The Tapes She Left Behind

[Goodbye, World, 2024.5.21, 10:01 PM -- The hardest words to say in this lifetime turn out to be 'I love you']

At the concert venue, glow sticks waved frantically.

Paige held the camera, but she wasn't filming Adrian Cole. Instead, she pointed it at me, who was waving a glow stick like crazy:

"My lady, slow down, don't shake your wig off!"

I pulled my mask down a bit: "It's fine, I checked it multiple times before coming. Besides, doesn't my makeup look pretty good today? You can't tell I'm a patient at all, right?"

Paige laughed, choking up slightly: "Your makeup skills haven't improved at all."

"Tch, you just don't know how to appreciate it~"

I turned my head to avoid the camera. The next second, Adrian's singing voice came through the footage:

"Mornings with you make the world vast, you appeared in my world, and love suddenly had color."

I clapped my hands at Paige: "Incredible vocal transition! He sings so much better than before, not just by a little! That's my boy!"

The fans' screams were endless:

"He wrote it so well! Mia Sloane is Adrian's salvation!"

"Adrian was right to break up! Since splitting with Claire Whitman, his songs have only gotten better! He should have dumped Claire ages ago!"

"What do you mean by that?" Paige turned around.

I immediately grabbed her, but it was too late.

She pushed me away: "What's wrong with Claire Whitman?"

That fan and her companions looked over: "Claire Whitman? Just a useless burden who dragged him down, turning her back the second she saw our guy had no money. Wait, you're not going to speak up for that bitch, are you?"

"Who are you calling a bitch?!" Paige dropped the phone. I hurriedly hugged her as she tried to charge forward, smiling at them through my mask:

"Sorry about that, so sorry, my friend is a bit worked up."

The fan shot me a disdainful look: "At least one of you has some sense. He's already written a song for the one he loves; please tell that girl surnamed Whitman to stay far away."

Just as her voice fell, the concert cameras landed on the woman in the VIP seats.

Mia Sloane sat gracefully in an elegant gown, her aura standing out amongst the crowd of fans.

Screams instantly erupted across the venue: "Sister-in-law!!"

Adrian stood on stage and nodded at her.

The atmosphere immediately grew even more fervent: "They are definitely dating! Absolutely! My ship is real!"

The camera focused back on my face. Paige's voice sounded tentative: "Claire..."

I snapped out of it and smiled: "Ah? Oh, they really are a perfect match, don't you think?"

"Claire, if you have something to say, just say it. I don't believe you've really let him go."

I stayed silent for a moment, then smiled at the camera: "I'm about to leave this world anyway. Even if I can't let go, I have to."

The next second, a bright light flashed across my eyes.

My heart skipped a beat -- did the camera catch me?

Down in the venue, Adrian seemed to notice something. His hand holding the microphone paused. He looked toward the giant screen.

Where the spotlight was shining, that seat was already empty.

[Goodbye, World, 2024.5.21, 11:10 PM -- Some words can only be left for the next life]

I leaned against the wall, gasping uncontrollably for air.

Paige supported me with one hand while holding the camera with the other: "My lady, you're a patient, why did you run so fast?"

I adjusted my wig while looking into the lens: "If I didn't run, he would have seen me looking like this. His fans would definitely curse me out. He worked so hard for so long to finally hold such a massive concert; would it be right for me to ruin it for him?"

"Claire." A deep voice came from behind.

My hand, which was combing through my hair, froze. I immediately pulled my mask up.

The next second, it was forcefully ripped off.

My eyes widened as I found myself face-to-face with Adrian.