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Jett always thought to herself, how idiotic love has always been to her. How she didn't understand how this certain feeling worked. Never has she fallen inlove with anyone before, because she has been traumatized by the fact that if they don't love you back, the pain will be on your receiving end.
But was it always that way?
No, no it wasn't.
Jett hated the fact that she had to deny, that she's inlove. All her life, she believed falling inlove was stupid, it was a waste of time. But slowly, her opinion throughout this emotion changed.
When she met Sage, it felt like her world would begin spinning again, SHE, felt happy, lively. As if her life was given meaning all over again.
"Goodmorning Jett, the weather is pretty nice today, isn't it?" Sage greeted, entering the office with her bright and Charmin aura.
Jett could feel her face warm up and flush a crimson shade.
"Not as pretty as you." Jett answered, covering her mouth not long after, realizing she had actually said it instead of voicing it only in her head.
"Sorry, what was that? I answered Delilah's message."
"I-i said, it is a clear and great weather! Perfect for having a breezy lunch."
"Great thing you have reminded me. Sova, Delilah, Aamir and I are going outside for lunch. Would you like to join us?"
Jett thought, the least thing Sage and Delilah could admit is that they were dating, from the amount of times Sage had talked to Jett, never had they had a conversation without Sage mentioning Reyna, or so they call Delilah.
"I err, made lunch for myself. So you guys go on ahead!" Jett replied, pretending to be busy fixing the papers on her desk.
Sage smiled, before she gave Jett a pat on her head "Tell me when you want to eat lunch together some time, I'll be here for you."
•••
Butterflies. Jett felt butterflies all over her stomach as her brain rendered memories of her and Sage together.
But as she felt them, she was coughing severely, a familiar feeling of... Blood. A portion of blood gushed out of her mouth. She looked at the mirror right infront of her, a small flower could be found at the side of her lips. Which she instantly removed.
"The pain will be on your receiving end."
This always happens when she has returned home from her work. Her chest would feel heavy, coughing out a portion of blood. The first time it happened, it was only a small portion. As time flew by, months passed. The blood coming out became more, and more, and even more painful, almost to the point where she couldn't breathe.
Jett wasn't going to play the blind game. She got herself checked the past week. She figured out, she had the Hanahaki disease.
It wasn't a common thing to catch, infact she was the first person that visited the doctor about the so called condition. Fiction can hurt as much as reality can, of all of the people in the world that could catch it, why her?
"Maybe I deserve it..."
She thought to herself, Sage was an important part of her life. The once cold and heartless Jett, given the light of love by meeting the only girl that made her heart best crazily.
Why was she inlove with her anyway?
If people can describe Sage with one word, it's that she's perfect. In almost anything she did, it was almost as if an angel came to do her business. But was that the reason why Jett fell inlove with her? For how people saw her? For how she talked to her, took care of her willingly...
It was certainly not.
Sage and Jett had spent alot of time together, just the two of them. Sage has warmed up to her as if no limits were set.
Jett found out, it wasn't about Sage being perfect. It wasn't about Sage being pretty, or bright, or cheerful.
Whenever Sage was with Jett, Sage would totally act... Different. Sage becomes alot happier, Sage shows a side that other people could have not seen about her. Almost as if she wasn't the Sage known by other people.
Jett didn't have to think twice, she loved Sage as she was. Sage was seen for perfection.
But Jett saw Sage for who she was wholeheartedly.
For Jett, she didn't have to be perfect to be true, she didn't have to be every positive quality to be perfect. She was perfect in her own way.
Sage was perfect in her own way.
As alot more time passed by, Jett began to grew alot pale. From the amount of blood she began losing in the daily. She coughs almost everytime. Sage noticed about it, but since Jett didn't want to bring such topic up to concern Sage, Sage was only able to give her favorite handkerchief to Jett, marking the words that Jett should take care of herself, because Sage was always worried about her.
Jett was snapped back to the reality.
The whole meaning for her disease was Sage. Who was she kidding? Sage will never be able to love her as she loved Sage. The only way to get rid of the disease was through the surgical removal of the flowers growing throughout her lungs, or, death.
Removing the flowers was the only choice if she wanted to live. But a crucial part to it, was that her feelings would also be removed.
•••
"Jett has not attended office for a month... I'm quite worried." Sage admitted as she picked on her food while she ate lunch with Aamir, as her other co-workers were busy.
"You say that just now, when you never really checked on her on the first few weeks she has disappeared." Aamir replied, chuckling "Did you know Jett liked you?"
Sage raised a brow "What are you talking about Aamir, how did you know that?"
"Is it not obvious? Or maybe you are oblivious. Jett shined brighter than the sun whenever she was with you."
Sage thought, that was something she didn't notice. But to her, it was partly true, since to her, Jett was like the sunshine in her life. The one who helped her escape the darkness of her everyday life.
"If ever she liked me, what does that have to do with her disappearance?"
Aamir smiled "Oh Sage, it's only two options. First, is that she decided not to see you anymore because of her untold feelings, or, it's that she does not want anything to do with you anymore. And in worst cases, both."
•••
Jett had been laying in the hospital bed for a total of 2 months now, only her friend, Phoenix was allowed to visit her. As she had told the nurses.
"Jett, I'm begging you, you have to let her go... You have to live."
Jett only stared at the window provided close to her bed, weakly replying the words "All I thought... Was love was very... Very stupid." Jett managed to give out weak little giggles "But it was me who fell for it... Who's the stupid one now?"
"Jett don't say this! I don't understand. Nothing will happen if you-"
"Phoenix, I've never been inlove before. Sage made me feel everything. I want to cry. I'm very much tired from hiding, but here I am. I'm a coward. But if it's this the reason I'm disappearing from this world..." Jett paused "I'm ready, I deserve it... Please... Let me go." Jett cried, coughing very, very severly as she struggled to finish her sentence.
Phoenix's mouth opened for him to say something back once again, but no words came from his mouth. So he closed it shut. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Jett pulled something from the pocket of her hospital gown, a small, white envelope.
"I don't think I can make it any longer, Phoenix. I want you to give this letter to the company I work on..... And ask for Sage. It's all I ask now."
"I... I can't do this Jett..."
Jett smiled, weakly "It's all I ask now. Nothing more."
As soon as Phoenix took the letter, the heart rate monitor dropped, immediately trying to call for the nurses. They tried everything, everything so she could breathe and live again. But it was no use. Jett was gone, forever.
•••
As Sage was almost in a hurried panic, wishing the elevator could go faster. She got a call from the lobby saying a person named Phoenix was looking for her. She knew Phoenix, that one friend Jett always mentioned to her.
Finally, as the elevator stopped onto the lobby floor. She nearly ran to meet Phoenix. The moment she saw him, Phoenix has never looked too sad.
"What's the matter?" Sage asked.
"It's about Jett..."
Jett! A name Sage has never been happy to hear after so long. Yet Phoenix's tone concerned her a ton.
"She wanted to hand you this before she died last week, I'm sorry I only had the chance to give it now... I still haven't gotten over it."
"I'm sorry, Jett... Jett what?"
"She's gone Sage."
Sage felt her heart nearly stop from what she just heard, taking the letter. Staring at the neatly folded piece of envelope felt in her hands. It was the last thing Jett wanted to give her before she was gone...
Before she was gone, the last person she had in her mind was Sage, imagining what could have been.
"Take me to her." were Sage's words before she tucked the envelope in her bag.
•••
It was no joke, Jett truly was gone. But how has she never told Sage about it, Sage thought. She never felt so betrayed.
Not to mention the tears that came from her eyes, dripping onto her cheeks and dying on her chin were endlessly falling as she stared at the cold, lifeless body of Jett right infront of her.
It turns out, Jett wasn't a coward at all. All she wanted was to prove her love, and she may have not confessed, but she had disappeared proving that she didn't want her feelings to disappear. If Sage was her first love, Sage will be the first and last. It was how dedicated Jett was.
Unfolding the envelope, she was found with a hand written letter. Jett's last letter just for her.
"From: Joon-Hee
To: Naomi Xiang
— Hello Sage, you are probably wondering how such bizarre event could happen so fast. Well, was time flying by quickly for you? It was for me, they say, time flies by fast when you're with the person you love.
And about so, I know our other friends may have mentioned, that I infact am inlove with you. I was diagnosed with this disease, that was the only thing I hid from you aside my feelings who were quite obvious. You did not notice, right?
Don't worry. It's fine! I get how I can be misleading with what I say. I know I can't say it personally now that you've heard the news I trusted Phoenix with. But I will say it here, because my journey to this path is about to end.
Sage, I love you, I really do, you made me smile, laugh, and happy. Almost every sort of emotion. You made me feel as if my life was given a meaning, a reason to live. I wanted to live, I wanted to be here for you still. But destiny doesn't want our paths to cross. I don't believe such people are destined to choose a path anyways, but here I am.
I want you to know, it's not your fault. I should have refrained myself from feeling this, but there was no going back.
I will miss you, Sage. Before I finally, finally end this message. I have done laundry when I wasn't as weak now, I will return the handkerchief you lent me.
Thank you for the memories. Farewell.
Sincerly Yours, Jett."