In one of the rooms in a hospital, a boy is staring absent-mindedly at the window. The boy has no particularly distinctive features, he's average no matter which angle you look at him.

Knock* knock*

"Enter."

A somewhat sleepy voice came out of the boy's mouth responding to the knocking sound.

"Yo! Takumi! I've bought some snacks!"

With the rattling sound of the door a boy with spiky brown hair entered cheerfully and showing off the bag in his hand.

The boy, Takamizu Takumi, turn his head and stare at his best friend, Karasawa Daiki, with dark circles under his eyes.

"Ahh thanks again Dai-chan."

"Uwaaahh! What the hell!? Are you stay up late again!?"

Daiki yelp in surprise seeing his best friend that looks like an evil spirit.

"Well, what can I do? I almost completed it."

Daiki nodded his head in aknowledgement.

His best friend, Takumi, is an easy-going guy, he almost never changed his attitude no matter what circumstances he was in. Even when he was admitted to the hospital he never saw him depressed or anything and acted as usual as if there's nothing serious happening, but he knew his best friend is just not showing his true feeling in consideration for him, that's why Daiki also try to act as usual.

But one day when he was visiting him like usual, Takumi asked him something surprising.

"Dai-chan, you good at drawing anime characters right?"

"Yeah, I think I'm pretty good at it. What about it?"

"Actually, I started making online novel to pass the time and it's pretty well received, but I don't have any illustration for the characters so I want you to help me."

Takumi said while showing his phone.

"What!? Really!? Let me see! Let me see!"

Daiki snatch his smartphone and read it with great interest.

The story itself is a typical hero vs demon king, but it's popular because the protagonist is not a pushover and has no qualms doing dirty tricks against his opponents to reach his goals.

After one hour of reading, Daiki felt a sense of deja vù seeing the protagonist.

"You... You make the protagonist based on your brother aren't you?"

At that question Takumi averted his face.

It's not only the protagonist's personality, but every chapter update where the protagonist fight against strong opponents is always close to the or the very same day, when he got his surgery, and around those period, his brother is frantically working part-time in addition to his main job to cover for his surgery expenses. That's why he realize who's the protagonist is based on.

Seeing his reaction Daiki smile and nodded.

"Alright, I help you with the ilustration for any stories you make fore the next 10 years, so be prepared to pay me in the future, my service is expensive after all."

Takumi laughed at Daiki's word.

"Haha, alright. I'll already be cured and working in a famous company by then after all."

It's been 4 years since then.

"Dai-chan, give me chocolate."

Hearing Takumi's voice, Daiki stop reminiscing and give him a chocolate bar.

After that both of them talked about various things from the latest anime, the news and many other things.

When the sun started to set, Daiki started packing his things and stuffed all the trash to a plastic bag.

"Oh, Dai-chan I almost forgot, I will have another surgery tomorrow."

"Oh so it's the usual then?"

"Nah, I will probably die this time it seems. They said it thrice the risk than usual."

"What?"

Daiki dropped the plastic bag and stared at him wide eyed before grabbing him by the collar.

"Why...why are you not tell me sooner about something important like this!?"

"It's just another surgery what are you getting agitated for?"

"You! Don't you afraid!? You could die this time you know!?"

"Well, I'm sure I'm gonna make it."

"How can you be so sure!?"

At that moment, Takumi smile and his expression turn into a condescending one.

"We have a 10 year contract right? I'm a honorable man who respect contract unlike a certain someone. Beside, I'm a man with great luck."

Daiki stared at his best friend's face in disbelief and dipped his head with a sigh.

"Hah...this bastard. So, you saying that you stay in the hospital and getting many surgeries because you have great luck huh?"

"Shut it."

"Hah...I'm going home."

"See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you."

After that, Daiki picked up the plastic bag and walked out of the room.

~~~~

After seeing Dai-chan leave, I unconciously grip my bed sheet.

Although I pretend like nothing is wrong in front of Dai-chan, I'm actually very afraid.

And the real reason for the circles around my eyes is not because I stay up late, it's because I was so afraid of the upcoming surgery.

I'm actually a timid person, but I created an aloof personality as a front because I always admired of how cool my brother is. He's capable of anything and always cool-headed in any situation. And although he seems cold, in truth that's just because he's an awkward person, he's actually a gentle and caring person.

When my father died because of a train accident, my brother started doing part-time jobs in many places and making money while also focuses on his study so that my mother, who has weak constitution, don't need to work.

After he graduated, he immediately started job hunting and successfullly accepted to a good company with a fairly high salary.

Just when our family though my brother can started to take things easy, my mother died because of an illness and not long after, I was admitted to the hospital.

Since then, my brother always work frantically even in holiday to cover various expenses including my hospital fee, but he still come to visit me once a week amidst his busy schedule.

One time, I tried to persuade my brother to take it easy but seeing the look in his eyes I decided to not say anything. Because I can't saw a trace of fatigue but fear and a sense of desperation instead.

We don't have any relatives so I'm the only family he has, and if I were to gone he would be left alone. I understand that so I decided to not say anything.

God, please make the surgery tomorrow a success. Not just for me, but also for those who cares about me.

But my prayer were not answered.

Huh?

I stared at my own body on the surgery table from above.

I looked at my transparent hand and body before I laid my eyes on the EKG with a flatline on the monitor and realize what's happening.

Ahh...so it's failed...

I looked at the glass divider and saw Daiki banging on it from the next room and crying while my brother lowered his head with a massive frown on his face.

"Wake up! Wake up damn it! What the hell are you doing sleeping there!? Didn't you say you're a man who respect contract!? We have 6 years left in the contract you bastard!"

From the corner of my vision, I saw my brother clenching his fists so tight blood started dripping from his hands.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry for not fulfilling my side of the contract Dai-chan.

I'm sorry for not able to repay you for anything you've done Nii-san.

I'm sorry everyone. I'm sorry.

Before I know it I also put my hands on the glass and started crying.

But suddenly my transparent body started to turn into particles of light.

I'm sorry Nii-san, Dai-chan. And thank you for everything

From that moment, my life, my existence, cease to exist from earth.