When the Flower Falls (Fitzmael 7) - COMPLETED

21: Where I Stand

"CAN I CARRY YOU?" I ASKED her after a few minutes of silence. We were both exhausted from crying.

I didn't want to leave Karao because she was here, but I knew I couldn't prove to her—or to them—that I could change... I had to go back and figure things out.

I need to see Elimae one last time.

She nodded. "I'll help you pack." She opened her arms and forced a smile at me.

I carefully lifted her. We started walking along the beach, the strong wind embracing us. I smiled when I saw the sunset. I stopped and looked at Rain.

She was staring at the sunset too, letting out a heavy sigh. We didn't say a word to each other until we reached my room. I gently laid her on the couch. She sat while I knelt in front of her.

I grabbed my suitcase and began packing.

She just followed me. One by one, she took my clothes from the closet.

I sat on my bed, wiping my face with my palms. "M-My chest hurts..." I broke down in tears. "I'm going to miss you, Rain."

"You can call me anytime," she replied. She placed my clothes in the suitcase and approached me, kissing my forehead. "Since then, I've been telling you, if you need me, I'm always here."

"I will do my best to deserve you, Rain. I will give you the whole world when I come back. I promise. I will make you so happy that you won't think about your past anymore. I won't give you any doubts. When I said I want to work this out, I truly meant it."

After a couple of hours of packing and crying, we were finally done. We walked slowly out of the resort.

"Don't drink, okay?" she reminded me. "I won't be there to take care of you."

I slowly nodded. "Alright."

"If you get sad, call me, okay?"

"I will."

"Ren..."

I stopped walking and faced her. "Rain," I uttered.

"This might be the last time I can do this..." She looked at me, her eyes wet with tears. "It's possible you won't come back to Karao—" her voice trailed off. She slowly held my hand. "Let me hold your hand before you go," she said. "And let me kiss you one last time." She stepped closer. Her soft lips pressed against mine. "I love you, Ren... But we can't be together."

"Not yet..."

She scoffed. "I'm not used to you being like this. Whatever decision you make, I'll always support you." She smiled. "Shall we go? I'm pretty sure your family misses you."

I saw my car not far away. I smiled faintly. I used to love driving, but when I came to Karao, I never thought about it. I didn't even use my phone for a long time. It was just me, Jealrain, her family, and the beach of Karao.

I was content.

"Goodbye, Ren..."

"No..." I looked at her. "This isn't a goodbye, Jealrain."

"But—"

"See you soon." I opened the door and got into the car. I looked at her and smiled before starting the engine.

After an hour of driving, I felt hungry, so I stopped when I saw a restaurant to eat. I wanted to stay healthy.

I got closer and closer to Bloom Village. After more than two hours, I finally reached San Tiago. Luckily, the rush hour had ended, so I wasn't stuck in traffic. I still hadn't checked my phone, so I didn't know what was happening with my family or what they were doing.