"Until My Last Breath"
Shuu Matsumoto sat in his hospital bed, staring out the window at the cloudy sky. It had been a week since he had been diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease. The doctor had told him that he had only six months to live. Shuu had dropped out of college and become a NEET, feeling like life was no longer worth living. But now that he knew he was dying, he regretted his decision.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts. He heard a soft knock on his door and opened his eyes to see his childhood friend, Tomi-san, walking into his room.
"Hey, Shuu, how are you feeling?" Tomi-san asked, walking over to the bed.
Shuu shrugged. "I'm dying, but other than that, I'm fine."
Tomi-san sighed and sat down on the chair next to the bed. "I know this is hard, but I wanted to invite you to come to our alma mater. They're having a reunion for all the graduates from our year."
Shuu raised an eyebrow. "Why would I want to go to that?"
Tomi-san smiled sadly. "Because I think it might do you some good to see some old friends, maybe even reconnect with some of them. And who knows, maybe you'll find a reason to keep fighting."
Shuu considered this for a moment. He had been isolating himself from the world for months, ever since he dropped out of college. He had lost touch with most of his friends, including his childhood friend turned celebrity, Kiriyama Sayane. They had gone to the same elementary school, but she had moved away before middle school. He had seen her on TV a few times and knew that she had become a famous actress, but he had never reached out to her.
"Fine," he said finally. "I'll go to the reunion."
Tomi-san smiled. "Great! I'll pick you up on Saturday morning."
Saturday morning came and Tomi-san arrived at Shuu's apartment to pick him up. Shuu had put on a clean shirt and jeans, trying to look presentable. He had no idea what to expect at the reunion, but he hoped it wouldn't be too awkward.
When they arrived at the school, Shuu felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. He remembered playing soccer on the field, studying in the library, and hanging out with his friends in the courtyard. He wondered if any of them would be there.
As they entered the gymnasium, Shuu scanned the room, looking for familiar faces. He saw a few people he recognized from his classes, but no one he was particularly close to. He was about to give up and leave when he heard a voice he hadn't heard in years.
"Shuu-kun? Is that you?"
He turned around and saw Kiriyama Sayane walking towards him. She looked even more beautiful than he remembered, with long dark hair and deep brown eyes.
"Sayane-san," he said, bowing slightly. "It's been a long time."
She smiled warmly at him. "It has. How have you been?"
Shuu hesitated for a moment before answering honestly. "Not great. I dropped out of college and became a NEET, and now I've been diagnosed with a rare disease. I only have six months left to live."
Sayane's eyes widened in shock. "I'm so sorry, Shuu-kun. That must be so hard."
Shuu shrugged. "It is what it is. I'm trying to make the most of the time I have left."
Sayane took his hand and squeezed it gently. "
