The Fading Moon Chapter 15: The Dream Beneath Mount Fuji

Read chapter 15 of The Fading Moon by MananTayal on NovelPedia.

December arrived with freezing winds. Tokyo's streets sparkled beneath winter lights. Everywhere Mike looked, people were preparing for the holidays. Families gathered together. Friends exchanged gifts. Couples walked hand in hand beneath glowing decorations. The city felt alive. Yet despite all the happiness surrounding him, Mike couldn't ignore the fear growing inside his heart. Jessika's condition was getting worse. Not dramatically. Not suddenly. But enough. Enough for him to notice. Enough for him to worry every single day. A few days before Christmas, Mike received a message while working. Jessika: Emergency. Mike immediately sighed. Some things never changed. Mike: Are you actually dying this time or just hungry? Several seconds later: Jessika: That's rude. Mike: So it's food. Jessika: Maybe. Mike laughed. For the first time all day. Then another message arrived. Jessika: Meet me at the station after work. Mike: Why? Jessika: Secret mission. Mike stared at the screen. Whenever Jessika said "secret mission," his life became significantly more complicated. And somehow... He always agreed. That evening, he found her waiting near the station entrance. She wore a thick winter coat and the scarf he had given her weeks earlier. The scarf she still refused to return. The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up. "You're late." Mike checked his watch. "I arrived three minutes early." Jessika smiled. "Still late." Mike sighed. "There is absolutely no winning with you." "Nope." She seemed proud of that fact. After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a travel agency. Mike stopped. Then looked at the building. Then at Jessika. Then back at the building. "No." Jessika immediately smiled. "What?" "I know that smile." "What smile?" "The smile that costs money." Jessika laughed so hard she nearly lost balance. Mike grabbed her arm instinctively. The laughter faded. But his concern remained. Even small things exhausted her now. And he hated seeing it. Inside the agency, Jessika pointed excitedly at a travel poster. A beautiful mountain rose beneath a clear blue sky. Snow covered its peak. The sight was breathtaking. Mike immediately recognized it. Mount Fuji. One of Japan's most famous landmarks. Jessika stared at the poster. Then smiled. "It's on the list." Mike blinked. The memory list. Of course. "Mount Fuji." She nodded. "We haven't crossed it off yet." Mike looked at her. Then at the poster. Then back at her. The answer was obvious. There was no way he could say no. Not when she looked that excited. Not when her smile looked that genuine. Two weeks later, during the final days of the year, they found themselves on a train heading toward the famous mountain. The journey felt strangely peaceful. Snow covered parts of the landscape. Small towns passed outside the window. The farther they traveled from Tokyo, the quieter everything became. Jessika spent most of the trip staring outside. Watching the scenery. Watching the sky. Watching the world. As if trying to memorize every detail. Mike noticed. But said nothing. Some things didn't need words. When they finally arrived, the sight stole their breath away. 6 Mount Fuji stood proudly against the winter sky. Majestic. Timeless. Beautiful. Snow covered its peak like a crown. The surrounding landscape looked almost unreal. Like something from a painting. Jessika stood frozen. Her eyes wide. A smile slowly appeared on her face. "It's beautiful." Mike looked at her. Not the mountain. Her. Because seeing her happy somehow made everything more beautiful. "It is." The day passed wonderfully. They explored nearby villages. Visited observation points. Took photographs. Shared hot drinks. And laughed more than they had in weeks. For a little while, the future disappeared. The hospital disappeared. The fear disappeared. Leaving only the present. And it felt wonderful. Near sunset, they reached a quiet viewpoint overlooking the mountain. The sky glowed orange. The snow reflected golden light. Everyt