An Angel Beat Story

Chapter Otonashi: His life before

Day 1

My name is Otonashi Yuzuru, I've dropped out of high school and I am now currently taking care of my younger sister, Otonashi Hatsune. Hatsune had been diagnosed with cancer two years ago, and has been bedridden ever since. I've been working small part-time jobs to eat and live, as well as help with her hospital bills. That's all my life has been now, working to eat and live, and take care of Hatsune.

Day 8

What was my purpose in life? What am I doing? I don't have any friends worth mentioning, and all I do is sleep and eat. I guess that's all I want to do.

Even when I say that… I keep going to visit her, my little sister. Every time I visit her, I would buy her Manga with the little money I had, buying whatever caught my sight first, so I didn't even know if I got her the same Manga or a completely different Manga. Despite this, she would happily take what I got her and always say, "Thank you big brother."

Hatsune was different then me, she had hope in life. Should could find her purpose in life. But she hadn't been discharged for the last two years. It was sad… If only I could change places with her. I, who didn't have a purpose or meaning in life. That compassion was what kept me visiting her.

Day 23

Hatsune is still sick… I think her condition is getting worse. Why isn't she getting better? What is this hospital doing? She told me it's because there are no donors to give her an organ she needs for her cancer. A donor…?

Day 27

Winter came. Working in the summer was hard, but working in the winter is worse. Your fingers go numb, like they're going to fall off. But… I kept going so I could live.

Live? What for? Don't think about it. If I think about it, I might stop working. I have to keep working. To eat. And to buy presents for my sister.

Oh yeah! I'll ask the doctor if I can take her outside on Christmas. But she can't use the wheelchair if there's snow on the ground…

I'll carry her then. If it's just her, I can carry her anywhere. Then I'll buy whatever she wants from any store she likes. I want to give her a cake from a good store too. In that case, I'll have to save more money.

Day 31

I'm visiting her again, she seems a little less energetic then before. I hope she is alright… She has been wearing a medical mask…I hope she didn't catch a cold… It's almost Christmas. I wonder what I should get her… She seems a bit cold, maybe a coat? I'll ask her later.

"If you could go outside on Christmas, where would you like to go?" as soon as those words came out of my mouth, she looked hopeful. It made me happy.

She answered me immediately, "The main street!", that was a little unexpected. Why did she want to go there?

"You'd be fine with just that?", after two bedridden years I would have thought she would want to go somewhere further.

"But they put lights on all the trees you know! Didn't you know?", lights in the trees? Christmas lights huh?

"No, I don't go there on Christmas anyway.", I scratched my cheek. She really is very optimistic isn't she? That is what I love about her…

"They say it's really pretty. They started doing it last year. The doctor was talking about it.", she turned to the window, her eyes sparkling a bit as she talked fondly about the Christmas lights,

I jumped at the idea, "Then how about we go there?", I'll give her what she wants, I'm sure it'll make her very happy.

"Can I go?"

"I'll ask if you can go. Even if they say no, I'll sneak you out and take you there."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Yay! Thank you big brother!" I couldn't help smiling at her happy face as she held the Manga I bought her today close to her chest. That was the biggest thank you she gave me.

Day 32

I started working multiple jobs. I would come home only to sleep. I was working so hard because I had a goal. My only concern was that her condition was getting worse. She was getting so weak…

Day 37

It started to snow… Beautiful white snow, a few inches were supposed to pack onto the ground during the course of Christmas week.

Day 38

They didn't give her permission to leave. So I snuck in after visiting hours ended and took her into town at night.

"Amazing! Hey, can you see it? It's amazing!", I had to admit, the lights on all the trees on main street were beautiful, illuminating. I could tell why she wanted to come.

"Yes… It's very pretty…", I adjusted her on my back. She sounded a bit weak… Maybe she was just not used to coming outside.

"It is, right? It's so pretty. I'm glad I came to see this too. Thanks to you! We'll have even more fun from now on! First I'll get you a present! I'll buy anything you want. I've saved up lots of spending money just for this day, so I'll get you anything, no matter how expensive. What do you want? How about we start by going to the store? We could even go to a jewelers! Or maybe you'd prefer a normal department store?", I smiled, meaning the words I was saying. I would get her anything, anything to make her happy. I'll work hard to do so every day.

"Big brother…", I stopped, turning back to look at her. She buried her head into my back so I couldn't see her though, "Hmm?"

"Thank you.", she uttered those two words, two words that made me feel warm inside. I smiled a bit, "Yeah…"

I started to move forward again, "And there's even more after we go shopping! Look forward to it! We'll do dinner for now! I don't know much about this stuff, but I got a reservation for a great restaurant I saw in a magazine. They make a set meal for you. A full course dinner! Amazing right?"

After that, I continued to walk and talk by myself.

Day 40

Hatsune passed away while clinging onto my back… I finally realized my reason for living. I had a reason for living close by me. I'd just never noticed. I felt alive when Hatsune expressed her gratitude and that was all it took for me to continue living. I finally realized that I was happy before.

I'm such a… I'd never noticed until now… She was such a special person to me, and I did nothing for her. She spent all her time in that hospital, with nothing but the Manga I brought her to read. With jus that… That meager existence… She was probably happy. And now that I've lost her, is my life over? Days full of happiness that I never noticed. I've lost that time, and now there's nothing left for me.

Day 42

I found myself aimlessly walking around, just moving, not thinking. I ended up at the hospital Hatsune was in. I saw a little girl thanking a nurse and a doctor was wishing her a full recovery. Then, something clicked in my mind. Maybe there is another purpose in my life that I could walk towards.

Day 43

I might be able to find another purpose in life, a new purpose in this meager existence of mine.

I bought medical encyclopedias and books, studying medicine the best I could. I went back to high school and finished my classes and education, trying to get into a college or university. Devoting this life to help someone else… I'm going to become a doctor, so I can help people and possibly save them too.

Day 66

I finally got admitted to a university to study a medical course. I got my student identification and I am now on my way to the university entrance exams. The train is a bit crowded but, I'll live.

A rumble? What is that… What is happening? The train…it's shaking… Ah no…my entrance exam ticket…

Then once again, my life was thrown into a turmoil. The train I was in crashed during an accident while inside a tunnel. I didn't survive.

How could I have died like that… Hatsune