Zhan's pov:~

I was woken up by a gentle shake, I was sitting on the floor still holding Yibo's hands, "Zhan?"

I looked up and saw Ziyi standing near me, looking at me with worry. I looked at her and then at Yibo, who was lying on the bed. I gently untangled my hand from his and tried to stand up when I felt that the bed was wet.

The bed was covered with piss, pus, blood, at some point at night when I had fallen asleep while Yibo was whimpering with pain, lying in blood, sweat, pus and urine.

Ziyi noticed that too and said, "I'll clean him... you go and-"

"No." I said as I stood straight, "I will clean him..."

Ziyi wanted to say something back but did not, and after a few seconds she left, once she was gone I removed the blanket and picked Yibo up, he was so light that I felt like I was holding a feather, I brought sheets and cleaned the bed, I threw away the old bedsheets and mattress, then I took Yibo into the washroom and started to take off his clothes, I gently started to clean him but as I was gently rubbing his face, a small part of his skin came off on my hand.

I looked at the piece of skin and the blood around it, I looked at the water in the bathtub that was now red. I took his hand and was about to clean him, but then I looked at his elbow and saw that the abscess had maggots on it.

Bile formed in my stomach and I couldn't take it anymore, I got up and puked at the corner. I puked my guts out, my body trembled and my eyes watered.

"Zhan." I heard Yibo calling my name and I wiped my mouth and looked at him, forcing myself to smile, "yes darling."

"Are you alright?" he said and then his eyes wandered over his body, but I suddenly held his face and made him look at me, that made him whimper in pain, but I couldn't let him see what I saw.

"I am fine." I said.

He nodded and closed his eyes, "it hurts Zhan."

"I know." I said as I started to clean him, while he said, "Zhan..."

"Hmm."

"I am sorry."

My movements paused, "why are you sorry?"

"Sorry for troubling you so much, for being a burden... I am sorry that I won't be able to marry you."

I finally looked at him and I saw the clarity on his face and the cold acceptance of his fate, he was trying to control himself from crying, "I don't want to die Zhan... I tried... I really tried to live... I really did... Zhan... I really tried... but it's too painful... I can't take this pain.

It hurts so much... It hurts so much Zhan... I am sorry but I can't do this anymore... I can't live like this anymore...

I don't want to leave you... I don't want to die... I wanted a life with you... but I can't live like this...

I know I am asking too much... I know I am so cruel... but Zhan please.... please just kill me.... please Zhan kill me... Please... I am too weak to kill myself and the curse will take time... so please end my life Zhan please..."

My shoulders shook and my face contorted in pain as tears slipped from my eyes and I broke down again, "Yibo..." I was barely able to breathe, "Yibo..." I couldn't ask him to hold on, that would be so cruel, I couldn't beg him to keep on living, that would be torture.

So I could only say his name and cry.

Yibo spoke, "maybe in the next life." I only cried harder.

"Please don't cry Zhan." Yibo pleaded but that only made it worse, I gently held his hand and took deep breaths and after some time I finally calmed myself down, I looked at Yibo and smiled, "okay."

Yibo blinked, and I gently kissed his forehead, "Okay." I breathed out.

~~

After I finished bathing Yibo, I brought him out and gently dressed him up, I made him sit on the bed and he held my hand, "stay by my side." he said.

I smiled and nodded, as I sat beside him, he suddenly spoke, "you remember the first time we met at the academy?"

I smiled, "yes, I do. I fell in love with you the first time I saw you."

Yibo smiled, "really?"

"Yes, you were so beautiful, so charming, so amazing.... how could I not fall in love, while you just ignored me. It was so hard to woo you."

Yibo laughed but suddenly coughed, "that's true, I actually liked you too."

"Really?"

"Yes, but I was too shy to approach you."

Now it was my turn to laugh, and he said, "but I remembered the day you confessed to me."

I laughed again, "really."

"It was one of the most beautiful days of my life."

"Mine too."

We talked for some time reminiscing about the past before Yibo's eyes started to close and he spoke, "Zhan... I really love you.... I am sorry for leaving you like this... but please I don't want to wake up in pain again."

I smiled at him gently, taling him in, my eyes wandering over his face, looking into his eyes remembering thier structure, remembering the love I saw in them.

No matter what he thought he was was still the most beautiful person in life, even now he was beautiful for me, I looked at him gently, carefully, memprizing each detail, taking in his warmth, remembering the feel of his body against mine, my heart was trembling as I spoke, my voice was steady ,"sure darling."

I spoke as I kissed his forehead and slowlygrabbed my knife from my belt, my finger wrapped around it, I held the knife so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

I held Yibo close and kissed his lips, Yibo kissed me back as I raised my dagger and in one movement drove it straight through his heart.

Yibo coughed blood and the kiss broke, blood seeped from his chest as he looked at me, and smiled, he was finally free of pain, he was no longer suffering.

Yibo tried to say something to me, his mouth opened but no words came out and in my arms he finally breathed his last.