I'm Asuka. I met Rei years ago. We were in the same class when we were kids. She was distant and mysterious but that made me want to get to know her even more. We became friends and then lovers in our teenage years. We often went dating after class. Shopping together. To the movie theater. To eat a snack. I was very happy with her.
When Rei told me she didn't consider herself to be human, I realized she was talking about non-binarity; this shocked me but this fact in no way altered our romantic relationship. However, she was always repeating this strange sentence: “Time goes by too fast.”
One day, I went to visit her. I found her on her bed, her eyes riveted to the ceiling. She looked ill.
“Rei? Are you all right?”
Her eyes don't move, but Rei moves her lips.
“Asuka... sorry.”
“Sorry? Why are you sorry?”
“Time goes by too fast. I have none left. Farewell.”
With these last words, my lover's body turns into a strange amber-colored liquid. Some of it splashes onto my face. It burns my skin. I scream in pain. As much for me as for her.
I don't understand. What happened? It's like a horror movie come true. Rei, my Rei is dead. I'm all alone. I'm injured.