The small home in Serene District, Aurelia City, felt unusually cold that late afternoon, even though the sunlight still glowed through the glass windows.
On the dining table, two cups of untouched tea sat silently, steam fading into the air.
Liana Everlyn, now twenty-eight, sat with her back slightly hunched. Her long hair was messy, her eyes swollen, her once-bright smile now nothing but a faint echo of the past.
Across from her sat her husband, Evan Callister, the man she once loved enough to promise forever.
Now, both of them sat in a silence too heavy to ignore.
Their five-year-old son, Milo, was playing in his room, blissfully unaware of what the word divorce meant.
Evan was the first to break the silence.
"Before we… sign everything, I just want to know one thing."
His voice trembled. "Are we really not going to try anymore?"
Liana bit her lip.
She knew Evan was confused—maybe he thought she had stopped loving him.
But the truth was darker than anything he imagined.
"Sometimes," Liana whispered, "holding on hurts more than letting go."
Evan clenched his fists.
"You've changed, Li. This past year… I don't understand what happened to you."
Liana didn't answer.
How could she?
How could she tell him that—
she was dying?
That she had been diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer, and the doctor said she might only have four months left?
How could she tell Milo that Mommy wouldn't be around much longer?
She stayed silent.
Kept the truth buried deep, where it hurt the most.
Evan stood up slowly.
"I'll stay at the apartment for now. Let me know when we finalize the papers."
His voice wavered, as if still hoping she would stop him.
But Liana only nodded.
When the door finally closed and Evan's car drove away, Liana collapsed to her knees on the cold floor.
Tears streamed down her cheeks in quiet agony.
"I'm sorry, Evan… If you knew the truth, you'd only suffer. I want you to find someone better… someone who can stay."
After several minutes, she stood up shakily and walked to a small room she hadn't opened in years.
Her memory room.
Photos, small trinkets, old notebooks, and one thing she never had the courage to face again:
Rayan Albrecht's diary.
Her childhood best friend.
Her first love.
The boy who once brought endless color into her life—
and who died far too young.
Her hands trembled as she lifted the dark blue-and-black notebook.
When she opened the first page, the scent of old paper filled the air, dragging her into memories she'd tried to bury.
Rayan's handwriting greeted her:
> "For Liana.
If you're reading this… I'm probably gone.
Don't be shocked. I just wanted to leave something behind for you."
Liana covered her mouth as tears spilled down uncontrollably.
"Why did you always know everything before it happened… Ray?"
she whispered.
She closed the diary gently.
The fading sunlight caught the edge of the cover, glowing like an old photograph.
Then—
CUT.
Everything fades out.
And the story rewinds…
to when everything truly began.
Aurelia City Elementary School, 2008.
Children were running across the schoolyard, laughter filling the air.
Among them stood a small girl with long hair and a soft pink dress, clutching her book like a shield.
That was little Liana.
Shy, easily startled, quick to cry when scolded.
Her first day of school felt huge and terrifying.
Just as she was about to sit at the back of the classroom, a boy suddenly jumped beside her.
"Hey! You're sitting here? I called dibs first!"
A bright, loud voice filled her ears.
Liana looked up.
Black messy hair, bright brown eyes, and a grin far too wide for his face.
The boy looked like walking chaos.
"I-I put my bag first…" Liana muttered softly.
"Fine! Then we sit together!" he declared proudly.
"My name's Rayan Albrecht. What's yours?"
"Li… Liana."
Rayan nodded firmly.
"Starting today, I'm your best friend!"
Liana blinked.
Just like that?
And since that day, Rayan stuck to her like glue.
He was the loudest, happiest, most annoying kid in class—but also the fastest to defend anyone crying.
If Liana got scolded by a teacher and teared up, Rayan would stand in front of the class shouting:
"Who made my best friend cry?!"
He got in trouble constantly, but he didn't care.
Even back then, he sometimes clutched his chest when he ran too much. But everyone just assumed it was mild asthma.
Middle School — A Bond That Grew Stronger
They entered Aurelia Middle School together.
Rayan grew more handsome and became popular quickly.
He was outgoing, funny, mischievous, and extremely good at annoying Liana on purpose.
Liana grew into a graceful, sweet girl—many boys liked her, but all of them stayed away because they knew she had a personal "guard dog" named Rayan.
Their closeness only deepened.
Every day after school, Rayan insisted on walking her home—even though their houses were in opposite directions.
"Are you tired?" Liana asked once.
"Nope!" Rayan lied, patting his chest as if strong—
even though his heart rhythm was getting worse each month.
He had two other best friends, Nate and Soren, who constantly teased him:
"Bro, when are you confessing to Liana?"
Rayan snorted.
"Please. I'm just protecting her from idiots like you two!"
But his ears turned red.
Some nights, when the chest pain was bad, he wondered—