The absolute white was so blinding that Wataru had so shield his eyes to keep from hurting them and he looked around the room that was empty save for the bed and a chair with a person sitting in it. "Who the fuck are you?" he asked when the person-a boy almost a man looked up at him quietly.

The boy smiled and said "Come now, Azuma. I know we weren't the best friends in junior high but we've been aquainted by a mutual friend on more than one occasion" he let out a soft laugh.

It took Wataru a few moments of looking at this person and recalling his memories who this person was "TAKASHI?! What the fuck happened?!"

"Well that's a little complicated to explain. Tell me what you remember and I'll fill in the blanks..." he shifted the chair so he was straddling it with his arms resting on the back of it, facing Wataru.

The pain in his head hurt a lot but it wasn't hard to recall the events. "I got a text that Kiyama was kidnapped and to come to the shrine to get him back, but it was just a set up by that bastard Akabane...we were fighting him and his goons when he approached Kiyama with a metal pipe and Kiyama just froze...I ran ahead to protect him and that's all I remember..."

"I see..." he looked over to the opposite side of the room and the visibly shaken Kiyama was sitting there, breathing hard and trembling with fear and anger.

"What's wrong with him?! Kiyama!" Wataru called out.

"He can't hear you" Takashi said "The living can rarely see or hear what's going on in the realm of the dead..."

"I'M DEAD?!" Wataru shrieked.

Takashi had to think it over "Kinda-sorta" the look on Wataru's face prompted him to explain further "It happens when a person goes into a coma...there's little to no brain activity so most people are kept alive on machines."

"I'M IN A COMA?!"

"No! Listen damn it!" Takashi yelled at him so he'd shut up "You're just unconscious for now, the nurse will be here any minute with an injection to help wake you up. When people are like this or sleeping it's the perfect time to convey a message to loved ones who are still living."

"So..." Wataru asked "You wanna give me a message for Kiyama?"

"Yeah...tell him to stop blaming himself for what happened and to go to my grave. I'll send Mom there the same day so they can talk" the door in the living world opened and the nurse came in with an injection just like Takashi said she would. "Just don't tell him that I said it, he wouldn't believe you if you did..." he then faded into nothingness when Wataru woke up.

He understood what he had to do and said to himself "Yosh! Operation Get Kiyama Closure starts now!" and he started to walk out of the room to the protest of the nurse. "I'm tellin' ya I won't be hospitalized!"

Kiyama was in complete shock to see his friend up and walking after that. He was so sure he had lost another friend to violence that he started. The sick, anxious feeling took over him and three million thoughts came bombarding his mind at the same time, but they were replaced when he heard his loud mouth friend coming out "Are you really okay?"

"Of course!" Wataru said proudly "I'm immortal!"

Kiyama's emotions got the better of him and he just bowed down in apology and cried. Wataru grew annoyed and said "By the way can you stop that?" a little more into the conversation and the suggestion to visit Takashi's grave came up.

When the day came that Kiyama went to the grave, Takashi had influenced his mother to go the same day and time. There were tears of apology and forgiveness shed, but they were all needed for both Takashi and Kiyama to move on. Wataru had followed Kiyama to make sure he went and while watching the pair make amends he felt something slip into the pocket of his school uniform and a warm pat on the shoulder.

The piece of paper read "Thanks. Now all of us can rest in peace. Kawano" with a smiley face in the corner.

Wataru smirked and said " Don't mention it. I hate seeing my friends suffer."