Risin 'up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive

So many times, it happens too fast
You trade your passion for glory
Do not lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive

"Mr. Takagi ...with our deepest regrets, we must tell you that you're suffering from stage 4 brain cancer. There is nothing else we could do. The rest of your life only 3 months again, Mr. Takagi."

He can only put a straight and flat face when he heard every word spoken by the doctor. Who would have guessed that the frequent headaches that he suffered lately turned out to be a deadly disease?

'You only have 3 months again to live, Mr. Takagi.'

Shadow of the people who cared about him came to his mind. Shiratori. Chiba. Naeko. Yumi. Detective Boys. And, his girlfriend, Satou Miwako.

When all of them knew about his circumstances, all of them crying and screaming. Shiratori pinches his hand and shouting why he can't keep his health. Yumi slaps his forehead with teary eyes and never stopped saying that he is a foolish man who prefers his work than his health. Naeko hugged him and said, Takagi-kun, a miracle will always happen.' Ayumi and Detective Boys crying and screaming that they won't Takagi-keiji that they love so much leave them. Inspector Megure only wipes his eyes with a handkerchief without saying anything.

Finally, when he told his girlfriend, Satou's reaction enough to make him surprise. Satou smiled, hugged him, and said that she will always beside him until his last moment. She also said that the doctor isn't God, who can determine the age of a person's life.

"Everything will be fine, Takagi-kun."

Of course. As long as he has Satou beside him, everything will be fine.

Days by days passed. He began to do chemotherapy, he felt embarrassed because he feels so much pain and almost cried when he saw his hair fell out one by one. His weight began to drop drastically. He can't eat more than 5 mouthfuls. He vomited two to three times a day. If he sneezed, blood spurting from his nose. If he coughs, a blood will also appear. If the weather is cold, a blood will pour from his nostrils. His body feels weaker and ached day by day. And finally, he really cries when he can't feel anything in his legs. He sobbed in Satou's arms. He couldn't walk anymore. His legs were numb. He couldn't work anymore. He couldn't become a police officer and catch criminals again. Naeko's words about miracle never happened. Day by day, his condition gets worse and worse.

Every day, Satou always beside him, sometimes he can see Satou's eyes that look a bit red. Occasionally he heard Satou talk on the phone to Shiratori. "Shiratori... What if that day comes? Shiratori, I'm not ready. If Takagi-kun didn't open his eyes again ... " He can't understand why Satou remained at his side. He hopes it's better if Satou left him, he won't see Satou pretended to look tough and strong in front of him. He wants to survive, but how to survive? While a variety of the medication that he consumed still can't make his condition gets better.

Sometimes he couldn't understand. Why does he have to undergo torturing chemotherapy, and taking medications while all of them know, those things will not be able to save him? That he will leave all of them, eventually?

Sometimes, he was afraid to go to sleep. He was afraid that if he went to bed, he could never get up again.

If he slept, he didn't have courage to turn the lights off. Previously, he never afraid of the dark. And now he is very afraid of the dark. The darkness that will wait for him when he unable to open his eyes again.

Sometimes he looked at the calendar that mounted in his room, crossing out dates and days that he had passed. Counting how many days remains for him. Counting how long he could meet with his friends, kiss his girlfriend's cheeks, or laugh with his co-workers.

Sometimes, he fantasized he can carry out a wedding with Satou. Have a happy life as a married couple, and have cute kids.

Sometimes, he wondered if tomorrow he could still see Satou's smile. Or kiss her lips. Or hold her hand.

Sometimes, he wondered if tomorrow he could still see the sun, the chirping birds, and the beautiful flowers in front of his house.

As time goes by, he felt the darkness getting closer and closer to him.

Risin 'up, straight to the top
Had the guts, got the glory
Went the distance, now I'm not gonna stop
Just a man and his will to survive

CLICK.

"I have not finished hearing the song, Satou."

"You've heard it for more than 10 times, Takagi-kun. Now it's time to eat and take medicine. "

"I don't want. I'm not hungry."

"Just a few of mouthfuls, Takagi-kun. Come on." persuaded Satou with pleading eyes. The pleading look from that beautiful eyes can't make him refuse.

"Okay. Only a few of mouthfuls."

"Good boy! Here comes the airplane!" said Satou while moving the spoon that she held like an airplane before putting it into Takagi's mouth. Need a lot of effort for him to swallow that food.

Wataru Takagi. The strong police detective now lying weakly in the hospital because suffered brain cancer. Although he preferred to spend the rest of his life at home rather than in hospital. At first, he didn't understand why Satou and the others forced him to be hospitalized. All of this is useless. Needles, IV's, medicine, everything is useless. All of that just tortured him.

But finally, he understood.

Satou and others still believe in miracles. Satou and others believe if he hospitalized and undergo treatment, he may make a full recovery in the end.

Satou and others believe that he will win. Win against his illness. Because he is Wataru Takagi, a strong police detective who can even stay alive after kidnapped and locked without eating and drinking in Hokkaido for 2 days.

Sometimes he wanted to laugh. He used to think that only criminals who could defeat him.

It never occurred to him, a deadly disease will defeat him as well in the end.

After he ate and drank the medicine, he coughed once, twice, and as always, there is blood which came after he coughed. Satou just smiled a little when cleaning his former bloody cough.

Why she still able to smile? Why? When her father was killed, she can still smile. When her ex-boyfriend Jinpei Matsuda die tragically because of bomb, she can still laugh. And now, she also still can smile, as if nothing would happen, even though she knew that death will separate the two of them in the end.

Takagi will never know how to smile again if Satou isn't around by his side. Every day, Satou always brought his Kamen Yaiba DVD collection to the hospital. They laughed together while watching the DVD. When Satou saw Takagi's face more cheerful, and full of joy while watching the Kamen Yaiba DVD ... Maybe a miracle will happen eventually.

Satou took photographs of her with Takagi which taken while Takagi still healthy. There are so many embarrassing poses and Takagi's flat and priceless face in the picture. In the photographs, they went biking together, eating hamburgers together, watching the Kamen Yaiba show together ... Satou show the photographs to Takagi and whispered,

"Takagi-kun, of course you want to do all of this again, right?"

He stared at his lover sharply. Of course, he wants. He wanted to do those fun things with Satou again. He nodded slowly.

"Of course, Satou."

"Then," Satou held his pale and thin hands, and give a little kiss on his hand, "I want you to do something for me, Takagi-kun."

"What is that?"

"Win, Takagi-kun. Please. I beg you. You can't lose." And, for the first time since Takagi sentenced to suffer from brain cancer, Satou cried in front of him. "You are a fighter and a warrior, Takagi-kun. You always fight without giving up when you catch the criminals, I beg you, do the same thing now."

Takagi smiled weakly. Can he promise that to Satou, the woman he loves? Might be a different story if this is a battle in solving a case, or battle to catch criminals. He will snort a laugh and told Satou that she did not need to ask him to win, because, of course, he will try hard to win. But, this is a different fight. If he and Satou want to do all of it again, why must wait until he recovers? Both he and Satou did not know whether he could recover or not. They have so little time. And he said in a hoarse voice, and tired,

"Satou, I can't promise that you, because I don't know if I can keep them. We don't have much time, Satou. To eat a hamburger together, watch the Kamen Yaiba live show together...No need to wait for me to 'win' first, right?"

"Takagi-kun ..." This time Satou sobbed louder. Although she always hides all of it, even though she was always trying to look tough, as if her boyfriend suffered only ordinary fever, deep down, she felt very miserable. She has lost her father, her ex-boyfriend, and she will also lose the man she loved so much, in a short time.

"Then, what would you do first?"

"It's up to you, my love."

"Burger? How about we eat a burger together?"

Takagi nodded.

Satou then asked for permission to doctors to bring Takagi to the burger stand they usually came to in Kyoto Park. Everyone in the park looking at Takagi who looks very weak in the wheelchair and Satou who pushed him with pity looks. They don't need to ask, they don't need to guess. They know that Miss Miwako was trying to please her lover in his last time before death really separated both of them. The burger seller hastily wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt while giving two servings of burgers to both of them.

When eating his burgers, Takagi looked around and could feel people's pity looks to him. He didn't like it. He hated it. Why all of them have to feel sad too with his condition? People who don't even know him? They just make all of it more difficult for him. Occasionally he glanced at Satou. She's still smiling. But Takagi knew it was a fake smile because Satou's smile didn't reach her eyes. Takagi knew what was in Satou's mind. Can I do this again with Takagi-kun? Is this time is the last time I ate a hamburger with Takagi-kun? Definitely, that was on Satou's mind. Takagi didn't like it. Takagi didn't like to see the sadness in Satou's eyes.

Maybe I could cheer her up and make her laugh out loud.

Takagi then pushed his wheelchair forward a bit, then pressed the burger he was eating to the front of Satou's robe. Satou jumped and surprised. Now the front of her robe full with sauce and mayonnaise. Satou glared at Takagi, and could see her lover who was seriously ill were smiling slyly. Satou understands. Takagi wanted to joke and laugh with her.

"Wataru Takagi, you naughty boy! See retaliation from me!" cried Satou, then pressing her hamburger to Takagi's cheeks. Takagi's cheeks now full by sauces and mayonnaise as well. Both Satou and Takagi laugh out loud. Takagi then writes 'I love you' by using the leftover sauce scattered in the front of Satou's robe. Satou then writes 'I love you too' by using the sauce splattered on Takagi's cheeks. Takagi laughed weakly.

People in the park turned back to them. They were amazed. Yes, amazed. Especially to Satou. Even though she knew her lover won't live much longer and she will lose Takagi in the end, Satou is still able to laugh. Laugh happily to entertain her lover, who she might never be able to marry.

After washing her face and Takagi's face, Satou rotates Takagi's wheelchair and heading to the ice cream stand. Satou bought an ice cream cup with strawberry flavor for Takagi and feeds him. Suddenly, a rabbit jumped into Takagi's lap. Takagi strokes the white cute rabbit with affection.

"She's so cute, isn't it? According to you, what is her name and where's her owner?"

"Yes, Takagi-kun. I think she has no owner. She jumped out of that box, there is an inscription 'please adopt me' in the box," said Satou, pointing her finger toward the box where the rabbit is earlier. Takagi frowns.

"Then, I'll adopt her."

"Takagi-kun, you know you can't. After all, who will take care of this rabbit? We may not bring a rabbit to the hospital. Your doctor will be angry. Come on, put the rabbit back in the box, Takagi-kun, certainly, there will be another person who wants to adopt her. Come on, Takagi-kun."

Takagi hugs the rabbit tightly.

"I don't want. What if no one wants to adopt her? What if she'll rain and starvation? I will not stay in the hospital forever, Satou."

Satou finally sighed and gently stroked Takagi's remaining hair. "Okay. You can keep the rabbit. But you have to be prepared if you scolded by the doctor later."

"Don't worry. I will name this rabbit Miwataru."

"Miwataru?" Satou laughed. "It's a unique name, Takagi-kun, but why did you choose that name? Why not choose a different name?"

Takagi grinning. "It's an abbreviation of the name of both of us. Satou and Takagi-kun."

Satou laughed again. With a bit of exasperation, she pinched Takagi's cheeks. "All right, Mr. Wataru Takagi, animal's knight in shining armor. It is time we returned to the hospital. Doctor Raymond permit you go out just for an hour."

Takagi moans. He wants to take a walk in the park with Satou longer, but he could not protest. Finally, he nodded slowly. On the way home, Takagi force Satou to stop for a moment in a flower shop. He bought a purple orchid flower for Satou and force Satou to slip that flower in her robe pocket and on the back of her hair. Satou can only grin with amused over her lover's attitude.

They returned to the hospital, and as predicted by Satou, Doctor Raymond scolded Takagi for bringing a rabbit to the hospital. But, after Satou begged, and persuaded him, and muttered something that all of them have to make Takagi always happy with granting all his wishes until his last moment, Doctor Raymond finally allowed Takagi to keep the rabbit in the hospital.

And Satou felt grateful they found Miwataru. Because Miwataru makes Takagi became more cheerful and seemed to forget his illness.

Today is Satou's birthday. And Takagi still lying weakly in the hospital. Doctor Raymond did not allow him to go home. Takagi wanted to go home. He wanted to buy a gift for Satou. But he could not. Then, aided by Shiratori, he finally drew a picture as a gift for Satou.

The picture was a picture of him and Satou, from youth to their old age. Next to each picture, he wrote of their age and what will happen in their life at that age. The first picture is a picture when he and Satou were first officially dating. He wrote, 'Takagi and Satou, ages 26 and 28. Fall in love with each other.' The second picture is the picture of him and Satou became a bride and groom in front of a church. Next to the image, he wrote, 'Takagi and Satou, aged 30 and 28. Married and officially became Mr. & Mrs. Takagi.' The third picture is a picture of him and Satou carries several children. Next to the picture, he wrote, 'Takagi and Satou, ages 36 and 38. Have 11 children and their own football team.'

When Takagi showed the picture to Satou, Satou didn't know whether she must smile or cry. Because she knew the possibility of the picture that Takagi drew to become reality was very small. But she laughed at the third picture.

"11 children? You sure you want to have 11 children, Takagi-kun? And oh God, haha, you on your 36-years-old really ugly, Takagi-kun," Satou said as she pinched and kissed Takagi's forehead. "I love this gift, Takagi-kun. It's excellent. Thank you very much, honey. I love you."

"Happy birthday once again, Satou. I love you too."

He rolled under the blankets. He shivered. It has been almost a month he stayed in the hospital. His body feels cold and sometimes feels hot, and it made him feels very uncomfortable. He knows, his time is getting closer. His time is almost running out.

"Takagi-kun, honey? Are you still cold?" Satou whispered softly. He was unable to answer. He just nodded his head weakly. Satou took another blanket and covered him again. Although three stacks of blankets had wrapped his body now, he still felt cold and shivering. Satou then hugged him tightly, and for a long time. Perhaps her arms will make Takagi feel a little warm. And, it looks like she succeeded. Because not long after she embraced Takagi very tightly, Takagi stopped shivering and fell asleep.

Could it be the miracle that always awaited by Satou, will become a reality in the end?

Takagi was bored. All the Kamen Yaiba DVDs that Satou brought has been watched by him. Even playing mahjong was boring for him now. Stroking and playing with Miwataru also can't make his boredom disappear. Satou wants to comfort him. How can I make Takagi-kun didn't feel bored? When she saw an old doctor who passing by Takagi's room, Satou has an idea.

"Takagi-kun, to make you won't get bored, let's play a game."

"What game, Satou?"

"Startled a doctor game!" Satou said, giggling a little. Takagi raised his eyebrows.

"You mean?"

"You pretended to be dead and then I call the doctor. If they want to examine you, you startle them with wake up suddenly and shouting 'I'VE GOT YOU!' How, Takagi-kun? Sounds fun, isn't it?"

Takagi laughed weakly. "Alright then."

"Wait here. I'll find the first victim."

Winking slyly, Satou walked out Takagi's room, pretending to cry, and shouted with a made-up frantic voice as she approached a woman doctor who was passing by, "Doctor! Doctor! Please! My boyfriend is not moving, and he's not breathing! Please help, doctor! I don't know what to do!"

Hastily, the woman doctor came into Takagi's room and approached Takagi. While Satou still pretending to cry.

"Help him, Doctor, I love him, I don't want him to leave me," sobbed Satou.

"I'm sorry, dear, but this isn't surprising at all, all of us knew this will happen in the end, all of us know that he has no hope at all," the doctor said, pulling out a stethoscope and try to check Takagi's heartbeat. Just then, Takagi opened his eyes wide, and shouting 'I'VE GOT YOU!' while pointing his weak finger to the doctor's face.

The doctor jumped out. Miwataru also shocked by Takagi's shout, jumped into the doctor's neck. Takagi and Satou laughing and high-fiving each other. The doctor snorted and get rid of Miwataru from her neck.

"Not funny! Not funny at all!" She exclaimed angrily. "Young guns this days." Snorting in disgust, the doctor stepped out.

"We did it, Takagi-kun! Ha ha! You're really cool! You almost make her having a heart attack!" Satou said, while clutching her stomach. Still laughing weakly, Takagi said,

"All of us knew this will happen in the end. All of us knew that he has no hope at all."

Both Takagi and Satou stopped laughing. Takagi stared blankly at the floor. Satou then stroked his cheek gently.

"Takagi-kun. A doctor isn't God. Hope is always there, Takagi-kun. Hope is a good thing. Perhaps the best of all things. And no good things ever die."

Takagi smiled weakly. Maybe he still has hope. Although maybe it's only a false hope.

Today is Christmas Eve. Takagi can't believe that he could still celebrate Christmas with his relatives and his girlfriend. That night, Shiratori, Inspector Megure, Detective Boys, Chiba, Naeko, Yumi, came to visit him, gave a lot of gifts and Christmas cake for him. Doctor Raymond also allowed him to get out and play in the snow for 15 minutes with all of them. Although he's not strong enough to speak again, though his body was so weak, he still could laugh happily, celebrate Christmas Eve with all of them. Assisted by Chiba and Shiratori, he wrote 'Takagi-kun & Satou, Together Forever' with his finger on the snow.

Then, the next morning, exactly on the Christmas day, he almost lost his consciousness. He knew his time had come. With some difficulty, he looked around. All of his relatives stood around his bed. Shiratori. Inspector Megure. Detective Boys. Chiba. Naeko. Yumi. And Satou, who didn't release her grip from his hands a bit. All of them are people who care about him, even though he didn't have any blood relationship with all of them. He tried hard to keep his eyes open. Because he knew that if he closed his eyes. He will never be able to open it again. And he will not be able to see their faces again.

"You can hear us, Takagi?" whispered Shiratori softly. He is not able to speak or nods to answer Shiratori's questions. So he just blinked his eyes weakly to indicate that he could hear all of them.

"All of us always love you, Takagi." whispered Shiratori again.

"If you leave now ... know, if we will never forget you, Takagi-kun," Yumi whispered in a trembling voice.

"Thank you for being a good subordinate, Takagi." Whispered Inspector Megure.

"Thank you for teaching us many things and allowing us to help solve the case, Takagi-keiji," sobbed Ayumi.

"Takagi-keiji, me and the others will miss you very much," Mitsuhiko said softly.

"And I love you, Takagi-kun. You'll never forget me, right? Although you will meet with beautiful angels in heaven? If you meet with my father and Matsuda-kun, please send my best regards to them, okay? Take care of yourself well, okay, Takagi-kun? Promised that if you leave me now, you will come to my dream and tell me how's heaven looks like? Please tell me how beautiful and great heaven is? And Takagi-kun, may I kiss you for the last time?" whispered Satou, her eyes very red now.

He wants to shout. He wants to tell Satou that he didn't like to see her cry. He wants to tell Satou that smile suits her better. He hates to see that beautiful face looks very red.

But he can't.

So, he just blinked his eyes weakly again, to tell Satou that he wants to kiss her for the last time too.

Satou bowed her head and kissed Takagi's lips gently. He wished he could answer Satou, or just say goodbye to all of them. Finally, he was not strong enough to open his eyes again. He closed his eyes, and when he closed his eyes, the darkness that he always afraid of appearing before him. He could hear the sobs from his relatives. And Satou's sobs the loudest.

Satou stared blankly to Takagi's stiff body. She feels angry with Takagi after seeing Takagi's smiling face. Takagi-kun, everyone weeps for you, and you ... you even smiled, Takagi-kun... How could you do this? How could you smiling…When everyone crying for you, and you just smiled a little, without saying goodbye?

Kiss Takagi on his forehead, Satou hugging with the others, then stepped out, call a doctor to tell that Takagi was gone.

The next day, Takagi will buried. Takagi's house was filled with mourners, and wreaths of condolences were sent from all over the country. Takagi's friends during school, police members, Takagi's colleagues and co-workers, even the police chiefs from all over Japan, also mourn, to pay their last respects to a man who never gave up, not only when he catch criminals, but also unyielding against his disease. All the mourners wore black clothes, lined up to see Takagi's corpse, who lay in peace in the coffin, dressed in a grey suit and tie that he used to wear when doing his duty. There are no mourners who didn't cry when seeing Takagi's corpse who smiling, as if he welcomes all of them, as he wants to say, "Don't cry, because I'm smiling in a lasting peace." He looked so handsome in his eternal sleep, like a sleeping prince. The mourners weeping louder when they saw Satou knelt beside Takagi's corpse, and speak in her lover's ear who she will never be able to marry for the last time.

"Did you see all of this, Takagi-kun? You have a lot, lot people who love you! Your house is barely fit to accommodate all the mourners who came! See! I bet you are laughing out loud seeing so many people love you! Goodbye, Takagi. I love you. I love you so much." Sato kissed Takagi's forehead, then slipped a heart-shaped keychain with their initials that Takagi gave to her one year ago as her birthday gift in Takagi's folded hand. Sato set Takagi's hand very carefully, making Takagi seem to be clutching the key ring.

Takagi's funeral didn't last long. Satou is the last person who leaves Takagi's tomb. If she's not dragged by Shiratori and Chiba, Satou will spend time throughout the day to kneel in front of Takagi's tomb.

Ten years have passed since Takagi's death. But Satou still can't forget him. Since Takagi dies, Satou stop becomes a police officer because she couldn't hold memories when she and Takagi doing duty together. Now she works as an accountant in a bank. She never forgets to visit Takagi's tomb every day, whispering something in front of Takagi's tomb, and keep the photographs of her and Takagi in her wallet. Today, after praying at Takagi's tomb, Satou went Kyoto restaurant for lunch. While she's eating, suddenly Takagi's favorite song, Eye of the Tiger - Survivor is played. Satou spent her food hurriedly and left the restaurant. She won't people see her cry because she recalled Takagi's memories with that song. Because she walked with too hasty, her wallet finally fell.

"Satou! Your wallet fall!"

Satou turned around. It turns out it was Shiratori, her good friend who she hasn't met for a long time, holding her wallet. Satou was glad to see Shiratori again. She immediately hugged Shiratori. "Oh, Shiratori. Long time no see. I'm glad to see you again."

"Likewise with me, Satou. Uh, we have to put all of this back... Your wallet contents fall to the street," muttered Shiratori. Satou nodded, and Shiratori helped her to collect her wallet contents that fell to the street. He was a bit stunned when taking Takagi's pictures that he helped to draw it 10 years ago, and also photographs of Satou with Takagi which has looks dull. He then handed the drawings and the photographs to Satou's hands.

"Takagi? After all this time?" whispered Shiratori softly.

Clutching Takagi's drawing and photographs to her chest, Satou replied,

"Always. Every day. Every hours. Every minutes. Every seconds."

Shiratori gently patted Satou's back, and he knows that Satou's love for Takagi is an eternal love, even though death had separated both of them.

END