~Special Chapter~

"The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams." Oprah Winfrey

“Saving the world is any kid’s dream. Most of them wish to be heroes for the sake of helping others and for fame. Why do you want to become a hero, Haru?” Hoshi’s eyes sparked in curiosity.

He never thought of himself as a hero. He desires to change this sick society… right? He already has fame and he's not a big of the idea of helping people. Everyone has to stand on their feet and achieve great things on their own, that’s how he was taught.

His father was toxic and strict, but he was always realistic and one step ahead of anyone. There is a high chance that Mister Chibana already figured out Haru’s plan and if not, he will still act as he did.

His son must taste the tragedy without spitting it out, even if is too much, in exchange he will feel the power. To be precise, the political power will flow soon through Haru’s veins. Now, what does this tragedy stands for, you may wonder. The answer is not very pleasing, but you still have to know.

Tragedy, in his world, means to acknowledge the existence of life and death. Someone will say that living in a continuous balance is best. The ideal state of mind is when you don’t feel alive, but you’re still not dead. Your body and mind are still active, but your soul is already left for good. Without passion, sympathy, and a lot more, you are only controlled by desire. A desire to do better and better until you finally reach the ultimate goal.

But what happens when you reach the last level?

If you answer something like “You won!” you’re right.

If you answered something like “You go for even more!” you’re also right.

There is a third correct answer, but not a lot use it. It’s the “Nothing!” spoke specifically with a bored tone for the right effect.

Hmm, 3 right answers. It’s strange since each one leads to a different path in this balanced life of a human.

First of all, there is no equality between being alive and being dead. How could there ever be a balance when life is temporary and death is forever? How could there ever be a balance when life is the beginning of an eternal end that comes sooner or later?

Indeed the way we meet with this idea of “sleeping forever” varies, but the result is the same. We all meet with the unknown at some point.

On the other hand, there is no fairness. Some cherish their life and are scared of dying, while others are the exact opposite. So how come only one category of people has to fight their fears? I mean you can shorten your days, but can you add more time or even better, can you choose immortality? Of course not.

Returning to the three answers, based on what you chose I can tell you something about yourself. (You may already know it or you haven’t realized yet.)

If you went for the first one, you are very optimistic, but you know your limits. You give your best at crucial times and like to prove others wrong. You’re prideful, but you don’t want more than you can have. You play it safe and legal.

If you went for the second one, you are the world bold itself. When you put your mind to it, everything can be achievable with a “work smart, not hard” type of mentality. Be careful though, you being so daring can bring fortune and misfortune at the same time. Your beginning will be most of the time promising, but your end won’t always be what you want.

If you went for the last one, I’m sorry. I don’t even know if you have it in you to reach that far, not because you can’t, but because you gave up. You give me a “fighting the will to end it all” kind of vibe. You don’t play it safe or recklessly, in fact, you wouldn’t like to join a game you know you can’t win so you wouldn’t play at all.

In Kibo’s world, you would survive with the first mindset. In Haru’s world, you would survive with the second mindset.

But what about the last one? Why did I say is right?

The third choice is the one that actually represents both their worlds in the present.

“There is nothing in front of us or beside us, only behind.”

Yes, there are a lot of memories in the past. That’s why they are called memories. They are unforgettable things that have already happened, maybe once, maybe twice or even one hundred times. Memories can be both good and bad, they made us the person we are today, but they don’t define us. If you want a better person is not the past that holds you back, but yourself.

If your answer wasn’t even close to the ones above, then congratulations! You are free-spirited and believe in the saying “If there’s a will, there is a way.” You ended your journey of finding your true self or you are close to the end. Hope and hard work are in your blood. You like to give a try to any new opportunity, regardless of the result. You know that by trying you only win and never lose. People like you find their place everywhere and inspire others.

“Don’t heroes exist only in stories?” Meiko suddenly jumps in.

“As some heroes don’t wear a cap, some heroes don’t look like one. They are true, it’s not the title, but the actions that make them stand out.” Kibo says with a big and warm smile.

“Well I didn’t see any until now and they are needed!” The red boy says after thinking a little.

“You can’t see your heart, but it’s still there. It’s beating for tomorrow’s adventure.”

Everyone turns to Haru as he says replied to Meiko’s words.

“I don’t wish to be a hero, I crave for a day when I can feel something without a small trace of fear. I want to create for the new generations the future we never had a chance to even dream of!”

“Actions speak better than words. So come on, Fear’s representative manager, tell us what’s the plan! I entrust myself to you!” Hoshi stared at Haru with a genuine smile.

“Count me in!” Meiko says with an excited voice.

After his words, the silence fell into the room. They were waiting for Kibo to say something as well, but not even a single sound left her mouth. The yellow girl and her friend exchanged some glares, not knowing how to react.

“Don’t worry, she made a promise!” Haru simply says with an assuring smile, which made the two a little confused.

“I entrusted myself to our hero from the beginning!” Kibo returns the smile.

The purple boy had one little thing that he didn’t want to admit in front of others. Maybe it was too late for his generation to enjoy a different future, but it was not too late for him to be happy.

“Aiko, I also want to make a promise to you. On the day that this factory will collapse at our feet, I will give you my heart. It already had been yours for quite some time, but I want to wait for the perfect occasion. I will accept any answer you will give me, no matter if you reject me or not. Until then, please don’t ever abandon me.”