Chapter 11

"You don't need to worry about this world staying this way forever. I won't be here for much longer.

"I can feel it-my body is breaking down. Coco's body is already starting to fail, and I'll be next.

"When the day comes and we both turn into monsters, I need you to do something for me."

"End us."

"When we're gone, the world will return to normal."

"All the people harmed by those rogue souls will be restored."

"No one will remember any of this-not me, not Coco, not even you."

"So just… treat this as my dream. My last dream before I disappear."

"Stay with me until the end. Walk with me through the last moments of my life."

"Promise me that, okay?"

I couldn't hold back anymore. I collapsed into his arms and broke down completely, sobbing until it felt like the world itself might shatter around me.

This wasn't the Michael I knew.

In the game, he had been a figure of perfection-a prodigy, beloved by all, destined for greatness. He was always so composed, so untouchable as if nothing could ever truly bring him down.

Yet here he was now, so raw, so fragile, so utterly humbled, begging me for even a sliver of love and kindness.

I couldn't say no. How could I? Deep inside, I didn't even want to say no.

So I stayed.

For a while, we lived peacefully in a quiet little courtyard-Michael, Coco, and me. Those days felt like magic, like a dream too perfect to last. We laughed, we played, we wrote together, we talked about the world, about everything and nothing. At night, we'd sit under the stars, counting them one by one, as if time would stand still just for us.

But it didn't.

It all ended the day Coco started to fall apart.

Michael and I stayed by her side until the very end, holding her hands, refusing to let go.

Even as she lay there, fading away, Coco's eyes were still bright, still full of life. She turned to me, her voice soft and steady, and said, "Big sister, in my next life… I hope I can meet you again. As a real person this time."

Her words hit me like a knife. Tears spilled down my face as I gripped the hilt of the blade lodged in her chest. My hands trembled-I couldn't bring myself to push it any deeper.

I couldn't let her go.

Coco smiled at me, her expression calm, almost peaceful. She reached up and placed her hands over mine, giving me a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't cry, big sister," she said gently. "These days with you… they've been the happiest days of my life. I'm so lucky to have had this time with you."

And then-shhk.

The blade plunged deeper.

But it wasn't me. It was Coco.

With her last bit of strength, she pressed her hands down over mine, forcing the knife into her chest and ending her own life.

I crumpled to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. My hands wouldn't stop shaking. I couldn't stop shaking.

Michael knelt beside me, wrapping me in his arms as I fell apart.

"Michael," I cried, my voice trembling, breaking, "What am I supposed to do? I can't… I can't do this anymore! I can't handle this!"

His grip on me tightened, his hands steadying mine. "It's okay," he whispered, his voice calm and gentle. "Don't be afraid. You're stronger than you think-you can do this. We all believe in you."

"Betty," he said softly, resting his forehead against mine, "none of this is your fault. We made this choice because we wanted to. You've already done so much for us."

"Coco… she left without any regrets. She was smiling. That's enough, Betty. That's all that matters."

I couldn't stop crying. Eventually, Michael stopped speaking. He just held me, his arms firm and steady, letting me cry until there was nothing left.

Neither of us said anything after that.

We both knew there were no words that could fix this. No words that could make it better.

After that day, Michael's condition worsened.

He could only spend two hours a day with me before retreating to his room and locking the door. He didn't want me to see what was happening to him.

But I knew.

I knew he didn't have much time left.

The weight of that knowledge hung over us like a storm cloud, growing heavier with each passing day.

So, in the hours we had together, I forced myself to smile. I wanted to pretend, just for a little while, that everything was okay.

But inside, I was falling apart.

I realized then just how fragile I really was.

I wasn't ready for goodbye.

And I kept thinking about him-about how he must have felt when the game announced it was shutting down.

How much pain was he hiding? Was his heartbreaking, just like mine is now?

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Michael surprised me.

He changed into a different outfit-one I'd never seen before-and spent the entire day with me.

I watched him closely, worried that he might collapse at any moment. I was terrified he'd start coughing up blood or worse.

But he didn't.

Instead, after dinner, he asked me if I wanted to watch the moon.

We climbed onto the roof together and sat there, side by side, sipping tea under the stars.

We talked for hours about anything and everything. It felt like old times, like nothing had changed like the end wasn't creeping closer with every breath.

When the night was almost over, Michael handed me something.

It was a jade pendant.

"Take this," he said, his voice soft but firm. "I made it myself. Think of it as… a keepsake."

I ran my fingers over the smooth surface, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill from my eyes.

Then, hesitantly, I reached into my pocket and pulled out something of my own.

I handed it to him.

Michael froze, staring at the object in my hand. "What's this?" he asked.

"My account," I said, my voice catching in my throat. "I want you to have it. If… if it's possible, I hope it can stay with you. Wherever you're going."

The words came out in fragments, choked and uneven. My chest tightened, and tears streamed down my face before I could stop them.

"I'm sorry," I sobbed, wiping my eyes. "I didn't mean to cry. The mood was so nice, and now I've ruined it."

Michael let out a quiet sigh and pulled me into his arms again.

"It's okay," he murmured, his voice warm and steady. "I don't mind.

"I like it, Betty. Thank you."