The sky above Tokyo was undecided, caught between the light of day and the shadows of night, kind of like the setting in one of those games I lose myself in. My name's Haruki, and if I were to guess, my life story would be tucked away in some corner of a bookstore, intriguing yet not the first pick.
Meandering through Tokyo's bustling streets, there’s an odd sense of belonging and isolation all at once. Surrounded by a sea of stories, I feel like just another character in this vast, urban narrative.

"Eriko to Haruki, come in, Haruki. You're spacing out again," Eriko, my sister, teases, snapping me back to the crowded reality as we dodge people on our way home from a shopping spree. It seems my mind had wandered off on its own adventure again.
"Just caught up in my thoughts," I reply, managing a sheepish grin, not quite ready to dive into the details of my daydream.

"You and your daydreams," she chuckles, not buying my vague excuse. "Ever thought of visiting the real world with us mortals?"

Her words sting a bit, but I laugh it off. I've always found refuge in my imagination, a place where the challenges of real life can't reach me. But I keep that to myself.

I shoot back with a light-hearted jab, "Maybe, someday. But the scenery in my world is currently unbeatable."

Her laughter at my stubbornness fills the air, a comforting reminder of the easy rapport we've always shared. Our conversation lulls into a comfortable silence, the kind that's only possible with someone who knows you inside out.

Out of nowhere, Eriko’s excitement breaks through, her eyes glued to her phone. "They're turning that game we were obsessed with into a movie!" Her enthusiasm is contagious, even if I'm not as invested in the news.

"Really? That's... cool," I respond, my interest piqued but my tone betraying a hint of amusement at her sudden fervor—especially since she's always poking fun at my penchant for fantasy.
"And my favorite actor's starring in it!" She's practically jumping with excitement now.

"Isn't that a bit contradictory?" I tease, raising an eyebrow. "You're always on my case about getting lost in fantasy, and now you are geeking out?"
Eriko's face scrunches up in mock offense. "That's totally different, Haruki," she retorts, a touch of agitation in her voice. Though I can tell she's struggling to justify the distinction.
"How so?" I ask, genuinely curious about her logic.

With all the confidence of someone making it up as they go, she declares, "Because this is... um, selective escapism. She declares, coining a term on the spot. "It’s about being choosy with your escapes. Not just any fantasy will do."
I stare at her for a moment, trying to decipher the logic in her explanation. "Selective escapism? Really, Eriko?"

She nods vigorously, as if her response was the most rational argument ever made.

I can't help but laugh, shaking my head. "I swear. I never understand your logic sometimes."
Watching Eriko's excitement over her phone, a wave of affection washes over me. She's deep in her movie cast investigation, her enthusiasm shining through.
"Selective escapism, huh?" I muse aloud, still amused by our earlier banter. The thing is, Eriko's always been there, pushing me, pulling me, sometimes dragging me kicking and screaming back to a reality I'd rather avoid. And while her methods might raise an eyebrow or two (mine included), I can't help but admit there's a method to her madness.

"Oi, Eriko, watch out," I say, trying not to sound too bossy. "Walking through these packed streets while glued to your phone is kinda like playing a video game on hard mode with your eyes closed. Not the best idea, right?" I'm half-joking, but really, I just want to make sure she doesn't bump into someone or something. Tokyo's crowded, and you never know what might happen. I guess I'm just looking out for her, even if she just shrugs it off with a laugh or rolls her eyes at me.

She gives me a playful glare, but I can see the appreciation in her eyes. "You're such a worrywart. But alright, I'll watch out."

There's this running gag between us, that I'm overly protective, maybe a tad too invested in her well-being. "Guardian of the Galaxy, Haruki edition," she calls it, and I pretend to protest, but secretly, I don't mind the title. It's not like I'm keeping tabs... much. Okay, maybe just a little, but can you blame me? She's got this way of charging headfirst into life, and someone's got to make sure she doesn't trip.

As I watch my cute sister now, lost in her excitement, I realize it's not just about being protective. It's about seeing her happy, knowing she's got this spark, this zest for life that's utterly infectious. And sure, maybe I get a bit too involved, a bit too "sibling-spy" for her liking, but it's all in the name of brotherly love, right?

As Eriko dove back into her animated chatter, a jarring noise pierced the air, pulling my attention away. I spun around, heart racing, as the sound of screeching tires grew louder, a car hurtling towards us out of control. My instincts kicked in, adrenaline surging. "Eriko, watch out!" I yelled, panic edging my voice.

For a moment, she seemed to brush off my warning, chalking it up to my usual overprotectiveness. But the reality of the danger hit her as the screeching grew unbearable. In a split-second decision, fueled by fear and a desperate need to protect her, I shoved Eriko out of harm's way, thrusting her towards safety.

The next instant was a blur of motion and noise. The car, now a looming threat, collided with me. Time seemed to slow down, the world narrowing to the sound of my heartbeat in my ears and the shocked gasp from Eriko.
As Eriko's cries of "Big brother!" cut through the chaos, my world began to fade.
Lying there, I felt myself starting to fade, like I was slowly losing grip on the world around me. But even as everything started to go blurry, I couldn't stop looking at Eriko, my sister. Seeing her cry hurt way more than any fall or scrape I'd ever had. In those last few moments, I felt this mix of feelings. I was kind of glad, knowing I had done something to keep her safe, but also super sad because I knew I was about to say goodbye for good.

Part of me always liked the idea of escaping into my favorite fantasy games and stories, places where I could be a hero or go on epic quests. Those imaginary adventures were like a break from real-life problems, a way to forget the tough stuff for a while.

Eriko was always there for me, through every up and down. Even when we got on each other's nerves, she was my rock. Having her around reminded me there were still good things worth fighting for, even when everything seemed pretty dark.

Thinking back on everything, I realized something tough—I've always been the kind of person who gets scared when things get too intense. Like, whenever there was a big decision to make, I'd just freeze up, too scared to do anything. It wasn't just something I did once in a while; it sort of became who I was.

All those chances I didn't take because I was too afraid, they stuck with me. It's like carrying around a backpack full of "what ifs" that just gets heavier every day. That kind of regret hurts way more than falling off a skateboard or getting a bad grade. It's like a constant reminder of all the times I didn't step up.

And now, lying here, it's weird—I'm seeing all those missed shots pass by in my head, like a movie of might-have-beens. But the craziest part? In these last few seconds, I finally did something brave, something I'd been too scared to do my whole life. It's kind of ironic, isn't it?

These thoughts, as tough as they are, are with me as everything goes dark. They show me all the times I held back, how that shaped my life into a story more about what I didn't do than what I did.

As everything fades, I'm not thinking about suddenly being okay with how things turned out. Instead, I'm feeling really sad about all the adventures and chances I missed out on. It's like I'm finally understanding that the bravery I pulled out at the very end was what I needed the whole time.

And just like that, everything goes dark, and I feel myself being pulled away from everything—my world, all the adventures I never went on, and my sister, Eriko, who I'd do anything to keep safe. That last thing I did, jumping in to save her, feels like the final scene in my story, and it's ending way too early. As I start to drift off, all the sharp corners of the world start to blur, and the scary stuff just kind of fades away. It's calm and quiet, kind of peaceful, even if it feels like I'm saying goodbye to my life and all the cool stuff I never got to do, way before I was ready.