If I only knew that it would be too late, I would have said it to you sooner, not when you were in this state, isn't that right? My dear.
...
I had a dream, it was a summer festival, you and I together, in our summer attire, his illuminated face, caused by the fireworks going up to the heavens, rising into the blue sky. Fireworks like beautiful flowers, echoing sounds and lights enveloping the city, I heard him say to me, "I like you."
...
I was in the hospital because I was visiting my best friend, Akari, Akari and I became friends in middle school.
it was a mundane morning, and from the corner of my eyes, I always saw a glimpse of a certain classmate of mine, her name is Akari I think, she has lovely features, her eyes were round brownish with long eyelashes, has a small cute nose, flushed face, and her full lips, lastly her jet black hair that is over her neck.
She seems to get shy after I caught her looking at me, and she would instinctively look away from me, I find that lovely and interesting.
I felt drawn to her for some reason, and that's how our friendship started, I approached and sat beside her, talking about our hobbies, dreams, favorite food, etc.
And as I continued talking to her every single day, the more I found her amusing and lovely, I asked her if I could get accompany her to her house, and she smiled at me, that alluring smile of hers, makes my heart pound with such joy, and I laughed with such ecstasy.
...
Akari was laying down on the hospital bed for a while, they said it was her usual summer cold, but I always felt that it was more than summer cold.
I quickly went to the restroom and when I came back, her uncle the doctor, seemed to be talking about something, that I couldn't hear because they were whispering so softly, and they tensed up when I entered the room.
As I thought, it was really suspicious.
"Akari, are you awake already? Since when?", I tried to remove the tension in the room.
She greeted me with that smile of hers, and although it was different from usual, there was a trace of loneliness in it, how unusual.
"Haruki, let's go stroll toward the city today and see the decorations of the upcoming summer festival tonight," Akari said with enthusiasm in her silk-like voice.
"Haruki, I'm discharged today from the hospital and it'll be the last time, I will come back, they said that my summer cold is gone." she chuckled after, and she seems so happy.
My tears suddenly pour down to my cheeks, I don't know what has gotten into me, but all I know is that I have to hug her, she embraces me in response and pinches my cheeks, this is one way of her telling me she's alright.
"Alright kids, enough lovey-dovey, I'll get diabetes otherwise, haha." I like her uncle, he seems to be easy to get along with and always seems goofy all the time, which is why most of the patients here always prefer him to be their doctor.
In no time, her parents arrived shortly and helped her get changed even though she was protesting to her mom saying, she isn't a little girl anymore, she was so cute doing that and that was when I realized that I love her, more than a friend, I want her to be my girlfriend.
We spent the rest of our afternoon, visiting stalls and helping out for the fireworks festival, and we ate at the ramen shop near her house, and we decided to meet up in the city at 7:00 pm, and we went home after.
She looks lovely tonight, her face illuminated by the fireworks, wearing her lovely kimono and sprinkler in her right hand, and as the last fireworks rose in the sky and vanished, I instantly knew it was the signal, to tell her how I truly feel, that she only belongs to me and I only belongs to her.
But as I was about to open my mouth, a gush of blood came out of her mouth, I was stunned, her uncle didn't say anything about this to me, she looked into my eyes, it was watery and the suspicions that I was having, came out true, she was sick all this time!
"A-Akari?" I cried out, and the blood kept coming out of her mouth.
"Haruki, I'm sorry, I couldn't bring myself to say this to you, because I don't want you to worry about me."
Her knees weakened, and I caught her body before she fell, and the sprinkler on her hand fell to the ground, still glowing frail, she held my face with her soft little hands, it had a little warmth in it.
"Haruki, before we even met, I had this dream of mine, it was the summer festival, and I saw 2 silhouettes behind, and soon I heard him say to her, I like you."
Her voice is weakened by the second, as the blood continues gushing out of her mouth.
"What does this have to do with anything?" I couldn't help my voice from cracking, as my tears fell down my cheeks.
"As soon as the night sky was brightened by the fireworks, I saw my face and yours, I instantly knew we were meant for each other."
"You did?" I couldn't believe such a thing is possible.
"Akari, I have something to tell you too, I-."
Fate must be cruel to me, as I was about to say to her, that it wasn't a dream anymore, this time, it was real-time.
She closed her eyes real tight, as I held her lifeless body close to mine.
But I won't give up, I whispered to her ears, "I love you Akari."
My consciousness fades out weakly, and I hear a voice, so weak, Haruki's voice, saying, "I love you Akari."
Tracing that 'dream', but all this time, he was my 'dream'