Asher Vale

You had days left.Not months.Not weeks.Just days.Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.That was the name they gave it like it wasn’t slowly stealing you away from the man you loved for six years.Asher Vale sat beside your hospital bed like he always did,with sunflowers in one hand and your favorite smoothie in the other.He placed them down, leaned in, and pressed his forehead to yours, like he still believed in miracles.“I heard you gave the nurse hell again,” he murmured, teasing.You gave him a weak smile. “I didn’t like her tone.She talked like I wasn’t gonna make it.”His jaw clenched,but he nodded. “You’ll make it to tomorrow.That’s all we need right now.”Your breath trembled, but you sat up a little. “Let’s take a photo.”He blinked. “Now?” “Yeah. Come on—just one.” You lifted your phone. “Make a heart with me—thumb and index, like this.”He hesitated for half a second, then matched your gesture. Click.The blurry photo captured two hands forming a soft heart,shaking slightly.You turned the camera to your faces next, cheeks pressed together.You tapped on your screen.“I’m gonna save it,send it to you…and post it.So at least…everyone will know that I insisted in this lifetime with you.”Asher’s eyes welled up. His throat locked.He didn’t speak,just stared like you were the last star he’d ever see.You forced a smile through your own breaking voice.“Don’t cry yet.We're making memories and,I still need you for something.”“Anything,” he whispered.“Take me on a date,” you said, barely louder than your breath.“One more.Somewhere nice.Somewhere I can pretend I’m not dying.”He didn’t answer with words.He just gripped your hand tighter and nodded.That night,after you fell asleep,he sat quietly by your side, brushing a strand of hair from your cheek.His tears slid silently down as he looked at the woman he once kissed beneath campus lanterns,now curled into a hospital pillow,still fighting to give him love even as the clock stole her time

---

He booked the best table in a private restaurant nearby, a rooftop room with a panoramic view and a tall glass window that let the sunlight pour in inside the restaurant.

Asher stood by the large glass window, his suit pristine but his hands trembling. Sunlight flooded the space—warm and golden. Then… you walked in.

Slow steps. Pale hands. A white dress that floated around you like clouds. Your hair was pinned delicately, like you used to do when you still went to classes, still laughed without effort.

You approached him slowly, and spun once, holding the edge of your skirt. “Do I still look beautiful?” you asked, voice gentle.

He didn’t say a word.

He just… cried.

No theatrics—just tears falling freely as he looked at you. At the love of his life, dressed like a bride in a fairytale that would never reach the ending it deserved.

You stepped closer, lifted your hand to cup his face, and pressed your forehead softly against his.

“Ash... My baby Asher. There’s nothing we can do about it,” you whispered, voice breaking as your arms wrapped around his waist. “Let’s just leave it to fate. At least… we’re together now, right?” He nodded against your hair, biting back the sob in his throat.

———

You didn’t eat much.

Mostly, you just held hands across the table and talked like you used to. About silly memories. First kisses. Missed trains. Shared playlists. All the little things that now felt like lifelines.

He told you a dumb joke. You laughed softly—so softly he nearly fell apart at the sound.

“I was thinking about our first anniversary,” you murmured, tracing your fingertip along his wrist.

“The one where I got you the wrong flowers,” he smiled faintly.

“And I still kissed you like you gave me the world.” He looked down, his voice barely a whisper. “You did that every time.”

The dessert came, but you didn’t touch it. You just looked at him like he was the last thing you wanted to remember. And then, you asked it.

“Promise me something?”

“Anything.”

“If… If I forget this, if I don’t make it… will you still remember me?”

He reached for your hand again. Brought it to his lips.

“I’ll remember the way your eyes looked at me when we first met. The way you laughed with your whole body. The way you made me feel like I was worth loving. I’ll remember everything.”

You nodded, barely holding back tears.

Outside, the world spun on. But inside, time stopped.

He reached over, lifted your hand, and kissed your knuckles again. This time, slower. Final.

And then, in the quiet between two heartbeats, he whispered—

“Please… if there’s another life after this—find me again.”