Death terrifies me.
It always has.
Even when I had no one to live for, when I crawled on the streets, I did everything to survive.
If you ask me why death scares me so much, I can only say one thing.
After you die, people tell your story, they shape your image in the minds of others, and you aren't there to correct them. If they chose to stain or name or define who you were, you have no say in that.
That's what truly frightens me.
Death is stillness, a cold pause while the world keeps moving. Or at least, that's what I used to believe.
Perhaps the cruelest joke of existence Is that after a lifetime of living caring, loving, and growing. Fighting and nurturing, we are forced into oblivion.
And as for passing on to a 'better place;? Please, we all know how many good deeds you have done in your life. Not to mention… you already have a list of people you want to haunt after dying, don't you?
At some point, I even thought that I was undaunted by death.
What is so terrifying about death?
But now… now that I am lying in the pool of my own blood, a wooden stake jutting out of my stomach, and death staring me in the face, I once again realized just how scared I was of death on the inside.
Now look at me, Desperately clinging to my life in hopes that something or someone might save me.
And someone even offered to save me.
But sometimes there are certain things that make living more scary than dying.
A fate worse than death.
One of the reasons I refused to be saved by the beautiful looking gentle woman standing before me
Was…
The thought of living without being able to eat bread scared me even more.
Not just any ordinary bread.
It was… the legendary stuffed garlic bread!
Enough about what happens after death. Let's focus on how I died.
———
Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, its one of the busiest, most glamorous cities in the world. It is both a financial and a commercial titan.
Yet amidst all the neon glow, tall buildings, and non-stop moving crowd of the city, there exist quiet areas untainted by the darkness of society, far away from all the grind and glamor of city life.
A place where the rich indulged themselves in the night of luxury away alone or with a special company.
One such place was Fugetsu!
In the remote corner of Hong Kong island, a short ride away from the happy valley was a restaurant renowned for its exquisite delicacies.
But while its food was divine, it wasn't a place for just anyone. Only a select few had the privilege to dine here, and even among them, some refused to set foot in the establishment—for reasons whispered but rarely spoken aloud.
Ting!
"Irasshaimase!"
"Hajimemashite."
"Here comes a family of three!" As the front door of the grand-looking restaurant chimed, two young men sitting behind the reception desk, clad in crisp uniforms, passed some quirky remarks among themselves while trying to keep a straight face, appearing very serious.
"Welcome to Fugetsu!" Seeing the guests step inside, the two young men stood up and bowed politely.
Two elderly men and a woman, all around the same age, stood before the front desk. With narrowed, judging eyes, they scrutinized every detail about the two young men before them.
Not minding the scowl on the faces of the two old men, one of the receptionists asked softly, "If you have a reservation, can I get the names please?"
None of the oldies gave an immediate response, they silently looked around the decorations of the restaurant with a hard-to-please look on their faces. Their eyeballing and brush-off might have seemed odd to the staff of other Chinese restaurants but the two young men appeared calm as if it was nothing new to them.
After they had their fill of the unique interior of the Japanese restaurant, the old lady shot one look at the two men beside her before giving her name.
One of the receptionists checked their database, and after confirming the other one guided the three of them to their seats.
On their way, their eyes were attracted by a small koi pond, placed to the right of the reception desk between the lobby and the dining area.
The fish in the pond glimmered like jewels, and the sweet scent of Sakura petals floating on the surface of the pond elevated the entire vibe of the restaurant.
The receptionist smiled when he felt a splash of water falling on him as the mischievous fishes jumped in and out of the water.
Even the women sitting inside the dining hall, sat facing towards the pond, just so they could look at these cute creatures moving around from one direction to another.
The architecture and decor of the restaurant was a masterpiece in itself. The high arched ceiling with slits that allowed the moonlight to fall around the hall, it was just nothing short of divine.
"This is your table."
Arriving at one of the empty tables in the center of the hall, the young man took the 'reserved tag' from the table and offered the three a warm smile.
"one of your waiting staff will be right with you."
Saying that he turned around and left, leaving the group to themselves.
Every staff member in the hall moved flawlessly, with precision like seasoned warriors.
They took orders calmly, served the food to the diners once it was prepared, and took care of their needs if they had any.
No one felt the wait for their food to arrive because the soothing classic melodies playing in the background made them lose themselves in the feel of the moment.
But… how could there be such a thing as a perfect evening?
The sweet evening that everyone was enjoying turned sour in an instant when someone decided to stick their leg into calm pond water and stir it up.
Metaphorically!
Squeak!
Clatter!
A sharp sound tore through the tranquil mood. The scrape of shoes skidding. The utensils clatter against each other.
The motion in the dining hall stilled, the workers stopped moving, and the diners lowered their chopsticks and spoons, every head turned to look at the source of the sound.
A young waiter, balancing a tray in one hand, standing in a weird position, tried his best to keep the tray in his hand filled with bowls of hot food stable. His other arm had stopped at a weird angle, trying to maintain his body balance.
"You dumb little sh*t! Watch where you are stepping!"