early in the morning
the auditors bring him a snow white shirt
soaked in kerosene
which he is forced to wear
courtesy of the head auditor.
in the hour before his execution
taki is allowed one final chance to speak with his students.
reina brings them to his office
where they gather around his broken body
many of them crying.
he smiles up at them from the floor
telling them how happy he is to be seeing his family again
and at the same time
how sad he is to be leaving his students.
he tells them how much he loves them
how grateful he is to have known and taught such great kids
how honored he is to be dying for them.
he reminds them again and again to stay strong
take care of each other
and follow reina's lead.
lastly
he asks them to promise they won't cry when the fire is lit
and in return
he swears to stay silent in the flames
with dignity
without scaring them.
because he is too weak to hug them
he reaches out with an shaking arm
and begs his kids to take his hand.
he smiles as they press their palms against his
and tells them
one last time
that he will always love them
that he will always be with them
and that he looks forward to hearing their royal concert
from the sky.
finally
the guards push through the door
and wrench his arm away from his kids.
he is dragged out onto the parking lot
held on his knees in front of the head auditor
surrounded by the entire school.
as the guards wind ropes around him
binding him tightly to a lamp post
the auditor mockingly blesses him before the crowd
and anoints him with a dab of kerosene
inciting jeering and laughter from the firsts.
when the guards reappear
carrying more bottles of kerosene
and the auditor pulls out a smaller lighter
taki begins hyperventilating
as wild panic kicks in
and his courage fails him.
suddenly
he wants to end it the easy way.
his neck isn't bound in ropes
he could do it now.
in his desperation
he wants to pull violently against his ropes
and slam the back of his head against the lamp post
he could easily break his own neck
or at least knock himself out before the flames touch his skin.
minutes before
he had stupidly thought his torture was already at its peak
now he is certain
this will be
much
much
worse.
he pulls forward
ready to snap his skull back against the lamp post
until the last second
when time suddenly
stops.
behind his executioners
he sees his 32 kids
pushed at gunpoint to the very front of the crowd
forced to watch
yet
none of them are crying.
they are holding hands
biting their lips
staying strong for him
just like they promised.
taki stops.
if he doesn't suffer the flames
then
undoubtedly
his students will.
that
he cannot allow.
taki sighs
hanging limply in his ropes
and surrenders
because
he has a promise to keep.
so
he bows his head
as kerosene is poured over his body
and the near-empty bottle is shoved between his lips.
as the last drops trickle down his throat
he coughs and chokes on the fumes
crying in agony
and the spectators laugh mercilessly as he is humiliated on his own funeral pyre.
but
it doesn't matter what they do to him
because in the distance
with decades of life ahead of them
his students will be okay.
finally
the guards retreat
and the crowd screams in excitement
as the auditor steps forward.
when the lighter clicks
and the flame hovers inches from his heart
taki noboru draws his last breath
exhales calmly
and closes his eyes.