Before I could fully grasp its structure. Someone pulled my hand. It was Naomi.

She was already pulling me towards the door.

Without any hesitation, we dashed towards the door.

The black-looking-orb was hovering above the school ground. I haven’t estimated how much distance we had but it was definitely close. Most likely, not over ten meters apart from us.

Furthermore, it was throbbing like a heart. I may be mistaken but that thing might explode at any given time.

No. I don’t want to be optimistic. From the moment I caught sight of it, I knew it will.

We were only a few meters away from the door so we can escape easily.

Is what I thought. In just a second of feeling the relief of being near, a heavy gust pushed us downward.

I didn’t stagger nor did Naomi, I am pretty sure with that. For all the cycling we did, I’m pretty proud of my lower body strength. More so, to the lady leading me. The wind was just so powerful that our joints had resigned.

And by the force that was falling, I instinctively embraced Naomi as we breached the ground.

“Hyahhhhhh!”

Naomi screamed, panicking from the fall.

BANG!

The pounding sound overwhelmed the surrounding blows of wind.

My whole body quivered in pain.

“REIJI! REIJI! REIJI!”

I opened my eyes to see a beautiful lady with a crying face. Fortunately, she was cushioned from the impact.

Feeling eased to see her safe, I smiled to alleviate her concerns.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

And as proof of that, I tightened my cling to her. However, the pressure was really condensed that I’m not sure if I overextended that.

It was limiting our movement to the point that even moving my limbs was a hassle.

“Ow.”

I tried to raise my head to view upon the unknown object yet intense pain arose.

There’s a wet sensation at the back of my head. When I settled it down as carefully as I could, a puddly sound softly entered my ears. Or maybe it was just created by my thoughts.

I got a glimpse. I didn’t want to believe it but it was there.

Blood… There was blood spreading across the floor.

And that’s where the fear of death had shown up within me.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts.

An intense headache. Thousands of needles are prickling all over my brain. Not just one-by-one, it’s like it’s being melded all at once.

I couldn’t put an end to it. It’s constant, it’s slow yet it’s fast.

I could hear my own heartbeat. Even with the background turbulence, I can still identify the rhythm of it.

Suddenly, a shake wakes me back to my senses. Naomi was trying to check her phone.

She wasn’t saying anything but she shook her head. Evidently, it wasn’t great news at all, not one bit.

She was filled with terror just like me. I wanted to take my phone too, I wanted to know if my parents and little brother are doing fine.

Simultaneously, I felt a drenched sensation on my lower torso.

“Y-you know… You’re dirtying m-my uniform.”

“Reiji…”

I was trying to make a joke but the stutter only made her uneased. It was ineffective.

And so, I just embraced her once more, it was all I could do at that point on.

Calm down, Reiji. Keep yourself together. Analyze the situation. Find a way, find a way.

As of this moment, we have two things to consider.

The first one is the escape route and the main objective. Before we fell, the distance was about two meters.

The second one is that black-looking-orb and the main problem. It’s presently there in the sky, if it’s destructive then it’ll be our demise but if it’s just like this then Naomi can be saved.

Now for the other problems, which I would consider my own main problem, the head injury.

It might be or might not be fatal. The possibilities that I wish would go to the former. And the other one, the restriction of our movements. Crawling could be a viable course of action but that would be hard to accomplish for me.

Naomi could’ve done it but given that she didn’t mean that it might also be impossible.

… Shit! Why did I have to draw the worst luck of all days? Even our phones are useless.

“M-mom, D-dad, R-Reiji…”

Naomi’s mumbling and her eyes were directed at me. She might have already seen the blood piling beneath me. If I were in that angle, I would definitely see it.

I really wanted to take my phone. However, if I did that, I wouldn’t be able to lift my arm back.

I’d rather continuously comfort Naomi instead of doing something that’ll only fail.

The light on the sky began to dimmer. It was exchanged by darkness, slowly but surely swallowing the remaining sunlight.

It might be my own sense of sight or not. I don’t know anymore.

I’m feeling numb. Is numbness a feeling though? Aren’t you supposed to feel nothing when numbed? I thought of that but my consciousness was steadily following the darkness.

I don’t want to die… I don’t want to die… I don’t want to die…

I kept repeating it and repeating it. However, my eyelids were forcing themselves to close.

Then warmth slid and made its way to my cheeks. It was somewhat sweaty but it felt great. It didn’t feel nasty at all.

In contrast to that warmth though, I felt chilly, apart from the wind, internally I was being wrapped in coldness.

The only source of heat that I had was that. The one from the woman I love.

“N-Naomi…”

Could she hear my voice? It was feeble and I don’t even know if she had replied.

“C-can… y-you… escape?”

“Stupid! Stupid! W-what are you even saying, stupid?!”

I can definitely hear her. Though, I know she was shouting. And really? Isn’t that too many stupid?

With my last ounce of strength that I had left, I reached for her cheeks.

Hehe, it was the heavenly feeling I had just moments ago.

There were tears so I wiped them.

I think I did it a bit forceful. A part of her skin joined in.

It looks like I couldn’t control my finger anymore.

Again… I made her worry…

What’s this? Why is it covering my eyes? I’m not even closing it yet. Stop crawling to the center of my sight.

“N-Naomi… I love you…”

It was my last will and testament to this world. I wanted to stay conscious, I really do, I made my utmost best to do it.

However, I had been defeated by this thing called life.

I could see pictures, scenes like I’m watching a PowerPoint presentation. This must be what they called the last flashback before death?

There I was in my childhood. I would play, I would laugh, I would cry. It was ridiculous to reminisce the freedom I had back then.

—There was something different.

Next was my family. Mom, Dad, Kyo. They took care of me. They gave me this weird appellation but it was so much fun. I’m going to miss those times.

—Again, there was something different.

Ah… The two idiots. Satoshi and Jouji. Well, it’s three if I included myself. The anime conventions are really a great place to shout and embarrass ourselves. It was so satisfying doing it.

—I already knew who they were so why?

Lastly, the memory of the girl I love. I thought you were never going to appear…

The moments that we walked together and do our hobbies. You even forced me to go cycling but I’m glad you did. When was the first time that I recognized it? The time when I fell in love with you?

Sigh. I should’ve told you sooner.

—What a crappy presentation this was. Even though I knew all of them, their faces were all covered with bright lights.

For Pete's sake. It’s not even an AV, it’s just a wholesome video.

And like turning the television off, everything disappeared.

At my fleeting moment, I had some heat brought upon my lips. And I lost my consciousness, completely.

Right then and there, I—Reiji Tatemiya—had lost my life.