.....#_#

It was just your typical kind of life. I graduated from college, landed a job as a sort-of-software programmer, and was living as an orphan since childhood but raised by my maternal uncle. I was enjoying all the countless benefits of bachelor-pad life. Age thirty-five, no significant other.

I wasn't ugly, short, or grumpy, among other things. But I was something at all in terms of appearance and physique. Like, I could do a thousand pushups a day since I was fairly strong. I also had a gentlemanly appearance and a lovely face. But when it came to the opposite sex, apparently I had nothing to offer except my looks and body. I'd made efforts along lines to impress a girl, but none of it was worth it. I was too nice to be theirs, they all kept repeating the same shit. Heavens, there was no place for a gentleman like me. So really at this age, I was kinda past the point where a girlfriend needed to be my main focus. Works and bodybuilding kept me busy enough. Plus, it wasn't like I was gonna die without one.

I'm not making excuses, okay? It's just that I began to wonder.....

"Oh, hello, my friend. Sorry, I'm late!"

There he was, walking toward me, smiling with all that non-virgin energy of his. His name was shimada, my best friend from childhood. We hadn't seen one other in years, so this jerk had asked that we meet. In other words, we were reuniting at this encounter. I was resting up against the shaft at the convergence of the street where we'd consented to meet, thinking to myself.

"Better believe it, you're." I humorously answered, "for what reason would you like to out of nowhere see me?"

"Oh, my dear friend. Now I can't see you personally. We haven't seen each other for a long time. With deep continuation of suchness, I thought it was the right time to do so."

What a big words, anyway, you looked at it, he said to meet on holiday. So I didn't have much of a choice. I thought I could just ignore the call at first, but I was eventually shown to be mistaken. Pretty sure, anyway. But cool, refreshing, funny and likeable—shimada was impossible to hate. He was thirty-six, quite a bit older than I was.

"How about we go." I expressed, figuring there was not a glaringly obvious explanation to remain here on the walkway.

"Why not?"

"And, did you bring your wife or you just came alone?"

"Its very meeting of us, separated best-friend. How could I bring my wife?"

No doubt, definitely. I am aware of your fox-like tendencies. Considering that I was alone and talk machine, you just didn't bring anyone. What a jerk you are. Even if I might be a little late, it would be worth it. Wait until I bring home my wife. I mean, I didn't need a wife, but I did in these moments. Everyone was pretty discriminatory and savage, nowadays.

"Mr. Otani, when are you getting married?" Throughout my life, these expressions had turned into a day to day cup of tea. I much of the time got these somewhat when I return home, when I head off to some place, or when I meet somebody, thus I believed that they were simply doing it to cause me to feel terrible.

Thinking this, I looked at shimada. The gap between already had become huge. The distance was probably like a metre apart. Like I was a slow walker, while shimada was fast. As a result, there was a big gap between him and me while walking: he was far in front of me and I was far back. However, the roads were peaceful as this time I had seen just two individuals around. We were just walking as normal people do, but out of nowhere, shimada got encircled by two dubious individuals. I at first accepted they were requesting things, not that I gave it a second thought. Nonetheless, I abruptly detected antagonism pouring from them toward Shimada. They started to nudge him in different directions.

Without any thoughts, I sprinted as quickly as I could in the direction of Shimada. The instant I got there, someone brandished a kitchen knife and immediately tried to stab me. Dodging down, I guarded it. Then, at that point, a man with a dark hoodie concealing his face with a hanky obstructed shimada's direction.

""You fools think you can beat a knife?""

"Ha! I doubt it. But allow us to try." I remarked as I evaded his patterns of attack before slamming him with my powerful fists. And what happened, you might ask? We clearly won. They were as thin as a stick—one punch was all they needed.

Plus, all thanks to the techniques which we learned in the school. Ah, what techniques, you ask?

There was an extraordinary preparation given to youngsters in our military school. It will not be required, I had thought so at that point — who realized it would come convenient in unforeseen circumstances. So it didn't turned into threating circumstance for us. Not the fate string, but the circumstances, were unknown. This kind of brought to mind how unexpectedly Shimada and I met, which wasn't even conceivable. Since my uncle was in the military, I was able to enroll at military school. Shimada, however, had easy access to education because his father, who is also in the military, was a military man. Yes, we were both in the army, but in our nation, there were essentially two different types of armies, and as a result, the schools varied as well.

So, yeah, he had to be at another school.

"Well done." I said to shimada, clapping our hands. But suddenly, the man with the black hoodie took out his gun from his waist and fired at shimada.

"Shimada!"

The second I pushed shimada aside, I felt a consuming torment stumble into my body. My body bailed up as it imploded to the ground, attempting to endure the shock. I was unable to determine what had occurred. I needed to move, however I couldn't.

"Put your firearm down!" the police yelled from distance.

"Ah, run for it!" shouted the black hoodie as he attempted to run off.

However, it had already become too late. The vision was too blurry, still I was able to distinct who were who. I watched the cops capture them, and then checked to see how my companion was. The suddenness of it all had reduced shimada to a stupor, but he was unharmed – that was a relief. But, man was my chest burning so hot. Beyond anything, I'd describe it as pain.

What's up with that? It's too hot...Gimme a break.

"Otani, you're bleeding badly.... you won't stop bleeding."

I'm bleeding? Well, duh. I'm only a mere human. If you shoot me, I'll probably bleed all over you, yes. What's more, the most horrendously terrible part was, that I had negative blood. So I was bound to die.

"Otani, you're.....the blood...." shimada tried holding me up, face drained of blood and looking like a cry-baby. So much, for that bravery from two minutes ago. But man, the call before the incident was worth it. I tried to see what cops were doing, but my vision was too fogged up to manage it.

Now, the burning feeling on my chest was starting to fizzle out. Instead, an intense frigid cold was attacking from head to toe. Shit, I figure this may be it ...like the torment and the intensity were essentially gone at this point. It was simply cold – cold as hell. I felt as if I was gonna freeze in place.

Who knew dying could keep you so damn busy?

Following three minutes, an emergency vehicle showed up here,

"Hurry, come here! " shimada shouted to ambulance people, carrying me to the ambulance.

The next thing I knew — shimada was staying by my side. I don't know, maybe to check my condition? The ambulance was rushing toward the hospital.

Just then, I summoned all my remaining wells of strength, striving to relay my final words to him.

"Shimada( coughing), I won't make it in time... live a happy life with your family, okay? Don't have regrets in your life, now smile my handsome fellow...."

It took a moment for my plea to register with shimada. He gave me a miserable gaze. Then, at that point, he chuckled,

" That's not like you! We're gonna make it . Believe me."

Even if it was just a snicker it beat having to depart this plane of existence with a grown man blubbering on top of me.

"All I wanted was to tell you about my wife's pregnancy report to you, too..." he continued.

"Chh ...."

Hah, I knew it... That bastard.

"It's fine, okay? Make your children happy."

I took out the last bit of strength my body had to offer.

"Just tell my deeds to your children.."

It was just your kind of life. I graduated from college, landed a job as a sort of – programmer, and lived entirely alone, I was currently enjoying all the countless benefits of bachelor – pad – life.

What's more, I was a virgin. Imagine that, dying being a virgin. My masculinity was probably crying its single eye out right then. Sorry, my body if there's such an incredible concept as reincarnation, then I will spend my life fullest even if I have to become selfish— I promise okay, not like that, but.....

I mean here I was, looking at thirty-five without ever losing my virginity. Like a sage, contemplating in mountains. An additional couple of years, and I most likely might have been the sage of wisdom. Not the road I wanted to take in life, but there you go.

Eventually, if you were to ask me, do I had any second thoughts?

Indeed, would had been my answer. My just lament was not to reimburse him; my uncle.

As a Wiseman had once said: Life isn't what is generally anticipated: it is comprised of the most surprising exciting bends in the road.

Before I could continue down that train of thought, I fell asleep.

Weird how death's nowhere near as lonely as I naturally suspected it'd be.

That was the last thought I had on the mortal plane.