[Kai]
The room is quiet except for the soft hum of machines and the steady beep of the monitor beside the bed. The blinds are half-drawn, letting in weak slices of late-afternoon sunlight that stretch across the floor like fading gold.
Eli lies there, pale against the hospital sheets, an oxygen tube resting under his nose. His hair is messy, a few strands sticking to his forehead from dried sweat. For a moment, he looks so fragile, so unlike the boy who used to smile shyly , whose laughter would light up even the darkest corners of my heart.
My feet feel heavy as I move closer, almost afraid that if I touch him, he'll fade away like a dream. I stop beside the bed, my fingers curling around the cold metal railing.
"Eli…" The name breaks in my throat. It's not the first time I've stood at his bedside like this.
In our past life, it had been a canopy bed draped in silk, the scent of incense, and the weight of a crown on my head. His skin had been hot with fever, his breath shallow as I held him, whispering every prayer I knew. Back then, the healers had bowed their heads, helpless. I had sworn to him, through tears and desperation, that I would find him again.
And I did.
But the universe is cruel. Or maybe I am cursed.
I sit down in the chair beside his bed, my hand trembling as I reach for his. His fingers are cool but warm enough to make hope flutter weakly in my chest. I thread mine through his, holding on as if I can anchor him here.
"Eli… Elija…" I whisper, my voice barely audible over the machines. "You don't remember everything, but I do. I've carried it through lifetimes. I found you. I stayed close. I did everything right this time. Please… don't leave me again."
My vision blurs. I blink hard, but the tears spill over anyway, sliding hot down my cheeks. My thumb strokes the back of his hand in slow circles, like I used to do when he couldn't sleep.
"I'm so sorry," I choke out. "I was too late then, but I'm here now. You're not alone."
Somewhere down the hall, footsteps echo. A nurse murmurs to a doctor. Life goes on, even as mine feels like it's stopped at the edge of this bed.
I lean closer, my forehead resting gently against his hand. "Please, Eli. Wake up. Even if you're angry, even if you hate me for hiding the truth — just… wake up. I can't lose you. Not again.Not in this life. Not ever."
The machine beeps steadily, the only answer I get.
I swallow hard, my chest aching with every breath. My other hand comes up to cover his, as if layering touch over touch could keep him here.
This time, I won't let go. This time, I'll hold him until he opens his eyes.
This time, I swear, I will not fail him.
END OF SEASON 1