40 year Old Asian

Everyone deserves to be happy.

Mark Domingo had long lost the feeling of joy - the simple, uncomplicated happiness that comes from connecting with another human being. Working tirelessly as a nurse in a foreign land, so far away from his country and his family, his demanding job consumed all his time and energy, leaving little room for anything else, least of all love.

As the family's sole breadwinner, he diligently sent every hard-earned peso back home, sacrificing his own needs and desires to support his loved ones. He had long since given up on the idea of sharing his life with someone, of finding a partner to navigate the world with. He had resigned himself to a life of solitude, a life devoid of romance.

Until death came knocking on his door - and Jake appeared.

Jake, barely in his early twenties, young and vibrant but uncertain about his own path in life, burst into Mark's carefully constructed world like a supernova, turning everything upside down.

And against all odds, Mark found himself falling in love with Jake, even though Jake was still unsure of his own feelings, still exploring his own identity.

Mark faced a daunting dilemma: would he be selfish to pursue Jake, to seek happiness for however long he could, knowing that his time was limited?

Would he take the risk, holding onto the faith that love might somehow grant him a longer life, a reason to fight, a miracle to cling to? Or would it become the cause of his downfall, a painful reminder of what he could never fully have, ultimately accelerating his demise?