Live Like There's No Tomorrow

A Story by ToyaPin

A short story written by Stephen Montoya

Classes just got dismissed so…

Just like everyone from the Go-Home Club, I went straight home.

My name is Shoichi Hayashi,

A third year high school student at Majima Private High School.

I don’t really like hanging out with other people.

I live a normal life with a normal school, with a normal family, and with normal friends.

“Mom! I’m home!”

“Welcome home. By the way, a girl left you a letter earlier.”

“(A letter huh… Very old fashion…) Mom, do you know who gave this letter?”

“Not really. But she is wearing your school’s uniform. So what is it? A love letter?”

“Don’t be ridiculous mom...

(A girl from school huh?)”

I then went straight to my bedroom for some privacy.

I immediately opened the letter and I was so surprised I almost fell from the bed.

The letter came from a popular girl from school, Gin Minase.

She is popular yet, she's very shy and barely talks to anyone.

She's in the Art Club and I heard she loves making portraits of people she loves.

Anyway... the content of the letter:

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I’ll be waiting for you at the park.

Gin Minase

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(Should I go? Surely this is a prank but still, what if it’s not a prank?)

I kept thinking about it and before I knew it, it was almost dark out.

“Mom!! I’m going out for a while!”

“Okay! Be sure to be back by dinner”

I don’t really know why a Gin Minase would call out someone like me to the park…

I mean, I’m not good-looking, I’m not a honor student, and I’m not even rich.

But still, even though I think it’s only a prank, I won’t miss a chance to be able to spend time with her.

At the park,

There, I saw a beautiful girl sitting by the bench.

It was Gin Minase, a classmate of mine but we don’t really talk much to each other.

“Hey there…”

“W-what took you s-so long?” She said chilling.

“Have you been waiting all this time?”

“(Chills) Yeah…”

“But why? What for?”

“I wanted to tell you something.”

“Wanted to tell me something? What is it?”

“Do you remember during 1st grade, I don’t actually know someone and I don’t talk to anyone either so I’m often a loner at school and so when I was crying at our room, nobody came and talk to me but then you came around.”

“Really? I don’t really remember a lot of things during 1st grade and because we moved a year after.”

“I never got to know you well but still, I never forgot your face and what you’ve done for me even after you moved.”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t really remember you but I just don’t know why I keep having dreams about a short-haired girl who always comes late during class.”

“(laughs) That’s me! I was actually surprised when I heard you’re coming back to our school.”

“Yeah… I just thought that something is pulling me back to this place.”

“Really?”

“Yeah”

Silence was all over the place after that.

“I’ve always… (murmurs)” she said

“Sorry… can you say it again?”

“. . .”

“I’VE ALWAYS LIKED YOU!” she shouted.

“I’ve always liked you but I never had the courage to let you know about it.”

I was so surprised that I can’t say a word to her…

“Okay, but why say it now?”

She started crying after I said that.

“Hey, are you okay?”

She just kept crying and crying.

“M-My doctor… d-diagnosed me with l-leukemia…”

“Leukemia! But that can’t be right! You’re only seventeen.”

“My doctor also said that I only have less than a hundred days before I leave this earth…”

“. . .”

I didn’t have the right words that time. I just can’t accept the fact that in less than a hundred days, she’s gonna die.

“Don’t worry… I’ll never leave you until the end.”

My body moved by itself after that… I hugged Minase.

“Thank you…“ She said with a sign of relief

We stayed there for awhile after that.

The next day at school,

“Hayashi! WAKE UP!! This is not a place for you to sleep!” the teacher shouted

“Huh?! Where am I?”

The class all laughed at me including Minase.

I wasn’t able to sleep last night because I just can’t believe that she’s gonna leave me soon.

We need to use our time very wisely starting now!

During lunch time,

“(Whispers) Shoichi… let’s go eat on the rooftop”

“Sure”

“Here!”

“Uhmm… what’s this?

“It’s a bento. I made it especially for you. C’mon! taste it already.”

“ . . .”

“ I knew it. It tastes awful doesn’t it?”

“What are you saying?! It tastes great, very great!”

“Glad you like it! (smiles)”

“What? It’s already time?” I complained

“ Well, there’s always tomorrow right? C’mon! We don’t want to be late for our next class”

(There’s always tomorrow… I wish it’s true. Today is almost coming to an end, If only time would just stop…)

“Okay, class dismissed” said the teacher

“Uhmm… Gin, would you like to walk home together? We could stop by some place to eat.”

“Sure! I’d love to!”

“Shoichi…” she said with a soft voice

“What is it?”

“What would you do after I die?”

“NO!! YOU WON’T DIE!”

“But no matter what we do, I’m still going to get the same fate as that.”

My heart felt as if it was crushed into tiny pieces when I realized that I won’t be able to do anything.

“I’ll never leave you! We’ll live the rest of the days you’ve got to the fullest.”

“Thanks… a lot… for everything”

I then took her to some restaurant and sent her home after that.

Days have passed since that day and it’s already the twelfth.

We spent every day doing some random things that makes her happy.

Today is Saturday so I might as well invite her to go somewhere she likes.

(“Good morning! Minase residence”)

“Gin! It’s me.”

“Oh hey! What’s up?”

“Are you free today? Want to go see a movie?”

“Yeah sure!”

“Let’s meet at the train station at one then.”

“See you”

After a few hours,

“Sorry I’m late…” she said

“That’s okay… I just got here awhile ago”

“Really? That’s good then.”

“Okay! Let’s go see that popular romance movie then."

After the movie, we went again to some restaurant to eat and I sent her home again.

Twenty-five days already passed huh? Time sure does fly.

On that day, I invited her to go night sightseeing with me.

The sky was full of stars and the wind is cold.

We then shared our first kiss that night.

She invited me to go swimming.

We just went to her subdivision’s Club House not because we ran out of money, but because she promised me a day before that she will cook for me at her house.

After dinner, her parents let me sleep over at their house.

We decided not to do anything during the day.

I heard from her before that she always wanted to go somewhere during midnight so I invited her to go to a theme park that’s open until three in the morning.

We spent time riding all the rides and eating some foods there.

We also got a souvenir picture there.

Today, I got sick, I had a fever.

I really thought this would disappoint her but I guess I’m wrong.

She told me that this would be a great opportunity for her to stay at my place and take care of me.

She also said that she would like to repay everything I’ve done for her.

She also stayed over at my place to make sure that I’ll be okay the next day.

Today, she never answered any of my phone calls.

I was really worried so I came to her house.

“Gin! I know you’re there. Please open the door.”

She didn’t answer the door instead, she sent me a text message saying: “Leave me alone starting today”

“Gin! Please! Let me talk to you!”

After awhile, she opened the door.

Inside their house, silence ruled the place.

“Would you happen to be angry at me?” I asked her

“No”

“Then why are you so cold to me today?!”

“You just can’t understand me don’t you?! I’ll only be able to live for a few more days, what do you expect me to do...? And I just can’t take the sadness that I will have to leave you.”

“. . .”

“Gin! To tell you the truth, I really like you! Well, maybe not like but something more than that! I LOVE YOU!”

I hugged her after a few minutes of silence

“Shoichi… what are you gonna do after I die?”

“Let’s not think about that for now… But I would like to let you know that I will always love you.”

The next day,

“Gin… breakfast is ready." Gin’s father said "Gin...? Gin?! Are you okay?!"

“Help!! Call an ambulance!”

A few minutes passed, and the ambulance finally came.

They then took her to the nearest hospital.

After confining her to the hospital, Gin's father informed me and I quickly rushed my way.

“Her condition’s still not stable so we still need to monitor her.” The doctor said

“Hey doc, is she gonna be alright?” I asked

“Well, I don’t really know…”

“I see… Doc, can I go see her now?”

“You may do as you please”

“Hey there…”

“Hi…” she replied with a very soft voice while smiling frailly.

“You’re gonna be fine, alright?”

“I know. Let me give you something special to me.” she told me.

(Hands over a sketchpad)

“Open it”

As I check every page of the sketchpad, all I can see are portraits of me.

“I love you and you never left my mind”

I don’t know why, but my eyes just can’t stop crying.

“Gin! I love you! Would you marry me?!”

“Yes”

Several days have passed, and now...

Today is our wedding day.

She looks really cute and beautiful today in her wedding dress.

“Shoichi… Would you take Gin Minase as your bride? The pastor said

“Yes. Your honor”

“How about you, Gin, would you take Shoichi Hayashi as your husband?”

“Yes, I will. Your honor.”

“Any objections? Well then, since nobody is opposed to this wedding, Shoichi, you may now kiss your bride.”

“CONGRATULATIONS!”

Before, life is just pointless.

I go to school then go home afterwards.

But everything changed when she came in to my life.

A few hours after the wedding,

she was again, hospitalized.

She lost consciousness when we were on our way to our house, our parents gave us.

Four days have already passed…

But she still hasn’t woken up yet.

I’ve stayed in this hospital room since then.

I never once left her side.

Without me noticing, I fell asleep near her bed.

“Shoichi…” a soft voice from a girl

“Hmmm?”

“Wake up. I need to tell you something.”

“Gin! You’re awake! Wait here, I’ll call the doctor”

“Don’t go”

“What do you mean “don’t go”!?”

“I don’t think I will be able to stay here a little longer…”

“What are you saying!!?” I said as if I’m about to cry

“Let me tell you something… I love you and whenever you feel like crying but you just can’t, remember to love the rain ‘cause the rain is doing all the crying for you. And Shoichi…”

“W-What is it?” I said while crying

“Don’t forget me…”

After that, she left as if she was just sleeping.