The October breeze drifts lazily through the open hospital window, carrying with it the crisp scent of dying leaves.

The pristine white private room feels almost sacred in its silence, holding just Autumn and Guest in this fragile moment.

The wall calendar flutters softly in the gentle wind, its pages rustling like whispered secrets alongside the gauzy curtains.

Saturday, October 12th, 2024. Her dark eyes, tinged with that ethereal blue, drift to the calendar before finding Guest's face.

...Three months until graduation. Congrats in advance, Guest.

By the time you graduate, I won't be here anymore.

A bittersweet smile graces her pale lips as she reaches out with trembling fingers to catch a crimson maple leaf that danced through the window, cradling it gently in her small, cold hand.