July 16

Why is everyone leaving? Am I really going to be left alone?

I don't want to leave. This is my home.

I will not leave


"Eh?" Fuji said, turning around. "What do you mean?"

Taka ran a hand through his hair nervously. "Sorry for not telling you sooner, Fuji. The truth is, my dad wants us to move someplace else. You know, because of the condition we're in right now."

Fuji stared at the lapels of his coat. Normally, he wouldn't be wearing a jacket in the middle of July, but this year was different. This year, things had changed.

He could remember the day's events as clearly as if it were just yesterday. He had remembered his sister coming back from grocery shopping, but with nothing in her hands. "They can't open the cash registers," she had said. "They can't sell anything." Only then had it hit Fuji how drastic the situation they were in was. Now he and his family were surviving on the food that the government had agreed to give out for free. He knew, though, that these kinds of things wouldn't last for long.

Fuji put on a brave smile, even though on the inside he felt he was shattering into a million pieces. "That's okay, Taka-san. I understand completely."

Taka looked surprised. "Really, you do?"

Fuji nodded. "Eiji, Oishi, Inui, Kaidou, and Momo had to move away as well. It can't be helped."

"But what about you?"

Fuji paused at this. "Saa...my parents and siblings are thinking of moving away pretty soon. I'm the only one in our family who actually wants to stay here."

Taka sighed. "If only Tezuka or Echizen were here."

"It can't be helped. Tezuka went to Kyushuu and Echizen went to America. Both of them were travelling before this thing ever happened. Plus, their parents might've urged them to move away as well. Anyways, where is your family planning to move to?"

Taka shrugged. "Not that far, really. Since we can't go by plane or anything all we can do is either bike or walk. Probably about 15 miles away from here. They think the condition there is a bit better than here."

Fuji winced. Condition, condition. People in these situations always called them conditions. He was getting sick and tired of that word being repeated over and over again. It was like a church bell chiming in his head every second. He hated it. He hated how people were always so reluctant about talking what was happening now. He hated how people just weren't as carefree as they were before.

Taka was at a loss for what to say. "So...um..."

Fuji smiled. "Well, I hope you have a safe trip. Say goodbye to your family for me." And with that, he walked off, feeling Taka's eyes boring into his back.

He never felt any guilt for walking off, because he just didn't care anymore.


"Nee-san, what are you doing?" Fuji asked in alarm, watching his family scramble around the house, looking for any valuables or important items that they could pack up.

In truth, he had already knew what the answer would be. Looking at the suitcases lying around the living room, it was pretty obvious what his family was trying to do. He just didn't want to believe.

Yumiko stopped and sighed. "Syusuke, you're just in time. Come, help us pack."

"What are we packing for?" Fuji demanded.

Yuuta stopped and stared at Fuji as well. "Aniki, isn't it obvious? We're moving."

"No!" he cried out, causing his parents to stare at him too. "What are you guys thinking?! Why are we moving?"

"Aniki-"

"I refuse to move from this place!"

"Syu-"

"I will not move!" And with that, he stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

He often wondered why he didn't feel sad from walking out of his home like that.

Maybe it was because he just didn't care anymore.


Throughout the weeks, he grew more and more frustrated with his thoughts. Why had his friends been so willing to move away? Didn't they want to stay and be together, like before? It wasn't as if the weather would change magically 15 miles away. The situation was hopeless.

Even his family was willing to move away. Didn't they care about the memories they shared, didn't they care about the memories that they'd be leaving behind?

To Fuji, the most important thing to him was to have his friends and family by his side until the very end, at the very place where they had all met.

Obviously, to them, it wasn't important to them at all.

Obviously, to them, they just didn't care anymore.

Obviously, to them, they weren't as lonely as he was.


Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Eventually, ever so slowly, the population of Tokyo began shrinking.

Until eventually, the once bustling streets Fuji had walked on almost half a year ago were almost deserted.

Fuji sometimes could see an occasional passerby scurrying around buildings, trying to find a safe, warm place for shelter.

Those people never bothered to talk to him. They just didn't seem to care, to even see him.

Perhaps they were the lucky ones who didn't care about being lonely.

Honestly, the loneliness was killing him.


Fuji smiled a little to himself, looking down at the ground from the roof of his old school, Seishun Gakuen. He inhaled the fresh, cold air that was around him, closing his eyes.

He opened them again, and, looking at the ground, felt a bit dizzy.

Ever since Fuji was little, he hadn't been a big fan of heights. It wasn't as if he hated them or feared them or anything. He just hated how they made him dizzy every time he looked down.

He looked up at the clouds. "Hm, it looks like it's going to rain pretty soon."

He closed his eyes.

It'd be so easy if you just let go. To just jump off this roof and die. It's quick and easy, not like drowning or starving to death. Actually, it's kind of the ideal form of dying. It's just like you're flying.

You can just feel the adrenaline.

He just hoped no one would be able to see.

He mentally scoffed to himself. Why would he be worried about anyone witnessing this? It's not like they were going to call the police; the police were long gone.

So what was he waiting for?

He silently leaned forward.

"Onii-chan, what are you doing?" an alarmed voice cried out.

Fuji stopped, looking back.

And it was just then that the snow began to fall.