Epilogue: A Shining New Future


I opened my eyes slowly and found that the room I was in had disappeared. Instead, I was falling again down a deep, dark abyss. However, this time, I was not alone. She was right there beside me, casting a radiant glow that chased away the darkness.

"Chiaki Nanami," I whispered. The sight of her face filled my heart with so much joyed that it nearly leaped right out of my mouth. "I'm so sorry."

The girl looked at me and smiled a smile filled with hope. For a moment, we just stared at each other with deep longing. I grabbed onto her hands tightly, knowing that she would disappear if I let go.

"It's okay, Hajime," she said. "A shining future will always be waiting for you. It's true...it's absolutely true. Because...I believe in you."

"There is something I wanted to say ever since I first met you," I said. Tears poured down my face like an uncontrollable waterfall. It was time for me to say what I had been wanting to say to her ever for such a long time. "Thank you, Chiaki. Thank you for everything. It's about time I finally said it."

"Me too," she said. "Thank you, Hajime. I'll never forget you and our classmates. Being with you guys have been the best times of my life...even at the very end."

"So what now?" I asked. "When I wake up, everyone will probably be fussing about me. I'll probably have a few broken bones, but they will heal with time. Even so, I'm scared. The future is a scary thing."

"Remember what I said about the future, Hajime?" Nanami asked. She drifted closer until our faces nearly touched. "The future is not a path but an endless sea. Even if you don't know which future to choose, you can always create one. There is no need to be afraid. Come on, Hajime. You can be the hero of your own story. Show me how cool you can be!"

"Things will definitely be difficult," I said, smiling at the last part. "But I want to believe in you like you have been believing in me. There are still so many unanswered mysteries out there, but it doesn't matter. I know I'll never reach the end of the horizon, but I'll try. I'll keep on living for your sake, for my sake, and for the sake of all our friends as well."

"That's the cool Hajime I know!"

"Tell me, Chiaki. Will you build a future together with me?"

"Of course," Nanami laughed. "We are friends, after all."

A brilliant light erupted around us, swallowing my vision until all I could see was white. Chiaki's laughter lingered, and I knew that she would still be there with me when I wake. In the end, I was finally able to express my sorrows and gratitude to her. She was right. The future was unpredictable and unconditional like the endless sea. Even so, I was ready to create a future for myself...a shining new future filled with hope.


Yass! Finally finished :) My first Hinanami one-shot!

Believe it or not, I actually wrote this for a school assignment dealing with psychology and Freudian ideas.

Ty for reading 3