"What is this? Can I open it?" he asked while trying to open it, the box's color was pink and it was wrapped with the same color.

"No! Let me open it! It's my present for you after all" she cutely spanked Andrei's hands away, then put her hands on the box and opened it.

The box contained a birthday cake, with a candle number '28' which made Andrei twitch his eyebrows, "did she just messed up my age?" he thought as he looked at his mischievous girlfriend on the hospital bed smiling at him happily.

"I'm not that old you know… Ann, why 28?" Andrei asked as he gave a slight smile.

Ann's eyes turned dead-fish like, "Seriously you forgot?"

"Ahhh hahaha no, no, it's because our anniversary is on Feb. 28 right and also that it's my birthday?" Andrei guessed, with this her eyes became clear again and smiled from the bottom of her heart.

"Seriously, the way this girl does things is weird, well I have been used to that, and also that's the reason why I loved her so much. But, still I can't keep up with her craziness" Andrei thought to himself as he caressed her silky straight black hair.

Andrei took the cake from the box and placed it carefully on the table, while doing this Ann reached for the lighter at the cabinet at the side of her hospital bed, and was able to get it, seeing her beloved preparing the cake she sat down carefully and tried to flick it on to test if it works, however, her hands wouldn't move the way she wants it to.

She tried again the second time, the third time, the fourth time, but her hands didn't move as well as she thought it would, at the fifth time she flicked it, and it was able to make sparks, but she felt her hand numbing, she didn't feel anything, the lighter was dropped to the floor as it made a clicking sound.

"Ahhh huh? hahaha, I messed up, this is why I hate lighting candles with lighters," she tried to pick the lighter on the ground and tried to flick it again, however, the same thing happened and the lighter fell and bounced farther away from her.

This time she didn't say a word and just leaned to the ground to get the lighter, however, Andrei who couldn't take watching her anymore, stopped her with a smile on his face.

"I'll get it for you," Andrei tried to kneel down and get the lighter but Ann pushed him to the side.

"No!" her sound echoed throughout the room that was warmly lit by the sun trying to prise the last of its amber limbs over the rooftops. The sky that can be seen from her hospital room was dyed with shades of red and pink.

"This is your birthday after all, I have… I have to… I have to be a good girlfr… a good girlfriend to you," tears burst forth like water from a dam, spilling down from her face. He knew that her sickness makes her unable to do the things that she wanted to do. Ann being a strong woman, convinced her father to let her take the surgery, knowing that soon she will be bedridden and that someday she won't be able to do the things that she wanted to do, such a thing for her, would be far worse than dying.

However the success rate of the operation was not high, but she was ready to take the risk, without consulting Andrei.

When Andrei knew about the situation from her father, Andrei's world started to crumble, he was utterly depressed, they were in love for more than four years, they had many precious memories and plans for the future, where they would have children, live peacefully and grow old together.

He couldn't imagine losing her.

He couldn't imagine living without her anymore.

He was in so much pain.

But, he knew that he's also Ann's source of strength, thus he wanted to look tough in front of her. He visits her almost every day, and before going home he would go to the hospital chapel to pray for the successful operation.

Andrei picked up the lighter and hugged Ann tightly, she sobbed into his chest unceasingly, her slender and pale hands clutching at his clothes. He held her in silence, as his tears that he wanted to hide started to flowing but he could only grit his teeth in order not to make a sound, he rocked her slowly as her tears soaked his chest, both of them was shaking, they knew they didn't want to be separated from each other.

"Then let's light the candles together, it's also our anniversary after all," Andrei's heart was breaking, his heart sank so much that he could feel it getting numb. However he maintained a composed and peaceful smile in front of her.

Since hearing the news he wasn't able to smile honestly. He faked it, again and again, so much that sometimes he wanted to throw-up, deep within his heart, he is broken, he didn't have any motivation all he though every day was his beloved.

Every day he would ask himself, on why did she proceed with the operation without consulting him, why she, who was seriously striving for her dreams got the illness, why her who wanted to succeed in life in order to help her parents… why her who always has time to go to church every week to pray... why her… why her… why her… as time pa.s.sed he began doubting the G.o.d he was clinging to.

"Why… her" he desperately questioned G.o.d in his mind as he saw her beautiful face.

Andrei having the lighter lit all three candles.

"Then… make a wish for me Ann" Andrei suggested as he held the cake in front of her with the lit candles on top.

"Ehhhh why??? I don't want to though bleee" Ann made a slight smile as she refused strongly with her hand chopping Andrei's head.

"You're really one stubborn woman aren't you?" Andrei put the cake between them, "Okay how about this" Andrei increased the distance between the three candles from each other, so the candles would be near for their lips.

"I will make the wish for the first one, and you'll make your wish to that candle on your end, and for the center candle-"

"We'll make a wish together right?" Ann interrupted with her idea.

"Yeah, so let's start!" She joyfully raised her hand up in the air, just like a little kid.

Andrei starred at the candle and made a desperate wish, "I wish for the operation to be successful, I can't live without her, please, let it be successful, if you really exist, you should know how this girl supported me, took me out from the darkness and gave colors to my life, I can't afford to lose her, I love her so much" and blew it.

Next, Ann closed her eyes as she made her simple wish, "I wish for the operation to be successful, however, if I don't make it, please let Andrei move on and find a girl worthy of his love, he might be faking it but I know… I know his heart is breaking each time he sees me like this, however, I couldn't help but cling to him, I'm human after all. I think there's no girlfriend who doesn't want to be spoiled by such a wonderful boyfriend? I wish his heart will stop being broken. I hope he heals, I love him so much" Ann's eyes were filled with teardrops, and she blew the candle.

They looked at her in the eyes, as they saw the reflection of each other as if pleading each other not to leave, not to disappear, and to keep loving for all eternity, but such a thing was getting blurred, by the present reality.

For the last candle, they looked at each other and smiled at each other helplessly.

"I wish for us to be together forever," in that instant the both of them blew the candle together.