C1 Prologue

It was just a normal life, or as society called it, a miserable life. For me, it was just a normal kind of life, though.

Being an orphan from a young age required me to make critical decisions.

That brought up the topic of where I lived. My uncle was the only relative I had by name. So, yes, I did stay with my uncle. He gave me everything: cash, clothing, college funding, and so on. So as not to waste the money given to me, I put a lot more work into my activities. And the outcomes were excellent. I graduated from college, landed a job as a sort of software programmer. Now, I was enjoying all the countless benefits of bachelor-pad life. Age was thirty-five, no significant other.

I was neither short, grumpy nor unattractive. Physically, I was a completely different breed. My face was chiseled, and I was 185 cm tall. I was so powerful that I could perform 100 push-ups in just ten sets without breaking a sweat. But it was all for nothing because it seemed like I had nothing to offer the other sex but my appearance and physical attributes. In an attempt to impress a girl, I had tried various methods, but none of them worked. I was too kind to be theirs, they all kept repeating the same shit. Heavens, there was no place for a gentleman like me. Thus, 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. He was entirely to blame for making me muse over this girlfriend topic.

Anyway, 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 intersection of the street where we planned 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 such thoughts in mind, I thought it was the right time to do so."

What a big words, in any case, 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.

He was 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 suggested, considering that there was no reason to stay on the walkway.

"Why not?"

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

"I'm meeting my separated best friend for the first time. How could I bring my wife?"

Yeah...Yeah, definitely. I am aware of your fox-like tendencies. Because of my behaviour, you avoided bringing your wife. Sure about that. It would be worth it, even if it's a bit late. Wait until I bring home my wife. I mean, I didn't need a wife, but I did in these moments. Nowadays, everyone was pretty discriminatory and savage.

"Mr. Otani, when are you getting married?"

Throughout my life, these expressions had turned into a day to day cup of tea. I often got them when I returned home, when I traveled, or when I meet someone. Of course, naturally, my reaction was somewhat negative. But, after these years, nothing swayed my mind. Because I acclimatized to the believe that they were simply doing it to cause me to feel terrible. That is how I believe it, and I will continue to believe it.

Thinking this, I looked at shimada. The gap between us had become huge. The distance was probably about a metre apart. I was a slow walker, while Shimada was fast. This, in fact, came from a long time ago. It started form junior high, if my memory was strong. 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. The roads were peaceful as this time I saw just two individuals around. We were just walking as normal people do, but out of nowhere, Shimada got encircled by two dubious individuals. They were requesting things, but I didn't think twice about it at first. However, I immediately detected antagonism pouring from them toward Shimada. They started to nudge him in different directions.

Without any thoughts, I sprinted like my life depended on it to reach to Shimada. He was the only friend that I had to this point. So I wanted nothing awful to occur.

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 we learned in school. Ah, what techniques, you ask?

In our military school, young people received extraordinary training. It will not be required, I had thought so at that point—who realized it would come in handy in unforeseen circumstances? Therefore, it didn't pose a threat to us. Not the string of fate, but the circumstances, were always unknown. So be prepared, for anytime. You could die in a unexpected day.

This kind of brought to mind how unexpectedly Shimada and I met, which I never imagined would happen. Since my uncle was in the military, I was able to enroll in military school. Shimada had easy access to school because his father was also in the military. Yes, we were both in the army, but in our nation, there were essentially two different types of armies. As a result, the schools varied as well.

So, in the end, he had to attend 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.

""""""BAM!"'""""""""''

"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, struggling to endure the shock. I was unable to determine what had occurred. I needed to move, but I couldn't.

"Put your firearm down!" the police yelled from distance. The time was far too precise. Damn, they were just.. aargh..a second late.

"Ah, run for it!" scurried a voice. The clank sound came. Probably, the gun fell.

However, it was too late for them to run. The vision was too blurry, but I was still able to distinguish who was 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 But man, my chest was 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. No matter what, I was destined to die.

"Otani, you're...the blood." Shimada held me up, face drained of blood and looking like a crying child.

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 guess this may be it ...the torment and the intensity were essentially gone by this point. It was simply cold as hell. I felt as if I was gonna freeze in place.

Who knew dying could keep you so damn busy?

It was as if the pleasant memories of the past were scattered before my eyes. My whole life began to flash vividly.

"Ah...that was a great life..." I murmured.

After a few minutes, I was certain that the blood was no longer in me. Yet it was horrifyingly strange. I wasn't dying, and no ambulance arrived.....

""""Wowo!"""" All I could hear at this point was the ear breaking siren.

Ah... Call of the devil.

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

My eyes blacked out that moment. That was it, I believed. There was no sound, as if I were in a deep hole with an unfathomably low temperature.

"Ah...." I muttered in a pain. Unexpectedly, I noticed a brilliant, fuzzy white light. Huh? What is that? Have I not already died?

"""Pi..pip..."""" The unknown sound came.

There was Shimada by my side. I don't know, maybe to check my condition?

It would seem that the ambulance was rushing toward the hospital. I never imagined; I would never, ever, ever find myself in this circumstance.

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, smile now, 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.

"I just wanted to tell you about my wife's pregnancy report..." he continued.

"Chh ...."

Hah, I knew it... That bastard.

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

I drained 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.

Apart from that, I was a virgin. What if you were buried as a virgin? My masculinity was probably bawling its eyes out at that very moment. Sorry, my body, but if the amazing idea of reincarnation is true, I promise to live each day to the fullest, even if it means turning selfish. Okay, maybe not like that...

I mean, here I was, thirty-five years old and yet hadn't lost my virginity. In the highlands, meditating like a sage. If I had lived another couple of years, I would have been the wise old man. Not the path I had hoped to take in life, but there you have it.

Finally, if you were to ask me if I had any second thoughts, I would say a great — yes.

That would have been my response. My only regret was not being able to repay him; my uncle.

As a wise man once stated, "Life isn't what you expect; it's full of the most unexpected and exciting turns on the road." And, it intrinsically sounded true at this point.

I fell asleep before I could continue on that train of thought.

It's funny how death isn't quite as lonely as I expected.

That was my final thought in the mortal world.