Life and death, it's a wild concept. It can happen to anyone at anytime. It's cycle that has many different routes.

It could be someone you know. A family member, a friend, your neighbor. It's sudden and shocking. It tears people apart but can also bring people together.

Summer in Tokyo was the worst. I know it's hotter in other places, but I could never handle the heat. Cool air soon washed over me as I entered the hospital.

At the front desk was the usual lady who was always filing her nails. A woman with strawberry blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was from America, a product of my dads hospital chain.

Nurse Smith glanced up at me straightening her demeanor. I was the son of this hospitals owner, but it wasn't that big of a deal. I had no power here, to my father I was nothing more than a back up child.

The secretary typed a few things into the computer before handing me a slip of paper. "Hanako Tachibana room 203. have a nice day sir"

"thanks...you too"

I'm twenty-two and still have no social skills, I can't even have a basic conversation. This is how I know I'm a failure. I guess I could blame my parents for that one. spending the first twelve years of your life locked in a hospital room then a dark room does that too you.

I stood outside door 203 and heard two voices from inside. I guess I came too early, Mika was there. Of course she was, but if I didn't go in now I wouldn't be able come back later.

"Hey," I opened the door and the two girl's turned to face me.

"Big brother!"

"Modero…" Mika averted her eyes and clenched the book she had in her hands.

As much as I didn't want to see her this day is about Hanako, not our rocky relationship. "Happy tenth birthday!"

"Thank you brother!"

I wrapped her in a hug and handed her the gift that I'd been preparing for months.

she grinned from ear to ear "Is it a painting? Your paintings are always the best!"

"I wouldn' t say that. When you get out of the hospital you'll see plenty of painting's better than mine"

"No way, yours are the best in the world!"

"Hana is right, you do have quite the talent"

"thanks… both of you" painting was the only thing I was even decent at. But it wasn't a useful skill. Even with that I'm still as useless as I was before.

she opened the bag and pulled the painting close to her chest. I had plenty of paintings like that. Those paintings were a reflection of my dream, my dream that Hanako will be able to play out in the sun.

she's so pale, I feel like she might just disappear.

"you guys are so amazing! Big sis brought me one of the books she wrote!"

"it's just a simple one, nothing too spectacular" she looked down at her lap. Mika was perfect at everything she did, Hanako and I were just sickly extra's but she was perfect, our parents first priority. We lived together for years and I barely know her favorite color.

"Oh I brought us something to eat together, I got permission from the hospital" she pulled a small chocolate cake from her bag.

hanako's eyes lit up "a cake!" 

"Yep! It's from an expensive cake shop in Hokkaido! I got a little extra in my allowance this month" she set the cake on her bedside Table.

"wow it looks good, but I'm on a diet" I don't work out much and I've been eating too much. I've gained a lot of weight, I'm already a mistake it'd be. Bad if I was more unhealthy then I already was.

it's not like I was unhealthy obese, but it's good to cut down before I get there.

My sisters, had perfect metabolism. I was jealous of that if not anything else. Our mother is a Japanese model and they unlike me got her looked too. A petite face and black hair with pointy brown eyes. Mika wore her hair short, it was naturly curly like our fathers. Hanako's was more of a brown-black and it was long and straight.

"oh please have some" Hanako said, clasping her hands together.

"you can't even have one piece for Hana's birthday?" 

I looked at hanako's pleading eyes, I couldn't say no to that face. "Fine, I guess one piece won't hurt"

I sat down on the couch chair next to hanako's bed. I looked around this room and Hanako in bed. I remembered being just like this.

I was much younger, I was in the hospital for my heart issues. The only person who came to see me was Mika, she never said anything and I did 't either, it was so quiet it seemed like a distant memory compared to this.

Now we had Hanako no matter how sick she was she was she always brightened up our lives.

"actually I have somthing I want to tell you too" Mika figited In her chair.

"what's up big sis?" Hanako had cake all over her face.

"Actually I'm getting married… I wanted to tell you guys because I wanted to bring him to meet you both soon. Mother and father included"

"wowza! That's amazing who is?"

"your getting married? That's amazing."

"Thank you guys. His name is Mizuki, up I met him through a business party"

Mika is meant to take over our parents company, I wonder if it's arranged? or if he was just using her. I hoped neither was the case. But she seemed happy, so I guess that's all that mattered. Even if we didn't get along.

"big bro! When are you getting married?"

"huh, me?"

"yeah your all grown up! And look at you your so messy, nobody wants a guy like this. You have to be able to take care of yourself before you can even think of having anyone by your side!" She pointed her finger right in my face. "even the boys in the romance manga I read tale better care of themselves then you!"

i haven't thought about getting married, who would want to marry me? I've been alone for a while, I couldn't bring anything into a relationship.

"don't bully him Hana! He's doing things at his own pace"

"i'm not bullying him it's the truth!"

"it's fine Mika, she's not wrong"

"get a wife, I want nieces an newphews! You too big sis!"

mika's face turned bright red "who told you about those things!" They started arguing with Mika getting increasingly flustered. 

"Now it really seems like you are being a bully Hanako!"

"lil ol me? No way!" She burst out into laughter.

Suddenly the intercom turned on "Visiting time is over, All visitors please exit the building"

"what! Already!"

"It is quite late, I have work tomorrow. I'll see you next month Hana" Mika kissed her on the forehead.

"I've gotta go too. I've got a deadline to meet tomorrow"

"aw okay"

I gave her a tight bear hug and Mika and I walked out of her room.

"Hey Modero can I talk to you" the air stiffened.

"Is it important? Hanako Isn't here, you don't have to pretend like you want to talk to me Mikan"

"This is extremely important, it's about Hana"

I turned around to face her.

Mika's face was grim "I talked to her doctor earlier, it seems her condition has gotten worse"

"What are you trying to say?"

"He said he's not sure she will make to New Years"

I felt like I'd gotten stabbed in the heart, I can remember the day our parents brought her home after days in the NICU she was left with us deemed a failure.

"Is there nothing we can do?"

Mika shook her head.

"I see, then I'll start visiting her more often. I know you're busy so don't worry" I walked away from her down the stairs and out of the hospital. As I walked towards the train station I pulled out my phone scrolling through 7 years worth of pictures of Hanako and I. How could I live with myself knowing she was gone. I guess my dreams would never be realized.

I got onto the train and stood straight next to the door. Hanako's life had just barely begun, yet it was ending so soon. And there's nothing I could do about it. Even if I could, knowing me I'd just screw it up.

"Sir move back!" Someone screamed.

"what is that thing"

"Everybody run!"

I looked up to see what was going on but felt a force pulling me back. I somehow was able to turn around and saw what looked like a portal. But it was too late. I fell in and could still hear screaming from the train.

The pressure was so hard I could Barely breathe. I could feel my conciseness going in and out. I closed my eyes trying to preserve any breath I had left. But at some point everything went black.

***

"What should we do with this pitiful child?" my mother glared down at me.

"We still have Mikan we could throw him to the orphanage"

"oh darling I wish we could, but he's already 5. What would the neighbors think? Besides we had him just in case something happened to Mikan. He's not a suitable plan B" she lit up a cigarette. "The brat has heart issues, what if he has an attack with our clients''

"That's true, he's defective. Let's just have another one, we'll just leave him to his own devices for now"

"another one, your so naughty"

"I can't help it, your too beautiful my love"

"I mean we can afford it so why not. But first we should get to Miss Kanriji's party, they're having shrimp cocktails"

"Well then what are we waiting for?" They linked arms and left the apartment closing the door on me once again, leaving me in the dark.

***

Lilac ran down the halls two guards behind her. When she made it to Amaya's office she quickly put in the code bursting in the door.

"Amaya come quick!"

"lilac? What's wrong? Your sweating"

"¡Es una emergencia!, come quick. there's something in the mortality ward, it's setting off the alarms and we have no clue what it is" she was trembling.

Amaya quickly stood up and ran out the door Lilac and the guards following her from behind.They ran into the large arena where all the guards gathered weapons ready.

Amaya squinted looking straight into the middle of the purple portal in the middle of the ceiling

"What's going on here" Malina ran in from the other entrance.

"I'm not sure! But I think something's going to come out if it. We don't know what it is so keep your guards up"

"Necesito un trago, ¿whisky tal vez?" lilac put a hand on her head. Suddenly something fell out of the middle of the portal and slammed into the floor. The portal cleared up and everything seemed to go back to normal.

"Stay back everyone, I'm going to see what it is" Amaya forced herself into the front of the crowd and crept near whatever fell.

She reached in to touch it and her eyes widened

"So what is it?" Malina tilted her head.

"It's a mortal!"

"A mortal!" The Whole Arena seemed to be screaming.

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