By A. Z. Arata
A week has passed since Ren left. Sakura's phone lies lifeless on the table. There are no messages from Ren, no calls. Every day at school, Sakura stares at that corner of the library where she first met him. But now, there is only dust and silence.
Sakura feels as though the air around her is growing heavy. Lately, even Aki isn't speaking to her properly; she looks away whenever she sees Sakura.
That Rainy Afternoon with Aki and Sakura
After school that day, a torrential rain began to fall. Sakura grabbed Aki's arm. "Aki, do you know where Ren is? Why isn't he picking up his phone? I'm so scared!"
Aki stood with her head bowed. Even amidst the sound of the rain, Sakura could hear Aki sobbing.
"Aki! Why are you crying? Tell me something!" Sakura screamed.
Aki could no longer hold herself back. She sank to the floor, clutching Sakura's hand. "Sakura... Ren... Ren is gone!"
Sakura froze. She felt the ground beneath her feet slipping away. "What are you talking about? Ren just went away for a few days!"
Through her tears, Aki revealed everything—Ren's fatal heart disease, his mother's death, and the impossibly difficult surgery. "He forbade me from telling you. He wanted you to remember him while he was still healthy. But last night, news came from the hospital... the surgery wasn't successful. Ren... he has fallen asleep forever."
The words reached Sakura's ears, but her mind refused to accept them. She began to laugh hysterically. "No, you're lying! Ren promised me he'd come back. He held me under Tokyo Tower!"
Drenched in the rain, Sakura began to run toward the hospital. Her shoes fell off, her uniform was soaked through, but she didn't stop. She felt as if Ren might still be there, waiting for her.
The White Corridor of the Hospital
When Sakura reached the hospital, there was a strange, haunting silence. Asking the nurses, she made her way to that specific cabin. Ren's parents were there, weeping uncontrollably. On the bed lay a lifeless body, covered by a white sheet.
Trembling, Sakura pulled back the sheet. Ren's calm face looked exactly the same. Only the melancholy in his eyes had vanished forever. His body was no longer just cold like it was that first day—it was far colder now.
"Ren! Wake up! Didn't you say we'd go to Odaiba again?" Sakura cried out, resting her head on Ren's chest. "Why did you leave me? Why didn't you tell me you were so sick?"
The sound of Sakura's wailing filled the heavy hospital corridor. She rubbed Ren's cold hand against her cheek. "Ren, please come back... I can't live without you!"
Sakura's heart was shattering with agony. She kissed Ren's forehead one last time, her tears falling onto his cold cheek. Sakura felt the world turning dark. A sharp, intense pain started in her head. Everything before her eyes began to blur.
"Ren..." Sakura whispered.
Suddenly, Sakura felt the walls around her shaking. The white light of the hospital seemed to grow brighter—so bright it became unbearable. A strange, piercing sound rang in her ears.
Sakura screamed, and in very moment, the world around her shattered into pieces.