a way that made his heart ache. Delicate yet strong. Lost yet clinging to something. And when the blonde boy's voice broke again, soft and cracked, the silver haired boy's chest tightened.
"Please… don't go… don't leave me… I can't lose you..."
The words hit like a blade.
The silver haired boy knelt beside the bed, his hand hovering near the other's trembling fingers, unsure if he should touch him. Unsure why it hurt so much to see someone he didn't even know cry like that.
But somehow… it felt like he did know him.
And that pain—he could feel it too.
He was about to reach out, fingers just inches from the blonde boy's tear-streaked face, when suddenly—
The boy gasped, eyes snapping open as if pulled from drowning. His chest heaved, breath coming in ragged bursts as panic filled his gaze. And then...he saw him.
Without warning, the blonde boy surged forward and wrapped his arms tightly around him, burying his face into his chest, crying.
The silver haired boy froze, completely stunned, heart pounding.
"Thank God… you're okay… you're okay..."
"I love you… please don't leave me… please…"
Each word was like a wave crashing into him, full of pain, desperation, and something else something deep and familiar. He stood there, stiff in the embrace, unsure of what to do, yet unable to pull away.
His arms slowly lifted, hesitating… and then gently wrapped around the trembling boy holding onto him like he was all that was left.
And in that moment, he didn't understand why…
But it felt like his heart was breaking too.
Elyan's POV
My voice echoed in the dark.
There was pain.
There was blood.
Then...nothing.
No light. No warmth. Just silence… until a sudden gasp escaped my lips.
My eyes flew open, a harsh white light flooding my vision. I blinked fast, chest rising and falling like I'd been underwater. I turned my head.....and froze.
Someone was sitting beside me.
And when I saw his face…
Kairo.
It was kairo.
I didn't even think. I reached out and pulled him into my arms, clinging to him like he might vanish again. My voice cracked, the sobs rising before I could stop them.
"Thank God… you're okay… you're okay…"
I cried, my whole body trembling. The last thing I remembered, he was cold and lifeless in my arms. But now....he was warm. Alive.
"I love you… please don't leave me… please…"
But something felt… off.
My hands, once bloodstained, were clean. No wounds. No pain. No beeping machines. Just sunlight streaming in through faded, floral curtains.
Wait... what?
I slowly pulled back from the hug, wiping my face, and looked around. The room… it looked old. Not like the hospitals I know. The walls, the curtains, even the smell...it felt familiar in a way that sent chills down my spine.
This looks like… the old MYM clinic.
Back when we were trainees.
This felt… different. Like I'd stepped into a memory. A place frozen in time.
My heart was pounding in my chest, faster and faster. But through the confusion and panic, all I could think about was him.
Is he okay?
He was stabbed. Three times.
He almost died in my arms.
"A-Are you ok—" I started to ask, reaching for him again...
Then I looked at his face.
And froze.
My eyes widened. My breath caught.
He looked… younger.
Like the Kairo from 10 years ago.
Nineteen. Bright-eyed. Before all the fame. Before everything fell apart.
"Wait… why do you look so young? Like when you were 19?"
He blinked, confused, tilting his head slightly.
"What do you mean…?" His voice was cold. Flat. Nothing like the way he spoke to me just yesterday.....with warmth, with love, with Knowing.
I froze.
The way he looked at me… it wasn't the Kairo I knew. There was no softness in his eyes. No emotion. Just confusion. Distance.
Like I was a stranger.
My chest tightened. My breath hitched.
This isn't right.
This isn't him.
That gaze...it wasn't the one that used to light up when he saw me. It wasn't the look that held a thousand unspoken words. This was empty. Distant. Like I meant nothing.
Like he had no idea who I was.
My throat felt tight. I tried to speak, but the words caught somewhere between panic and heartbreak.
" It's me. Elyan." My voice cracked.
He just stared. No flicker of recognition. No warmth. Nothing.
I could feel my pulse in my ears, my hands trembling slightly.
"You don't remember me?" I asked, almost whispering, afraid of the answer.
He looked at me like he was trying to figure out a puzzle. His brows drew together, not in worry.....but in suspicion.
"Elyan?" he repeated slowly.
Then he shook his head."I don't know you."
It hit harder than any wound I'd ever taken.
I stepped back slightly, feeling like the ground beneath me had cracked open. This wasn't just a different time, a different place.
Something was deeply wrong.
I clutched the edge of the bed for balance, staring at him. Same silver hair. Same purple eyes. Same face I loved.....
But none of him was there.
And all I could think was: How do you forget someone you once said you'd love forever?
What… What happened to him?
My heart pounded as I looked down at myself..... Wait.
My hands…
My arms…
They were smaller. Leaner.
I reached up, touched my face. My skin was smooth, Younger.
Panic rising in my chest, I threw the blanket off and stumbled out of the bed, my legs weak beneath me. I rushed to the bathroom, nearly slipping on the floor. My hand smacked against the wall as I pushed the door open and stared.....
Frozen.
In the mirror stood a boy.
Its not me...not who I was yesterday.
But a younger me.
Nineteen. No dyed hair. No makeup. No shadows under my eyes from years of stress. Just a skinny, confused boy with messy blonde hair and wide eyes opened from shock,my bright blue eyes like a sky filled with disbelief.
I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
Kairo appeared behind me, leaning in the doorway. His eyes didn't leave me, calm but focused.....like he was thinking if I'd lost my mind.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
I turned to him slowly, heart thudding.
I could barely speak, but the words slipped out on instinct "What's the date today?"
He blinked and answered "May 15, 2015."
And just like that…
The world stopped.
"No… it can't be…" i whisper to my self
My legs weakened, and I sank down to the floor, heart pounding too fast to think straight.
May 15, 2015.
The day I first met Kairo. At that old clinic.
The day after, we were grouped together as trainees.
Everything was happening all over again. Like I'd been thrown back in time...back to the beginning.
But why?
Why am I back?
Did I die?
Am I dreaming?
I don't know anymore.
But one thing was clear.
I was back before it all started.
Before fame.
Before love.
Before the pain.
What did this mean?
I looked up at Kairo, searching his face for answers, but his eyes were calm, unreadable.
And all I could do was wonder…
Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed through my head. I screamed, clutching my temples.
"Ahhh… it hurts!"
Every memory hit me like a storm....Kairo's last breath, the blood, the silence....still raw, still haunting me.
A flood of questions crashed through my mind.
Why is this happening to me?...
Why me?...
Kairo rushed over, concern flashing in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around me tightly.
"Hey, are you okay?"
But I was losing control.....my breath came short and ragged. Panic clawed at my chest.
He held me closer, his voice calm but firm
"Breathe with me, Elyan. In… and out. Slow. Nice and slow."
I tried to follow, but the pain and panic tangled inside me. He kept whispering, "In through your nose… out through your mouth… You're safe. I'm right here."
Little by little, my racing heart slowed. The pain dulled.
Just then, the door creaked open and a nurse peeked inside, her eyes wide with concern.
"Is everything okay in here?"she asked gently.
Kairo looked up, still holding me, and nodded.
"He's just having a bad moment. I'm helping him breathe."
Before I could respond, the dizziness hit me hard. The room, my vision blurred, and everything faded to black.
I lost consciousness.
Kairo's POV
When this beauty… I mean Elyan, as I'd heard him say his name earlier, woke up, he was acting so strange. Out of nowhere, he suddenly hugged me tightly, tears streaming down his face.
He kept saying things that didn't quite make sense like someone grieving a lost love.
The way he held me, the pain in his voice… it was like he thought I was gone. Like he was scared to lose me all over again.
It hit me hard.
I didn't know what was happening to him, but I knew one thing for sure....he needed me.
What am I thinking?
I don't know this person.
He's crying, holding me like I'm the most important thing in the world....but I don't remember him.
Why does he seem so desperate? So broken?
There's a strange ache in my chest I can't explain.
Who is he really? And why does it feel like my whole world depends on him?
I was just starting to pull myself together when suddenly, Elyan bolted to the bathroom.
I followed close behind, watching as he stared at his reflection with wide, confused eyes....like he didn't recognize the person looking back at him.
He even asked me a strange question."What date is today?"
His voice was shaky, filled with confusion.... It was like he was trying to piece together something important something he'd forgotten.
That's when I snapped fully awake.
When i saw him clutching his head, his face twisting in pain."Ahhh… it hurts!" he screamed.
My heart pounded....I rushed to him immediately.
"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, worry thick in my voice.
But he was gasping, struggling to breathe. Panic clawed at me as I felt his body trembling.
"Breathe with me, Elyan. In… and out. Slow. Nice and slow," I urged softly, trying to steady him.
He tried to follow but looked overwhelmed, his breath still shaky. I kept whispering,
"In through your nose… out through your mouth… You're safe. I'm right here."
Gradually, his breathing slowed, and the tension in his body eased a little. Relief washed over me, but I didn't let go.
Just then, the door opened and a nurse appeared, her eyes wide with concern.
"Is everything okay in here?"she asked gently.
I looked at Elyan, still in my arms, and nodded."He's having a bad moment. I'm helping him breathe."
But before I could do anything more, I felt Elyan's body go limp against me. His vision faded as he lost consciousness.
I tightened my hold, my heart pounding.
"Elyan! Stay with me!" I whispered desperately, afraid of losing him again.
Again?
What does that even mean? I don't understand myself today...
Carefully, I carried Elyan and laid him back on the bed. I fixed the blanket over him, noticing a tear sliding down his cheek. I wiped it gently, my mind swirling....Who made you like this?
I turned away, picked up my book, and headed for the practice room. It was already time.
Before stepping out, I took one last look at his face and whispered,
"Get well, El."
---
To be continued…