Solo Leveling: Sung-Jin-Woo x Cha-Hae-In

XVI. Never

Their love blossomed thereby.

Witnessed by the stars of the night sky.

One's flame burned bright.

The other burned overnight.

He screamed in fright.

She smiled with no might.

"Dear, come here." Haein weakly mumbled as she moved her hand to motion for the man standing by the doorway to come sit beside the bed.

"Are you okay?" She continued. She smiled as she felt his hand over hers, and she interweaved their fingers together.

"Haein..." Jinwoo mumbled. His lips quivered.

"Dear... It's not your fault, okay?" Haein smiled, then she squeezed his hand. "I guess it's my time."

Jinwoo shook his head repeatedly as he said these words: "I'll look for a way. There must be a way." Hope was pouring out of his lips.

"Dear, I can feel it. It's about to end." Haein's eyes glistened with unshed tears. As she took a deep breath, she stared at her husband. Her eyes were full of warmth and love for her husband. "Jinwoo, if there's a time that comes where you'll find someone new, promise me that you won't push the person away. Promise me that you'll give yourself another chance at happiness even when I'm gone." Haein gently cupped his cheeks and wiped his tears away. Jinwoo still refused to acknowledge the words she was saying.

"My love, promise me that I won't be your cage."

This might be one of the punishments that he's been destined to experience ever since he decided to stay in this world permanently. The emissary of the Rulers warned him once that his powers might be too much for this world. But he did not realise just how deeply it could affect him and his surroundings.

Although he knew that there was a possibility, the chances were high for her case as they were different. He is the Shadow Sovereign, and she is just human.

She aged; he didn't.

She can get sick; he can't.

She gets tired; he won't.

She's now weak; he's not.

Although she's somehow not fully human anymore as she's been with him for a lot of years and even received some of his mana for her safety and wellbeing, they also had a child together. That fully counts as something, right?

However, it still affected her. His power over death. Her health deteriorated over time as she aged. Being with him made that worse. It did not help.

So his wife, Cha Haein, passed away at 61.

Jinwoo cried himself to sleep when that day came.

The streets of Tokyo bustled with people. Each is trying to get to their homes quickly. The rush hour just hits differently, doesn't it? Voices overlapped with each other. Several people sprinted towards the train station. People lined up for a restaurant.

Tokyo bustled with people, and Jinwoo found it unnerving.

Pulling his cap down and shoving his hands in his coat's pockets, he crossed the road, walking through the pedestrian lane once the sign lit green.

He walked towards the shopping district, looking for something to eat for dinner. He was in the mood for ramen.

After going inside a shop he randomly chose, he found a seat beside the window on its second floor. It gave him a view of the night sky and the cityscape.