The Fading Moon Chapter 18: The Last Item on the List

Read chapter 18 of The Fading Moon by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

The notebook changed everything. Not because it revealed something new. But because it made everything real. The letters were proof. Proof that Jessika was afraid. Proof that she was preparing for a future she didn't want. And proof that time was running out. Mike hated that thought. Every second. Every minute. Every day. He hated it. Yet no matter how much he hated it, reality continued moving forward. Relentlessly. Without mercy. A week later, Jessika was discharged from the hospital. The doctors never used words like "hopeful." They never used words like "recovery." Instead, they spoke carefully. Quietly. As if choosing every word with caution. Mike noticed. Jessika noticed too. Neither mentioned it. There was no point. The day she returned home, Mike visited immediately. When he arrived, he found her sitting beside her bedroom window. Moonlight spilled across the room. A blanket covered her legs. A cup of tea rested beside her. She looked peaceful. Beautiful. Fragile. Mike hated how fragile she looked. Jessika smiled when she saw him. "Took you long enough." "I came straight here." "You stopped for snacks." Mike blinked. "How do you know that?" She pointed. He looked down. The convenience store bag in his hand immediately exposed him. Jessika burst into laughter. Mike sighed. "You're impossible." "I know." For a while they talked normally. Movies. School. Photography. Random things. Anything except illness. Anything except hospitals. Anything except the future. Eventually Jessika noticed something sticking out of Mike's jacket pocket. A folded piece of paper. She immediately narrowed her eyes. "What is that?" Mike froze. "Nothing." "That means it's definitely something." She reached for it. Mike quickly moved away. "No." "Give it." "No." "Give it." "No." "Mike." "No." Three seconds later she stole it anyway. Jessika unfolded the paper. Then blinked. Her expression changed immediately. Because she recognized it. The Memory List. The list they had created together months ago. The list that had guided their entire journey. The list that contained every dream they wanted to experience together. Jessika slowly read each item. Most were crossed off. Ocean. Done. Snowfall. Done. Mount Fuji. Done. Photography day. Done. Ferris wheel. Done. Restaurant. Done. Sunrise. Done. Only one item remained. A single unchecked line. At the very bottom. Watch the moon from somewhere beautiful. Jessika stared at it. Then looked at Mike. "You kept this?" Mike smiled. "Of course." For a moment neither spoke. Then Jessika laughed softly. "We forgot about the last one." "We did." Silence followed. Then Mike stood. "Let's finish it." Jessika blinked. "What?" "Let's cross it off." "Now?" "Why not?" She stared at him. Then looked outside. It was almost nine at night. Cold. Windy. Definitely not the ideal time for an adventure. Which was exactly why Mike suggested it. Because Jessika loved spontaneous adventures. An hour later they were on a train. Jessika sat beside the window. Wrapped in a thick coat. Looking surprisingly excited. Mike sat opposite her. Watching. As always. The city lights rushed past outside. Bright and beautiful. Eventually Jessika smiled. "You planned this." Mike pretended innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about." "You're a terrible liar." "True." She laughed. The sound warmed his heart instantly. After another train ride and a long walk, they finally reached their destination. A cliff overlooking the sea. Far outside Tokyo. A place Mike had discovered while researching photography locations years ago. The ocean stretched endlessly before them. The winter air was freezing. The waves crashed against the rocks below. And above everything... The moon. Huge. Bright. Magnificent. Jessika stopped walking. Her eyes widened. For several seconds she simply stared. Unable to speak. "It..." Her voice trembled. "It's beautiful." Mike smiled. "Yeah." But he wasn't looking at the moon. He was looking at her. Because she was beautifu