The Fading Moon Chapter 12: The Ocean We Promised to See

Read chapter 12 of The Fading Moon by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

The hospital stay lasted four days. Four long days. Four exhausting days filled with tests, treatments, doctors, and endless waiting. To Mike, it felt like four years. Every morning before work, he visited Jessika. Every evening after work, he returned. Sometimes they talked. Sometimes they watched movies on her laptop. Sometimes they sat quietly together. Neither needed words all the time anymore. Simply being together was enough. And somehow, despite everything, Jessika continued smiling. Not because she wasn't afraid. Mike knew better now. She smiled because she refused to let fear steal the days she still had. That realization made him admire her more than ever. On the morning she was finally discharged, Mike arrived at the hospital carrying a small bag. Jessika immediately looked suspicious. "What is that?" Mike smiled. "A surprise." Jessika gasped dramatically. "You planned something." "No." "You definitely planned something." Mike looked away. Which was basically an admission of guilt. Jessika pointed accusingly. "I knew it." Five minutes later, she was practically vibrating with curiosity. Mike refused to tell her anything. The mystery nearly drove her insane. And honestly? He enjoyed every second of it. Two hours later, they were standing inside Tokyo Station. Jessika blinked. Then looked at Mike. Then at the station. Then back at Mike. "Why are we here?" Mike handed her a train ticket. Her eyes widened. "No way." Mike smiled. "Check the destination." Jessika immediately looked down. Several seconds passed. Then she froze. Completely. Her mouth slowly opened. "The ocean." Mike nodded. The ocean. One of the items on their memory list. One of the things she had always wanted to do with him. For a moment, Jessika simply stared. Then tears appeared in her eyes. Mike immediately panicked. "What?" She laughed. Actually laughed. "I'm happy, idiot." "Oh." "Only you could sound disappointed about that." Mike sighed in relief. Jessika suddenly threw her arms around him. Several nearby passengers smiled at the sight. Mike immediately became embarrassed. Jessika didn't care. Not even slightly. The train journey lasted nearly two hours. Most of the trip was spent arguing. As usual. Jessika claimed she won every argument they ever had. Mike informed her that was statistically impossible. Jessika informed him statistics were boring. Mike informed her she was impossible. Jessika accepted this as a compliment. Somehow. By the time they arrived, both were laughing. And for a little while... The hospital felt very far away. The ocean greeted them with bright sunlight. Blue skies stretched endlessly overhead. Gentle waves rolled across the shoreline. The salty scent of the sea filled the air. Jessika immediately ran toward the water. "Wait!" Too late. A second later, a wave crashed against her legs. Jessika screamed. Not from fear. From excitement. Mike watched from the beach. Unable to stop smiling. Because she looked genuinely happy. Not pretending. Not forcing it. Happy. The kind of happiness that illuminated everything around her. The kind of happiness he wished he could protect forever. The afternoon passed like a dream. They walked along the shoreline. Collected seashells. Took photographs. Shared ice cream. Talked about everything and nothing. For a few precious hours, neither mentioned hospitals. Neither mentioned treatments. Neither mentioned the future. They simply lived. And that felt wonderful. Later, they sat together on the sand watching the waves. The sunlight reflected beautifully across the water. Jessika leaned her head against Mike's shoulder. A comfortable silence settled between them. Then she smiled. "We crossed another item off the list." Mike nodded. "We did." "Three more left." "Four." Jessika frowned. "What?" "You forgot the expensive restaurant." "Oh." She immediately looked serious. "That's important." Mike laughed. "Of course that's the one you remember." "It involves food." "Good point." Jessika smiled trium